Which way now???

[Gringoking88]

Hi all,

I am hoping for a little direction during my mid life crisis lol!

Let me tell you guys and girls little about me; 36 years old, living in South West London, always worked in retail (mainly food but also DIY) in different roles all management, currently earning around 40k. I have completed a domestic installers course, got my 17th edition (latest), completed building regs City and Guilds and am now registered with NICEIC as a domestic installer. For the last year I have also been working with a local electrician on my days off probably about every other week to gain practical experience, however, I do find this to be of limited benefit as I tend to do a lot of chasing and repetitive tasks rather than actual learning, I do understand however that there needs to be a fair balance!

I have worked hard in my retail career and have achieved the salary I have because of this, however, retail is becoming more and more demanding e.g. working conditions, working hours and physical demands, I am also a little concerned about the sustainability of high street retail given the huge movement towards online shopping (including food), hence why I am now trying to move across to being an electrician. I have always wanted to learn a trade and the idea of building / fixing things / working for myself has always appealed.

What I am after is any advice from you guys / organisations about a direction that would be suitable for someone in my circumstances? I don't mind doing evening / weekend courses etc (if need be) but what I can't afford to do is take a huge pay cut. Is there a way I can gain the experience / qualifications I would need whilst maintaining a reasonable salary?

Any advice would be great!!!

Thanks again,

Martin

 

[VoltzElectrical]

My two penny worth about earnings, just my story.

1. Self employed as a subby. £150 a day, 5 days a week. Fine when on a 6-10 month contract doing schools, hospitals, student accommodation, panicking in the last month about where the next job was coming from, so never taking any holiday, then waiting perhaps up to 6 weeks for the next job to start. Not to mention having to travel all over the country staying in digs.

2. Employed local authority, van, holiday pay, pension. Just over £13 an hour or £26k p.a for a 37 hour week and 23 holiday not including bank holidays.

3. I've never even contemplated the one man band route what with all the advertising, (unpaid hours quoting) only to not get the job, trying to get payment, working evenings doing test certificates, quoting, shelling out for schemes, calibration, van costs, insurance, still not taking holiday etc...

But that's just my decade worth of experience in electrical installation.

 

[PEG]

My two penny worth about earnings, just my story.

1. Self employed as a subby. £150 a day, 5 days a week. Fine when on a 6-10 month contract doing schools, hospitals, student accommodation, panicking in the last month about where the next job was coming from, so never taking any holiday, then waiting perhaps up to 6 weeks for the next job to start. Not to mention having to travel all over the country staying in digs.

2. Employed local authority, van, holiday pay, pension. Just over £13 an hour or £26k p.a for a 37 hour week and 23 holiday not including bank holidays.

3. I've never even contemplated the one man band route what with all the advertising, (unpaid hours quoting) only to not get the job, trying to get payment, working evenings doing test certificates, quoting, shelling out for schemes, calibration, van costs, insurance, still not taking holiday etc...

But that's just my decade worth of experience in electrical installation.

...and,if you go far and long enough...don't forget the other "chapters" to the saga,such as explosions,military intervention,wrongful arrest for badger transportation,fighting with drugged up tool thieves who strike as you are diverted to assist a customers neighbour giving birth,arguing with a ten year old "translator" over the £2500 in forged 20s' their Chinese parents insist you take as a single option,blowing 3 hours on a ten minute job because the elderly customer has everything but company...

The list is hilarious,sad,startling and true.

Whenever i meet someone,who says they have retired,having worked for themselves all their lives,i view them with the same respect i reserve for war veterans,members of our services,and any person who has brought up children,correctly.

It's not a career.

It's a ******* adventure :yesnod:

 

[timo1]

...and,if you go far and long enough...don't forget the other "chapters" to the saga,such as explosions,military intervention,wrongful arrest for badger transportation,fighting with drugged up tool thieves who strike as you are diverted to assist a customers neighbour giving birth,arguing with a ten year old "translator" over the £2500 in forged 20s' their Chinese parents insist you take as a single option,blowing 3 hours on a ten minute job because the elderly customer has everything but company...

The list is hilarious,sad,startling and true.

Whenever i meet someone,who says they have retired,having worked for themselves all their lives,i view them with the same respect i reserve for war veterans,members of our services,and any person who has brought up children,correctly.

It's not a career.

It's a ******* adventure :yesnod:

On of the best posts I've read on here mate lol