Getting a trade...in your thirties!?
Discussion
Afternoon all,
I currently have a "professional" job, that I started as a trainee 15 years ago and generally enjoy. I've worked in a few different industries and there's always potential to develop and progress but...there's always been a part of me that would like to do something more practical / physical / productive.
I feel I'm growing to resent the fact that I sit down for a living and that my desk looks the same at the end of the day as it did when I got there and that I haven't really done anything, other than clear some space in my inbox for some more of the same and complete some reports that largely tell us the same thing/s each month.
There is a potential opportunity for me to go for a complete career change, give up the "office job" and get a trade. Swap the company car for a company van and essentially be no worse off (financially) for it, with the potential to earn more in the not too distant future.
There's a part of me that's desperate to jump at the chance but I'm probably more cautious by nature and can't help but consider the downsides and the potential for things not to work out, which wouldn't necessarily see me starting from square one but it'd obviously be far from ideal.
I'm confident that I could do the job and be good at it but is it just a case of thinking the grass is greener?
Apologies for rambling on but if you've got this far and perhaps done something similar yourself, I'd be interested to hear how it went, what you wish you'd have known / considered beforehand (if anything), and any advise if I do decide to go for it.
Cheers
I currently have a "professional" job, that I started as a trainee 15 years ago and generally enjoy. I've worked in a few different industries and there's always potential to develop and progress but...there's always been a part of me that would like to do something more practical / physical / productive.
I feel I'm growing to resent the fact that I sit down for a living and that my desk looks the same at the end of the day as it did when I got there and that I haven't really done anything, other than clear some space in my inbox for some more of the same and complete some reports that largely tell us the same thing/s each month.
There is a potential opportunity for me to go for a complete career change, give up the "office job" and get a trade. Swap the company car for a company van and essentially be no worse off (financially) for it, with the potential to earn more in the not too distant future.
There's a part of me that's desperate to jump at the chance but I'm probably more cautious by nature and can't help but consider the downsides and the potential for things not to work out, which wouldn't necessarily see me starting from square one but it'd obviously be far from ideal.
I'm confident that I could do the job and be good at it but is it just a case of thinking the grass is greener?
Apologies for rambling on but if you've got this far and perhaps done something similar yourself, I'd be interested to hear how it went, what you wish you'd have known / considered beforehand (if anything), and any advise if I do decide to go for it.
Cheers
roboxm3 said:
Plumbing & heating
I'm a self-employed heating engineer, doing very well and always very busy. Many times at the end of the day when my knees are hurting and my back is hurting and I get home at 8-9pm and have 15 messages on the answering machine, I really wished I had a desk job. It's hard work, but takes many years to be very good at it and by then your body is f
ked anyway 
Like any venture, time spent on research will not be wasted. Have you assessed the potential demand in your area for the skills you'd be plying? Have you sat down and done the sums re start up costs and income potential. This is assuming self employed. Or have you considered PAYE?
If you produce a formal business plan you'll be forced to consider these and other factors before you commit, which is a good thing.
Good luck!
If you produce a formal business plan you'll be forced to consider these and other factors before you commit, which is a good thing.
Good luck!
Thanks for the replies.
If I do decide to take the plunge, it would be to go and work for my brother, who has had his own business(es) for around 10yrs now with the expected ups and downs over that time, so in some respects I'd avoid the potential pitfalls of going it alone from scratch but at the same time I'd still be relying on his continued success and future growth for my short-term job security and development.
I've done bits with him over the years, so I'm under no illusion that's it's easy work but sitting down for 11hrs a day hardly doing me any favours (it's basically the root-cause of my stty back) either.
In the longer term, if I can help him expand further, then I'd fully expect to be doing the late nights quoting etc. but that'd obviously be some way off, so until then I'd probably be doing shorter overall days and home at a more preferable hour...even if I am twice as knackered!!
If I do decide to take the plunge, it would be to go and work for my brother, who has had his own business(es) for around 10yrs now with the expected ups and downs over that time, so in some respects I'd avoid the potential pitfalls of going it alone from scratch but at the same time I'd still be relying on his continued success and future growth for my short-term job security and development.
I've done bits with him over the years, so I'm under no illusion that's it's easy work but sitting down for 11hrs a day hardly doing me any favours (it's basically the root-cause of my s
tty back) either.In the longer term, if I can help him expand further, then I'd fully expect to be doing the late nights quoting etc. but that'd obviously be some way off, so until then I'd probably be doing shorter overall days and home at a more preferable hour...even if I am twice as knackered!!
Don't do it.
Especially don't do it as you would be working for a family member.
