ddcboyle Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 So after nearly 6 years in the infantry, I need to get out and do a job change. Sick of the ideology in the military and the mess about with family life, when you cant get time off when family member is dying (happened to best mate not me). So, I now need some new ideas. Currently on 1,4k a month after tax, so im looking to make roughly 2k-2,5k after tax. I know its a big hope, but since I am used to being deployed on operations for 7months at a time and not seeing family in scotland for 3months at a time when in the UK, im not too fussed about socially friendly job. I was looking at a job in the same category as mine, in the way that we do tours. So oil rigs were going through my mind as a possible job. Ive got 4 a levels, 10 gcse's and nvq. No degree and dont really want to go to university as I do enjoy working and learning in my own time. Im very hands on, couldnt do a 9-5 sitting at a desk clicking a keyboard. Understandably this is where the money is, but its just not for me. I dont mind it being part of the job, but I want to be outside the office. Happy to work 8-12hours a day aslong as I get the pay to accept it. Any ideas? Anyone here earning 2,5k doing similar jobs such as close protection/cpa, oil rig etc. Need some more ideas and some personal experiance. As ive found with my job, what the recruitment office tell you, isnt what the job is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) My brother in law retired earlier this year from the special reconnaissance regiment with 24 years service. He was a sergeant. Anyway its all he's ever done since leaving school at 16. He's got a decent pension, but all he could get was a poorly paying store man job! Good luck! Edited July 23, 2013 by stuarty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcboyle Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 My brother in law retired earlier this year from the special reconnaissance regiment with 24 years service. He was a sergeant. Anyway its all he's ever done since leaving school at 16. He's got a decent pension, but all he could get was a poorly paying store man job! Good luck! Another reason I want to get out at 24, so I can start moving up the ladder of another job. I have no children and family as important as it is, have no reason to be with 24.7. Surely your brother is able to look into the Mi6 jobs, few guys I worked with were srr and moved into that area. Same job, better pay but in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bems Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) I am lucky enough to work offshore and have done all of my working career. Years back Used to get asked by people who i Knew or who knew me through friends maybe 2-3 times in a year what was the best way to get a job offshore. Nowadays it's the same question but every other day!Every man and their dog seems to want to come offshore for the money which is fair enough but I have also over the years seen the skills and knowledge of the average offsohre joe bloggs spiral downhill with some even "educated" guys being down right dangerous.Theres a lot of ex army guys out here and most that I have met are good guys and hard workers. From what I've seen and what I would recomend is that you look into NDT courses (non destructive testing) there are different levels of NDT tech dependant on years experiance and tickets held for eg DPI, UTI, MPI etc. I would say this coupled with a rope acces ticket would see you alright but the courses are not cheap and obviously work is not garunteed afterwards. The drilling side is also popular but you'd be right in at the bottom end getting every s%*t job going. Saying that, career progression does tend to be easier and drilling itself is on the up at the moment prety much world wide. Hope this helps. Edited July 23, 2013 by Bems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarty Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 My brother in law retired earlier this year from the special reconnaissance regiment with 24 years service. He was a sergeant. Anyway its all he's ever done since leaving school at 16. He's got a decent pension, but all he could get was a poorly paying store man job! Good luck! Another reason I want to get out at 24, so I can start moving up the ladder of another job. I have no children and family as important as it is, have no reason to be with 24.7. Surely your brother is able to look into the Mi6 jobs, few guys I worked with were srr and moved into that area. Same job, better pay but in the UK He was offered a job in Faslane and a security Job in Iraq, but after 24 years he simple wanted out. If you want my advice, consider going self employed at something. You'll have to work hard but you'll be your own boss. Best time to try it is when your young. Failing that move to OZ! Anywhere that dosent use your hard earned taxes to support lazy scumbags with benefits. BTW not all folk on benefits are scumbags! