Should I retrain as an apprentice electrician???

[Chris McC]

Hi guys, 

I work in the rail industry, after completing a 'management apprenticeship' along with the rest (9people) we were it offered positions due to upcoming redundancies and an upcoming restructure. Fortunately I still managed to gain a position as an 'Onboard Customer Service Assistant' (41hours, £27,555 p/a, very varied and u sociable shifts). I have trained as a mechanical and electrical engineer in the army although I am not at a level where I could walk into an engineering role as a fully competent engineer. Although I have gained a somewhat secure role within the railway I feel pouring tea and coffee is not mentally challenging or allowing me to reach my full potential. My question is would you recomend I apply to any 'Apprentice Electrician' roles in my area? (Stirlingshire) I am comited to finding a technical career but to start from scratch on very basic wages at 28years old is daunting but worth while if in the long run I enjoy my role with and become financially comfortable. I am driven and motivated and would hope in the future (once fully JIB competent) to go it alone. Apologise for the massive paragraph of a question but feel where better to ask than a sparks forum.

Cheers

Chris

 

[ProDave]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I would say you have the ability to become an electrician if that is what you really want to do. It certainly sounds like you have practical skills, motivation, and the willingness to learn. But personally I feel you could rise to a more challenging role if you wanted to. There are probably more career opportunities in the central belt than there are here in the Highlands.

As a very rough calculation (depending on amount of holiday etc) you are currently working for about £15 per hour. You should certainly be able to earn at least £25 per hour as an electrician. But certainly as self employed it's never that simple as there is a lot of unpaid time like ordering stuff, pricing jobs etc.

Your biggest hurdle would be surviving on an apprentice wage while you train, which will be a drop from what you are earning now.
 

 

[Evans Electric]

I think the better route for someone of your advanced age :innocent    would involve  paying  your own college fees  so probably night school, and  (This is the hard bit )  get a job as an Improver / labourer with a contractor ands advance through the grades.  The other hard bit will be the lower wages  for the next few years  I'm afraid.

Another option is to , again ,  leave your present job,  pay your own college fees  on what is called the "Short Course for Domestic Electricians "  .  It gets you some sort of qualification and some basic practical experience  .  However  nothing like serving an apprenticship with electricians plus the relevent courses .    

There are , I have to say ,  quite a lot of mature students re-training as electricians , probably more than school leavers.

I wish you luck with whatever you decide.