I walked away from a decent career behind a desk 6 years ago to do things with my hands and I would much rather be behind a desk again.
The family bit comes from experience of watching and being around others, it very rarely ends well.
Two things.
1) you mention back issues - trade work is not good for backs, knees etc. Some lads on the leccy board had one of the H+S pillocks who thought because he'd shown us the correct lifting procedure for an empty carboard box that no-one should ever have a back issue ever again, they had him on a site and challenged him to dress a bit of 400mm2 4 core into a panel. His response? "It cant be done". Well I'm sorry pal we dont get to tell our boss that... I often think desk jockeys have it better as you can rest at work and have a proper excercise regime if you want... me, I'm on my feet all day, not worked out but tired still and want to rest.
2) "money should get better..." yes you can make brilliant money as a plumber if you're the kind of person motivated to make money. But if thats you, you'll make money as a car dealer, cleaner, gardener or insurance agent too. I dunno what your current take is but if you're just a lackey whos read in the DM theres some real green grass this way you're in for a dissapointment... The best money is probably the thing you've got 15 years practise in.
That covered theres a lot to be said for trades work too, couldnt do that same grey office with the same grey people looking out the same grey window at the same grey scene everyfruginday for year after year thing. I'd go postal.
1) you mention back issues - trade work is not good for backs, knees etc. Some lads on the leccy board had one of the H+S pillocks who thought because he'd shown us the correct lifting procedure for an empty carboard box that no-one should ever have a back issue ever again, they had him on a site and challenged him to dress a bit of 400mm2 4 core into a panel. His response? "It cant be done". Well I'm sorry pal we dont get to tell our boss that... I often think desk jockeys have it better as you can rest at work and have a proper excercise regime if you want... me, I'm on my feet all day, not worked out but tired still and want to rest.
2) "money should get better..." yes you can make brilliant money as a plumber if you're the kind of person motivated to make money. But if thats you, you'll make money as a car dealer, cleaner, gardener or insurance agent too. I dunno what your current take is but if you're just a lackey whos read in the DM theres some real green grass this way you're in for a dissapointment... The best money is probably the thing you've got 15 years practise in.
That covered theres a lot to be said for trades work too, couldnt do that same grey office with the same grey people looking out the same grey window at the same grey scene everyfruginday for year after year thing. I'd go postal.
Fair points but there are pros and cons to every job. Making big ££ in the trade really comes from getting others to the work for you, essentially taking you from being a person with a job to one managing a business. A key challenge with any trade is fitness and there's often a limit to how long you can do physical work before you're body cries 'No more!'.
curlie467 said:
I'll just echo the working for friends or family part.
Don't. Ive not seen it work out sadly. Could be wrong though!
I've seen it work very well but more often seen/heard that it worked out poorly. One supplier who owned his business described his brother as a 'family tax'.Don't. Ive not seen it work out sadly. Could be wrong though!
Frimley111R said:
Fair points but there are pros and cons to every job. Making big ££ in the trade really comes from getting others to the work for you, essentially taking you from being a person with a job to one managing a business. A key challenge with any trade is fitness and there's often a limit to how long you can do physical work before you're body cries 'No more!'.
Yup. I came late to the party in my 40's after redundancy from a electronics research job with a good salary and sound pension. Now, 15 years on my back and elbows are absolutely knackered so I can't cope with doing much physical work myself anymore. Although I quickly learned getting others to do the hard work for you is the way to a really good income I found managing different Trades and clients and tenants alongside all the admin and paperwork was such a overwhelming PITA that I eventually couldn't cope anymore, lost control and gave up and walked away from the business I'd spent 15 years working on.So, no. Stay in a nice warm office IMO.
So, what you're all trying to say, in a roundabout way is, perhaps give it a second thought!?
I appreciate all your input and I'll have to have a think about what my options are elsewhere i.e. as mentioned above, a better desk job (or maybe a desk job that allows for more getting out and about or something...)
I appreciate all your input and I'll have to have a think about what my options are elsewhere i.e. as mentioned above, a better desk job (or maybe a desk job that allows for more getting out and about or something...)
Just an additional perspective...
Think about the stress placed on your brother - knowing not only does he need to run a successful business for his own immediate family, but also for his brother and family.
It can be a lot of stress when the business is in a rough patch.
If you want to move into trade work, make it a move with the intention of eventually setting up your own business; and one that expands to have others do the hard work.
Think about the stress placed on your brother - knowing not only does he need to run a successful business for his own immediate family, but also for his brother and family.
It can be a lot of stress when the business is in a rough patch.
If you want to move into trade work, make it a move with the intention of eventually setting up your own business; and one that expands to have others do the hard work.
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