Change of Career **September Update**

[sparky370z]

At 21 i was the same as you.

 

Bumming around. Got a job installing alarms but the company was shite and the staff were worse. I decided i needed a career change. So i shifted and got a job as a mature apprentice with a local electrical firm. I now have a good job and paid circa 40k. Have a great company car and the company are very good. My job is based mostly on a laptop but out on site in plantrooms and boiler houses!

 

Best decision i ever made!

 

If i didnt change i think i would never be where i am now.

 

Plus as a older apprentice the minimum wage would be higher. Prob about the same as 12k

 

DO IT!!!

[Neilp]

At 21 i was the same as you.

 

Bumming around. Got a job installing alarms but the company was shite and the staff were worse. I decided i needed a career change. So i shifted and got a job as a mature apprentice with a local electrical firm. I now have a good job and paid circa 40k. Have a great company car and the company are very good. My job is based mostly on a laptop but out on site in plantrooms and boiler houses!

 

Best decision i ever made!

 

If i didnt change i think i would never be where i am now.

 

Plus as a older apprentice the minimum wage would be higher. Prob about the same as 12k

 

DO IT!!!

you arent a trend engineer are you lol?

 

ive just been doing loads of surveys and quotes to install all our clients with new trend systems

 

i was on 15 starting at 18ish, 19k@2nd year, 23k@3rd year, 24k fourth year, baring in mind these were all basics

[sparky370z]

I sure am mate!

 

Honeywell, tridium, trend, jel, satchwell, siemens.... Ect

 

I do the lot.

[Neilp]

I sure am mate!

 

Honeywell, tridium, trend, jel, satchwell, siemens.... Ect

 

I do the lot.

ahhh you probs know my company then as trend do loads of repair work for us

 

I do alot of energy surveying and bms stuff but not technically a controls engineer but I know a fair bit about it through picking it up at college and on sites.

 

Brilliant job you have! unless you need to change lux/temp sensors mounted up walls etc in the pissing rain lol

[sparky370z]

I dont specifically work for trend. My company is a systems house.

 

Yeah thats not good, especially if it mounted 30 foot up. On the side of a prison houseblock wall

[Neilp]

I dont specifically work for trend. My company is a systems house.

 

Yeah thats not good, especially if it mounted 30 foot up. On the side of a prison houseblock wall

lol we do banks mostly, im dedicated to one contract though but all in all its a pretty good job. We're probably one of the largest family owned engineering firms in britain

[sparky370z]

The company i work for is all family owned! Employ about 200 engineers and loads of admin staff!

 

I have to say i do love my job. Get paid well, to do something i like

[Neilp]

PM sent

[AK350Z]

I studied professional CV's on the net before I set mine out and now it's a shortened 3-page CV. English and spelling I have always been pretty good at, so in terms of explaining myself and paperwork I shouldn't have a problem there.

 

I live in the Herefordshire & Worcestershire bordering Gloucestershire catchment area so I've a few avenues available to me.

 

AK350Z & Ken - Going off your initial impressions I'm guessing your both in the electrical if not construction trade?

 

I'm looking at the available courses in my local college, but still none the wiser as to which I'm to begin with. Full-time courses would I assume be the direct route if I were to be lucky enough to find an employer, otherwise It's part-time evenings whilst I keep my current job.

 

Part-time courses at a local college: http://www.hct.ac.uk/Courses/pt_electrical.html

Full time: http://www.hct.ac.uk/Courses/ft_elect.html

 

Of course this is just one college as Worcester is also available to me. I'm just trying to get a basic idea of where to start.

 

3 page CV sounds about 2 pages to long to me! I fit most of mine on one side, with some less important/old stuff on the back.

 

I'm in electrical maintenance yes, the main hurdle is getting a start or apprenticeship, but after that you're laughing really. It was the best thing I ever did (thanks dad!) and its meant I've never been out of work any longer than I wanted to be, even coming back to it after a 3 year "holiday" at Uni

 

I would defiantly try to start with an NVQ2 or C+G level 2, you don't need your 17th edition off the bat, and lots of employers will put you through it anyway.

[HaydnH]

3 page CV sounds about 2 pages to long to me!

