Starting Again at 30 - What would you do?

[fridaypassion]

djc206 said:

I think I’ve seen you post your last sentence or something similar before and I don’t think it’s true. I agree with the rest of your sentiment though, sitting behind a desk either in an office building or worse still at home typing successions of buzzwords and bullst is my idea of hell. But driving an HGV for 8 hours per day on our awfully congested roads doesn’t sound much better tbh. I respect HGV driving as a profession and I’m glad to see their pay has risen to fit the importance of the job over the last few years but their average is still mid £30k’s as far as I can tell which is similar to people with a Bachelors degree. Besides which the two are not mutually exclusive.

First couple of links on indeed. One of these is for rigids as well!

[BruceFlea]

Changed career completely at age of 51. I’m now 53 and just about to finish level 2 electrical installation.
Having a contact who was willing to take a gamble on me was a help, but have to say that just life experience built up on how to handle power tools, and general building work is a massive asset. Still another couple of years to go to college, but i’ve never been happier in my work environment.
Totally do whatever makes you happy. Life is short.

[djc206]

fridaypassion said:

First couple of links on indeed. One of these is for rigids as well!

I didn’t say you couldn’t make that money I said I don’t believe that’s the average, it’s worth noting those are jobs around London and the SE and a couple of them say up to. The first few hits on google for the average would suggest below £40k nationally, which is still a decent income

[Giantt]

djc206 said:

fridaypassion said:

First couple of links on indeed. One of these is for rigids as well!

I didn’t say you couldn’t make that money I said I don’t believe that’s the average, it’s worth noting those are jobs around London and the SE and a couple of them say up to. The first few hits on google for the average would suggest below £40k nationally, which is still a decent income

Agreed,nationally the old class 1 will be around £13/15 hour,less South Wales north east,sleep in layby or services 4/5 nights a week,15 hour day,twice a week,tippers will be run ragged,many now have driver facing camera, delivery into inner cities better off in a construction role on site tbh,plus the unhealthy lifestyle sitting for long periods,junk food etc

[nickfrog]

DaveE87 said:

The money can be good but only if you put the hours in and make a lot of phone calls. Agency work pays best. A lot of permanent guys are only on £14ph, some on even less. Would you work an average 48 hour week for £35k gross? I won't.

I had understood from a previous poster that it was easily £50k+ for a "normal" 37 working week so no need to go to Uni.

[BigGingerBob]

This is just the thread I'm looking for!
I am in a similar ish position, Mechanical Engineering degree, Masters in Building Surveying and I'm currently working on the roads as a Covid job that I enjoyed and was promised the world.

Three years of empty promises later and I'm looking to get out. Building Surveying was... fine but didn't ignite any passion in my like I thought it would. Perhaps that was just my employer.

I have always (from early childhood) wanted to be a pilot and reading a post from a pilot above has made me want that even more but I just can't afford the training, especially the 18 months or so that I would have to be in full time training.

[djc206]

BigGingerBob said:

This is just the thread I'm looking for!
I am in a similar ish position, Mechanical Engineering degree, Masters in Building Surveying and I'm currently working on the roads as a Covid job that I enjoyed and was promised the world.

Three years of empty promises later and I'm looking to get out. Building Surveying was... fine but didn't ignite any passion in my like I thought it would. Perhaps that was just my employer.

I have always (from early childhood) wanted to be a pilot and reading a post from a pilot above has made me want that even more but I just can't afford the training, especially the 18 months or so that I would have to be in full time training.

Have you considered Air Traffic Control? NATS have just opened recruitment again.

[BigGingerBob]

djc206 said:

BigGingerBob said:

This is just the thread I'm looking for!
I am in a similar ish position, Mechanical Engineering degree, Masters in Building Surveying and I'm currently working on the roads as a Covid job that I enjoyed and was promised the world.

Three years of empty promises later and I'm looking to get out. Building Surveying was... fine but didn't ignite any passion in my like I thought it would. Perhaps that was just my employer.

I have always (from early childhood) wanted to be a pilot and reading a post from a pilot above has made me want that even more but I just can't afford the training, especially the 18 months or so that I would have to be in full time training.

Have you considered Air Traffic Control? NATS have just opened recruitment again.

Have they indeed? I'll have a look as I was thinking about that earlier

[Honourable Dead Snark]

Can’t say I particularly like my job but I don’t hate it and currently it’s ideal for my lifestyle in that I’m working from home (during quiet spells this does entail watching YouTube, reading books or playing games), flexi time, not too much responsibility, alright pay etc.

Think if we decide to have a child I’ll stick it out for as long as I can. If we don’t I would seriously question why I’m not doing something more interesting, somewhere more interesting and for less money and even less responsibility.

[Mirinjawbro]

same thread for me also.

15 years in IT
2 hours of work per week (no joke) sat alone bored out my head for the last 5-6 years.

looking at changing, but to what? means studying again and taking a big pay hit.

need something different as possible everyday and minimal if any work behind a desk.


been looking at something random like pest control but the wages are pretty bad. (unless own business i assume)

also dont want to spend another 5 years at college retraining.

[Dg504]

For anyone with an analytical or finance brain - is a switch to IT worth a look?

What’s the current hot/widely used language to become proficient in? Would a focused 2 hours a night for say a month get you anywhere decent nowadays?

IT day rates always seem appealing!

[BAMoFo]

snotrag said:

Get yourself a Part 66 A Licence. Few years later get yourself a B2 Licence. Work in Line Maintenance for an Airline.

Massive shortage coming down the line. Good (excellent in some cases) money. Responsible. Interesting. Challenging. Problem solving every day. Very clear/defined path to a defined job role.

