Career Advice? Combining computing with electricals?

[Moddy]

Might be in the wrong section - Apologies if so! I saw a couple of sections this could go in; if its in the wrong one could a mod move it please? Thanks!

Hey chaps!

Basically, back in 2008 I decided to do a Foundation course in Electronics and Electrical Engineering - I enjoyed it but was offered a job in my other passion; Computing. So I snapped up the job (was like an apprenticeship) and after 6 months had to leave and move, due to family things.

Anyway, cut to the past few weeks and I was working on a farm - and the power went down. So we had to call an electrician out, and I saw him working and I thought "I really did drop the ball when I left that course..". Well, I began to look around to see what I could do..

Now I haven't got any qualifications to my name (well, apart from technical certificates for PC/Mac Repair) due to illness when I was finishing school. So if I went the conventional route through college it could take me years... I'm 17, approaching 18, and seeing all my friends go off to uni and it is a bit frustrating.

Come October I wish to start a BSc in Computing and Systems Practice over 4 years, with the Open University - as Computing really has been one of my passions. The thing is, my other real passion where I could see myself working is as an Electrician.

Now I stumbled across this Electrician Training | Complete Electrical Training ; its local and £5000 doesnt seem that bad at all when I think about how much debt alot of my friends will end up through uni. As it is, my BSc is basically paid for me by the OU due to income and cirumstances. Plus the electrical training package above could be covered with a "Professional and Career Development Loan" until I start to bring in money with the qualifications.

I just dont see how I could tie Computing in with Electrical Engineering - I do see similarities, then I think of alarms and things.. Then I often think "Being an Electrician would be pretty interesting as it is.". I mean, I'm a complete geek - I always end up looking at Electrical books when I go out to bookshops/libraries, and I do really miss and regret the course that I left back in 2008.

Just looking for any advice guys?
Cheers in advance!

 

[ezzzekiel]

Cant see any problem with doing both, im a plasterer and electrician and although they mix well together (patching up etc) I still consider them two seperate roles, one week I may be doing a rewire and the next week plastering a house. One things for sure doing it this way always keeps me fully booked.

 

[dufjax]

I can't see any reason either with doing both.

We are electricians but also do ICT & Data solutions small scale PC support, we've won many contracts just on our ability to “the complete job”.
The PC side of the business all started because my xwife was a web designer and I know a bit about Linux (Apache / PHP / SQL) / PC Servers / IBM AS400 Systems (Got one to sell if anyone wants it / know what it is lol) etc
It's really taken off from there, although we don't do webdesign any more (since she became the ex lol).
No one has ever questioned why we specialise in Electrics and Computers, and now I employ a dedicated PC guy (Clive).



So good luck



Cheers
Jim

 

[Moddy]

Cheers for the responses guys!

Yeah, I was thinking of overlapping network installation as well as hardware/software support and trying to combine the too. I also like the idea of doing some electrical control solutions, maybe alarm interfacing and stuff?