 

My CV's 3 pages long, but then I put company logos next to each job I've had.... oh and I just got a promotion yesterday.

[AK350Z]

3 page CV sounds about 2 pages to long to me!

 

My CV's 3 pages long, but then I put company logos next to each job I've had.... oh and I just got a promotion yesterday.

 

Presumably your pomotion wasn't anything to do with your garish over-long CV then?

[HaydnH]

3 page CV sounds about 2 pages to long to me!

 

My CV's 3 pages long, but then I put company logos next to each job I've had.... oh and I just got a promotion yesterday.

 

Presumably your pomotion wasn't anything to do with your garish over-long CV then?

 

I had to submit it as the role was offered internally, the other applicants were rejected after the CV submissions so I didn't have to do any interviews. I've worked for a lot of blue chip companys though so they're logos people would recognise.

[Ruddles]

Cheers Neil! I am looking forward to finally learning a trade (shame it took until now for me to realise eh!)

 

Sparky- So despite the fact I'm 25 if I can manage to get myself on an apprenticeship my wage wouldn't suffer terribly from what I'm on now? Is this set to areas or national average?

I'm hoping this will be the best decision I'll make also, cerfingers crossed!

 

AK350Z- I've probably gone a little too much into detail on the CV, will try and cut it down to one page tomorrow. NVQ 2 and C & G 2 would be full time courses is that correct? Of course ideal if I can get someone to employ me beforehand.

At the moment I'll looking to a "who you know" basis or rather "who my dad knows" at his job so I'll have to wait and see currently then start searching around if things fail to materialise!

[Michael robinson]

An apprentice wage was about £19-20k when I started but might depend on what side of the trade you go in to and company etc

Try a company called interserve or balfour beatty am sure they are taking on

http://www.balfourbeatty.com/

http://www.interserve.com/

[Ruddles]

Michael,

 

That's one hell of an apprentice wage! Are you sure?

 

Thank's kindly for those links, I'll set about doing some research and contacting them to see if there are any availabilities!

[Neilp]

Michael,

 

That's one hell of an apprentice wage! Are you sure?

 

Thank's kindly for those links, I'll set about doing some research and contacting them to see if there are any availabilities!

Sounds about right. I think i was on around 24k for my last year

[Michael robinson]

Michael,

 

That's one hell of an apprentice wage! Are you sure?

 

Thank's kindly for those links, I'll set about doing some research and contacting them to see if there are any availabilities!

Sounds about right. I think i was on around 24k for my last year

 

100% mate

I think I started on 19.350 and when I finished I was on 26k but that's cause I went on the multi skilled engineering course .

Now at the age of 24 am on abit more due to completing a few extra courses As interserve (my employer) has a reward scheme for doing them

[Neilp]

Michael,

 

That's one hell of an apprentice wage! Are you sure?

 

Thank's kindly for those links, I'll set about doing some research and contacting them to see if there are any availabilities!

Sounds about right. I think i was on around 24k for my last year

 

100% mate

I think I started on 19.350 and when I finished I was on 26k but that's cause I went on the multi skilled engineering course .

Now at the age of 24 am on abit more due to completing a few extra courses As interserve (my employer) has a reward scheme for doing them

 

Yep i'm multiskilled aswell, but i do building services. I'm 24 too lol.

 

Good money to be made in any engineering business. Dont think i've ever went a year even during my apprenticeship without making +40k

[Michael robinson]

Michael,

 

That's one hell of an apprentice wage! Are you sure?

 

Thank's kindly for those links, I'll set about doing some research and contacting them to see if there are any availabilities!

Sounds about right. I think i was on around 24k for my last year

 

100% mate

I think I started on 19.350 and when I finished I was on 26k but that's cause I went on the multi skilled engineering course .

Now at the age of 24 am on abit more due to completing a few extra courses As interserve (my employer) has a reward scheme for doing them

 

Yep i'm multiskilled aswell, but i do building services. I'm 24 too lol.

