Currently considering starting a mature age apprenticeship, no great details yet, but any one out their currently doing one?

If it comes off, mine will be panel beating / car restoration, main concern is the loss of $$$ from my current job. So any information you could give me here or places to look for further info would be great.
I have toolmaking & stone masonry qualifcations already, so hoping some of these will help me out with the TAFE stuff. Currently doing a mainly office type job & a great opportunity has presented itself.

Any advice is welcome.

Oh yeah, I'm 42, mortgage & 2 kids just to make it interesting.

Cheers
Brendan

I'm in the final year of mine. The money hasn't been an issue at all, and there also wage "top ups" available for most mature aged apprentices. I daresay you would qualify for that withyour circumstances. Sarina Russo could be of some help to you for any information you might need. They manage my apprenticeship and have always been easy to deal with. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask

Good luck!

Thanks for that, fair bit of research to do & more questions to ask of the prospective employer, currently turning up to do a job I'm not real interested in, & the apprenitceship will give me the opportunity to work with / on some really cool cars. Will take a fair hit with $$$ from where I am now, but $$$ arent every thing, wiuld like to be turning up to work wanting to be there.

Brendan

I would love to do a mature age apprenticeship but I would not be able to servive with a mortgage let alone a expensive bloody hobby on top of that...

But if you can get by $$ wise do it for sure and a Job you will like would be awesome..good luck

Fabo

At 34 years of age and after 12 years in the army on a very good pay rate, I went back to minimum wage as a mature age apprentice.
I am now only in my second year as an electrician and loving the job.
My hardest thing to get over is working with tradies who want to treat me like a 16yr old high school kid.
The main thing for mesas to be home every day instead of being sent around to the ends of the earth and away from home months on end with little to know warning.
I have even been able to start a family since starting my apprenticeship.
I say go for it,it is only a couple of years of your life and it will hopefully go quick.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
I love my new life and the personal value (not the financial) that it has given me.

I have had a few mature age apprentices over the years, and they make great apprentices - they want to be there & know where they are trying to get to.

The financial struggle is the hardest part, but the government incentives now available do help a lot - whether they are enough for you may be a different question.

I have always worked in with my employees (especially good ones), and at times was able to help them at times when they were stuck, or when jobs went well because of them. Of course, many employers would not be in a position or want to do this.

Doing a job you enjoy is worth a hell of a lot, and if you can work out a way to do it financially (even things like re-financing your mortgage so you only pay the interest for the duration of your apprenticeship), I say go for it.

we had a few of them at work they were on about 77% of the base trade wage 1st year out but the already were trade qualified and that would go up 2nd year and so on they got uniforms/supa/sickies the works we find that we get more value from them than kids out of school no offence but that's how it is these days for us anyway good luck b worth it in the end