New Job, Learning a Trade?

[JonnyFoxtrot]

Morning all,

Firstly, some background:

I'm writing this as a 22 year old Civil Servant who has spent the past 4 years realising that a desk job is not for me :/

While I work hard at my job and have fairly important work to do, its currently based in IT security and a 1) Dont enjoy it as its sometimes a bit above my level, and 2) Get easily bored with the desk/office orientated shit that goes on.

I always wanted to learn a trade as kid as I like the hard graft kind of lifestyle and working outside/inside with my hands (wheyyy ) but was steered clear by my parents who wanted to see me in a "proper job". Went and got 10 GCSE's A-C and 4 A Levels D-E (shit I know, but they are passes and I have got them ) but they are all in subjects that I dont really want to do (English, History, Computing).

At 22 have I left it all a bit late to go learn a trade? I'd be quite happy going into any area, bricklaying/masonry, roofing, electrian, but I cant help but think this is something I should have done when I was at school/college? Has anyone got into it at an older age?

I did contemplate the Army, but with a missus I think that would be too big an ask to be away for months on end though the lifestyle appeals so much to me. (yes yes I know at 22, I shouldnt be basing life decisions on a gf but who knows what will happen).

My missus's dad is actually a builder (masonry) and has offered to let me come and work for a day and see if I enjoy it which I plan to do and I know he would pay me pretty well. If I took it on full time, could I do an apprentiship and get a qualification that way?

Any advice appreciated, cheers chaps/chapettes.
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[deleted111]

Unfortunately I've nothing helpful to add, but I'm interested in reading responses as I'm in a very similar position myself.

Cheers,

Steve.

[Andy_Pagin]

Figure out what handi-work you are good at and enjoy doing. Hopefully it'll be something that pays and has a future.

My gut reaction is to say plumbing, with your education & IT you'd be one of the few plumbers who could actually understand how a condensing boiler works. The world will always need plumbers.
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[MarkJ]

As an alternative, what do you think of programming?

IMO you get the same sense of achievement when you get a program to work how it should, and is "hands on" type of job, just not in the conventional sense. Might be easier to get into as you already work in IT.

[Suntan Sid]

What do you think you have an aptitude for?

I should imagine, most people with good practical knowledge and skills could be trained to be say an electrician or a plumber, there are strict rules that have to be adhered to.
However, trades like, say, carpentry, masonry, plastering, bricklaying, painting/decorating you need to have an “eye” for the finished product. If you don’t have that “eye”, them, IMO you’ll never master it.

Are you a “creative” person generally?

22 is still young, you’re just having your mid-life crisis early, mind you at least you’ve already got the bike!

Seriously if you not happy with what you’re doing, take steps to change it now, while you’re still young and don’t put it off!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[JonnyFoxtrot]

Cheers guys for the advice so far.

@Andy - Cheers, plumbing is something I keep hearing a lot of people saying and I've got a couple of mates who are plumbers, my only concern is the amount of work for each individual trade? Are plumbers nowadays a dime a dozen? Or are all trades currently overworked?

@Mark - Appreciate the idea and it is something that I've thought about it but to be honest I just fancy getting away from the desk completely. From what I understand it wil probably mean a trip to uni as well?

@Sid - Thanks, some good points there. I absolutely get what your saying about having the creative "eye" for the more creative trades and in all honesty I've no idea if I have or not. I'd like to think its something I could gain from experience as I'm under no illusions that I'll probably be starting off as a labourer for whatever it is I decide to do.

The only reason I'm thinking of the bricklaying/masonry is because I've got an in with the GF's Dad, though like any budding relationship theres a chance for things to go tits up months down the line and then I'm left with a boss whos also an Ex's pa and things could go sour.

I think either way I'll take his offer and try out a bit of weekend work for him, see how I get on, I'm physically fit and not work shy so I dont forsee any issues.

