Career change for an electrician
Discussion
Hi,
due to ongoing upper back problems ( pinched nerve in neck ) i am really struggling to keep working.
I seem to get better only to aggravate it every few months meaning 2-3 wks off work while it calms down, so think long term the writing is on the wall.
I'm really struggling to think of something to train in that would build on my knowledge as a sparky, but wouldn't be as hard on my body.
My strongest skills are maths, problem solving and i have a mainly logical mind so i've been told.
Thought about something I.T related that maybe could complement my skills as a sparky but struggling to find anything.
all ideas appreciated. ?
due to ongoing upper back problems ( pinched nerve in neck ) i am really struggling to keep working.
I seem to get better only to aggravate it every few months meaning 2-3 wks off work while it calms down, so think long term the writing is on the wall.
I'm really struggling to think of something to train in that would build on my knowledge as a sparky, but wouldn't be as hard on my body.
My strongest skills are maths, problem solving and i have a mainly logical mind so i've been told.
Thought about something I.T related that maybe could complement my skills as a sparky but struggling to find anything.
all ideas appreciated. ?
depends on your electrical experience but you could consider training (depending on your people skills), supervision or project management. In the construction industry is a obvious place to start but any engineering type industry might be an option.
Otherwise IT or other technician type roles as you suggest.
You are probably going to have to really get a good CV together though to sell your skills because unfortunately a lot of people don't have any understanding of the scope of an electricians role.
I assume you have had good advice on how to handle the back/neck issue? I ask because I went through a year of lower back problems (ruptured disc), not being able to walk properly, let alone bend to pick up a screwdriver. Specialist gave me two rounds of injections into my spine etc which did little. Thought I would never to be do anything manual again.
Then I saw another consultant who was an ex army doctor. His approach was completely different - deal with the problem (poor support of the spine/disc from the surrounding muscle) and not the symptoms (lots of inflammation of the nerves and corresponding locked muscles and pain). So, lots of physio and specific exercises. Short term is was agony (he basically told me to man up and take a few painkillers) but long term (if I keep up the exercise) I can now do pretty much what I want as long as it is not lifting anything over about 15kg.
I would not take this approach without medical advice but my experience was that trying to avoid making the problem worse (ie rest, avoiding bending, only doing desk based work) actually made things worse. I also have a friend who started out with a very similar problem to me and went down the injections then multiple operations (including fusing bones) route. He can now hardly walk.
Like I said though, this may or may not apply to you.
Otherwise IT or other technician type roles as you suggest.
You are probably going to have to really get a good CV together though to sell your skills because unfortunately a lot of people don't have any understanding of the scope of an electricians role.
I assume you have had good advice on how to handle the back/neck issue? I ask because I went through a year of lower back problems (ruptured disc), not being able to walk properly, let alone bend to pick up a screwdriver. Specialist gave me two rounds of injections into my spine etc which did little. Thought I would never to be do anything manual again.
Then I saw another consultant who was an ex army doctor. His approach was completely different - deal with the problem (poor support of the spine/disc from the surrounding muscle) and not the symptoms (lots of inflammation of the nerves and corresponding locked muscles and pain). So, lots of physio and specific exercises. Short term is was agony (he basically told me to man up and take a few painkillers) but long term (if I keep up the exercise) I can now do pretty much what I want as long as it is not lifting anything over about 15kg.
I would not take this approach without medical advice but my experience was that trying to avoid making the problem worse (ie rest, avoiding bending, only doing desk based work) actually made things worse. I also have a friend who started out with a very similar problem to me and went down the injections then multiple operations (including fusing bones) route. He can now hardly walk.
Like I said though, this may or may not apply to you.
brman said:
depends on your electrical experience but you could consider training (depending on your people skills), supervision or project management. In the construction industry is a obvious place to start but any engineering type industry might be an option.
Otherwise IT or other technician type roles as you suggest.
You are probably going to have to really get a good CV together though to sell your skills because unfortunately a lot of people don't have any understanding of the scope of an electricians role.
