Cos I really hate mine, start at 7am and was sick of it for the day at 5 past.. I'm stuck in a box for longer than I get to spend at home to still be too skint to scratch my arse. Been looking for a decent job for 12 years now so how do you lot afford to build these cars (when I can barely afford to fuel mine)?

My Job is not well paid, overtime is nill, and i have 4 teenagers still at home.

BUT, i have reduced my debt over the last 10 years to a point where i only owe the remainder of the mortgage.

Thats been key to me, no tick, don't load the credit cards, pay them of the same month.
Need something doing round the house, do most myself.
Had extention built, told the missis "you can have walls, windows, roof and plastering, the rest we do ourselves.

Never had a new car, when i do get a newer car its cash.

Well, I suppose that I could be considered fortunate in that my salary is quite nice. BUT... the amount of sh*t I take and the frustration and stress I suffer to go with it really makes me question whether it is really worth it. I work some long hours, I commute an hour each way, I take telephone calls and respond to emails in the evenings and at the weekends. This I can accept but we are a service industry that relies heavily on support from a German sister company. They really do not have the same approach that we do!!
I know I sound ungrateful but this week, despite not having anything else lined up and the current employment situation, I did really, really come close to just walking out.

well i manage a car/motorcycle recovery depot
and manage the garage workshop
and am helping to start the new business at work a hand car wash
pay is good but i can do some long hours
but i say how high when the boss says jump so i get a company vehicle to take home whether it be a mitsi shogun or an 20ton recovery truck free parts and labour in the workshop and a free MOT every year oh and as many holiday days as i want to book as long as i dont take the p*ss.
its not all good tho as when people die in ther cars im the one who gets to scoop out various parts of people from the bottom off a ditch

Same here, decent enough wage (most months). With overtime. but very stressful and have to Supervise mumpets then when they do wrong i get the shit.

Long hours and on and off building sites. Plus being away from home most weekdays only having weekend at home.

Though at least its a small company with very little internal politics.

Acoustic Engineer - Contracts Supervisor!

[Edited on 20/9/09 by Ben_Copeland]

Many years ago I decided that there were only two ways to a well paid job:

1. Lots of training and gain a profession like lawyer/doctor/vet/dentist/pharmacist whatever...or

2. Accept that your working life has to have risk in it and you may fail from time to time.

You have to watch out because many people want you to accept unreasonable levels of risk but if you can navigate that minefield you can find well paid jobs in any number of areas. If you have a skill you can set up in business, if you have some working capital you can use it to make a property investment, or you can do sales or other commission based stuff.

You don't need special skills either, one of my neighbours recently moved from our estate to the one across the road, overlooking a lake, 7 bedrooms, blah blah, 900k. Paid cash. Her business....butty vans. I'm not jealous, much.

Anyway, not a lecture but if I hated my job that much I'd do something about it.

bum atm

want to start doing something myself involving cars but not sure what direction to take/where to start

Self employed plumber/bathroom & kitchen installer and I do solar hotwater installation. Along with plastering, tiling, decorating etc etc.

Dont advertise anywhere, (BIG overhead), except on the van which is fully written up. All bar a couple of weeks Im fully booked out untill the end of April next year.

I love what I do, (except dealing with Customs and Excise!). Have tried employment and hated it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jubal
Anyway, not a lecture but if I hated my job that much I'd do something about it.

---

I run a IT company and do IT Security work for some major companies. Money is good compared to others on this site (I would imagine) but it is rubbish compared to my friend who works in insurance for Lloyds of London.

Anyway, all the dosh comes to me as I do most of the work. All the risk comes to me as all....if I'm ill or can't work, no money comes in. 2 Weeks holiday cost twice as much as the holiday costs as there is no money coming in....

I could hire people but then I have to worry about getting them work and how I'm going to pay them at the end of the month...so I don't bother and do all the work myself.

I started my own construction business late last year. Working in the middle of the biggest slump the building industry has ever seen is interesting.

We mainly do turnkey office fit outs for big insurance / recruitment / banks / call centres etc. Everything from space planning, interior design, fit out (including partitions, ceilings, decorating, carpets, electrics, data, HVAC, blinds, etc etc) to supplying and installing the furniture.

It's very challenging trying to do business at the moment, but there is work out there and you can make money at it.

We've just launched our first range of office furniture and have signed some deals with some major manufacturers.

But I work from home, which has benefits and draw backs.

