Career change?

[chunkymonkey]

Hi all.

I am 43 and currently work in the motor trade. I have done this since leaving school and have gained much experience of many aspects of the trade. I am an MoT tester and am also qualified to ATA Master Technician level and as such, most if not all of the work I do is of an electrical/CAN-BUS/diagnostic capacity.

I earn 11.50 an hour.

I would welcome your comments on whether a change of career to electrician would be a good idea.

Many thanks in advance

 

[ipf]

Wouldn't advise it mate. A lot of established sparks are struggling finding regular work at present
If you were thinking about a quick course to qualify, don't be taken in by the money grabbers.
You may pass exams, etc, but you're merely touching the surface of what would be needed experience wise.
Look through some of the previous posts on the subject, you'll see what i mean.
One up not long ago....job advertised for a fully qualified, experienced spark, £9 an hour.

 

[dan86]

people are struggling to find work/get a job as it is.
a change of career is the last thing anyone needs IMO. especially since you would essentially be starting at the beginning and earning less than what you're on currently.

 

[Johnuk]

you can have a look at what course with help you in the work you do, there are nigth courses,as but stick to your work before you take the jump in the very full pond,

 

[diditrain]

Grass ain`t always greener

 

[shagbite]

the cupboard's pretty bare at the minute mate. lots of sparks just can't get any work due to the economy. the jobs that are available are through agencies and are poorly paid. i doubt very much that you'll find a PAYE job, you could be working as a self employed electrician's mate for about £7 an hour until you've passed the 2357 diploma. after that, you'll be lucky to get £11.50.

are you prepared to travel a hundred and fifty miles, to work and back, everyday?
having one regular place of work to get to (like a garage with a nice cosy office), always seems the most appealing when you have to get up at 4am, in order to get on site at 7am.

whatever you decide, good luck.

 

[eagles]

When I was employed I didn't get 11.50 one of the reasons i went self employed. The main reason I went self employed was to be my own boss. 11.50 ain't too bad.

 

[the pict]

I agree with your idea and you do have a lot of transferable skill especially on the fault finding front if you have experience in vehicle electrics, however I have to concur with the opinions others have expressed regardsavailability of work and qualifications, perhaps specalising in auto electrics is an option here
Pict

 

[Engineer54]

Look for work overseas (Middle East and the like) as a vehicle workshop manager, better still if you have HGV/earth moving plant or similar. I've known more than a few, very experienced guy's like yourself go down this route and haven't looked back....

 

[ackbarthestar]

I know of a chap who runs an electrical business specializing in CANOPEN protocols for industrial control systems. He seems to do quite well with it., although he has been in electrical industry for about 20 years. So I expect some electrical training might not go amiss.

 

[Big n Daft]

I todays climate changing trades is madness. Stick to what you are good at and comfortable with. Its no use tryin to fight the war on all fronts learning a new trade and fighting like a dog for work. Plenty of good sparks are going under, so what chance for a newomer.

 

[rattlehead85]

Stick to what you know mate. As nearly everybody is saying the economy is seein' plenty of time served sparks fallin' through the trap door. Don't potentially add yourself to the growing list.

 

[dan86]

me thinks there is a pattern emerging here!

 

[PEG]

Hi,if you have CANBUS etc experience and can line trace faults,read prints etc then you will transfer a lot easier to the plant/industrial sector. A few pals are doing well in Oz and S.A at the moment if working away is an option.Other than that the consensus of opinion on here is probably about right.Bar the odd graph pip,most on here will tell you the way it is so please don't be kidded by anything your told by any provider of training or supplier of goods.Whatever you decide,the very best of luck.

 

[chunkymonkey]

Hi again and thanks for your honest replies.

Blimey

So much for the Government saying the building trades are undermanned.....

Funnily enough, when I left school, I was down for an electricians apprenticeship but they had oversubscribed the course and I was one of the unlucky ones. A few years after that, in about '93 a mate's brother was earning around 23K doing new builds as a sparky.

To answer a few of you, yes, I would be looking at a part time course, possibly done in evenings/weekends or days of leave etc. Having been on motors for near 28 years I know the importance and value of experience, so would probably have a call around and see if I could do some "hands on" stuff even on a voluntary basis. I would do this alongside my current employment. I have thought about abroad work, missus wouldn't like that at all!

Industrial plant control systems is not something I had considered, but is interesting and i will look into that. I reckon I am one of the lucky ones in my trade to be able to understand wiring diagrams and diagnostics etc, always been into electrics/computers in some way or another, that is why the possible change of direction, as I have a bit of a grasp of the theory. Also at my age, I could spend some years learning/passing exams and still have another 20 odd years to give to the trade, with the emergence of PV and green energy etc.

Interestingly, there was a couple of British Gas guys over the road, I asked them about work - they are not even taking on trainees and the guys I spoke to collectively took a pay freeze so the ones just qualified could be kept on.

Thanks again for your comments

- - - Updated - - -

Hi again and thanks for your honest replies.

Blimey

So much for the Government saying the building trades are undermanned.....

Funnily enough, when I left school, I was down for an electricians apprenticeship but they had oversubscribed the course and I was one of the unlucky ones. A few years after that, in about '93 a mate's brother was earning around 23K doing new builds as a sparky.

To answer a few of you, yes, I would be looking at a part time course, possibly done in evenings/weekends or days of leave etc. Having been on motors for near 28 years I know the importance and value of experience, so would probably have a call around and see if I could do some "hands on" stuff even on a voluntary basis. I would do this alongside my current employment. I have thought about abroad work, missus wouldn't like that at all!

Industrial plant control systems is not something I had considered, but is interesting and i will look into that. I reckon I am one of the lucky ones in my trade to be able to understand wiring diagrams and diagnostics etc, always been into electrics/computers in some way or another, that is why the possible change of direction, as I have a bit of a grasp of the theory. Also at my age, I could spend some years learning/passing exams and still have another 20 odd years to give to the trade, with the emergence of PV and green energy etc.

Interestingly, there was a couple of British Gas guys over the road, I asked them about work - they are not even taking on trainees and the guys I spoke to collectively took a pay freeze so the ones just qualified could be kept on.

Thanks again for your comments