Currently Out of Work for two years in Cornwall, am I screwed if I don't move?
For clarity my background is in tech support, software development, network engineering and software development.
Essentially: Left a job in 2024 for a more senior role as a team leader at another company. The new company was a zero hours contract which I think was my biggest mistake (taking it with no guaranteed hours), in my first month they lost their biggest contract and fired my team. But not me - they just left me on zero hours with a "promise" of getting things back on track and giving me my hours back. I feel like it was a "quiet firing" or whatever the term is, and maybe I should've looked into legal action? But with much less than 2 years at the company I figured I had no recourse. I reached out to my original employer who was not willing to take me back. Friends still inside the company said the company was basically skint - then not long after a bunch of stories hit the paper about how they had to withdraw from several contracts due to rising costs.
Since then I tried to start my own "company" (Freelance general IT stuff) but it never really went anywhere. I initially got a few clients but those initial clients ran their course and then business just basically dried up with very little demand.
Since then I have got my CSCS card, ECITB CCNSG card and my SIA Doorsman license but still struggling to find any significant long term work. I'm going back to college in September to start a level 2 electrotechnical craft course and hope to get an apprenticeship but my hopes are slowly dying.
I would move but me and my ex broke up a few years ago and I refuse to relocate somewhere that will make it difficult to regularly be in my daughters life.
I just don't really know what to do, Cornwall seems to have very few opportunities outside of minimum wage gig work, especially for someone in their mid 30's. Would just appreciate any advice or insight?