It means it's difficult to switch off, we've given up one room of the house, the phone / fax and post never seems to stop and the garage is full of materials / tools and equipment.

But working from home means we have no commuting to do, I can work longer hours, keep a low overhead and when I'm quiet I can take five minutes out to tinker with the car.

I'm also back at Uni doing my second degree.

So money and time are in short supply at the moment. Which is why swapping my engine has taken 3 weeks instead of a weekend.

Mike

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ninehigh
do you really think Kwik Fit would employ someone who can change a wheel, oil and filter?

---

I did engineering at collegue and had some good places at uni but started work as a butcher in the summer and never went back.
I did that for five years and then went on to porn broking style retail. I loved that job and looked forward to going to work on a morning but it did grind me down after seven years.

I now drive fuel tankers for a living its not a bad job at all.

Its a funny old world, go figure

I never have any real cash either

[Edited on 20/9/09 by big_wasa]

Depending on your age (cause you have to be under 31 to join), RAF Aircrew is the best job I have ever done...

Most days I work 9-3, so I get afternoons and weekends off.... As long as you dont mind getting up at 2am every now and then and spending some time away from home, its great...

And pay is around the 32k mark rising to over 55k...

I am a project engineer. Work pretty set hours 8-430 mon to thurs and 8-1 on a friday. Every now and again I will end up staying on til late evening if I am in the middle of a machine trial, or away for business. Dont get OT, but the money is reasonably to start with anyway - £27k.

Its pretty enjoyable when there is the money to spend, machines to buy, people to train etc etc, been very quiet over the last year though for obvious reasons. I do still have some projects which are now very late an one machine was delivered last week (should have been here last year).

Stress wise its not too bad most of the time. Once a machine is late being installed you can get all sorts of grief though and the pressure is piled on. I will be glad when this new one is installed and running.

All that said, we are making a load more people redundant at the end of the month, 2nd lot so far. So we havent seen the markets pick up yet. Its all just a question of where your name is on the list. I may well not have a job in 2 weeks time.

Other than that I run Kit Car Services in my spare time. Make very little money out of it to be honest - and its very erratic business. Certainly couldnt make a living out of it.

David

I am a Exhibition Designer. I to work long long hours sometimes and because its such a sort after job the wages could be better. But then again I get to design/build/erect something I have create and go all over the UK to do it.

I would say that if you can find a job that you don't mind going to your a lucky fella. Thats the key I think, finding a job you enjoy. When I was starting out in my career I tried to think what did I enjoy doing and I moved in that direction qualification wise. I enjoy building and creating things, using new techniques, so I did a degree in design.

I do admit there is and have been downtimes, after uni I applied for 120 jobs before actually getting one. All those rejection letters sap your confidence. The hours can be silly and like some others on here posted, I get the crap when the muppets drop a clanger!!!!!!

Keep your spirits up and think about your future, what do you want to be doing in five years??? Figure that out and go for it. You CAN do almost anything if you put your mind to it!

I am a fully qualified Chartered Electrical Engineer and along with two other colleges started my own business 4 years ago, working in the construction industry-best thing we ever did, you will only ever make lots of money when you work for yourself not others. Things are slow at present but when its good your pay cheque can be as big as you like, just depends on how much work you want to do.

quote:

---

Originally posted by big_wasa
I did engineering at collegue and I now drive fuel tankers for a living and was a butcher for five years inbetween, go figure

---

CPA / Cisa
First couple of years working as an assistant in an audit firm. Later as a partner in a smaller firm. Pay is good and reasonable hours (40 / 45). When I took over the clients of the leaving partner, he said : "welcome , and remember your success is not determined by the money you earn, but by the time you have to spend it!” (a Dutch equivalent of it). All partners sort of live by that rule.

'Sandwich Technician'

Will you deliver, I'll have a liver and onion then Butty van works fine in google.

i'm a project manager for urgent care for an nhs trust. its good, bit annoying because change is so slow.

my background is business excellence, and process redesign.

if you are really after a change then get a qualification in something and then do 3 months working for free for a third secotr organisation (chairty). Obviously that would have a cost, but its a good way of showing initiative, get a qualification and experience (as one is pretty useless without the other) so that become employable.

quote:

---

Originally posted by big-vee-twin
'Sandwich Technician'

---

I'm just about to start my last year of uni (studying business), a move prompted by only getting low paying low kudos jobs in the past - security, barman, labourer, maintenance etc....

