Would you have chosen another trade in hindsight?

[OnOff]

I always fancied being a ladies hairdresser...

 

[UNG]

I always fancied being a ladies hairdresser...

Collar or cuffs ?

 

[Tony S]

Fault finding sold it for me. Trying to explain your thought trail is nigh on impossible. Covering up (lying for) other electricians mistakes is an art form.

I enjoyed myself, mainly, there were the s****y bits but doesn’t every job have them. As for management, I’ve done production, maintenance, planning, even works manager. Towards the end I was glad of the desk, I was knackered.

 

[Andy™]

 Covering up (lying for) other electricians mistakes is an art form.

bet that also depends how much you liked them - some people ill cover up for where i can. others ill happily say they courgetteed up

 

[binky]

I should have been accountant.

I'm good with numbers and as far as I see they seem to do extremely little for very good money

all jobs that involve 'handling' money pay well. My son has got a job in banking on the IT side, starting salary £35k as a graduate, likely to rise to around £100k . 

 

[binky]

I was talking to a chap who did 2391 last year, it seems to have been made very difficult to fail these days, and is a computer based exam, when I did it it was a three hour written exam.

I do sometimes wonder if the reduction in technical content of training, is kind of a reflection of the type of people who are likely to be taking them,  the folk who would have have eventually made it to technician grade, now no longer enter the trade, instead going to university to study a probably pointless course, all because the labour government of the late 90s wanted to fiddle the unemployment figures! The irony is, that with all the technologies coming in these days, we need those types in the trade, I do wondeer what it'll be like in 30 years when a lot have retired....

the industry has been dumbed down to suite employers needs, I also think it refelcts the privatisation of standard setters and the college system - bums on seats mentality. If you want standards to be maintained, the over-arching 'board' needs to be government financed and independent of financial pressures and the need to make money. 

As for a  different trade, I retrained into this career after 20 years in industry - forced by multiple redundancies. I can think of far worse thngs to be doing (I've tried a few). Ideally I would like to return to the CAD design work I used to do, but I've been out of an office for 15 years and that just isn't going to happen now. I liked that work, basically I spent all day creative problem solving - this trade isn't that different in some respects to this. Given another trade, I would opt for something  with a more decorative element, as the customer can see your work. Nobody actually wants cables or sockets, they want a TV and lights! Solar work has been good, in that customers wanted solar panels, even if that was just to make some money. 

 

[Evans Electric]

all jobs that involve 'handling' money pay well.

How true that is  , specially if its cash.

 

[rapparee]

I would have liked to go into procurement. 

I seem to have an aptitude for it and so I do be lumbered with it all the time 

 

[Evans Electric]

I would have liked to go into procurement. 

Hhhhmmm   That sounds  somewhat iffy to me  .....it will certainly puzzle Kerch . :C ..could you elaborate on that a little  ?  Do you need to wear a old mac  when going out  "procuring "?  

 

[Sharpend]

Buyer 

 

[rapparee]

Hhhhmmm   That sounds  somewhat iffy to me  .....it will certainly puzzle Kerch . :C ..could you elaborate on that a little  ?  Do you need to wear a old mac  when going out  "procuring "?  

I'm all for a bit of cloak and dagger, If the situation calls for it. 

 

[Evans Electric]

Buyer 

Ah .  

 

[misssweden]

I’m happy with my choice, especially now that I’m doing overhead work as well as jointing. I like the variety. 
Had I not chosen this I would probably have still stuck with horses/farming. 

 

[binky]

I’m happy with my choice, especially now that I’m doing overhead work as well as jointing. I like the variety. 
Had I not chosen this I would probably have still stuck with horses/farming. 

must make a nice change from being constantly down holes. Retraining into solar was great for me, only ever a brand new single cct to worry about, lots of fresh air and sunshine, great views from house roofs. Shame the government has killed that line of work. 

 

[Andy™]

 lots of fresh air and sunshine

what about the other 360 days per year?

 

[binky]

what about the other 360 days per year?

get wet - still better than being stuck in an understairs cupboard trying to change a board. 

 

[clark88]

all true.. jobs in the IT field seem very secure and lucrative in this day and age, so maybe that

 

[binky]

all true.. jobs in the IT field seem very secure and lucrative in this day and age, so maybe that

even a lot of that has been automated, or remote service via an Indian call centre.

One of the main reasons I moed into this work was the simple fact it's never going to go away or be shipped abroad, coz you can't move all the houses to India / China, a.n.other country as happened in my previous career in engineering, The hand skills learn't are also very useful for working on your own property,eg I recntly fitted a kitchen, which was made much easier by having worked with so any kitchen fitters previously. There is always work for those who have hand-skills.

The only growth industry I can't see going away is warehousing and distribution, but even that is prone to the vagaries of the economy. 

 

[Sharpend]

even a lot of that has been automated, or remote service via an Indian call centre.

One of the main reasons I moed into this work was the simple fact it's never going to go away or be shipped abroad, coz you can't move all the houses to India / China, a.n.other country as happened in my previous career in engineering, The hand skills learn't are also very useful for working on your own property,eg I recntly fitted a kitchen, which was made much easier by having worked with so any kitchen fitters previously. There is always work for those who have hand-skills.

The only growth industry I can't see going away is warehousing and distribution, but even that is prone to the vagaries of the economy. 

and Some serious automation. 

 

[OnOff]

I was talking to a chap who did 2391 last year

I was talking to a mate who was doing the 2391 last week. Said he'd been "all day testing".