mackers

I`m 23 and an electrician, really not enjoying it anymore, want to change careers but with a mortgage and a wedding coming up its very hard. Has anyone else changed their career?

DanCossie

iTrader: (1)

i changed my career for 6 months but the grass is not always greener.....went to back to do what i do best

Graceland

I guess that there will always be a need for rentboys in central London

banhambuilt

done it loads of times

i worked in a garage for 11 years
welder for a canal boat firm
welder for a steel building manufacter
labour on the last foot and mouth
drove an artic all around europe
heavy recovery driver

thinks thats it,i get bored and leave

currently working on the motorways repairing the barriers,and i fookin love it

dave

DanCossie

iTrader: (1)

you cooonnnttt

percybigun

try working for a different company on different types of elec installs b4 changing mate!

twinkle_2k86

i was a sparky and changed and went into the drawing office, now im a design engineer.
But sometimes i do think about going back to electrics.

mackers

How did you get to do that twinkle 2k86? I was working on houses and have changed to commercial work for a while and I`m starting a new job on monday doing industrial work. Just not happy at the minute.

percybigun

you'd need to learn Autocad. i have done some M & E drawings in my time and find it very very laborious, architectural drawings are much more interesting to do.

mackers

how did you get into it though, how did you make the change from a spark to doing drawings in the office?

Nick D

Not if your doing the design yourself and managing the projects as an engineer rather than a CAD bitch drawing what someone else has already done for you!!

And most Architectural drawings that would come out of a decent practice would be produced in Microstation and then converted.

richj

I was a sparks, got bored and started doing night classes in Elec. Engineering. I'm now the senior estimator for an electrical contractor, still in the same buisness but just a different section. Try it , worked for me, I would never go back on my tools full time.

percybigun

sorry mate i wasnt saying being design engineer for elecs is laborious, i just meant that being the CAD bitch is!

Nash

iTrader: (3)

I was a time served joiner, left to join the RAF 4.5 years ago and it was a massive mistake. Should have stayed where i was.

twinkle_2k86

i kind of fell into my position, there was an opening for someone to learn CAD, and i went for it and got it. I learnt Autocad myself, and you can download it "wink wink" and practice at home. Depends on which side you want to go, stay electrical based or go mechanical. i went mechanical myself. Company sent me to college to do a ONC mechanical engineering corse, and i have gone on from there.

One thing tho, its not just about drawing on the computer, theres loads of paper work, and you dont half get a bollocking when something dont fit

im now working my way up to 3D cad, thats where the big money is

mackers

richj that sounds more like what I`d like to do, I was looking at the local college courses and saw hnc in electrical engineering and was thinking about trying that. Is that along the lines of what you did?

foreverwhite

have sex with men, in toilets, for monies.

rugged rick

currently a hgv driver for a well known supermarket,had enuff of it and have just taken up learning the knowledge(lingo to become a london cab driver),very hard work and got a long hard slog in front of me,especially when trying to do a full time job as well,about another 3-4 years i think but i hope it will b worth it in the end as i dont want to be driving a lorry for another 30 odd years,dont get me wrong enjoy the driving side of it but had enough of all the shite that the management come up with at work so i want out.

Rick

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

I was a Trainee Pastry Chef nearly 7 years ago, Then I decided to join up...


At the moment.. Im on less tahn half my wages and I hate my job..

Good old Forces



Looking to come out and be either a Painter in the films, or a sparky

Diseasel

Was a chef for near 15yrs. 5yrs in Italian restuarants and 10 yrs as a head chef in a Cantonese gaff , now i'm a civilian police employee and now applying to be a full on police officer (wanker, pig , five oh, Rozzer etc , etc)

Alex_86

iTrader: (2)

yap

mercury xr

I'm 20 and fed up of plumbing also have the added joy of working for my dad! I am considering a career change, still in the building trade but in the offices.

Shings

Started in retail... then Retail management... then vehicle installations and now I am a quantity surveyor (albeit a trainee at the mo)

Jake

Big AL

Spent 14 years in a high street bank, took the plunge passed my HGV and I now repair barrier on high speed roads aswell.