I think that unless you have a real skill or natural talent then the only way to get a high paying job is to get qualifications, but, if you want a job that doesn't stress you out it has to be something you enjoy or are passionate about, but you have to be prepared to not get a high wage. Life sucks, get paid well or like your job, rarely can you do both!

I do CNC laser cutting. Crap job but pays the bills, Just. Pay is crap and the owner is too fu*king tight to give us a rise but happy to waste money on crap the company doesn't need.

Had the chance the other year to go work for a friend doing mechanics but because i dont have the paper work to back up what i can do i would have been on a lower wage than i am on now. But her was going to put me through the course and sponsor me to do my MOT testing course but me and the Fiancee bought our first house last September so we just cant afford to have a wage cut.

I was talking to a cabbie here in Bracknell the other day. He was working to pay off his debt's after his parents company got stung on a Sandwich/Coffee van that was to big to do the job (Apparently it had some enormous generator so it could run at events, which made it not viable for weekday rounds). He mentioned that it is important to travel round estates first and get the bigger companies facilities people to let you come on their grounds and spend time seeing who services the current industrial estates. His underlying message was start with a low cost set-up. and Always always turn up!

business development manager for a local university. spend my time putting businesses in touch with academics who have interesting inventions/skills that the businesses can exploit to make themselves more money. then help both sides win some government money to do the project.

i know howe you feel though. i spent a dozen years in a job i was sick of. spent 6 years doing an OU degree, then left work altogether to do an MSC full time.

qualified from that and within a couple of years got this job. worth all that hardwork.

did a night shift for two years to pay for my share of the first kit car.

really appreciate having a job i enjoy, fair bit of travel, and get to look at lots of different companies/industries and see how they make stuff, then make em some money!

took a long time to get here, and you never know when it might end, but its been good so far.

salary not gone mental compared to old job, but enjoy going into work, which is worth everything.

paul

quote:

---

Originally posted by Peteff
Will you deliver, I'll have a liver and onion then Butty van works fine in google.

---

Solutions Consultant, very good money, work from home and when I travel it is overseas.
Being made redundant at the end of this month though thinking of doing something completly different.

I qualified with a 2:1 in Sports and exercise Science 10 years ago and have been with 2 employers since. Both small family run outfits with quite big turnovers.

1st was with a Plastic fastners distributor where i was sales manager.

Then when i was bored with the routine and the crap company policies i left and went to work for a friend in his haulage company.

I soon became the transport manager and enjoyed the challenging and changing pace of work.

After 4 years there we decided that it was no longer worth the effort to continue trading. My boss shut it down and put his money into setting us up breaking 4x4's

All of us that were at the transport company were into our cars so it was like playday!

We have been going at it for 18 months now and it is growing quickly and the current climate has helped us out with selling uality second hand items.

The money is good and my terms and conditions have been carried over from the transport company, ie continuous service etc etc.

I make wooden planets on the side to suppliment the income and give a bit of beer money in hand.

I invested a fair amount of mony in tools to be able to do it £300.00 and whilst it is not something i could make a living at , i could make a nice few quid at it if i had enough spare time to dedicate to it.

planter bare


They are far better made than the ones you see in garden centres etc that sell for £50 a pop for a 40cmx40cmx40cm one.

I sell mine at the same money and once folks have seen them there is no contest in which oene they will buy

IT Manager, absolutely HATE it, only the salary that keeps me going.

IT used to be the thing that put business ahead, now if business doesn't exploit it, they fall behind, its just another neccessary cost, so everyone is looking to cut that cost.

They wont make me redundo either, that would cost too much! But I've no debts, no mortgage loan, credit cards etc. so the last few weeks I've thought sod it and started to create some poo of my own at work. When you question the costs of $M multi projects with evidenced cheaper / better alternatives VP's start to listen, then watch the fallout.....

I'm a mechanical engineer and ticketed up as a storage tank inspector/repairer, ala Buncefield but on a bigger scale.

Did a spell managing the construction of a large oil storage teminal in the mid western states of the US. Best job I have ever had or will ever have. Shame it was only temporary.

Over here the money is ok, just.
Don't really enjoy he job though.

fridge and a/c engineer... like the job but the hours can be long and standby is one weekend in four... does mean good money and I don't use the credit cards but do have a mortgage and two loans will finish paying the loans in two years and will then be okay

Royal Air Force aircraft engineer, 12hr days and nights working 5 on, 5 off, 4 on, 5off, 5 on, 4 off.

