Ruddles Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Bear with me on this one!!!! Has anyone recently or between the ages of 25-30 changed their career path on here? I sit at a computer day in day out inputting and any highly detailed excel spreadsheets or work I do is taken for granted by the senior staff who can barely type in excel let alone adapt calculated fields to a pivottable. It's a 9-5 job on what can only be described as a paltry wage which sums up to about £12000 per anuum. I am quickly considering applying for an Electrician course (unsure of which yet as there seem to be a few) as my grandfather used to work as one during his days and I was highly interested with his work when I was younger. I am still interested now and after 4-5 years sat in front of a zombie box I'm quite interested to learn a 'skill'. Basically I am sick of being taken for granted and more and more I feel I am being 'used' by the company to produce information for them. They promised me a pay rise last August when I transferred to my current job role and after roughly 3 reviews they keep changing my objectives and have said a certain 'manager' has not seen me shine yet. So, realising that I probably will never get anywhere with this current company in career nor wage and the fact I have no qualifications, only experience I am leaning almost horizontally into said Electrician course. My question's are: At 25 y/o (26 Sep this year) am I too old to start changing career path's and would I need to take a pay cut in terms of where I am now to say a possible apprenticeship? Would an evening course be better than a full time course (having to give up job to complete it)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Do it now, or you'll never do it. Suck up any money lost and do it full-time, you'll get the hands on experience you'll need that colleges don't teach these days. We've got a young lad (16) started with us and his one day a week at college is taken up by H&S courses of learning how to lift boxes, and maffs and English tests. I kid you not, the kid learns nothing about plumbing there. The building trade is still very quiet (more or less), so you may struggle to get work right now. That said, decent Part P sparkies can charge what they want, it just costs a load to get there in both money and effort. Also, and don't take this the wrong way, but £12K a year is shockingly bad money. I'd be doing something I enjoyed at the least if I was earning that little a year, so honestly you don't really have much to lose apart from not having a job at all. I wish I'd done it years ago truth be told, I'd have loved to be a copper of any kind but there's no opportunities for that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomS Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You're never too old to change career, especially if you're not happy! I've just handed in my notice at my current place to go full-time freelance. Not as much a career change but not having a constant wage is going to be different! A full-time course would just see you through it quicker, if you've got money saved up to see you through and a bit extra then it might be the best option, but only if you're 100% certain on that's what you want to do. If you were happy at where you are but just wanted a career change I'd have said stay where you are, train in the evenings then leave if/when possible. But if you really don't like your job but don't have any savings to do full-time training, could you look for a part-time job somewhere or can you train up as part of job seekers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I would say it’s never too late to try something different. Life is not a dress rehearsal, so if you are miserable change your life. The main blockers for something like this are usually responsibility i.e. kids, wife, sick parents etc. If you have nothing of these then its down to you old boy! If you have a trade it can take you places, if you want it too. I am 39 and hopefully I will have moved my life to Canada within the next few months. Change your life, you will feel much better Just as a foot note I had a friend who was an average student at school, bummed around doing shitty little jobs so he could finish college, as he wanted to be a policeman. He tried several times to get in and was so fit for the tests he could have joined the army! Sadly because he didn’t fit the ethnic demographic at the time, he was refused for the final time. Devastated his head disappeared up his arse for 6 months. When his head reappeared, I asked him “What now?†He replied, “Promise you won’t laugh?†“No, of course notâ€, I said “Spaceman, I want to go in to space†At this point, naturally I thought, that’s it, his tiny mind is broken, but being supportive I said “great go for it!†Long story short, he packed his bags and trotted off to Bristol University He still hasn’t quite made it in to space but has a lot to do with it. I am extremly proud of him, it was a bold move that really paid off http://www.physics.bristol.ac.uk/people/laing_a/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 would I need to take a pay cut in terms of where I am now to say a possible apprenticeship? Would an evening course be better than a full time course (having to give up job to complete it)? Again don't take this the wrong way mate but I don't think there is any liklihood of you taking a pay cut - you must be brushing the minimum wage banding now. I always err on the side of caution when people ask this question.........this time I am absolutley saying go for it - what the hell is even keeping you from going 'Falling Down' now is beyond me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I'm a Building Surveyor (i'm always being asked "do you know any decent plumbers/electricians") - do it now !!!!!! - you won't regret it or go for plumbing both are trades that are needed and