I've been thinking about this for a while and can't decide what to do so i thought i would ask you guys for some advise. I know jobs
aren't easy to come by these days but my work is getting so patchy the money is becoming unreliable.
Here's my background.
I started off as an HGV apprentice mechanic. When i had finished my apprenticeship i moved to a Main Ford dealer and spent a few years there. I then
got out of the motor trade altogether and worked for my Dad building swimming pools and buildings. After a few years i became the foreman of a very
small team but the work dried up and i moved on again. I then got a job with the AA as a patrol where i stayed for 6 years before getting an
opportunity to work for myself (sort of).
I now drain cars of contaminated fuel for a living. I am self employed and paid by the job so the more i do the more i'm paid. The company is
run by an old friend from the AA but due to a young family and other things he seems to have given up a bit and in my opinion isn't making any
effort to get more work. I try to get more work for myself but while i'm doing that i'm missing out on paying jobs that the others in the
company get. I wouldn't mind getting out of the motor trade but i need something interesting and preferably not just stuck in one place all of
the time.
I have thought of retraining but don't know what. I know it's hard but any ideas?
How about offshore?
Pro's
The food industry has always got jobs going.
Just a thought.
Ever thought of the aerospace industry? Some of the best aero mechanics I've worked with came from the automotive industry, if you've got
hand skills you're half way there.
The industry has been through a massive lull but the signs are it's picking up and companies are recruiting again. If your after travel then
it's definitely a good option. I've worked in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, several locations in Indonesia, Scandinavia, Greece, Canada and been
to Lapland a few times to see Santa with the Christmas flights and I haven't turned 30 yet.
It would take time but in a few years you could be licensed and the world's your lobster.
I was a city bus driver for 4 years with first bus in Aberdeen, actually a very enjoyable job, a job for life if you wanted. Good variation in routes so was not boring. Flexible hours, shift work and not hard to change your work hours with someone else. A lot of fun driving the larger busses like deckers and bendys. I was only meant to do it for 2 years and liked it so much I just stayed. Downsides were no overtime available as there wasn't enough to go round, days off rarely were the weekend though 4 days off in a row were common. Old women are just obnoxious and the driver should be given a bat to hit them with.
I'd look into plumbing, my friend just had a new bathroom fitted and man do they make it pay.
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
I was a city bus driver for 4 years with first bus in Aberdeen, actually a very enjoyable job,
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
I'd look into plumbing, my friend just had a new bathroom fitted and man do they make it pay.
Daviep, if I were single maybe but the missus wouldn't entertain it
sdh2903, i would love to be involved it this but how would you even start to get into that industry? I though you would have to do another
apprenticeship, no way could i live on an apprentice's wage anymore.
No not necessarily, when I was taken on as a basic unlicensed mechanic at BA half the intake had never worked on aircraft before but did come from an
engineering background. The ones that were from an aircraft background were put straight on the tools the others were sent to college for 12 weeks to
learn basic aeronautics. Due to a massive lack of aircraft apprenticeships companies are now being forced to look at other trades. To get a foot in
the door I would suggest scouring the heavy maintenance providers such as BA Cardiff, ATC lasham, marshalls in Cambridge etc they will all be looking
for mechs (usually through contact companies/agencies) for the winter maintenance programmes. Once you're in and getting experienced you're
laughing, you can then look at working towards your licenses.
I'm not saying it's easy to get into by any means but it's possible. I recently was speaking to the son of one of our hostesses at work
who had been offered an apprenticeship at the airline I work for and he was umming and arring about taking it because it meant moving away from home
for 6 months (all exes paid including travel home at weekends) I wanted to pick him up and shake him!!!
Two industries to be in:
Food Supply
or
Undertaking
If people dont eat they are going to Die!
There is work on either side of the fence.
However, with undertaking its mainly sewn up with the big companies like the Co-oP etc.
Its not all black hats and greiving widows.
You really earn your money when picking up body parts at bad accidents etc etc.
Its a reliable line of work with no shortage of customers. Also with the population increase of the country its not going to be a shrinking market, or
subject to the changing ecomonic situation like other industries!!
Other than that Plumbing, or Sparky. But I think you need to be qualified for those.
Mate of mine is a term served Gas man, worked for Br Gas all his life, now is his own boss.
Told me the paperwork and Gas-safe regulations and papwerwork is a real pain in the ass.
However, I've never known him to be short of money in the 30+ years I have known him.
Hope you find something that floats your boat.
I am just going through the same thing trying to think what to do with myself. After looking around, I am looking to train as a locksmith (not too
hard and training isn't too expensive). Again you will have to find your own customers, or contract to a bigger company, but the money looks
fairly decent. My Mum needed a locksmith about a month ago and found most of them were too busy to even give her a quote so there must be plenty of
work about. And the price they charge for emergency call outs you would probably only need to do 1 or 2 a week to live.
Nigel
Non destructive testing, specifically Storage tanks is my idustry meaning ultrasonic testing (UT), radiographic testing (RT), magnetic particle
inspection (MT/MPI) etc Training in this area could potentially could open up a huge range of industries for you, including aerospace, oil and gas,
nuclear, offshore, middle east.............
If you are able to add in rope access training, the world is you lobster. Guaranteed at least one of the big inspection companies are near to you.
Check out PCN (level 2 as a minimum) and other qualifications from Lavender,
TWI, Mintern, Treharne and Davies
and Matthews Engineering Training
People from your sort of background seem to be very well suited to the type of work to be honest. U2U if you would like any more info.
Check out Oil Careers and NDT Cabin for an idea of the type of work
around.
[Edited on 4/10/12 by liam.mccaffrey]
[Edited on 4/10/12 by liam.mccaffrey]
What about roofing - I can't get a roofer for love nor money - all want big jobs or new builds....
