Aah!! Dilemmas, Dilemmas. Career Change.

[gbb]

Thats contracting for you...I guess the drive to make profit for the company overrides everything, shame really. No different in the garage business sometimes. I know a guy who used to fit clutches...any bolts left over once done, don't worry about it was the attitude from his employers.
Thought about factory / maintenance ?. Itll almost certainly mean shifts but there seems to be a shortage of skilled guys. Working conditions are usually better, more regulated, health n safety and all that. Any experience on 3 phase ?

 

[Drago]

I worked for a well known firm briefly and was mortified to find their unofficial motto was "Rape and pillage." I'm pleased to say the particular arm of the firm I was at is now defunct.

 

[Ganymede]

If you can set up your own business, copy this business model and clean up in rural or posher areas: http://muswell-hill.com/business-websites/theposhplumber/

There may be less scope for something too exaggerated outside of London (where richer people are just waiting around in droves), but if you present as a considerate, mature, old-style artisan (and I use that word in it proper not hipster sense) and are good at scheduling, you might find a very satisfying niche. You don't have to charge excessively or anything but people will look for old-fashioned reliability. Round here in Kent that would be a godsend.

Or do what my friend did and go to be a school maintenance person. He's like you - lots of of extra capability in practical matters, but the electrical qualification is the important one. He ends up doing all sorts of interesting work in addition to the lecky, in a DIY sort of way. He is working at a public school and I assume he has to have an enhanced background check.

 

[Hill Wimp]

If you can set up your own business, copy this business model and clean up in rural or posher areas: http://muswell-hill.com/business-websites/theposhplumber/

There may be less scope for something too exaggerated outside of London (where richer people are just waiting around in droves), but if you present as a considerate, mature, old-style artisan (and I use that word in it proper not hipster sense) and are good at scheduling, you might find a very satisfying niche. You don't have to charge excessively or anything but people will look for old-fashioned reliability. Round here in Kent that would be a godsend.

Or do what my friend did and go to be a school maintenance person. He's like you - lots of of extra capability in practical matters, but the electrical qualification is the important one. He ends up doing all sorts of interesting work in addition to the lecky, in a DIY sort of way. He is working at a public school and I assume he has to have an enhanced background check.

I will second this, a good reliable and trustworthy workman is worth their weight in gold to me and i am happy to pay that bit more for good work.

I am lucky i have a brilliant little local handyman company near me who do my work .

 

[summerdays]

Good electricians are worth their weight in gold and usually very busy!!! Our last one retired but was fantastic if not the fastest bloke in the world but as you paid by the job it didn't matter what speed, just that he did a good job and didn't leave a mess and could be relied on to turn up. My next door neighbour works for the local secondary school and he seems to enjoy the job, and he's on holiday this week as they like him to take holidays in school term time so that the school holidays they have a full team in for maintenence work.

 

[Fubar]

If you're thinking of making a career of it, then I'd go with the sparks role... PCs are a disposable item and for those that are really keen on upgrading their system the odds are they'll do it themselves. With domestic wiring a certificate of compliance is required for most works, so that puts the DIYer off tackling the job themselves.

Either way, good luck with it!

^^^this^^^ in the time that I worked as an IT technician we went from fixing everything to rolling replacement 'cos it's cheaper to upgrade them than keep an old system churning along - and that was in the Public sector so I'm sure the Private sector is light years ahead!

 

[Bollo]

I worked for a well known firm briefly and was mortified to find their unofficial motto was "Rape and pillage." I'm pleased to say the particular arm of the firm I was at is now defunct.

West Midlands Constabulary?

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I've another thread here (moving to Cheltenham). I'll hopefully be back into my "day occupation". But once I've settled down, instead of doing wedding photography, which I did for years (even sent Arch a quote. It was ignored ) I wouldn't mind a wee bit of electrical, seeing as I'm certificated, just to keep my head full of the rules and regs.