Is 50 too old for a new career?

[peter.s]

I am an ex engineer and did a Domestic installer course when I was 55.. self employed and haven't looked back.
Won't ever be a millionaire but love the work. It helps if you like helping people and be reasonably fit with decent eyesight.
Only regret I have is that I didn't do it sooner

Just curious. How long did it take you after your course to get up and running?

 

[rapparee]

Thanks everyone for your input – and overall encouragement

For the record I am fit and healthy and rock-climb regularly. I work hard and have no issue with taking direction from youngsters… especially when it means I might learn something. The only baggage I bring with me is a loving wife and daughter and an interesting history of diverse careers from around the globe (SEA, Australia, Central Europe, etc.).
And believe it or not – I can juggle! Very well I might add as in my youth I was in a circus.

Perhaps doing a Domestic Installer course in the view to be self employed is the way to go. But after I finish the DI course, wouldn’t I still have to work for someone to gain experience and a qualifications?

The DI route is saturated with people racing to the bottom on price.

Is there a shortage of sparks in your area?

It might be wiser to get into gas installation.

 

[buzzlightyear]

any jobs in Ireland ? when people say I'm going on to new pastures ,do they mean into a field like a cow .

 

[solarsavings]

It might be wiser to get into gas installation.

Which is also oversubscribed. There really is a shortage of radiographers though.

 

[rapparee]

any jobs in Ireland ? when people say I'm going on to new pastures ,do they mean into a field like a cow .

Plenty of work in Dublin

Which in turn is causing a brain drain effect so anyone who stays local has loads of work because everyone else is in Dublin

But supposedly we're all heading for a world wide recession at the end of the year so it will be interesting to see how that pans out

 

[buzzlightyear]

Which is also oversubscribed. There really is a shortage of belly dancers though .

circus maybe .

 

[solarsavings]

No balls this time.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Plenty of work in Dublin

Which in turn is nice , so anyone who stays with me have has loads of work because everyone else is in Europe .

 

[a-z electrics]

Just curious. How long did it take you after your course to get up and running?

Straight away.. but I morphed from knowledgeable handyman into electrics and so was very adaptable .. of course starting with the simpler jobs.

 

[a-z electrics]

The DI route is saturated with people racing to the bottom on price.

Is there a shortage of sparks in your area?

It might be wiser to get into gas installation.

There's more to it than just price.. I've found service and flexibility, willing to go the extra mile is more important in general.

 

[BeardyJaws]

2 types of sparkies in my experience.
The ones that will respect what you’re trying to achieve, which is better your self and skill set.
The others will be heinous and think of every possible way to put you down and question your resolve.

Learning curve can be high and expect doing grubby work to start. Good luck if you go for it.

 

[FatAlan]

Come the revolution in March you’ll need all us 50 plus as all our friends from Eastern Europe will be leaving. Currently doing 2365 at college with 75 % of class from Poland, Czech Republic and Romania. Three or four other local lads in there who spend more time talking about s**ging and drugs. The Eastern European lads are working their socks off and way ahead of the others. I know who I’d employ? You just have to look at the number of posts on this forum from people desperate for knowledge and experience. There must be a viable business model that could utilise this demand.

Good God, it's like cocoon in here, I keep getting the urge to buy some boiled sweets and earl grey.
Is every mature trainee on here either a Rozzer or Rambo.
Why not sit at home pampering yourselves on your disgracefully fat pensions, while really old people ( over 70 ) struggle on a pittance.
Make way for the younger generation, it's not their fault that you all couldn't hack it at your other jobs and have now decided to be in the best trade around.

One thing we can do is make a good cup of tea Also we’d be quite happy to accept a bit of bullying and ---- taking as a right of passage if that’s what it takes, probably something the younger generation don’t understand now

 

[static zap]

any jobs in Ireland ? when people say I'm going on to new pastures ,do they mean into a field like a cow .

Mooove along Buzz , I'm still chewing the cud !

( Grass may be longer/greener ,
but obscuring view of the cow pats -(wetpants teritory))

 

[Stuart Wilkins]

Hi, I’m new here

I’ve been reading this forum and researching trade courses for some time now because I’m wanting to make a career change. I have not worked in the industry before, but I am multi-skilled and have no doubt that I have the capacity to make a good electrician… but the trouble is, I will be turning 50 in a few months.

At first I thought I could just do a C&G 2365 and then get a job and quickly qualify as an Electrician… But in reality I think it will be a lot more challenging to find work at my age. And if I did find a job, I would be working as an underling for several years before gaining my qualifications and upping my wage.

