In my current situation, I am the sole earner in my household while my partner is completing their degree at university, which should be completed in 18 months.

Therefore I will have to remain in my current job during that period and I will have to put my search plans on hold or conduct a part-time search as a minimum. However, I still want to remain proactive in this period and I want to prepare myself in the best way possible for the future.

Some ways I could remain proactive and prepare myself are;

1) Volunteering as an intern for a search fund.

An internship allows me to learn the steps in finding a deal, analysing a deal, and how to pitch the deal to investors.
However, I am unsure how much time an intern needs to dedicate to a search fund. Plus my location in Perth, Australia could be a hindrance due to the lack of intern opportunities.

2) Undertake a business course or accounting course at TAFE

For the American audience, TAFE is the Australian equivalent of a community college in America.

I have a degree in mechanical engineering and have been working in mining and manufacturing operations for 15-plus years. but I have no formal education in business or accounting. Completing a diploma in business and accounting will speed up my learning curve and help me identify good deals in the future.

If the search funder community has any other ideas on the other ways to best prepare myself, then I would like to hear them.