 

Good money to be made in any engineering business. Dont think i've ever went a year even during my apprenticeship without making +40k

 

we have quite abit in common

What company do you work for ??

money aside getting in to engineering I found really rewarding i find solving problems and installing new state of the art equipment quite a buzz ( sad I no ) .

as a bonus you can do anything in your own house your self with no hassles or waiting for trades to turn up ( never on time haha ) or make money on the side by doing things for people

[Greeny]

hey mate you should defiantly go for this im almost done myself.

 

some said here go to college and work self employed as you go, unfortunately you can not does this as law requires you to be a competent person to play with electrics. which you will not be until finished. So will have to be with a company, you'll find most one man band types would not be interested in hiring you as they are not up to scratch themselves since they will also be checked, they don't bother. im having that problem around me.

 

if you were going to do the college route and find a job, you'll need the new City and Guilds NVQ Diploma in Electrotechnology (2357)

the 2330 now has stopped and does not exist any more. people who have done this or finishing it will still count.

 

there are companies that offer the whole thing in like 6 weeks for £XXXXS stay clear you will never learn it all form these types, they only bread cowboys who kill people.

 

if you need any help just pm me good luck dude

[Ruddles]

Being that I'm 25, providing I can find a company to take me on is essential then really.

 

I live pretty much in the sticks but, I have good access to Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester and Malvern as I'm situated pretty much slap bang in the middle between them all.

 

Greeny- At what age did you start learning? Yes I'm a firm believer that things worth doing take time, not these "quick-fix solutions" that seem to be thrown about for just about everything theses days!

 

I'm non-partial to which sector I would eventually end up in be it industrial or domestic. The company my dad works for are in social housing, but I believe also do the occasional industrial locations. Frankly, I'll be happy whatever happens!

 

To be able to fix and implement things around the home would be of great benefit also, like you said Michael, no charges other than your own time

 

Neil- That's a pretty exceptional wage for an apprentice? Is that simply down to the location you work at? i.e. Working in say a smaller place like Hereford or Malvern would not generate as much capital?

[AK350Z]

Exceptional wages are normally down to overtime, which will vary from company to company.

 

Back in 1997, my first year wages were £68 a week, (i was only 16 though, so it was loads! ) but it jumped up in decent increments right up to £21k when I finished.

[Neilp]

Exceptional wages are normally down to overtime, which will vary from company to company.

 

Back in 1997, my first year wages were £68 a week, (i was only 16 though, so it was loads! ) but it jumped up in decent increments right up to £21k when I finished.

Yep good wages are down to overtime and hard work. My cars motivated me, by the time I was 20 I was in a position to buy a ferrari 360 but crashed my cooper s works and buggered the insurance. This is why I ended up with the swift sport(for the missus as i was gonna keep the cooper s) then a week or two later decided the mini had to go lol, so went out and bought the 350z also. The fezza was a little more than the two cars but was still affordable but insurance went from 1700 quid to 4k so I ventured away from it and will go back to it in future years.

 

You have an awesome job now AK! How did you end up in your position?

[AK350Z]

Ah well you see, I have currently traded in my huge earnings (not) for spending as little time at work as possible! I'll be averaging 5 months at work this year, which on a pro-rata basis is about £60K a year!

 

I've suffered from a lifetime of indecision, which as anyone will tell you, is not the best plan of action if you want to climb the corporate ladder and make super bucks. I've basically went:

 

Apprenticeship (nuclear) > University > Aircraft > Aluminium > Contracting > Wind power!

 

And thats missing a couple of wee things out!

 

There's a couple of guys at our place who still work on their days off (thats moonlighting kids ) doing self employed type stuff, but conversely, we also have a couple of guys who have quit working for themselves as it was becoming so hugely time consuming chasing clients for non-payment and getting done over.

[Ekona]

Back in 1997, my first year wages were £68 a week, (i was only 16 though, so it was loads! ) but it jumped up in decent increments right up to £21k when I finished.

Blimey, now we're going back! My first wage was just under £100pw working in a restaurant, so when I ditched that to take up a plumbing apprenticeship it doubled to £200pw back in 1999 which as a 19 year old felt like I'd won the lottery!

 

I think you've got the right idea tbh mate, doing less work for a sensible pay rather than chasing all the cash in the world but having to work the hours for it.