Career Suggestions

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:21 pm

Good evening.

Hoping to tap into some SE wisdom here.

I have worked most of my life in engineering, currently as a Mechanical Design Engineer. I have just recently been advised that I'm going to be made redundant as part of a mass redundancy program and I'm looking to seize the opportunity to retrain and do something different with a view of perhaps moving to Norwich beside my partner. Salary isn't an issue, I'm the wrong side of 50 now so this will be my final career choice. Job satisfaction is my top priority but I also want to choose something where I'll have a resonable chance of finding employment.

I'm quite a hands on person and have thought about training as a Gas Engineer, I find this quite appealing as I've spent too long working in an office and want a change.

Does anyone have any other suggestions, however daft or crazy ? I'm prepared to go back to college or university obviously but don't want to take more than a year out if possible.

Regards,

Jeremy

Justin · Post by **Justin** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:45 pm

Norwich?

Work at Lotus

smee · Post by **smee** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 8:41 pm

Justin wrote:Norwich?

Work at Lotus

Honestly that was what I thought of when I heard Norwich. Wouldn't do any harm to send them a cv?

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 9:26 pm

Gas fitter, carpenter, builder, plumber.

Hands on trades would be my choice.

My bro is a builder and his firm get work by being pretty good builders BUT mostly because they take breaks at set times and spend 30 mins every day tidying up and cleaning. The customer then has a neat site to inspect every day and their breaks are planned, simple professionalism in a trade filled with monkeys. If you can get your foot in the boor then the extra mile makes a lot of difference!

point n squirt · Post by **point n squirt** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:02 pm

Rich H wrote:Gas fitter, carpenter, builder, plumber.

Hands on trades would be my choice.

My bro is a builder and his firm get work by being pretty good builders BUT mostly because they take breaks at set times and spend 30 mins every day tidying up and cleaning. The customer then has a neat site to inspect every day and their breaks are planned, simple professionalism in a trade filled with monkeys. If you can get your foot in the boor then the extra mile makes a lot of difference!

It takes quite a few years to learn a trade properly

even if you are a monkey.............

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:30 pm

Didn't say it would be easy

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 10:34 am

Lotus would have been very appealing 25 yrs ago but I want to move away from this kind of corporate engineering environment so I've missed the boat on this one. Besides, my partner works there and they do say you should never mix business with pleasure !

Rich, all good suggestions but I don't see a route into any of these career paths at my age except the gas fitter one where you can do a 1 year intensive gas safe course. If you know of any courses or 50+ apprenticeships then I'd certainly be interested though.

There are a lot of plumbing courses out there but the feedback seems to be that most aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Again, if anyone knows of an exception I'd be keen to hear your feedback.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Jeremy

IanD · Post by **IanD** » Mon Apr 09, 2012 12:51 pm

Depends on what job satisfaction is....
I work in design in IT and always like problem solving and a bit of a challenge and would have thought I would look for job satisfaction doing solving at a different level/different context in the future (and cos no one ever says/thinks they will stay in IT forever!)
BUT thinking recently I could get more job satisfaction when money is less an issue doing a simpler job where you spend more time seeing and speaking to people in normal conversations eg my sister owns a coffee shop and is always got the guy in who repairs anything electrical, she uses him as he is reliable and honest, he does enough to get by and doing the jobs and for people he wants to because he can.
This only works well if money isn't the primary concern but looks like that fits with you so worth thinking about what the jobs gives you back as well as what the actual job is.

A simple route for searching lots of new job careers is to check out available franchises as somebody has in theory done all the hard initial proving and will provide ongoing support but it will cost you to be running a franchise with less freedom and you still need to check them out carefully to see what you get for your money.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:21 pm

IanD wrote:franchises

Not a bad suggestion that actually, thank you. I think there are a lot of cowboys out there selling franchises but a lot of good ones as well, something to read up on.

Regards,

Jeremy

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:24 pm

Jeremy wrote:
IanD wrote:franchises
Not a bad suggestion that actually, thank you. I think there are a lot of cowboys out there selling franchises but a lot of good ones as well, something to read up on.

Regards,

Jeremy

I'm sure I read someplace that McDonalds franchises can be a wee goldmine (lovin' it

), but don't quote me on that

RDH · Post by **RDH** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:17 pm

rossybee wrote:
Jeremy wrote:
IanD wrote:franchises
Not a bad suggestion that actually, thank you. I think there are a lot of cowboys out there selling franchises but a lot of good ones as well, something to read up on.

Regards,

Jeremy
I'm sure I read someplace that McDonalds franchises can be a wee goldmine (lovin' it ), but don't quote me on that

I used to audit a few of these franchises, generally you need a couple of "restaurants" to make it worthwhile, and the franchise fees can be eye-watering!
Good luck with whatever you decide!

renmure · Post by **renmure** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:34 pm

rossybee wrote: I'm sure I read someplace that McDonalds franchises can be a wee goldmine (lovin' it ), but don't quote me on that

A mate of mine from footie days went down the McDonalds franchise route and opened the ones in Arbroath and Forfar. I know he had a fairly big outlay initially. Noticed that he had sold them both a couple of years ago tho.

rossybee · Post by **rossybee** » Tue Apr 10, 2012 10:12 pm

The one at Forfar has higher clearance at the drivethru for the tractors

Top-Oils · Post by **Top-Oils** » Wed Apr 11, 2012 6:27 pm

Jeremy - I have an opportunity in the automotive sector. Drop me a line at peter@triserial.co.uk and I'll send you more information.

I own quite a few Loti, used to race in the Elise Trophy and LCE, work with Thundersport GB and International Classic F3 as well as a large number of UK club drivers and teams.

Cheers,

Peter Trott.

Scottish Elises