Tough sometimes but I love it, must do I've been doing it for the last 18 years. Oh and the toys are Really expensive

ATB Dan.

I run an industrial heating and air conditioning company.

MD semi retired (6 months in Spain) so no one looking over my shoulder and interfearing, it would be a great job if it wasn't for the ungrateful ba*tards that own it.

Oh yeah, and we have to baby sit the directors kids, they are fecking useless

I'm an agric engineer, (been there since I left school in 92!) pay for the skill level & conditions is not great but the variety of work is fantastic, know almost all the customers by first name & it's all local, no commuting, parts for my own stuff at trade prices & it comes off my overtime before tax so mabye not so bad.
On the otherhand I've gto myself a girl I'm serious about & we're gonna be looking for a house before long, I see no reason why we should struggle if I have the potential to earn a fair bit more (& without being big-headed I belive I do).

I spent 24 years in BT, until they made me a voluntary redundancy offer that I'd have been stupid to refuse. Most of that money went into paying off my mortgage. Went off to be an IT contractor for 5 or 6 years, until this government screwed that up...

Went back into full-time employment at reasonable money, but although it started as a great job, some management changes made it really bad, to the point that I was getting unwell. At that point I took a 12-month sabbatical, which was brilliant - but at the end I had to go and get earning again.

So now I'm a software tester in a UK branch of a Danish company - proper work at reasonable pay, testing a product that some very big businesses want to buy (can't really say what it is - but it's to do with managing investments).

I have zero debts, a credit card that only gets used for business expenses, so I do get a little bit of spare money at the end of each month to spend on the car - unless it's the month that has the quarterly gas & electricity payments!

Student loan!

Na, after I finished my A levels I was sick of education so got a job as sales assistant for a national car accessories shop. Worked my way up to assistant manager of the largest shop in the region.

Then last september I was getting sick of the constant boredom and lack of career oppurtunities so within two days enrolled at uni and quit my job. 2 weeks later I was in uni and the company went into liquidation resulting in 2/3 of the shops clossing and a lot of staff redundant.

I'm now about to go into my second year of a CAD degree and not looked back! I still work for the same company as a weekend staff, and due to screw ups during the liquidation period and buy out, I'm still on assistant manager pay scale!

Loan pays for uni and drink, work pays for car
Simples!

quote:

---

Originally posted by luke
Student loan!

Na, after I finished my A levels I was sick of education so got a job as sales assistant for a national car accessories shop. Worked my way up to assistant manager of the largest shop in the region.

Then last september I was getting sick of the constant boredom and lack of career oppurtunities so within two days enrolled at uni and quit my job. 2 weeks later I was in uni and the company went into liquidation resulting in 2/3 of the shops clossing and a lot of staff redundant.

I'm now about to go into my second year of a CAD degree and not looked back! I still work for the same company as a weekend staff, and due to screw ups during the liquidation period and buy out, I'm still on assistant manager pay scale!

Loan pays for uni and drink, work pays for car
Simples!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by liam.mccaffrey
I'm a mechanical engineer and ticketed up as a storage tank inspector/repairer, ala Buncefield but on a bigger scale.

Did a spell managing the construction of a large oil storage teminal in the mid western states of the US. Best job I have ever had or will ever have. Shame it was only temporary.

Over here the money is ok, just.
Don't really enjoy he job though.

---

My job, well, look in my signature below and follow the link.

I work for myself now restoring cars, doing motorsport prep and builds, engine conversions and all that kind of stuff.

Working on my first "sevenesque" for a chap next week, doing a pinto headgasket on a Robin Hood.

On our site you can see the more interesting stuff we're doing at the mo (its me and my brother running the business)

I was medically-retired on ill-health due to spine / nerve damage.

Still in my mid-30's, but in receipt of an index-linked pension which affords me a comfortable standard of living (financially).

Sounds great, but I would happily swap 'jobs' with any of you irrespective of how crappy / poorly paid your current position is. I'll bet few could last more than a couple of days in my 'job' before resigning... wish I could!

Garage time is getting less and less... most weeks I don't even get there. Had to give up the 'building' (ok - deconstructing ) side of things.

Can't just jump into a car either... has to be a VERY good back / leg day! Factor weather into the equation, and there's hardly any driving being done.