will always be needed - eventually you can work for yourself and start earning proper money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzman Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 would I need to take a pay cut in terms of where I am now to say a possible apprenticeship? Would an evening course be better than a full time course (having to give up job to complete it)? Again don't take this the wrong way mate but I don't think there is any liklihood of you taking a pay cut - you must be brushing the minimum wage banding now. I always err on the side of caution when people ask this question.........this time I am absolutley saying go for it - what the hell is even keeping you from going 'Falling Down' now is beyond me. +1 - get it done. ...dont completely give up on office work though - it's not all bad if you can get some quals/find the right job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 As Ekona said, if you can manage financially go for a full time course. We've had lads on one and two day courses which seem to drag on for ever and only seem to teach Health and Safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 What I would say is why not change jobs. In my experience, how companies work is that they will not give you a pay rise whilst you are sitting there on 12k a year doing a good job for them. Who else are they likely to get for that cash? They will come up with every story under the sun as to why they cant give you a pay rise as they know you`ll probably stay anyway. In all my career ive only ever had about 2 pay rises whilst ive been working for a company and they were pathetic little ones. You only ever get more cash if you change companies. It sounds like you are good at Excel, so why not move jobs, go to another company which needs those skills. I usually pay my first line support team more than 12k and they have a mixture of skills, all which are easy to learn. You can of course change career if you hate the type of work you are doing, rather than just hate the company. At 25 you are still a young wipper snapper. Depending on what course you want to do, you could be established in a new career before your 30, easily. I considered a similar thing a few years back when I was made redundant. Most of my mates are tradesmen. Either plumbers, sparkies, brickies, plasterers or even gardeneners. And they *all* are absolutely flat out. They have more work than they can handle and are making more cash than I was as a "qualified" computer person with 15 years experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 There is always opportunity, no matter where you are and what you do...but if you are not happy you have to look at what you are doing and why you aren't happy. Is it purely that you have gone off the kind of work you do, or is the the company, or even just a single employee? Identifying the problems helps you find a solution. I would also have a good think about what you are passionate about, often it can lead you in good directions with regards to a career change - ask most employers and a passionate employee is worth much more to their business than a 9-5er who happens to have done a course 10 years ago in something relevant. Good advice above though, life isn't a rehearsal, get a good plan, think it through and go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruddles Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Amazing response here! Really! Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply! I'm generally sick of being sat in front of a pc all day and the company in general; they don't pay anyone well unless you are in the 'click'. Most managers are on £30,000. It's a country company so they get away with paying minimal amounts. I'm definitely interested in learning and working as an electrician. I don't want to see the same pc all day every day, I want to get out, do different things each day. I'm unsure which course to initially read up on or take. Some of you seem quite knowledgable in the construction sector, any hints or direction you can give me toward which course? I see there are City & Guilds, NVQ's and Part-P. Would it be possible to find an employer who might train me as such? I should mention when I left school I entered a HND in Construction but didn't see it through as an injury forced me to quit however, this was architectural based and not electrical. You are all correct, I'm on my last legs here and I can only imagine their idea of a pay rise would be 50p extra an hour. 4-5 years and I've only ever had a pay rise of 20p extra p/h . I want to have a trade 'skill' and more to the point I want to be able to ENJOY what I'm doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH 370z Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Might be worth trotting along to your local Uni, see what they have to offer and what you will get at the end. My wife went back to school to learn Law at 26, did it part time so it took her 5 years for the degree and 2 years for the LPC. The point is that, she had to get back into University life which was the biggest challenge. She then took a part time job selling beds in a shop, and still did £18k a year in, doing that 3 days a week. You just need out of your comfort zone, what’s out there is quite surprising Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 http://www.physics.bristol.ac.uk/people/laing_a/index.html Impressed Not exactly rocket science is it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I have changed career (and country) a few times, I started off on a YTS course when I finished school with just a few 'o' levels and CSE's..... went to college and learnt a trade, became a qualified skilled baker and confectioner. Then went to UNI at 28, got a degree in computer science and mathematics and now I work in Logistics It bugs me when I see managers above me who can't string a sentence together or work a simple spreadsheet also If you can take the financial hit then train to do something else, sometimes you have to take a step back to move forwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You won't lose much cash in the first year if any, you'll be on more than that thereafter for sure! My old man started as a sparky 40 years ago and I know for sure his guys earn a hell of a lot than 12k a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruddles Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Good phrase there dave and at £12000 a year, I don't think I can go back much further! I have a good amount saved for; possible future house deposit. So I may be able to use that. I can see courses ranging from £200 to £6000!! But I'm unsure as to which course is best to take. Anyone know anymore regarding the courses on this subject? