If your child ended up being a sparky, would you be proud of them?

[Mumfi]

It may seem soul destroying at the moment but just wait until your back and knees start hurting and your lungs are all clogged up with dust and asbestos and your friends are getting on in life . have you looked at the price of houses recently? you will not be able to afford one on a sparkie wage .....alternatively find yourself a rich wife.

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

It may seem soul destroying at the moment but just wait until your back and knees start hurting and your lungs are all clogged up with dust and asbestos and your friends are getting on in life . have you looked at the price of houses recently? you will not be able to afford one on a sparkie wage .....alternatively find yourself a rich wife.

Well the moment all my friends are contemplating committing... they all have their dissatations, debt when they leave and no guarantee of a job once they graduate ...
Or work in Iceland etc...
Quite happy with my career choice atm despite the apprentice wage... roll on July next year!

I've also seen the prices of houses that need work doing... with family of trades I have little worries

 

[SparkyChick]

Trust me, the software industry is not all it's cracked up to be. I spent 20+ years in it (and other technical roles such as hardware design and development for cash handling and ticketing machines - one of the more satisfying roles because it involved building things) and whilst at times, it was rewarding and quite satisfying, those times are far out weighed by an unwillingness to pay well and reward hard work appropriately (sound familiar).

The levels of stress present in what is perceived by many to be a cushy office job are at times astounding and having had several near misses with mental health issues brought on by that stress, if someone asked me should I be a trades person or a computer guru... I'd say trades person every time because you graft, you get rewarded and the satisfaction levels are through the roof in my opinion.

I go home physically tired nowadays, not mentally drained and when I leave the job site... I leave the job site (unless I have to write up a cert or report)... in computing, when you leave the office, more often than not you just change your working location because you get home and log on and pick up where you left off in the office.

As for the comments about the physical side effects of being a spark... lungs... get a decent respirator (I wore one all day yesterday, first fixing in a remodel cutting plasterboard etc. and I always always wear it when I venture into peoples lofts), if you choose not to use one that's your business. Protect your knees. And as for your back... I've had back problems since I was 15, nothing at all to do with being a spark. Sitting in an office chair... not good. Since starting my business I've lost over two stone without trying. Took me 12 months to lose half that in an office job.

 

[Mumfi]

Ah we obviously have had different experiances in the job..give me a nice warm office in the winter anytime at least there is somewhere warm to eat your lunch

 

[Mumfi]

I get the impression that maybe you are new to the job..i wonder if you will feel the same in 20 years when your physically knackered

 

[Leesparkykent]

I get the impression that maybe you are new to the job..i wonder if you will feel the same in 20 years when your physically knackered

I've been in the game 15 years and still love it....Don't get me wrong I have the odd bad day but the majority of time I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I have two apprentices and two qualified sparks working for me one of which completed his apprenticeship with me. I earn a good crust from what I do and when my lad is old enough I would be more than happy for him to get in to the trade if that's what he wanted to do....There are a lot worse ways of making a living out there than being a sparks.

 

[Mumfi]

Well the moment all my friends are contemplating committing... they all have their dissatations, debt when they leave and no guarantee of a job once they graduate ...
Or work in Iceland etc...
Quite happy with my career choice atm despite the apprentice wage... roll on July next year!

I've also seen the prices of houses that need work doing... with family of trades I have little worries

OK so you have an advantage with the skills of your family but you still have to purchase the house and earn a deposit which in nigh on impossible for the average sparks, what you also fail to realize is that your friends who go to university will have opportunities denied to you, once you are in this game you are stuck in it, its very difficult to get out of it, trust me I've tried you are always viewed as a dim electrician.

 

[Leesparkykent]

OK so you have an advantage with the skills of your family but you still have to purchase the house and earn a deposit which in nigh on impossible for the average sparks, what you also fail to realize is that your friends who go to university will have opportunities denied to you, once you are in this game you are stuck in it, its very difficult to get out of it, trust me I've tried you are always viewed as a dim electrician.

Reading your posts on various threads I'm starting to conclude you just come on here to troll?

 

[Mumfi]

I've been in the game 15 years and still love it....Don't get me wrong I have the odd bad day but the majority of time I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I have two apprentices and two qualified sparks working for me one of which completed his apprenticeship with me. I earn a good crust from what I do and when my lad is old enough I would be more than happy for him to get in to the trade if that's what he wanted to do....There are a lot worse ways of making a living out there than being a sparks.

I'm pleased it has worked out for you, Id be very greatful if you could tell me how you did it, I've been 40 years in the game and last year took home 8000 pounds...not a great deal compared to other jobs

 

[Leesparkykent]

I'm pleased it has worked out for you, Id be very greatful if you could tell me how you did it, I've been 40 years in the game and last year took home 8000 pounds...not a great deal compared to other jobs

You are working for the wrong people quite clearly.....If your qualified and experienced you should be walking in to full time employment and earning at least 30K a year for a 40 hour week.