It does feel a bit like a 22 year midlife crisis tbh (like you said, thank god for the bike ), I'm just in a weird place at work atm. I'm not enjoying it, I know its not what I want to do and they are offering voluntary redundancy in March for all the government cutbacks so I'll have a chance to leave with a 6-7k payoff to go and do something I would prefer. BUT the job does pay decently for my age ~ 27k a year and is relatively kushty (gym on site, Mon-Fri 9-5, 20min commute through the country) though I can appreciate theres more to life than just settling for what you can get/the safe bet. No risk, no reward and all that. I suppose I just dont want to look back in 10 years and think, Fuck, what the hell have I done with my life, why didnt I take that chance etc. I'm just worried about leaving a fairly decent job and risking going into nothingness with the possibility of heading back to retail/McDonalds if I cant get an in to construction (which I genuinely think I would enjoy, cold winter mornings and all).
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[kerr]

22 isnt too late i would say BUT first year apprentiship wages are very low regardless of trade, really depends how much you want it.
sparkys and even more plumbers have the best wages once youve served your time.
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[Andy_Pagin]

[Suntan Sid]

If, as you say, you are on a "good" wage, IMO i'd concentrate on getting yourself as debt free as possible. If you can achieve that, or get very close to it, you will be in a position to plan your future in more detail.
If you can do some work for your gf's Dad, go for it over a few weekends, to see if it's suitable for you, you've got nothing to lose with that option. If it turns out you were born to it all the better, training will teach you the mechanics of the job, but you will know yourself whether or not you've got a feel for it.

There is actually more to life than money, but it's nice to be able to set yourself up, before you begin the "good life"!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[Al]

I'm not really sure what sort of advice you're after or if its just reassurance you want that you haven't left it too late.

But I started with a plumbing and heating company as an apprentice in my mid twenties. That was about 4 years ago now and things have gone pretty well. I did a couple of years at college on day release which after being out of education for a while can be a bit weird, but was actually quite enjoyable. I'm now doing yet more training for my gas safe qualifications which I'm taking later this month.

I've been lucky as my employer has paid for most of my training, It was actually the first plumbing job that I applied for and people did repeatedly tell me that I'd missed that bubble ect. So I was fairly surprised to be offered the job. Although this was before the start of the downturn/credit crunch so I'd think it would be a lot harder to walk into a job as a mature apprentice nowadays. Most trade suppliers have adverts on the wall from people that have finished courses and can't find work.

You can't really lose anything from working with your GF's Dad for a couple of days to see if you like it but I'd think long and hard before you jack your currant job in. Come February when its been -5 for the last two months and your working outside soaking wet, on an apprentice wage being ordered around by the bosses son, a 27k cozy office job might not seem so bad.
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[Slacker24seve...]

What department do you work for? And what grade are you?

Sid nailed it to be honest. As for an apprenticeship the rules change when you're over 20; the employer will be expected to stump up around 50% of your off-site tuition which I would expect to be reflected in your wages. I suppose it depends if you want an uncertain long-term gain for some medium term pain really
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[Clanger]

You are never too young to change your career. Christ I went to uni with many mature students, I started uni late myself at 21. The key is to keep testing your brain, keep it active...keep learning new skills and pushing yourself...that way you can do anything you put your mind to.

As it is, a job is no longer for life. An average person may change their career direction as much as four times in a lifetime.

On-the-job-training is key here though, as many employers will give you training or subsidise it for you and give you time off for college/placements...
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[Old Git Racing]

Get your self some other 'qualifications' so you have some options. What about a fork lift licence? Never out of a job with that. Class 2 HGV is similar, shit money but at least you can choose where and when you work. Get on to class 1 (C+E) and there are good jobs about where you are you're own boss to a degree, plus you will always have the experience of your own trade to fall back on.

What else are you interested in or good at, just have a go cos your young enough to change the things you don't like. Don't get into the wage slave mentality at 22 or your doomed to a life of shit. Go for it!.

OGR
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[JonnyFoxtrot]

Cheers again all, cracking advice coming out of this.

@Sid - I'm fortunate enough that I have for the past few months been completely debt free, so I can pretty much afford to make a dramatic change if I need to. I think the only thing to do at the moment is try out some weekend work with the Gf's dad and see how I get on, I may turn out to hate it so no need to jump the gun on the whole situation.

@Al - I suppose in all honestly I am after a bit of both. I know at 22 I've got my whole life ahead of me but cant help but think these are all decisions I should have made at college/school.

Nice to see you got a happy ending out of it though and in your mid twenties, at least I know its more than doable and for some good return.

As above your spot on, I pretty much need to just go and do the weekend work and see how I get on, like you say, cant lose really! And a lot of people have told me the winter horror stories so I'm beginning to believe them


@Steve - I wont be too specific but I work in the defence (MoD) side of government and am currently a D grade. Hardly a leading role at 22 I know but considering I've done E2-E1-D in the past 3 years, I'm quite pleased with my progression and I managed to get 97% in the D band management assessment board so that hopefully puts me in good stead for future progression.