Still, I love cars, so as long as I am able... !!!

PS - Not a sympathy seeking post (Sympathy... from you lot? LOL!!!). I previously worked in a tough social environment, so I've seen enough in life to realise that compared to many, I'm actually quite a lucky barsteward!

Work in construction as a site manager, more specifically for a steel erecting company doing industrial projects, although we have recently spent 21 months on the South Bank building a 1000+ room hotel opposite the Houses of Parliment. Going into Scunthorpe steelworks next week for a 2 month job in the BOS plant, never a dull moment, pay is good enough.

whatever i can find at the minute...

Retired!
I was a Software Engineer in the Oil Industry. Enjoyed (almost) every minute of it, but must say that a small, tight company is way, way preferable to a large organisation where half the 'employees' only seem to be there to tick corporate boxes. I was twice in the situation where I joined a small (<100 employees) company that was taken over a few years later by a mega-corp. (H*ll*b*rt*n and Schl*mb*rg*r)
A few years back I inherited sufficient to pay off the mortgage and 'wing it' until pension starts in a year or so.
John.

Fire and Rescue Service. Great job but has its lows :-(

quote:

---

Originally posted by NS Dev
I work for myself now restoring cars, doing motorsport prep and builds, engine conversions and all that kind of stuff.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Benzine

quote:

---

Originally posted by NS Dev
I work for myself now restoring cars, doing motorsport prep and builds, engine conversions and all that kind of stuff.

---

I can has job?





[Edited on 20/9/09 by Benzine]

---

Nothing ATM, used to be a QA Engineer in a steering column plant thats now moving to Poland....

Im in the auto elctrical business, i own an installation company where we install

Handsfree CarKits, for mobile phones etc
Reversing Aid, sensors and camera
Ipod/iPhone intergration to vehicle radios
Speed Camera dectection/laser Jammers
Tracking
Telematics
DVD installation

Managed to work on some very very nice vehicles over the years, most makes of super cars, luxory cars, lorrys, a few trains and a plane, and a massive conbineharverster and a few famous people motors

Been in the game for about 12 years, hours are what ever i like as im the boss lol but you have to keep the customer happy.

Games is slowly dying due to factory fitted equipment going as standard, cars are getting harder to work on, but also most of the crap fitters out there have also left the game leaving the decent companies left doing decent work.
I was a qualified sparks before hand but got into the 12v rather than 240v

feel free to have a look at us

Essential Installation Services Ltd

and spend some money with us lol

[Edited on 20/9/09 by grusks2]

Architectural Designer for a solar shading company - worst job I've had for a very long time, pay is rubbish and everything about the company is chaos. I been about to stand up and just walk out twice in the past couple of months but a couple of mates of mine who are Architectural Technicians like I used to be haven't worked for over 6 months so I have to give myself a talking to and stay sat down

This time last year I had a wonderful job, great money, great working atmosphere etc etc and I genuinely looked forward to going to work in the morning - then the world went wrong and I got made redundant............

David Jenkins only managed 24 years in BT...(Bloody Part timers - no offence intended Dave!)
I just got 40 years at BT in last week.

Done lots of things all within the same company and some were brilliant. Dont like the job I'm doing at the moment, but it pays the rent. Only two years 6 months and a few odd days left to serve

With two boys at Uni, I cant give up just yet.

Less done with the car this year due to financial restrictions.

Still got jobs to do, and they will eventually get done.

My Uncle was self employed - Own garage buisness that he sold in 1964 and emigrated to Austrailia.

He said:
If you work for someone else you will NEVER be rich, as they will only ever pay you a wage.
If you work for yourself you MAY NOT get rich, but at least you have the opportunity to become so.

Also....
You will either have the money and no time, or the time and no money. Rarely in life will you have both together.

CAD Monkey

Technical drawing for electricity substations at the moment, but used to do a lot of highway design on major projects (M25, M6 toll, A13 etc.)

Contractor so decent money, but I like long holidays, just spent a month in South America and did 3 months in SE Asia last year.

Spent 3 years teaching diving in Lanzarote as well

Sean

quote:

---

Originally posted by londonsean69
but used to do a lot of highway design on major projects (M25, M6 toll, A13 etc.)

