Changing Career At 30.

[power_slide]

  On 17/01/2010 at 11:29 AM, XR09 said:

Money comes and goes and the more you have the more you waste.

cant agree more

[nang3]

im in a similar situation to the OP, 31 now and been doing programming for 5 years, website development for about 4 years before that and built PC's on the side the whole time and have just had enough of computers in general... time for a change but who knows what..

thinking of maybe doing a sparky apprenticeship, but going back to apprentice wages would be a big shock.. the Mrs earns ok coin so we could survive but would still be hard !!

[Sleeper6T]

Know what you mean mate, im 31 and have been in the same job for 8 years, it has afforded me a house on my own and the T and advancement in management and there is still fair more options I can explore but im hearing you on the complete 180. Later this year im actually doing a Civil Celebrant's course enabling me to marry people and conduct funerals. Bit different and a guy I work with does it and makes a huge amount for not many hours put in. One profession I've always wanted to do was get into driving big front end loaders and excavators either on the roads or other industrial or even mining, sites but like you just dont know how to about it. Hope you find the career that's right for you.

Brad

[Rancidpunx]

Hey mate, your only problem with doing an apprenticeship is your age. Although you will show up for work everyday and work hard, unlike kids straight out of school, you will have to get paid more. Being over 21 your go straight onto year 3 wages. I've been through it all in the last few years and im only 26. Ive been backpacking and travelled and when I finally stopped here I was 23. Took the first job that came along and after 2 years was right back where I started again looking for a trade.

I found heaps of people interested but always lost out to a younger guy because they get paid peanuts. Eventually I started looking into traineeships and got a few more bites through that. Another way is to do all the study work yourself at TAFE. Its expensive to do but you will be able to get a job at the other end rather than searching for apprenticeships.

You have to take interviews in a slightly different light as well. You have to present yourself with a clear destination, rather than I was bored and wanted to try something new. Its hard you have to really sell yourself more so than another job because your also competing against the fact you are going to be asking for a sh*t load more money. There are people out there who will definitely take you, and you love an older guy, you just have to find them and get an interview. As for the mines, there are trades assistant job intakes all the time. Your dont need to be qualified, just have a head on your shoulders. I looked into it after a friend recommended it.

Good luck

[berzerker]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Some good ideas here.

I have looked into the TAFE side of things, and there is a few Online Diplomas that im interested in. Diploma of Engineering + Cert 3 in Computer Aided Drafting. Always been interseted in both of these, and the way it works is that, you dont pay the whole course up front either - only modules at a time; which is good if it turns out im not as interested as I thought.

On the hand, education is no substitute for experience is it. And that's one thing I wont have..

BUT ive got to start somewhere.

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

I heard in NSW its possible for the government to foot the difference between normal apprentice wages and mature age wages. something to look into if you are keen enough to relocate for the right career path.

[berzerker]

They do have something like that in QLD (maybe aus wide??) for a mature age apprentice it gives you an extra $150 per week for the first year.

Quote:

The Support for Adult Australian Apprentices payments are made to either the employer or the Australian Apprentice depending on the actual wage paid to the Australian Apprentice. Payments are made at $150 per week ($7,800 per annum) in the first year and $100 per week ($5,200 per annum) in the second year or until completion if this occurs within the first two years.

[Rancidpunx]

that's alright. Nobody told me about those top ups.

Maybe enrol with a few of those apprentice placement companies. I tried a few and they will eventually find you jobs if your on to them. Just have to be patient, and tell them what your after as they will keep throwing you offers you not interested in. They are full of advice and information, which is the main thing.

[tab]

There are sh*tloads of various grants for apprentices and trainees, but most of them go directly to the employer and the employer has to apply for them - they aren't just automatically handed out.

Most employers are either not aware or just can't be bothered though.

[82CNT]

Im currently 27 been doing warehousing and forklift driving and was a wharfie for 2 years as well. Im currently trying to get into energex mature aged lines man. Pays good once the first 6 months of tafe are up and u get to stay in your capital city. When your finished its awsome money and (hopefully not offending anyone) the best part is if u f*ck up on the job your family doesnt have to worry about cremation!!!!