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJRFulton Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) Try get into the power station outage circuit. Onshore work, much, much, much easier to get into, and lets you network a bit. Long hours initially, but good money even as a lowly labourer. With ex-forces history, you'd be desirable to take on. From that vantage point you could see a number of different career paths that would be attainable, eventually even leading down the offshore route, depending on what you decide. I could give you a number to try, for nuclear station work, if you PM me. It would be basic skivvying though, but easy work that would net you more than your target wage. Edited July 23, 2013 by Badgeronimous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Buster Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 My son came out of the army recently and now works on the railway. Not a huge salary to begin with but the potential to substantially increase with experience and training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OV53 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Just read this after your PM. There are loads of companies that have alot of ex military guys who have done their rope access certificates. My mate left the marines last year and he is now working as an abseiler offshore. I can get hold of his details for you if you want and he should be able to point you in the right direction. Offshore is kinda ideal for ex squaddies as you have to be a bit mental to do this job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Can't give you any specifics for a military man, but I do have experience in job changes. Fresh out of Uni I took any old job and ended up doing office admin, it was rubbish, but I worked hard, got spotted and it opened up better opportunities after only a few months. Then when I came back from travelling totally skint a couple of years ago, I took a crap job doing IT tech support. Again it was rubbish, but cracked on and made a decent impression, next I know I'm offered IT contractor work on a decent wage. I guess what I'm saying is. Don't worry too much about the initial job (as long as it keeps a Zed going!) but if you go for a sector you're vaguely interested in and get your head down, people above you will notice and send opportunities your way. Intelligent, good grafters are sadly quite hard to find - so people will recognise if you go above and beyond in jobs, and they'll help you along the way. Good luck with the search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcboyle Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 (edited) Been speaking to a few guys on PM's about possibly moving into maritime security. Anti piracy basically. That way what I loved doing, im still able to do with more bank benefit and future prospects. For me, its leaving my secure job with garaunteed income to get in debt for a course, and then not be given the job after doing training. Leaving me jobless and in debt. Seems to be all that goes through my mind. Yeah, no risk no gain. I guess its taking that leap Edited July 23, 2013 by ddcboyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I was also going to say rope access, as its used on wind turbines a lot. You might need to pay for the courses your self, but any company will train you up for the actual job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Do you want the money, or do you want to do something you enjoy? They're not mutually exclusive, but sadly one tends to be found without the other. There's loads of jobs out there that could potentially see you making £37500 before tax which gets you to your £2500 take home, but you may find they either bore the hell out of you or simply grind you down. What are your skills? What do you enjoy doing? What won't you do under any circumstances? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcboyle Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Do you want the money, or do you want to do something you enjoy? They're not mutually exclusive, but sadly one tends to be found without the other. There's loads of jobs out there that could potentially see you making £37500 before tax which gets you to your £2500 take home, but you may find they either bore the hell out of you or simply grind you down. What are your skills? What do you enjoy doing? What won't you do under any circumstances? Ive accepted that you never truely get a job you love doing. Highly doubt ill get a job in top gear reviewing cars. I enjoy the operational side of the military, the fact that your away From the normal life so you dont need to have the hastle that comes with living at home. Thats the only reason ive stayed in the military but with afghan coming to an end and no foreseeable future operations on a squadron scale, chances are theres no tours for atleast 5years. Skills currently is purely infantry based. No trades or specific skills other than anti terrorism, search team and combat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jell36 Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 My brother has recently left the RAF and is now working in Saudi working as an Aeronautical engineer for BAE. He's on a 2 year contract to work out there and comes home for 3 weeks about every 3 months. He's earning around £40,000 tax free so not bad money at all. He was an Aeronautical engineer in the RAF though and so that gave him the skills and experience to get this job. My unlce retired from the Army and he struggled to find work for a while and then did a few jobs he didn't like (working in B&Q etc). Now he is a community warden which is a bit like a community support officer but he works for the council and not the police. He likes it as it is still a bit like the army in the way it is regimented but the pay is poor. My other uncle was in the Army and retired, he then worked as a safety officer at Sellafield nuclear power plant and then he was an agricultural minister of some sort and now he is a recruitment specialist. His salaries have always been eye wateringly high. I guess what I am trying to get at is that there is work and jobs out there with good pay that you may enjoy but it will take time to find them and keep trying different things, don't stick with the same job path for the rest of your career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilp Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Can