Career change after redundancy

[What 2 Do]

I am currently employed in an office based role in an engineering / manufacturing facility for a large multinational company, due to a decline in orders (Company are blaming Covid but that sems to just be a get out) our facility is to close in the not to distant future and production is being moved to eastern Europe.

Obviously with redundancy looming I am keen to find another role asap, my issue is that I have just sort of fallen into my role having worked my from a shop floor role, I have been office based for around 10 years but to be honest I just don’t enjoy it I have just been cruising along as the money wasn’t too bad it wasn’t any real stress.

Over the last few weeks I have been helping a friend with a renovation project and have been having a great time, clearing out, throwing stuff into a skip, taking down ceilings and walls etc, putting up new plasterboard, those sorts of things and loving the fact I'm not stuck in an office, I have always been fairly handy and would have a go at most things in my own house whether it be electrics, plumbing decorating etc. It has really got me thinking that I have “wasted” a large part of my life doing a job that I just don’t enjoy because it was fairly easy and decent money I really feel I have a big mistake and I should have done something more hands on Electrician, Plumber, Joiner that sort of thing. I am 35 so its way too late to go down the apprenticeship route but without doing that I don’t really see how I could get into it, just doing a college course doesn’t appear to be enough.

I know there are going to be loads of downsides to the jobs listed above and it wouldn’t be the fairy-tale that it may seem like I think it would be but that’s where I feel I would be happy, I would love to be able to work for myself long days weekends don’t bother me in the slightest especially if it was for myself.

Has anyone found themselves in a similar situation? any advice would be appreciated!

I should add that with my redundancy payment I have enough money to support myself on that alone for the next year.

Edited by What 2 Do on Monday 19th October 13:40

Edited by What 2 Do on Monday 19th October 14:36

[spikeyhead]

Every small local builder I talk to has far more work than they can cope with.

Offer to do some work for some of them and see where it can go from there.

[E31Shrew]

A good friend of mine was in the same situation. Spent 12 months hunting for a new position [ he was late 50s ] to no avail

Decided to take on a franchise with a garage door manufacturer , to sell and install. All leads are from HQ. Small [ £5k plus van ] investment

Has never been happier and installs on average 8 doors a week at roughly £200 per door. Could do more but he's not a spring chicken!

Might be worth considering?

[eliot]

What 2 Do said:

taking down ceilings and walls etc,

You might want to read the asbestos thread if you want to enjoy an eventual retirement.