I assume you have had good advice on how to handle the back/neck issue? I ask because I went through a year of lower back problems (ruptured disc), not being able to walk properly, let alone bend to pick up a screwdriver. Specialist gave me two rounds of injections into my spine etc which did little. Thought I would never to be do anything manual again.
Then I saw another consultant who was an ex army doctor. His approach was completely different - deal with the problem (poor support of the spine/disc from the surrounding muscle) and not the symptoms (lots of inflammation of the nerves and corresponding locked muscles and pain). So, lots of physio and specific exercises. Short term is was agony (he basically told me to man up and take a few painkillers) but long term (if I keep up the exercise) I can now do pretty much what I want as long as it is not lifting anything over about 15kg.
I would not take this approach without medical advice but my experience was that trying to avoid making the problem worse (ie rest, avoiding bending, only doing desk based work) actually made things worse. I also have a friend who started out with a very similar problem to me and went down the injections then multiple operations (including fusing bones) route. He can now hardly walk.
Like I said though, this may or may not apply to you.
My skill set as an electrician is fairly broad, i used to do a lot of sub contract testing and fault finding for a local firm on industrial and commercial.Otherwise IT or other technician type roles as you suggest.
You are probably going to have to really get a good CV together though to sell your skills because unfortunately a lot of people don't have any understanding of the scope of an electricians role.
I assume you have had good advice on how to handle the back/neck issue? I ask because I went through a year of lower back problems (ruptured disc), not being able to walk properly, let alone bend to pick up a screwdriver. Specialist gave me two rounds of injections into my spine etc which did little. Thought I would never to be do anything manual again.
Then I saw another consultant who was an ex army doctor. His approach was completely different - deal with the problem (poor support of the spine/disc from the surrounding muscle) and not the symptoms (lots of inflammation of the nerves and corresponding locked muscles and pain). So, lots of physio and specific exercises. Short term is was agony (he basically told me to man up and take a few painkillers) but long term (if I keep up the exercise) I can now do pretty much what I want as long as it is not lifting anything over about 15kg.
I would not take this approach without medical advice but my experience was that trying to avoid making the problem worse (ie rest, avoiding bending, only doing desk based work) actually made things worse. I also have a friend who started out with a very similar problem to me and went down the injections then multiple operations (including fusing bones) route. He can now hardly walk.
Like I said though, this may or may not apply to you.
I seem to manage my condition by stretching a lot everyday and keeping generally fit, what really flairs it up is say torquing a fusebox, etc. at funny angles that is unfortunately impossible to do in any other way.
I am currently waiting for an MRI scan at the hospital, but i'm also in physio that's working wk by wk.
With the advent of smart technology controlling relay's etc. i thought maybe some programming skills my suit some kind of niche area.
Have you done much installation and termination work on building management systems?
Could be worth looking into moving towards a more software approach to controls which is site office based rather than physically on and around site.
There is always a demand for good Trend and Cylon engineers.
Could be worth looking into moving towards a more software approach to controls which is site office based rather than physically on and around site.
There is always a demand for good Trend and Cylon engineers.
remkingston said:
Have you done much installation and termination work on building management systems?
Could be worth looking into moving towards a more software approach to controls which is site office based rather than physically on and around site.
There is always a demand for good Trend and Cylon engineers.
Good call, really like the sound of trend and cylon engineering and would have a bit of a start being an electrician. Could be worth looking into moving towards a more software approach to controls which is site office based rather than physically on and around site.
There is always a demand for good Trend and Cylon engineers.
Really like learning and this sounds spot on for me ( many thanks )
Now how would i start out getting my foot in the door ?
Looked online and can't see a distinctive way of training?
caterhamboy said:
I seem to manage my condition by stretching a lot everyday and keeping generally fit, what really flairs it up is say torquing a fusebox, etc. at funny angles that is unfortunately impossible to do in any other way.
