View Full Version : also moving to Thurso
Hi all, - I'm also looking to move to Thurso (technically to just outside Thurso) and my background is in I.T. (I build, repair, install PCs, peripherals etc.).
I wonder if there are any businesses in the Thurso area that would be likely to need these kind of skills or would it be necessary for me either to consider going self-employed as a travelling PC repair man (which is what I do anyway), or even look at doing something else entirely (like stocking shelves in Lidl !).
I would very much like to know how tight is the jobs market in Thurso ?
Ethan
Bobinovich
21-Dec-06, 19:41
Hi Ethan
I'm one of the handful of full-time IT consultants up in Caithness and am based in Thurso. Although my business has been established for almost 13 years I'm sure there is room for another IT person in the area, but almost certainly only for someone who is self-employed.
While there have been times when I could have done with another pair of hands (I've not had a holiday longer than a long weekend for 6 years!) I don't relish the idea of working with PAYE, NI, Tax, etc. or being directly responsible for another human's income. It would also almost certainly put me through the VAT threshold meaning yet another layer of paperwork I'd prefer to avoid.
There may be IT positions available at UKAEA (Dounreay) or with another business in the area or, as you say, you could always go for something completely different :D
If you need any other information then feel free to PM me.
Jeemag_USA
21-Dec-06, 19:50
You might want to put your resume into BT or Manpower as well in Thurso, I used to work there and new a few people who were responsible for working on the pooters, they may need somebody, or they might contact you if a position came up.
Hi Ethan
I'm one of the handful of full-time IT consultants up in Caithness and am based in Thurso. Although my business has been established for almost 13 years I'm sure there is room for another IT person in the area, but almost certainly only for someone who is self-employed.
While there have been times when I could have done with another pair of hands (I've not had a holiday longer than a long weekend for 6 years!) I don't relish the idea of working with PAYE, NI, Tax, etc. or being directly responsible for another human's income. It would also almost certainly put me through the VAT threshold meaning yet another layer of paperwork I'd prefer to avoid.
There may be IT positions available at UKAEA (Dounreay) or with another business in the area or, as you say, you could always go for something completely different
If you need any other information then feel free to PM me.
Hi Bobinovich - thank you very much for the advice and for your welcome :)
I figured that it would need to be as a travelling PC repairmen - I didn't think the chances of a small computer shop surviving the competition from places like ebuyer and of course ebay were very good - seen too many go out of business - it's just not possible to buy and stock in the kind of quantities that ebuyer do to get realistic trade discounts.
One of the potential landlords is a Employment Agent down in Edinburgh and apparently has connections with
HR in Dounreay so she's going to see if there are currently IT vaccancies I might be suited to which might be another option.
Be strange to work 9-5 in the same place all the time again :)
You might want to put your resume into BT or Manpower as well in Thurso, I used to work there and new a few people who were responsible for working on the pooters, they may need somebody, or they might contact you if a position came up.
Hi Jeemag - thank you for the suggestion - I would definitely look into Manpower - although where I currently am they are unreliable - too much 'bitwork' for want of a better description (a few days here, a few days there) for too little pay when there are bills to pay.
Will give BT a look in as well - thanks for the tip!
School IT technician? Or working with local council? Are you planning to buy a house or rent one? have you got family moving up with you?
School IT technician? Or working with local council? Are you planning to buy a house or rent one? have you got family moving up with you?
welcome to small town life!
manpower actually have a vacancy for an IT literate person as we speak, i have an interview on wednesday.... i am under the impression its a full time job working for manpower and not a temporary contract with someone else... i hope so anyway.
you can get the details off the jobcentreplus site.
a few IT related positions appear but your not exactly spoilt for choice...
Welcome to small town life, MG Man?
Surely looking at these threads one is aware that this is no longer a small town.
Take Drumnadrochit- tiny wee school in a hen house and a few portacabins- then the developers built a few more houses and they got a nice new school- based on 200 pupils. How many are in it now? 400- and they've had to cap it. The reason why house prices have been going up is that with fewer folk leaving the area and more people coming in, there's a housing shortage and the schools are getting filled up- rumour has it that they'll need another secondary school pretty soon.
Besides- if a chap/lassie is coming up, might be nice to know if they're coming up to retire/settle down/get married etc. You never know- maybe the next venture for caithness.org might be a dating agency!
I would also suggest looking at the businesses such as Tesco since they are heavily integrated into ICT systems. They will need skilled staff to maintain and improve their systems.
robglysen
31-Dec-06, 12:07
I can do PC repair too, though I dont do much as I did loads where I used to live and never got any peace as people were always getting viruses etc , as they'd rather buy a game than some decent anti virus!
I prefer peace!, I may do it again one day though.
School IT technician? Or working with local council? Are you planning to buy a house or rent one? have you got family moving up with you?
thanks for the suggestions bagpuss :) . I'm looking to (long-term) rent a 1 or 2 bed place (have found a few but locating somewhere unfurnished or only partly furnished is a nightmare as everyone wants to let their place as 'furnished' so they can charge more money. Shame not so many landlords are open to the idea of keeping the rent the same but with the option of taking some of their dark furniture out).
