Change of career at 50.

[graham the blade]

Whilst I work behind a desk I‘ve always been a practical hands on guy. I can decorate, tile, plaster, plumb, lay flooring.etc etc

Ive gain this knowledge through house renovations and maintenace of my property rentals

Ive always had one eye on the fact that my day job is a young mans game and hay ho at 50 I am now facing redundancy.

Last October I qualified to be a domestic electrician and have my level 2 and 3 and my 17th edition but I haven’t registered with an ECB.

I did these City and Guilds over 2/3 years of distance learning spaced by 6 weeks of onsite/classroom.

Because I did it without ever being “on the tools” I am in an uneasy situation.

I feel like you do when you first pass your driving test. Qualified and OK by yourself but to nervous to be a taxi driver, so to say.

My question is how best does the group thing I should get more experience and a portfolio for the ECB.

I could afford to work for free for a couple of months or be on minimum wage for 5 or 6 but eventually I do need to be earning proper money again.

Is this a stupid idea and can the group thing of a better one

Thanks

 

[The Ghost]

Well you could join a scheme and start your own work? Maybe on your rental properties for a start for your portfolio, get all those jobs done you've been holding off on. Advertise in wholesalers and approach agencies. Go on the Electricians for.....oh nvm.

 

[LankyWill]

Domestic Installer*

 

[Adam W]

As with any new career you're going to be starting at the bottom - lugging stuff around, crawling around in lofts, pulling cables, chasing walls, sweeping up, making tea... All the heavy, unenviable and menial work, ie a 'young man's game'.

I'm struggling to see how sitting behind a desk can be a 'young man's game'; it's hardly reliant on physical ability and therefore non-age specific.

Perhaps you need to re-evaluate this with a fresh set of eyes.

 

[LankyWill]

I certainly wouldn’t be starting the trade at 50, do you understand how physically demanding it is?

 

[Rpa07]

Agree, I’ve worked the weekend to get a lighting job finished whilst the people were away and I’m knackered now - I’ve just got in, gonna have a long bath and go to bed, might watch Netflix in bed though!
That was changing trades at 48 for me (51 now) - however hard this is though, I’d rather it than behind a desk.

I certainly wouldn’t be starting the trade at 50, do you understand how physically demanding it is?

 

[buzzlightyear]

I certainly wouldn’t be starting the trade at 50, do you understand how physically demanding it is

that's a bit predigest against some one over 50 years of age ,you can teach a dog new tricks.

 

[buzzlightyear]

that's a bit predigest against some one over 50 years of age ,you can teach a dog new tricks

bad spelling ,will lanky.

 

[Baddegg]

As with any new career you're going to be starting at the bottom - lugging stuff around, crawling around in lofts, pulling cables, chasing walls, sweeping up, making tea... All the heavy, unenviable and menial work, ie a 'young man's game'.

I'm struggling to see how sitting behind a desk can be a 'young man's game'; it's hardly reliant on physical ability and therefore non-age specific.

Perhaps you need to re-evaluate this with a fresh set of eyes.

Sparks mate (qualified or not) ain’t fun,I did in my early 40’s, take my word for it. If your finding desk work hard you ain’t gonna enjoy the building trade in the depths of winter

 

[Taylortwocities]

I certainly wouldn’t be starting the trade at 50, do you understand how physically demanding it is?

You are a complete wuzz. I did exactly what the OP wants to do and took the leap from salesperson to electrician at age 50. I went to night school to do C&G 2360 (as it was then) while working for myself and learning on the job. (This was a few years before the P thing was invented). I passed 2360 and then did 2391 and other stuff and ran my own electrican business for 15 years before marrying a very rich woman who now keeps me in the manner to that I would like to be accustomed. (the last bit is a joke btw).

Yes its hard work and the first few weeks you are asleep on the sofa at 8:3opm!
but, I used to have real bad back problems jumping on airplanes and sitting behind a desk. That all went away since I started out on the electrician career.

Go on, do it, its fun!!

 

[Baddegg]

I’m not saying don’t do it, but be prepared

 

[JAWS]

I have worked in the building trade for 20 years on new build site work and never seen a sparky sweat, I am sure its different on the Domestic side where they are crawling through lofts on hot summer days.
Try lugging 50 sheets of soundbloc or fireline in while going up floors while ducking under scaffold at the same time and when you finish loading in, your next job is tacking a huge ceiling.

 

[telectrix]

I’m not saying don’t do it, but be prepared

and be alert.your country needs lerts.

 

[Baddegg]

I have worked in the building trade for 20 years on new build site work and never seen a sparky sweat, I am sure its different on the Domestic side where they are crawling through lofts on hot summer days.
Try lugging 50 sheets of soundbloc or fireline in while going up floors while ducking under scaffold at the same time and when you finish loading in, your next job is tacking a huge ceiling.

Ha ha sparks don’t sweat! Sparks mates on the other hand........

 

[LankyWill]

Just be prepared to lug drums of cable all day and crawl through lofts on your knees. I’d also be prepared to have some youth ordering you about due to rank etc.