Oil industry - Akersolutions Aberdeen can't get engineers. Automotive would be considered
[Edited on 4/1010/12 by mad4x4]
I beleive refrigeration engineers are well sought after with good pay and conditions. You must be willing to travel but with your background I think
retraining would not be too hard. I am a self employed bathroom installer. Not a bad job, just hard work and jobs are harder to win unless your prices
are keen. There seems to be a glut of plumbers around our area.
I would love to go back to Engineering but not as much work about around here. Best of luck.
Just as a different line of thought, how about offering your mate to buy the fuel contamination business off him on some long term payment scheme and then you can make it exactly what you want and really get it going?
Firstly, for job security and excellent pay, with lashings of pension and benefits gravy, target the public sector. Within that sector there exists a
rarified current recruitment strategy, but my experience is that if you have an 'insider', your chances of getting your head in the trough
is that much better.
The private sector isn't to hot, but you're realised that. What you're looking for is the 'safe' side of the private sector,
i.e a part that services the public sector, or the employees there from. All the private sector productive jobs that I have had are now history, as
are the companies I worked for.
I've gone into the aged Care sector, pretty much limitless work, but it's not great. With the drive towards part time opportunities only, I
also deliver groceries from a major supermarket chain to (in the main) the morbidly obese. All these are basically serving the public sector, i.e
pensions and benefits.
Anyway, some very good advice from me - leave college and then leave the country. Somewhere warm!
Australia needs your skills in particular.
Wouldnt touch the public sector with a barge pole, if nobody has noticed the ConDems are busy axing as much of it as they can, this is due to the
enormous gold plated pensions they all recieve and excellent pay and related gravy train.
Already been suggested, if you like the job your in, and the owner is amenable , why not either partner with him and take the major share, or do what
thousands of other folk do, steal all the customers and offer a better deal for your new company. You know the business your in, if theres money in
it, go self employed as their are still opportunities to do this.
Going back to college sounds well and good, but leaves you with no income.
quote:
Originally posted by T66
Wouldnt touch the public sector with a barge pole, if nobody has noticed the ConDems are busy axing as much of it as they can, this is due to the enormous gold plated pensions they all recieve and excellent pay and related gravy train.
Sorry i should have said we have already discussed me buying the company from him an imo he wants far too much for it. He wants £150000 for the whole
business. I've downloaded the last 4 years of accounts from companies house and his assets come to a very optimistic £50000. There are no real
contracts with anyone, most of the work comes from leaflets that garages give out and a few breakdown companies. I could start up on my own for a
fraction of the cost but i wouldn't do it to him and he would take it very badly and would probably try to shut me down rather quick.
Has anyone got any experience of retraining from one industry to another? I do like the idea of working in the aerospace industry but i have a
feeling wages will be quite a big stumbling block.
A career change, mid-life is a daunting experience in the best of circumstances. I can perhaps best illustrate it with my own experiences:
At 38 I elected to leave the RAF, despite the opportunity of a cosy existence taking Her Majesty's shilling until age 55, with a copper bottomed
pension to follow. I'd reached a respectable rank, having spent 17 years as a navigator, which regrettably, didn't offer much by way of
career prospects in civvy street. Inertia and apathy could easily have taken over, but this was 1986 and the job climate was a good deal less frosty
than today.
Being numerate, I went into the pensions and insurance world, knowing of a fellow RAF retiree who'd made a success of his second career working
on the broking side for a multi-national accountancy firm.
I made errors of judgement initially (doesn't everyone?) I started down-market, but it gave me a grounding in the industry and a credibility in
the eyes of future, potential upmarket employers. After 3 yrs, I moved on to the company I'd spend what turned out to be, the remaining 11 years
of my working life with. I threw everything at it, acquiring professional qualifications along the way and was promoted to work in the City branch, (a
wrench from Sheffield with wife, child and dog).
I would say, do your research. Take decisions jointly. Look at what your short, medium and long term goals are. Decide what you want and do everything
in your power to make it happen. You'll meet some good eggs along the way who'll help you, and some archoles (sic) who'll hinder. Drop
the latter and move on.
Inertia is the biggest threat.
Good luck with whatever you path you chose.
Bob.
I have no advice re the job choices, except to re-visit and think long and hard about starting on your own.
How much do you "owe" your friend when it comes to your livlihood (and your family's well being and financial stability)? If he was
that good a mate, why doesn't he see the overpricing like you do? Has he never pooped on anyone in business in all his time in the hot seat? I
have a couple of friends that I wouldn't do it too, should I be in the same position, but only a couple...
I know it's prob not nice to hear, but charity starts at home and all that.
I got into an argument with a (more senior) colleague today - he was regailing me with his PPI claim and the stuff he'd bought from it. My mother
(a mortgage advisor) has just been taken for £500 then £5000 by a couple that accused her of telling them that they had to take out the mortgage
protection. She's the most honest person in the entire industry and no-one works harder for their customers than her... She's self employed
now and only works 3 days a week as she has my toddler for the 2 other days. She earned well less than £10k last year due to shortened working week
and illness and now it's all gone because of some unscrupulous bastards...
Anyway, I've digressed, and what I meant to say was, if he's genuinely not looking after his business, his employees etc, then he's
giving you reasons to start up - just try and do it as amicably/proffessionally as possible etc.
And yes, I shouldn't have gotten into the thick of it with "my" manager, and am awaiting monday morning to hear any related news, but
I'm still bitter about his glee in what is an identical situation that I'm ready to say it all over again!
Best of luck in whatever you decide - my opinion is my own, and I'd never press it on anyone, but the idea of walking away and working hard in an
industry that you know well and that you could succeed in should not be discarded lightly...
ATB
Steve