I’m keen to hear some honest opinions from the professionals. Would I be wasting my time and money to get trained up? And would any firm employ a fifty-year-old novice?

I started an EAL Level 3 course in Electrical Installation about 3 years ago and am currently working toward my NVQ/AM2. I also have C&G 2392 and 17th (18th soon). Started working through agencies as a mate/improver before being taken on as a sub-contractor working direct with a couple of local ME firms. Last year was my first year working as mate/improver and I found work for virtually all of it and this year looks to be just as busy. My age, 56!

 

[chrisdungan]

50 is just a number
Don't let the ageist ---- get you down.
If you have good practical tool skills and half a brain you should do ok
Get in with a sympathetic employer, be prepared to do the crap trainee stuff.
What you lack in industry experience remember you have 50 years of life experiences.
How physically fit are you???????? that's fairly important
I'm 68, self employed and have got myself into some nice little niche markets that a lot of sparkies don't want to do because they're not seen as "proper" sparkie work.
What do I do?
I'm a Kiwi for a start so our system is different to the UK
You can't work here unless you're registered with a current practicing licence
So
I'm a registered electrical inspector
some of our work is regarded as high risk and requires a third party inspection by an inspector
so I
inspect new mains connections
inspect PV systems
inspect and certify transportable installations ..... mostly caravans, motor homes, porta cabins and small (ish) boats
and about 60% of my income comes from repairing and servicing commercial fitness equipment in gyms. I am a bit of a gym bunny!.

 

[Michael Monaghan]

Personally I wouldn't advise it
For the practical reasons .crawling thru attics .chasing walls etc during your training in your fifties . It will take you 6 to 10 years to get tget experience you need .then retire. Not viable for you or employer .

 

[FatAlan]

Personally I wouldn't advise it
For the practical reasons .crawling thru attics .chasing walls etc during your training in your fifties . It will take you 6 to 10 years to get tget experience you need .then retire. Not viable for you or employer .

An employer will employ an apprentice if they need one and a qualified spark if they need one. When the work drys up they’ll be out the door no matter. In this day an age work forces are chopped and changed according to the immediate contracted work.

 

[Marti]

Unfortunately one of the most vitriolic threads I've seen in here and probably better suited to Farcebook / ----ter etc. EF has always been better than them IMHO. When I started (fit for the grave according to some) I had a solid background in Restoration / Handyman tasks and a love of learning. That compared to the pimple faces behind me getting their education for free. I'm now Part P and specialising in the tasks that require problem solving. I eat a lot of humble pie round a few more experienced sparks because a scrap of their experience is more valuable to me than scraping with the chippy sods!

To anyone changing careers late in the day (we don't all have fat pensions and the 1st Mrs got my cheap house) I suggest - go for it like you love the task and do you best to glide past the ones who wish to bless you with their unhappiness.

Anyone want this soapbox - I'm finished with it!

 

[satori]

Hi, I’m new here

I’ve been reading this forum and researching trade courses for some time now because I’m wanting to make a career change. I have not worked in the industry before, but I am multi-skilled and have no doubt that I have the capacity to make a good electrician… but the trouble is, I will be turning 50 in a few months.

At first I thought I could just do a C&G 2365 and then get a job and quickly qualify as an Electrician… But in reality I think it will be a lot more challenging to find work at my age. And if I did find a job, I would be working as an underling for several years before gaining my qualifications and upping my wage.

I’m keen to hear some honest opinions from the professionals. Would I be wasting my time and money to get trained up? And would any firm employ a fifty-year-old novice?

I did it at 49 years old (52 in May). I did the 2365 with TradeSkills4U, but I didn't wait until I'd finished the course to find work, I mailed about 140 local companies listed on NICEIC website, got responses from about 20 - most were negative, 3 were positive, I started work two weeks after I started the course.

Spent 18 months with one firm, then jumped ship to a large local industry as a maintenance electrician - the firm I was with was a contractor there. I was lucky with the opportunity to apply for the position I have now - the foot-in-the-door of being a contractor there was what got me the job, they knew me and, apparently, liked me and how I worked.

TBH, I don't think I have the fitness, because of my age, to do what some of the guys I was on the course with are doing day to day (commercial new build).

I know I still have a lot to learn, I am under no illusion that I am an electrician of the standard of many here, but I learn every day, and I am proof that old dogs can learn new tricks.

I'd suggest applying for a JIB card ASAP, having one might be the deciding factor in getting a job or not.

 

[MDJ]

any jobs in Ireland

Plenty of work pulling up spuds over there, or blowing the French otherwise not really