Sean

---

I work for a service company in the oilfield doing formation evaluation. It's fairly interesting and I get to spend company time in a bunch of holiday hotspots (Nigeria/Algeria/Gabon/Kuwait, etc).
Generally it's outside work which suits me and I get to top up my t-shirt tan.
Did I mention I also get 6 months off every year paid?

quote:

---

Originally posted by londonsean69
CAD Monkey

Technical drawing for electricity substations at the moment, but used to do a lot of highway design on major projects (M25, M6 toll, A13 etc.)



Sean

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by coozer
Nothing ATM, used to be a QA Engineer in a steering column plant thats now moving to Poland....

---

Not many people like their jobs I guess but it's a way to a means.
For example I work all sorts of wierd shifts and have 2 weekends in 5 off and get regularly abused, physically as well sometimes then yesterday I had to stand on the same spot on a main road from 7a.m. until 5 p.m. without water, food, toilet or sitting down and then today I was back there at 7a.m. for 5 hours and then other stuff and only finished at 9p.m. I'm back in at 7a.m. every day now until Saturday.
If you desperately don't like and it's grinding you down then I'd jack it. It isn't good for your health. I had a job before this one where I couldn't even face coming to work in the end and tried allsorts. Even coming in my own clothes then changing into uniform when I was there until I jacked it in the end and had to find something different.

i fit kitchens. Technically i love it but some customers just get on my wick. Pay is lame really, you have to work like a t*** to get anywhere. Often work weekends, and do invoices and accounting on evenings. Still, i see myself getting better/shrewder/more efficient every week, so i think in the long run it will be ok unless i drop dead of stress

I'm A Building Surveyor and work for a local authority.
In my case, the money is probably what most people would call 'average', I think.
We get some decent work to do and I always get to meet some interesting people. We also work flexi time.
I should start at 8.45, have an hour for lunch and finish at 4.45.
I start at 8, have half an hour and finish at 4.
It isn't without pressure, but if you do a decent job, the clients do tend to thank you because they don't actually expect you to do a good job. I've been there since 1995.

Teacher (Science) and Head of Year. Been at it for 14 years, and on the whole still love it. Prefer the pastoral side of the job as the GCSEs have become a bit of a nightmare when they keep changing the syllabus etc. and theres no time to really teach the bits of science kids really want to know or go off on interesting tangents.
It was aways the working with kids bit rather than actually teaching a set subject that interested me, so might try and find something that focuses on that more in a few years time.

Was a "technician" in a bicycle workshop before that - most fun job I ever had even though the pay was shite.

Technical Trainer with a well known american telecoms company. Takes me to most corners of the globe (some nicer than others!!). Sometimes it does my swede in as I am away from the family a fair bit, and I can never get a good run on the locost build due to travelling all the time

Can't complain though, at least I've got a job unlike some poor souls out there.

I am a Project Manager in the licensed trade; I originally started out as an Architectural Technician but then decided that surveying would be my chosen path

I started as a trainee building surveyor at a Housing Association and worked my way to the top over a 5-year period, then left and joined Whitbread and since then have worked in the pub trade except for when I did 2 years working for a Marina Company

Been with the same company for 11 years now. Started out as a mechanical designer, moved on to PCB design and finally jumped the fence into a sales role. We make custom keyboards and computer equipement for a wide range of customers.

Moving from a fixed salary to a lower salary + comission + car etc was a good move, but this year between a reduced working week and very little comission I exect to be about 30% down on last years income

After planning to have a 2nd child and for SWMBO to go back to work shortly afterwards, the enexpected arrival of twins last year has put a serious damper on disposable money too. SWMBO is back at work part time, but effectively brings in less than £100 a month after paying 3 lots of child care

My car's up for sale for reasons of time and money although I'm hoping to get underway with a long-ish term build once it's gone.

Still, we've only got 10-15 years of pain to go before the recession clears it's efffect.

Interesting thread...
I started fixing electronic equipment for Dixons / Currys...did that for 13 years before being made redundant. Now working as Project Engineer for plastic pipe and fitting company. Product development is my main remit, so I design and test underfloor heating systems and such like. We are about to launch a new range of plumbing fittings which I had a major hand in designing. Whatevet I do comes out 3 years later in the industry.
Pay is ok, but not good (about average wage) but I have a mahoosive mortgage and a 17 month old little dude so cash tight.

quote:

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Originally posted by Marcus
Pay is ok, but not good (about average wage) but I have a mahoosive mortgage and a 17 month old little dude so cash tight.

