TSRians help please

My brother is an amazing person, but due to unforeseen circumstances he dropped out of Uni after one year and did not complete his degree.

Now he's 26, and has become really depressed, I WANT TO HELP HIM.

He doesn't know what to do, has been working as an on call security guard and an on call reprographics operator for the past few years.

What can he do?

Go back to uni?

It's difficult to see where you're expecting the answers to be targeted? He should do whatever makes him happy; if this involves getting a degree then by all means he can go back and study.

If so, it depends what he wants out of it. It's a difficult job market, especially so for grads. I have heard an awful lot in my life that students expect the employment world to drop to its knees for anyone with a degree - not so true. My first grad job was earning less in a job that a 16 year old was qualified to do.

Point being - if he's looking for a change of career, then a degree should be considered based on what he would expect to get out of it. If it's in a subject that isn't so much "vocational" then the potential cost has to be considered against potential benefit.

I'm assuming that he's not happy in his work? The unfortunate reality these days is that it's difficult for many to get any work, so changing careers is a nightmare.

Well one thing would be to actually get closer to him............be that person he can talk to and take advice from.
It could literally be anything..........if it is a job issue, nothing wrong with either going back, taking a OU degree in his spare time, maybe some sort of other qualifications like being charted accountant, etc.

Is he married? It could be that especially at 26 as its usually a time when some Bengali guys start to settle down.

It's good that you wanna be there for him, make sure he knows that.
But he has to do what makes him happy. It ain't about the money, especially if he's depressed. Just tell him to do something he's always wanted. Travel the world perhaps? (if you have enough money)

I am pretty close, and he is down because he feels he hasn't achieved much. He's the eldest in my family. My parents don't make it any easier, I'm sure you understand.

What kind of OU degrees? And is there government grants and bursaries offered for these? He started an AAT course (Accounts) but it was a mistake as he clearly did it for my parents sake and not because it interested him.

I mentioned above some of the stuff we discuss that did interest him.

He's not married, but we're unsuccessfully looking for him to settle down (arranged marriage folks), getting a lot of rejections, just on his education and employment, not on looks as silly as it sounds and women in our community are much more educated. He is genuinely a good decent person, it's a shame.

Yeah I understand......pushy parents.

I think the career issue is certainly the issue especially due it linking up to his marriage issue, I can tell you thats going to be a serious downer and affecting him mentally as people are rejecting cos of his career.

I'm not entirely sure about OU, there is a mod with the name OU who studied/studying there, maybe find and ask them about it.

Well what does you brother want to do? I think one way he could get around his issue, is basically find a job in a firm which allows progression to a higher level and also willing to train their employees.

Which mod?

He's checking out Reprography courses, and Plumbing/Construction etc. So you suggest vocational courses?