you not try and get into an engineering role in the forces and then it gives you something to leave with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Skills currently is purely infantry based. No trades or specific skills other than anti terrorism, search team and combat. This is where you're going to struggle. With zero skills other than general types you pick up in the military (and I'm only guessing here, never having served) but the ability to lead and follow instructions and work as a team, you're never going to get anywhere near £40K a year unless you get extremely lucky. You'd need a good couple of years of training at something, whatever that may be, to get that kind of cash I think. What are your A-levels, they might be relevant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcboyle Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 A levels in maths, english, art and history. Have already tried retrading to get a trade but they dont let any1 leave the infantry due to the cost of training you. Theyd rather pay a civvie to join that trade. Due to my experience, or lack of, the jobs that id earn bigger bucks for is the private soldier for hire style of job. 3grand course, 25days and work anti piracy. Only issue with that is, its not garaunteed work. There is alot of momey to be made being a civvie soldier, but its how much your willing to give up and what your willing to do. Close protection in afghan and iraq can pay upto 200k a year. But then your just the cannon fodder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Sounds like some serious training is the way forward matey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcboyle Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 (edited) Sounds like some serious training is the way forward matey. Looking at these 3 or 4k courses, which im happy to get credit card for.. but will I get the job at the end... pfft so much hastle being an adult anyone else taken a risk like this? Credit card debt to do a course with no 100% garaunteed work? edit: I know university is the same stylr, but I dont want to rely on parents for this one Edited July 24, 2013 by ddcboyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbitstew Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I think at your age you are young enough to be able to do whatever you want. You would be very lucky to get the £40k a year your looking for though at that age. When I was 24 I was getting £15k...... in fact, more recently only 3.5 years back I was made redundant and I was only on £50 a day for 12 hour a day labouring on a building site. £50 a day worked out at about £12k a year. If I was you id be looking at a trade, like plumbing, brick laying anything like that. The money people I know who are in building trades make is amazing. Certainly more than a lot of guys who sit in offices get paid. It wont take long on a course, and even if you took a year or 2 of a lower pay whilst you get grounded, it will pay off in the long term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OV53 Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Mercenary work.....:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Plumbers in Scotland charge a fortune, just ask Stuarty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I think Stew has a point, wanting to add £1k to your current salary is going to be a tough ask, not impossible and people do achieve it, but it requires more planning and execution of a strategy than luck. When I was 24, with A Levels, a good degree and three years work experience in various office type jobs I was on £22k (although that was fifteen years back). I guess you are going to have to aim well outside the norm of jobs to get that sort of money, or, retrain. My brother is a car mechanic, dresses in knackared overalls all day and looks a pauper but has his own business and probably earns around £200-£300 a day after tax depending on what he works on - he started specialising in commercial vans and lorries, its a constant flow of work. He has no A Levels or Degree, just retrained with an eye on the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddcboyle Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Mercenary work.....:o not like the movies, but that sort of stuff. Found a few contacts who do it as a job (anti piracy) so will be contacting them. From what ive been told it ranges between 500-1k a day if your working on certain ships. If I got 200 a day id be a chuffed man. But before I get my hopes up, ill need to start getting connections and more information. Style of jobs im looking at is, working away from home for 5 to 15 weeks then home for few weeks, and continue in that rota. Money makes me happy, Im not one of these "money cant make you happy". If I have money, its no stress when looking at food, paying rent etc. And that style of job, I believe, would suit me. If I was offered to go to afghan for a year starting tomorrow id go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Just bear in mind what your tax arrangements will be if you contract. Accountant fees, paye and nic, corp tax, VAT, insurances etc, depending on how you are set up. Well worth investigating. I'd imagine insurance costs for this type of thing might be high if you're dispensing pirate justice on a daily basis . I'm sure there are contractor forums out there which can help. All these costs have to come out your £200 a day, not to mention your leave is unpaid, do you want a medical or pension plan. Most of all, is your neck worth it! I'd want more than that for leaving my desk and risking it all. Good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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