You're basically saying to start a business and employ someone you also have to be an expert capable of doing the job yourself. Sorry but that's clearly nonsense.
I could put ads in the paper now - get some jobs in and just advertise for blokes and get them on any work that comes in. It's really fairly simple but imo some on this forum just love to be contrarian for the sake of it.
The extent of lateral thinking when it comes to things like this is also lacking. Where's the ambition?
Men from old Europe without a penny in their pocket went to America and became wealthy by taking initiative.
What i've suggested here is not outlandish at all. Get some organisational skills, line up some jobs, get some qualified men on them. You're the bossman, you're also qualified on paper and you tell them that actually you'll be giving them a lift as a mate but want them to do the lion's share of the work.
Where's the problem?
OP is qualified on paper. It's hardly a stretch to imagine he could start up a business and employ staff like thousands of people do but also jump on the tools himself.
Life is full of chances and "chancers"
If you believe you have the mindset, the ambition and the skills to make a go of it, then do so.
There will be hurdles to jump, problems to solve and sleepless nights worrying about things.
for me it has taken about 10 years to get from an ambitious person who wanted to make it work being self employed to someone who has managed to make a proper living out of it.
I went from a comfortable job at over 20K about 15 years ago to a poor self employed person overnight with a handful of contacts and enough work to see me through the week.
I can tell you that there have been tough times, like counting the coins i had in the cup holder to see if I could manage to buy a pack of chicken to do a stir fry or if it was 2 tins of beans and a loaf of bread.
dodging the council tax collector and the tv licence inspector whilst trying to figure out how to pay the most important bills that would keep me working like the van insurance and my suppliers bills.
Starting a business is easy, keeping it running is difficult, pulling a living wage from it in the first few months/years is bloody hard and can take years off your life.
I have managed, but many people fail, I could still fail in the future if I don't keep on top of it.
There are some rule of thumb figures that will help you out in deciding if it is right for you.
Have enough money in the bank to fund your lifestyle for 3 months with no other income before you take the leap into self employment.
I am not suggesting you will have no work for 3 months but at the beginning, outgoings WILL outstrip incomings.
If you are going to employ someone to work for you, have enough free cash to pay them for at least 2 months at any time.
the people who you employ (directly or as sub contactors) also have partners, children, bills etc. not being able to pay them may push them into hardship and it will (should) play heavily on your mind when you cant pay them in full or on time.
Do not ever let your insurance Lapse, the day you do is the day someone will be injured and it will make you bankrupt.
But the thing is, only you can tell if you have got what it takes to go it alone.
Best of luck in your adventure (genuinely)