I'll be living with just my Jack Russell for company (as usual) but my mum would probably come up and stay a lot with a view to buying a place for (the rest of) her retirement.
It's unfortunate that the holidays are getting in the way of me making much progress at the moment as I'm really keen to get this ball rolling (and I have to give 28 days notice where I am at the moment which is a drag). I found some places via the main Caithness.org site but if you know of any others, please drop me a line.
welcome to small town life!
Where I live at the moment is a pretty huge place without any soul or character whatsoever - facilities are superb - and the convenience of everything is nice but I'm I'm used to living in a smaller town too and I think that there is a quality of life that just seems to be missing when everything you could possibly ask for (except tranquility) is on your doorstep.
thanks also to the rest of you guys - I'll be checking in with Tesco (probably be there on a regular enough basis anyhow :) and Manpower as well (although I'd hate to do temp-ing - I've found that it's a but unreliable as a main source of employment) - working directly for them in-house would be ok - I used to do that for an employment agency many years ago.
Welcome to small town life, MG Man?
Surely looking at these threads one is aware that this is no longer a small town.
Take Drumnadrochit- tiny wee school in a hen house and a few portacabins- then the developers built a few more houses and they got a nice new school- based on 200 pupils. How many are in it now? 400- and they've had to cap it. The reason why house prices have been going up is that with fewer folk leaving the area and more people coming in, there's a housing shortage and the schools are getting filled up- rumour has it that they'll need another secondary school pretty soon.
Besides- if a chap/lassie is coming up, might be nice to know if they're coming up to retire/settle down/get married etc. You never know- maybe the next venture for caithness.org might be a dating agency!
I was simply observing that the barrage of questions was perhaps a little overly inquisitive, particularly for your first post in the thread, my apologies if my humour caused any offense.
In response i realise the area is not a mall town, but the way of life is still similar,
I was simply observing that the barrage of questions was perhaps a little overly inquisitive, particularly for your first post in the thread, my apologies if my humour caused any offense.
In response i realise the area is not a mall town, but the way of life is still similar,
I thought it was a fair few questions too - but that's ok :) - makes a change from the facelessness of Stevenage! People come to Stevenage from all over the world, get assimiliated and turn grey (in a manner of speaking). Like something the Borg do on Star Trek.
I had my fill of relationships years ago TBH, I'm very happily single and have no plans to give up my freedom anytime this decade. Maybe I'll change my mind when I retire!
I lived in New York for a year- and the locals in my bit of the Bronx asked questions non stop- very intrusive ones and my match maker neighbour tried to get me married off at least twice in one week- so it isn't just small towns.
But honestly- Caithness is a dump and it's miles from anywhere. Most of us came here for a reason like family being here or work being here- why would you want to come here if you didn't have to?
Not a good idea to travel to anywhere with your personal dump. Better to leave it behind you before you take the first step in your journey.
cuddlepop
01-Jan-07, 15:46
Errogie you've hit the nail on the head all too often people appear on Skye with a whole lot of baggage in tow.Inevitably they dont stay as there past becomes a noose around there neck and eventually strangles there new start.:(
Tried to good rep you for your comment but was informed I had to spread it around before I could good rep you again.Could you pm me please the date I did this cause I canny remember:lol:
percy toboggan
01-Jan-07, 21:31
From Stevenage to Thurso? I'd venture that Thurso is still a 'small town' in comparison to Stevenage. I do not know it well but spent a good few weeks delivering to local shops there in the nineties. Seemed soul-less. Every little estate seemed much like the other.I'd guess it hasn't improved much. No sea either which is always a drawback.
I hope your move succeeds emb, one day we shall follow in the northward direction. From outer Mancunia though ....still some soul here and oodles of convenience. They've shut all the public ones though - drug dealing apparently, and one or two other unsavoury goings on I'm told.
Global warming has increased hopes for an eventual coastline but not while I'm around ! Warrington and it's environs are safe for a while at least.
Goodl luck. I hope you keep the org informed of your progress.
From Stevenage to Thurso? I'd venture that Thurso is still a 'small town' in comparison to Stevenage. I do not know it well but spent a good few weeks delivering to local shops there in the nineties. Seemed soul-less. Every little estate seemed much like the other.I'd guess it hasn't improved much. No sea either which is always a drawback.
I hope your move succeeds emb, one day we shall follow in the northward direction. From outer Mancunia though ....still some soul here and oodles of convenience. They've shut all the public ones though - drug dealing apparently, and one or two other unsavoury goings on I'm told.
Global warming has increased hopes for an eventual coastline but not while I'm around ! Warrington and it's environs are safe for a while at least.
Goodl luck. I hope you keep the org informed of your progress.
Manchester's a pretty buzzing place - a great bunch of people there - but yes, the coast will probably remain a bit distant for a while yet!
Sounds like you've picked up enough of an undesrtanding of Stevenage to know why I hate the place - absoluetley it's utterly souless - devoid of any character. The estates vary a bit, but the people don't. It's like living in a London suburb. Horrible!
Yes chaps I intend to leave as much of my junk behind as I possibly can - my food, my clothes and my stereo (and the PC of course) must come with me but everything else is getting looked at suspiciously. I don't wish to bring the past with me - don't need it :)
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.