Lack of IT jobs! Tell me about it!

I started in IT in 1977 and have done various roles and jobs programming, analysis, support, team leading etc until 2002 when my first wife died. I then took redundancy from a large insurance company which enabled me to take time off to look after my 3 kids, the eldest of which was 15 at the time. I think it was the right thing to do as my kids needed help with the loss of their mother. For a while i retrained and went back to Electrical engineering, the only thing i am qualified in but as the government bought in new rules for domestic electrical work this made it extremly difficult for one man companies so i gave up when offered an IT job with a local authority working part time.

I am still working there 8 years later for a dreadfull salary thats been frozen thanks to government cutbacks etc. Its enjoyable and i work from home but with no training and low wages its hard to break back into the sort of IT work i was doing before. On average I apply for about 2 jobs a week and have done for the past 5 years. Nobody seems to want the skills i had 10/ 11 years ago when i was very well paid. My guess its a bit of ageism plus lack of jobs in the first place. At 59 getting an IT qualification isnt at the top of my TO DO list and i think all employers have the view i am looking for an easy life up to retirement. Suprise,suprise, i still have a brain!

So not suprised you can't find IT work.....but don't give up , I won't either!