I need a career change, serious-ish thread

Stryker · November 28, 2006, 12:05:15 PM

Thanks benny, your right on the money with your assesment of the situation.... flaming depressing feeling this way knowing I've got another 35 years of this assuming I'm not lucky enough to be hit by a bus

And yes, I can not afford a gap in my earnings.... although I'd not considered a move till now.... my kids are 3 & 5 so for a short while its def an option if needed.

Just not sure I know what I want to do.... all I'm sure on is I know what I dont want to be doing.

Stryker · November 28, 2006, 12:57:07 PM

Here is an interesting thought. I dont fancy being an air traffic controller but it has given food for thought. ATC has to be a very odd career and thus is one where they look for people who simply have ability, then if you qualify they pay you a full wage while your put through ATC college and then there is a job at the end of it..... I need to find a career like that, one where I can re-train and be paid for the privilage..... any ideas?

Armitage · November 28, 2006, 01:00:57 PM

A bit of a personal question. But what sort of pay are you looking for? 20K,30K,40K+++

Anonymous · November 28, 2006, 04:11:49 PM

Quote from: Stryker;165471Here is an interesting thought. I dont fancy being an air traffic controller but it has given food for thought. ATC has to be a very odd career and thus is one where they look for people who simply have ability, then if you qualify they pay you a full wage while your put through ATC college and then there is a job at the end of it..... I need to find a career like that, one where I can re-train and be paid for the privilage..... any ideas?

Air Traffic Control is generally recognised to be one of the most stressful jobs you can do!

sheepy · November 28, 2006, 04:16:32 PM

but they do get paid well and have a lot of holidays

suicidal_monkey · November 28, 2006, 05:12:49 PM

lawyers and teachers tend to have (badly) paid training/learning years?

Alternatively, if you spy the job you want but know you aren't quite experienced enough yet offer to work at a reduced salary for the first year or whatever until you're up to speed? usually they want free but that's not really an option most of the time...

Jamoe · November 28, 2006, 06:43:22 PM

To be a teacher you would need todo a 1 year pgce assuming you already have a degree.

(http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/pgce.aspx)

If you can put up with long hours, ungratefull parents that have no clue what it takes to do the job (and think they can do it better), government that thinks paperwork is more important then the kids and wish to end all gaming time you ever had, then cool.

As for holidays.. my wife works for at least 50% of them, and considering she easily works 8:00 - 6:00 (gets home at 7) and does 2 hours every night, and at least 1 day at the weekend, they soon find by the time the holidays come they are exhausted.

What keeps my wife going? the kids do, she loves being in the class room teaching. But this leads to emotional blackmail as you don't want to let the kids down...

Money is ok once you've started to go up the pay ladder. Start on about 19K, top pay is about 28K (in lincolnshire for a general teacher), then you have to prove you are worth more to get over the threshhold.

/rant :taz:

and thats primary education.

GRIM_REAPER · November 28, 2006, 08:08:59 PM

Quote from: Jamoe;165568To be a teacher you would need todo a 1 year pgce assuming you already have a degree.

(http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/pgce.aspx)

If you can put up with long hours, ungratefull parents that have no clue what it takes to do the job (and think they can do it better), government that thinks paperwork is more important then the kids and wish to end all gaming time you ever had, then cool.

As for holidays.. my wife works for at least 50% of them, and considering she easily works 8:00 - 6:00 (gets home at 7) and does 2 hours every night, and at least 1 day at the weekend, they soon find by the time the holidays come they are exhausted.

What keeps my wife going? the kids do, she loves being in the class room teaching. But this leads to emotional blackmail as you don't want to let the kids down...

Money is ok once you've started to go up the pay ladder. Start on about 19K, top pay is about 28K (in lincolnshire for a general teacher), then you have to prove you are worth more to get over the threshhold.

