I was wondering if anyone here has experienced prolonged unemployment after graduating?

I completed my bachelors in 2015 (physics), graduating with a first. I couldn't get onto a graduate scheme and ended up working stop-gap jobs (retail, temping, teaching assistant work).

I was then offered a full stipend to study an MSc in nuclear science. I completed that in 2019. It has now been a year since I graduated and I am stuck in the same situation again. I have applied for nuclear jobs but it is a very niche area and I lack experience. It seems that my only hope to enter the industry is to apply through graduate schemes but the competition is always fierce.

I have no network and no way to apply for jobs except online (which seems more pointless the more I do it). I contacted lectures at my old universities but no one could help me.

In September I will sit the GAMSAT and apply for medical school, but the odds are against me and at my age (32) I feel like it is my last chance. It feels ridiculous to say that as I still feel very young and inexperienced.

I don't know what to do. I don't see myself in teaching (due to pupil behaviour and other issues teachers face). I'm not afraid to study again but I am sick of it as I feel like I have spent my whole life studying...

Your age is certainly not the issue and you shouldn't be thinking about "last chances".
Neither is your 1st in Physics.

I think one of your problems might be that you are focussing on graduate training schemes.
Most companies in the UK are small to medium sized, would love to have a graduate in Physics and won't run a graduate training scheme.

It also sounds like you have lost faith in applying for jobs. That would certainly come through in your applications.

My advice would be to focus on small and medium companies. When your CV is going to the same companies as tens of thousands of other equally qualified applicants, you are basically getting lost in the noise.

It all depends on what you want to do, but I know that jobs like medical doctors, nurses, speech and language therapists etc, are always recruiting. Oh and teachers. So vocational training is a good idea (I am guessing this is your motivation behind applying for medical school).

But you have existing qualifications already - so have you tried applying for jobs that aren't necessary what you trained (e.g., science writing / editing - just a random one) for but that require a degree (the transferable skills idea)?

I agree with pm133, small companies are great for first jobs as they are a lot less competitive and it easy to stand out.

Also, I knew medical student during my undergrad who was in his early 40s after having a "mid life crisis". So you are not too old.

Im start working in a small company 12 years ago, and Im still here. You will find yourt place, maybe it will be not your first job... but you will find it in any case.