Currently I'm a qualified 12A/B TMF, got basic barrier ticket TCB and OBB, P4, P1, Corus and Flexbeam. Been doing it 5 years now and still love it, best move I ever made, would never go back to an office and working nights means so much more time in the day for other things.

Al

mercury xr

How did you get into QS?

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

i worked at westinghouse rail systems for 7 1/2 years doing CAD on Microstation

first 3 years were propper go measure that and draw type of stuff, them they got me on signaling circuits which is THEE most brain dead boring fucking shit in the whole world... and i done it for 4 years

finally got made redundant as i kept getting caught on here i reckon, and then somehow managed to get a job at fast ford writing for the mag!

on about half the salery

its Stavs fault, i blame him

gwynny

What kind of bread do you earn at this game. Always wondered that?

Shings

Spent 2 years writing letters and sending cvs and got no where.

Then finally had enough of full time on the vehicle installs so fucked it off and went to uni. At 25 they throw money at you.

I live at home with my parents which helps- so would of been ok if my part time install subby job didn't work out.

Did the first year full time- as soon as I knew I was gonna pass it and get on ok (march this year) I started looking and applied for one on a whim...

Got the job and they're paying for the remainder of my course and will help me through my chartership etc.

I work for Morgan Est in utilities on the West Midlands Gas Alliance.

Jake

fish99

I was a sparky before I joined the Police....

I want to get back into it to be honest as I miss the site banter and the work. Cant be doing any of that flat bashing but industrial work is good fun.

How about a job swap

Neil

big_wig_074

spent 2 years working in offices,never again!
then joined RAF to be an aiframe mechanic on the jets,did 8 years
then i left and became an HGV driver,been doing it 6 months,loving it

mercury xr

What did you study @ uni? I have been thinking about being a QS, seems a cracking job. Really would jump at the chance getting a trainee position as a QS

banhambuilt

good lad,it`s good init?
who you work for? i am with amey mouchel
i done my 12a/b,just become a lead erector and got my nvq level 2,i got wire rope also
looking to get varioguard as well

nights is where it`s at mate,fook all happens in the day around here.

dave

Neil Clark

Apprentice trained welder from school, 7 years.

Heavy plant trainer, 11 years.

Now drive a London type taxi cab (about 10 months), BEST THING I EVER DID!.

Big AL

I used to work for Area 6 (Amey Mouchel) now work for a local council contractor, earn in five nights what i was in seven, got time and a half through the card, job and knock ten hours a night and double bubble for winter maintenance Even got a pool van to ferry four of us to and from work and last years scrap fund paid for the 2 grand bar bill at christmas

mackers

Metpol, no thanks mate wouldn`t swap to your job for anthing sorry. You should go back and try sparking again, as much as I don`t like it at the min its very good money compared to other jobs I`ve looked at.

Shings

Just did the first year of the Construction Qunatity surveying course at UCE- now called Birmingham City Uni... Morgans are paying me through the rest of it.

mercury xr

Did u need A Levels?

Fiecos Dan

i'm looking to go back to school for new training.


I'm 25 and a fully skilled welder, fab and sheet metal, fitter.
but also done years as a heavy vechial fitting and hydrolics.

and on a fair wage, but even on 52+ week hours, it doesn't cover the bills, so i have to do private work to cover that, and then my cars if any left.

RobL

i was looking into doing this or the railway,i downloaded the application forms a few weeks ago but not filled them in yet
is it easy to get into ?

Shings

Depends on the course and your age.

22yrs+ is mature so you can get mature entry through an interview on some course- they then decide if you need to do a foundation year or not.

Its best you dont as it adds a year on to the degree- but it depaneds what you're like academically.. I dont have A levels because I couldn't be arsed- the foundation year is used to sharpen your skills for Uni.

if you're quick you could still do it. Nottingham do a QS type course- just ring them directly.

If you're 25yrs+ on the first day of Uni you class as an independant student and get grants and student loans thrown at you for fun.

HTH

Jake