---

Worked as a service engineer for a specialised lifting / pick and place company traveling all over the world until February of this year when my wife's eBay hobby grew so big I gave up work to go full time with a eBay shop and a outlet on a local business park.

Best thing I ever did keeps me busy full time just paid a big lump off the mortgage, car re build now back on track and looking to maybe hit the circuits again next year with a bit of "own business sponsorship"

I'm Project Manager for a large construction consultancy.

I pays pretty well but after the private sector went bang I've been put onto a very large public sector infrastructure project which sees me away from the home and family all week for next few years.

Whilst I do complian a bit, I shouldn't really as it's pretty interesting and a lot of people in my industry have been made redundant recently.

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You know I read that average wage is about 30k.. Which is more than the household income here.

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Originally posted by hobzy
Teacher (Science)

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Originally posted by Marcus

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You know I read that average wage is about 30k.. Which is more than the household income here.

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30k.....I wish. I live and work up north where the average is more like 24k....

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Domestic Appliance Engineer, sole trader now, used to have a shop and employed 3 engineers, got fed up employing Muppet's so closed it down in '92.
Before that, director in an engineering company, in charge of design and manufacture of anaesthetic machines and gas pipeline equipment for operating theatre's, dumped the rat race in '79, the stress wasn't worth the money.

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Originally posted by Benzine

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Originally posted by hobzy
Teacher (Science)

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The bell is a sign for me, not for you!

I've done all this work before! I'm here for your benefit, not mine!

Fine! We'll spend the rest of the lesson in silence!

etc

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Started as a field service engineer for a company in the theme park industry. When I started it was a small family owned company and I loved every minute of it, liked the work, liked the people, even liked the places I found myself in (e.g. hanging off the top of a 1,149ft tower with helicopters flying past underneath ).

I'm now Regional Engineering Manager and can't stand it. Company has just been sold for the second time, 500+ employees. Can't stand the politics, the ridiculous pressure to meet arbitrary targets, the endless reports (and reports on reports). Get shat on from above, screamed at from below. Would quite happily go back to just being an engineer if I could afford it, back when it was all someone else's problem

Still, it pays the bills...

I Left University after doing the same year twice and realising I'd made a mistake, I now work at what was my part time job during 6th form and make hardly anything for long shifts at all hours.

The problem I've got is there isn't anything around here that doesn't involve starting at the bottom again (I don't make much but there are places that pay less) or getting a qualification.

Me and my dad have a limo company that we started this year but he's moving away, If I can find the capital to start it I might have my own in the not too distant future.

At the moment I'm looking into Funeral Home work.

I was in a trade retail outlet one evening last week, nice and quiet at about 8pm, when i came across two employees in an aisle restacking shelves - and i realised how damned lucky i am to enjoy my job. It looked like soul destroying work, countless nasty products to sort out, and undoubtedly a dreadful wage. Made me shudder to think of a life spent in that hell hole. Then at the till another lass was picking an order and had an armful of different wooden profiles, about 30 of them, stood there sorting and scanning them. Nearly made me sick

That is the basis of a capitalist society. You get slightly rich by having a skill, or mega rich by 'using' people for your own ends. Loads of people on a crap wage supporting a few on a good wage.

You either need a skill, or you need to employ people. Or both!

For the butty van route, you need to get one and work on it to learn the industry, then you need to buy loads and get employees to staff them. You need to pay the right amount of wage, enough to keep them but little enough that you end up in a 900k house. There are many other lucrative businesses that you wouldnt expect to earn so well, such as bin or window cleaning.

To reiterate, if you work a job, your wage is per hour and it is limited by the hours in a week. As an employer you earn from percentages, which can be unlimited.

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Originally posted by JoelP
There are many other lucrative businesses that you wouldnt expect to earn so well, such as bin or window cleaning.

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Im currently a self employed plumbing and heating engineer packed out with work on some quite prestigious projects but my god theres alot of hassle with it im working weekends leaving some mornings at 6.30 and getting home at silly o clock at night
Yeah the money is brill but i feel like ive got no life anymore works taking over so much so im looking into jobs inspecting and surveying

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Originally posted by adam1985
Im currently a self employed plumbing and heating engineer packed out with work on some quite prestigious projects but my god theres alot of hassle with it im working weekends leaving some mornings at 6.30 and getting home at silly o clock at night
Yeah the money is brill but i feel like ive got no life anymore works taking over so much so im looking into jobs inspecting and surveying

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