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 My dads company recruits their apprentices from the local college normally. The guys that have done a year electrical engineering (NC level, out of school) and come recommended by the lecturers are interviewed. That's how they do it and it works for them. Maybe worth speaking to a few companies you'd like to work for to see what they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Retraining isnt too hard at your age. Id speak to local colleges and see what courses employeers would look for. Ive been in computers all my life, but I remember not so long ago when every man and his dog assumed there was big money to be had in computers and you had carpenters, plumbers and brickies all retraining in computers and "walking" into jobs paying 25k a year. Then of course the market got flooded with computer engineers and people like myself who had been in computers all their life got made redundant. Of course, those people who originally had a different career like plumbers just went back to plumbing and continued making money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I don't think it matters what age you are its how you've cut your cloth. I couldn't change careers now as I live a life that requires me to earn a certain salary - I'd have to take a 50% pay cut to do anything else which would mean losing houses, cars and all that other capitalist sh*te that we're told we need to have Deep joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruddles Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 My dad's been a painter & decorator most of his life and was until a year and a half ago self-employed. He now works for Festival Housing, so he's querying a few electrician's there on the range of courses and possible train & work programmes. For me I have no house, no sick family, no major out-goings, the only thing I don't want to lose is the Zed...naturally! I have tomorrow off work, so if I can manage to book a meeting with someone of knowledge at my nearest college (roughly 20 miles from home). Think I'll also see how Festival Housing recruit too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You've absolutely nothing to lose, do it NOW while you can, ditto what everyone else has said Might be worth PM'ing Beavis & Neil p, I think they are both in that trade My dad's been a painter & decorator most of his life and was until a year and a half ago self-employed. He now works for Festival Housing, so he's querying a few electrician's there on the range of courses and possible train & work programmes. For me I have no house, no sick family, no major out-goings, the only thing I don't want to lose is the Zed...naturally! I have tomorrow off work, so if I can manage to book a meeting with someone of knowledge at my nearest college (roughly 20 miles from home). Think I'll also see how Festival Housing recruit too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael robinson Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Go for it it will be the best thing you have ever done . If you can try and go for a multi skilled engineering course , company's will fight to employee you if you can , as you can do all of the trades and they don't have to get three different blokes in for one simple job . I done my multi skilled engineering apprenticeship when I left school as I was lucky enough to pass a test at a place called seta http://www.seta.co.uk/ they trained me up and sent me to collage , i was lucky enough to be tought many different trades and different aspects of those trades i.e installation and maintenance In Electrical , Mechanical, refrigeration, welding, milling and turning , joinery , building . Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I've had a quick word with Caroline who is a careers and training advisor for Careers Wales. She deals with adults who are in the same position as you so she's going to gather some info which I'll post shortly for you . Although she only deals with people who live in Wales she also has contacts with the English equivalent of Careers Wales. That's because she works on the England/Wales border. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisS Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 As the others have said, go for it. You'd probably earn more or as much as a sparks gofor or on a building site.(but cold this time of year) Study and work in pubs or chippies in the evening. You have done the hardest part,you have asked here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I've had a quick word with Caroline who is a careers and training advisor for Careers Wales. She deals with adults who are in the same position as you so she's going to gather some info which I'll post shortly for you . Although she only deals with people who live in Wales she also has contacts with the English equivalent of Careers Wales. That's because she works on the England/Wales border. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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