I'm starting to think that maybe in reality I am on to a good thing and should just suck it up and be thankful for what I've got in what is currently a pretty shit job climate.

@OGR - Exactly what I'm afraid of mate! "Oh i'm earning good money now, whats the point in risking it all for something else" mentality is already there and strong and I dont want that 30 year old look back on the twenties to be thinking "Waste."
____________________
'89 Honda NS125F (SOLD) -> '92 Suzuki GS500E (SOLD) -> '03 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H (SOLD) -> '96 VFR 750 RC36 (SOLD) -> '02 Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird

[Suntan Sid]

[drzsta]

im in my last year of my 4 year Electrical apprenticeship, I started when i was 17 after doing one year of A levels.

Average wage for a sparky is about what you are earning now.


Its up to you but if I was in your position i personaly wouldn't bother, it maybe exciting for the first year but its not all its cracked up to be. its just a job at the end of the day.
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[SoND]

[Fairies attack]

The places I have worked for/heard of. Take on labourer's, then in time, build them up to be semi skilled trades men.

At the last place I was at, the pay started at £10p/h and semi skilled was on £12.

But the work is hard and does quite often bugger your body.

You say you like working out doors.
How does, 14hours whilst it is snowing and blowing a gale in -6, after getting up at 3am to travel to the workshop, load then van then navigate to site, and spend all your time up in the air, with no chance of getting down?

Today I spent 12hours sat on a platform the size of a dinner plate, trying to weld upside down in 40mph gusts, whilst the column was swaying over 2ft each way.

Then had to crawl 40ft under a floor in a 1ft gap to retrieve my welding screen that the wind had push under there.

And slam no offence mate, but you would not survive a week out the office without either killing yourself or someone else.

'Hard Labour' jobs are very taxing on the body, and some places do have very poor pay (depending on your area). And some people who think it is the typical contractor life style (i've seen them) of getting into work lounging around all day, doing nothing, then maybe a quick burst, before going to the pub and getting hammered then rolling in, in the morning are always very sorely mistaken when they are asked to carry a 75kg plate up a flight of stairs, in a gale, whilst it is raining, and absolutely freezing, after about 3hours sleep, and then expected to stay in one position for hours on end whilst it is fitted.
Or go into a absolute sweat box, and be expected to work until the job is done without any breaks, and on the point of near colapse before coming down, and then having to set up for another day.

Even being in the workshop is hard. You have to deal with lifting heavy loads, and get jobs done, and sent out in maybe a 1/4 of the time that they should be done in and still to the same accuracy.

And all the time, there are foremans and charge hands breathing down your neck, wanting the job to be out last year, and screaming at you if you mess up.

The contractors life isn't what it is made to be. I would say it is more stressful than working in an office.

And just to put my point across. Slap your parents for saying get a proper job.
Why do people have this stigma attached to being a grafter?
Sure you get dirty as hell, and look like shit at the end of the day.
But most of the blokes you work with can most of the time, pull you through it, and once you get to know them, they can be the best mates and some even become more like family to you.
To me, 'labouring' is a proper job. Working in a office or what not is a fags way out of having a hard days work. Sure you get the manager having a go at you for being late with paper work or what not. But try having that, whilst having the possibility of being slapped by them too, and then after getting it all. You have to keep at your job and get it finished, or you get another one.

Grades mean bugger all, in the trade world. Keeping your head down, and wanting to be the best all your life is what gets you through. Some people can do it and some people can't.
Long hours and low pay are part of the job, job seeing something you have made from flat plat take shape makes it worth while.

:Rant over:

[swampy]

[Slacker24seve...]

I take it you've got an account on here?

https://www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs/

Some awesome jobs come up; I recently had an interview for a Serious Fraud Office job I found on there, it looked fucking ace. Didn't get it though

Also... Swampy, well said.
____________________
Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[Fairies attack]

[Pernig]

[deleted111]

[swampy]

[Drax]

Just go for it mate.

Reckon you'll have a shock on the first day tho being a "brickies bitch!"

IMO most people "in IT" are nothing more than data input clerks i.e secretaries.

Lots of glamour surrounding the IT industry but ask anyone in it what they actually do!!!

Go get your hands dirty & feel the aches & pains of doing a physical job (where you can actually see the result of your work)