You'd be beating your current salary in the final year of your apprenticeship if you came and worked where I do, never mind once you have the B2 licence.

Few random links:

https://www.airservicetraining.co.uk/aircraft-engi...

https://www.skybrary.aero/articles/licensed-aircra...

I went a long way round through various engineering and manufacturing roles, finally to end up at an airline and godamn I wish I'd had the guidance and knowledge as a teenager to just go and do the apprenticeship and been earning the same money 15 years earlier.

Edited by snotrag on Friday 28th April 12:07

His higher level academic qualifications and job experience don't stand out to me as being remotely compatible with becoming a licensed aircraft engineer.

[lizardbrain]

Dg504 said:

For anyone with an analytical or finance brain - is a switch to IT worth a look?

What’s the current hot/widely used language to become proficient in? Would a focused 2 hours a night for say a month get you anywhere decent nowadays?

IT day rates always seem appealing!

Been thinking about this myself. I really enjoy the design and problem solving but could never be arsed to learn the leanguages.

Now chat gpt is starting to get good at removing some of this, I'm wondering whether to look into it again.

[andrewh]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

I left a very well paid job. On handing in my notice I was offered a move to Amsterdam, more money.

I stuck with my choice. They still paid my my annual bonus. They didn't pay others. It was a thank you.

My new job was 20k a year. I was 45.


I'm glad I did.


Seriously at 30. Reset, move. Enjoy your life.

You’re in London? 20k would just about cover rent on a basic studio flat from after tax income.

[Wilmslowboy]

Dg504 said:

For anyone with an analytical or finance brain - is a switch to IT worth a look?

What’s the current hot/widely used language to become proficient in? Would a focused 2 hours a night for say a month get you anywhere decent nowadays?

IT day rates always seem appealing!

Closer to your existing skill set than pure technology roles would be - Data analytics
Power BI or Tableau contract roles are about £350 to £500 a day
developing some SQL / python skills would take this to £450 to £750 a day.


If you can use excel, 20 hours of training would get you proficient in power BI.

If you not already done so check out itjobswatch

https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/find/Power-BI-jobs-i...


Cloud management (Azure and AWS) are also not going any where, demand growing for individuals that can support with optimising costs.

[Wilmslowboy]

lizardbrain said:

Been thinking about this myself. I really enjoy the design and problem solving but could never be arsed to learn the leanguages.

Now chat gpt is starting to get good at removing some of this, I'm wondering whether to look into it again.

Sounds like solution or enterprise architecture would be the right route, however very difficult to get into without broad technical background (and or a degree).

Where as business analysis and project management are less technical roles, however require more administrative duties.

[Mr_Megalomaniac]

Mirinjawbro said:

same thread for me also.

15 years in IT
2 hours of work per week (no joke) sat alone bored out my head for the last 5-6 years.

You know how to program, code games or tooling on the side and sell it.

Terminator X said:

Find something you love and do that. If it pays well then a bonus.

TX.

I think this needs to be re-worded to be useful in a career; find something you're good at.
If you're good at it, you'll be successful at it. Enjoying it is a bonus, but generally you find things people are good at aren't tiresome, and success brings a sense of satisfaction.
I love guitar but I'd be a sh!tty professional muscian and then I'd be poor and unhappy. So instead I do what I do, I'm successful at it, and I can play music with my family or at the church instead.

[lizardbrain]

If i could make a decent living playing guitar, to the point it was a solid career, I suspect I would be happy even if poor. I would probably see more of the world, and probably have quite an interesting social life too.

However it would be a different story to be a struggling musician with insecure prospects, or having to teach etc (against my wishes), as that would just reintroduce stress to the equation.

So the phrase should be more like, find something you love you can make a secure living from... whether you need to be very good at it, varies from job to job. If you love driving trucks, you don't have to be especially good at it, to make an above average wage.

Edited by lizardbrain on Sunday 14th May 23:48

[Jakey123]

snotrag said:

Get yourself a Part 66 A Licence. Few years later get yourself a B2 Licence. Work in Line Maintenance for an Airline.

Massive shortage coming down the line. Good (excellent in some cases) money. Responsible. Interesting. Challenging. Problem solving every day. Very clear/defined path to a defined job role.

You'd be beating your current salary in the final year of your apprenticeship if you came and worked where I do, never mind once you have the B2 licence.

Few random links:

https://www.airservicetraining.co.uk/aircraft-engi...

https://www.skybrary.aero/articles/licensed-aircra...

I went a long way round through various engineering and manufacturing roles, finally to end up at an airline and godamn I wish I'd had the guidance and knowledge as a teenager to just go and do the apprenticeship and been earning the same money 15 years earlier.

Edited by snotrag on Friday 28th April 12:07

You make this sound a lot easier than it is in reality.
Agree, once in the industry the shortage is huge and growing. For plenty of people covid was the final straw in escaping the industry.

But the airlines are still slow with recruiting, and I don't know of any that are offering circa 40k salaries for apprentices.
They all want the magical B1/B2 with all the types and experience, but don't want to create it themselves

Excellent money is open to debate, for the responsibility you have and the work it takes, shift work meaning you are outside at 3am in the rain covered in hydraulic fluid with maintrol down the phone asking why its not serviceable yet etc etc.

[Prawo Jazdy]

BigGingerBob said:

I have always (from early childhood) wanted to be a pilot and reading a post from a pilot above has made me want that even more but I just can't afford the training, especially the 18 months or so that I would have to be in full time training.

Just for some balance, the person who posted that may be in a much nicer position than the average airline pilot in terms of airline, pay, base, seniority (and therefore control over their days at work, choice of fleet, routes flown etc).

I doubt that the average (UK) airline pilot would offer to do the job for free.