/rant :taz:

and thats primary education.

yup my mums a deputy at primary school and spends pretty much all her weekday evenings doing work then at weekend most of sunday afternoon and evening working, then various goveners meetings and staff meetings each week in the evening and the extra things like school shows and things that they are expected to put on. she does rope me into putting up and taking down wall displays though!!

and shes from lincolnshire strangly enough lol

Jamoe · November 29, 2006, 09:17:18 AM

Quote from: GRIM_REAPER;165584she does rope me into putting up and taking down wall displays though!

I've got rather good at that

Carr0t · November 29, 2006, 09:46:17 AM

I always seemed to get asked to go and fix the school's computers whenever I was visting my parents. That's down in Cornwall. My Mum was the same - loved the kids and working with them, hated all the paperwork the govt said she had to do that meant she didn't have time to plan lessons etc as well as she would have liked. Ended up being told by her doctor to take 2 months off for stress, then took early retirement and is looking for a simple job somewhere to pay the bills.

Penfold · November 29, 2006, 09:53:38 AM

Without a guide to the sort of salary you'd be expecting it's nigh on impossible to come up with solutions.

I would assume that you have a fairly well paid job and therefore if you go public sector (police / teacher / fireman etc), then you're initally going to take a big hit in pay until you've worked your way up the ladder again.

That said if you're willing to migrate your IT skills to a different sector then at least you'll be changing the emphasis on your work without having to take a hit.

As Le Rouge says there's a lot for going independent / self employed. I'm been trying to help an IT friend do the same but you've got what he hasn't - a personality.

IMHO whilst helping him out (i.e. using my offices and address / staff etc) I can see that half of the battle of IT Consultants is being able to converse with a client on their level and be able to talk to them like normal people.

With my guy - I handed him several clients on a plate (I have good links with the local Estate Agents from property developing), and I got several of them to agree in principle to sign up for him to maintain their computers etc and sort out the inter office communications. I could also have got him some of the clients I have on retainer for my Architectural PR - but he was so goddamed inpersonable it made it a nightmare.
- So much opportunity gone to waste:ranting2:.

Consultancy? It's a possibility - little overheads to start with and big potential.
Then, as you grow, you've got the more interesting job of running and managing a business and having a few people (self employed preferably) working for you.

Dude, I only wished you lived in the South East - we could go into partnership and make a mint!!

PEN

TeaLeaf · November 29, 2006, 10:01:50 AM

Health & Safety.
Everybody hates H&S.
Nobody wants responsibility for it.
The qualifications range from easy and quick to get, to a 2 year course.
There are lots of jobs in this area with decent pay at the start, up to Director pay at the top end.

Look in to it.

TL.

Stryker · November 30, 2006, 10:42:54 AM

Yes, might of been good penfold

TL, I'm yet to find someone who appreciates a H&S person... people seem to view them as time wasters with a comtempt thats usually the preserve for traffic wardens.... interesting idea though.

As for pay...... well to do a job I enjoy I can survive down to Â£25K. Less than that and I'd start slipping into debt. It sounds crazy but pay is starting to have less and less allure over other aspects such as enjoyment and job satisfaction..... I honestly think my current state of discontent is starting to affect my health.

sheepy · November 30, 2006, 11:03:19 AM

i know exactlly what you meen stryker.

I was going down hill fast, constant headaches, searing stomach pains at the slightest bit of stress, constantly tired etc.

Literally the day after I handed in my notice all symtoms gone and i have more engergy than ever!

TeaLeaf · November 30, 2006, 11:39:23 AM

Quote from: Stryker;165872TL, I'm yet to find someone who appreciates a H&S person... people seem to view them as time wasters with a comtempt thats usually the preserve for traffic wardens.... interesting idea though.

That's the beauty of it. Nobody wants to do it, but by Law they all *have* to do it. Hence the pay people to do it for them. The Law mandates a Board responsiblity for H&S, so all you do is advise them to make changes needed to keep up to date with the Law and best practice. If they fail to implement it then it is their fault not yours. Mean while you get paid for doing an important (hence the pay is good) job that nobody else wants to handle - and you become known as an expert in the field. Worth following up imo.

TL.