Like I said, things could be different for you but I was also trying to help my problem with basic stretching and physio but it took 3 months at a specialist pain management clinic with specific exercises to start improving things.back on subject though, the building management stuff is a good idea. You could perhaps start by finding the companies that currently do it and touting your CV to them in the hope they are expanding. Also worth checking companies that don't currently appear to have presence in your area in the hope the might be looking to expand their patch.
Are you on linkedin? Perhaps get your profile up to date, get as many recommendations as possible then start trying to link to people in those fields?
brman said:
Like I said, things could be different for you but I was also trying to help my problem with basic stretching and physio but it took 3 months at a specialist pain management clinic with specific exercises to start improving things.
back on subject though, the building management stuff is a good idea. You could perhaps start by finding the companies that currently do it and touting your CV to them in the hope they are expanding. Also worth checking companies that don't currently appear to have presence in your area in the hope the might be looking to expand their patch.
Are you on linkedin? Perhaps get your profile up to date, get as many recommendations as possible then start trying to link to people in those fields?
Hi brman, back on subject though, the building management stuff is a good idea. You could perhaps start by finding the companies that currently do it and touting your CV to them in the hope they are expanding. Also worth checking companies that don't currently appear to have presence in your area in the hope the might be looking to expand their patch.
Are you on linkedin? Perhaps get your profile up to date, get as many recommendations as possible then start trying to link to people in those fields?
no specialist pain management yet, only industrial strength pain killers.
I am currently paying privately for physio whilst the cogs of the nhs start turning, when i first did it a couple of yrs ago it couldn't even lift my arm and was in an total agony, so had MRI scan and the consultant said its the L2 vertebra and to come back in a month and if no better would send for the surgeons.
Fortunately the pain died down and i started moving arm again but took a long time to get it above my head,
Roll on to now and it keeps flaring up, so might see if i can see someone from pain management that can provide a long term solution.
On the building management idea i have contacted a few agency's and my brothers doing me a c.v tonight ( never had one before )
They seem interested with my back ground in sparkying, and also all those years mucking around with old laptops and linux ubuntu-puppy-mint etc. seem to put me in good stead.
Thanks for everyone's advice, it's really appreciated as i had started feeling i'm at a dead end career wise before.
caterhamboy said:
Good call, really like the sound of trend and cylon engineering and would have a bit of a start being an electrician.
Really like learning and this sounds spot on for me ( many thanks )
Now how would i start out getting my foot in the door ?
Looked online and can't see a distinctive way of training?
The first port of call and your highest priority is to craft your CV to show what you are looking to go into.Really like learning and this sounds spot on for me ( many thanks )
Now how would i start out getting my foot in the door ?
Looked online and can't see a distinctive way of training?
It is worth having a separate CV geared towards to each specific type of role you are applying for with a clear opening statement describing what you are looking for.
The simplest route is to contact companies directly such as Johnsons, Siemens, Norlands etc with your CV.
The easiest route is to contact an agency and with their feedback craft a CV and they will contact companies on your behalf whilst also being able to suggest other roles which may be of interest. One of my team will be able to help; www.remtechnical.co.uk or 0203 589 6717
BMS Software is one route but there may be others which can utislise your skills set and most importantly the unteachable experience which you have.
Have you considered becoming an AutoCAD Draughtsman?
Designers with experience are always going to create and co-oridinate drawings better than any school leaver especially as you have had first hand experience with those inferior drawings. They won't know what a plant room looks like where as you would have had one of those projects where there is more equipment than space but the drawings show everything the same size and somehow fitting in place!
Entry to this is a training course and some experience working with another draughtsman picking up the real world experience.
Other career routes could be:
Electrical Estimator - Shortages in London and the South East.
Electrical Engineer / Project Engineer / Project Manager - Companies prefer to train those with a will and experience is a great starting point.
Quantity Surveyor - Huge shortage at the moment.
LinkedIn as mentioned by others is a great way for identifying companies which currently utilise these roles.
As are job boards but the majority of users are agencies on job boards so they usually select CVs from those who already have experience within a set role.
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