Career change

[Krissgti]

So, for the past two years, I have been back working at JLR as contractor doing testing and validation for the infotainment systems. This is nothing new to me, as I work on the previous gen system for just under three years. I must admit, over the years, it has had it's challenges, it certainly has been fun and the chance to get to see some of the world has been fantastic. Now however, without getting into too much detail, management decided to have a big reorganization of the department, which in effect involved our team being dissolved, a lot of good guys deciding to leave and us being put in different roles. I got made a team leader doing issue triage, and I utterly, utterly despise it. Most mornings are a struggle to motivate myself out of bed to go to work now, and having, had pretty horrible depression in the past, it's quickly coming back, exacerbating the whole situation. So I am now in a job I very much hate and fairly depressed. I do get lots of agencies phoning me up and putting me forward for positions, yet rarely hear anything back

 

I would love to go into power-train development, probably in a validation and testing role, as I quite enjoy it. I'm a qualified technician as well, which you would think would count for something, but it doesn't seem so. Along with motorsport, it seems to be quite a cliquey thing to be in. That and they all want bloody MATLAB experience! Another thing that I have looked at is trying to re-train as a wind turbine technician, but again, seems to be a difficult path to go down as well. I'm not really sure what the hell to do really.

[brillomaster]

you have PM

[Justthejedi]

Pendragon group are looking for qualified vehicle technicians?

[TT350]

I can sympathise.

 

My parents didn't want me to go into further education. They wanted me to get out and earn money and pay for my keep. So I just got a warehouse job with Littlewoods at one of their huge distribution centres. Was agency but was taken on after 3 months. This is back when overtime was still paid on Saturday and Sunday. One of the things immigration HAS impacted is that sector. You used to be able to join an agency then be in work the next day. Now you have to fight and pester to get in. Overtime is gone...there are people who will work 7 days a week 12 hours a day at no extra pay.

 

Sooooooo since 1998 I've been doing that. One job to another. There are never any chances to be taken on. When they're busy, you're in. When it slows, you're out.

 

My point is though - I'm now at university doing a degree at 35 years old. So if you want to change career, it's never too late. Don't spend years unhappy and unfulfilled like I have.

 

Go for it.