just wondering if anyone out there over 30 is doing an apprenticeship?

Looking at changing jobs. How did people go with the change, what did they do?

I know it will be a couple of steps back but looking at the long term.

I did my degree, fulltime, when I was in my early thirties. It was great. I found that after years in the work force that it was really easy and I had little sympathy for younger students who couldn't handle the work load. To me it was a pushover. I knew hard work when I saw it.

I worked it as a 9 to 5 job and started to fall by the wayside. The campus counsellor told me to get real, get drunk, get laid and get lost.

So I got involved in the other activities and clubs and being single, the place being full of younger hot and cold running women was a huge bonus.

I goofed off, wrote assignments over night at the last minute, spent time in the bar, wenched, and joined in with the other students.

I attended every lecture, tutorial and seminar, submitted all of my assignments on time and read the text books several times. If you are a reader, read everything you can about your subjects. It makes it very easy.

I would say, go for it. You can make it into a very enjoyable time with definite job benefits after it's over.

similar thing. I was a fitter and did a computer science degree in my 30's. I agree you have to go for it if you arent fully enjoying your current job. Glad I moved. no more money (at this point) than before but also no more shiftwork, no more heat, even the washing machine loves it... no more grease.

I found it incredibly easy to PASS uni. In the beginning when I was heaps motivated I had to work hard to get the top marks I was getting. Then later on I had so much stuff going on outside of uni I slacked off. I did the minimum amount of work it took to get good marks for assignments so that I didnt need to get too many marks in exams. Exam came, I knew how many marks I needed, did the required amount of questions + a little safety barrier and walked out. So I think its easy to just pass, but tough to get distinction average. When you are doing job applications for graduate positions, they pretty much all want to know what your average is. To be confident of finding work when you finish I recommmend the hard slog.

Managing the change in career is probably dependant in part on where you get the first job. I havent had any problems and theres no way I would ever want to go back to the steelworks. The only thing I miss is lunchtime euchre. Cool thing here is that if I ever get an itch, I can go up to level 7, look out the window and see the old place, plus if the southerly is blowing I can smell it. Thats enough to scratch the itch.

do it...you still have 30yrs of work remaining. Might as well do something you want.
My wife went back and did a hairdressing apprenticeship when she was 34. Not one of the ones you pay for either. Off to TAFE with all the 16-17yr olds. She was female apprentice of the year at her TAFE.

There are plenty of the "mature age" apprentices in the TAFE system. Go for it if you can. The 16 - 17 age group starters in many trades is becoming a minority these days. I'm even contemplating a career change this year................ It's called retirement!!

DH

Yep, just finished my apprenticeship in aviation engineering in september last year, i am 32 now, you get paid well due to your age i was making $600 clear in my 4th year, now i get $800 clear before overtime as a trady. go for it. Cheers Damo.

I did this and didn't regret it, I turned thirty in the second year of my apprenticeship. It can be a bit of a culture shock going from a job you are confident in to being a first year.

I'm starting next month as a 35 year old first year electrical apprentice. Been doing manual labour for 8 years (shiftwork in an aluminium smelter) They put on 7 adults this year and 11 "kids" so I wont be on my own!! The best thing is, I keep the same wage I am on now, as a first year apprentice. So I will be on over 60 grand doing my first year training!!! Sweet as a nut.:thumb

it's really interesting to read this stuff.
i wasted my opportunity completely when i was studying, i got far too carried away with the having fun part and did very little work in the end, came away with nothing and i've had shit jobs ever since....

but with a little maturity i reckon i could give it a much better go this time round. it's something i've been thinking about for a little while now and as time goes by it seems like a better and better idea.

i'm 26, so i could potentially be fully trained in a new career of some sort by the time i'm 30.

i guess i just need to bite the bullet and pick a direction to go in.

kai

want my oppinion GO FOR IT! I started as a spray painter then got sick of that did metal fabrication (welding) and then drove my own tow truck for 3 and a half years and now im a house painter. iv spent most of working years in tafe and i think iv finally got it right.dont worry about the money side of things it might be tough at the start its just patience and dedication..and you will make it.. JUU CAN DOOO IT!!:thumb

uh oh a double post... just call me Lee.

Uni tried to screw me over due to some shithouse wording in the requirements. I couldnt graduate with everyone else, that pissed me off. Then midway through the next session they changed their minds/came to their senses and let me though. So I had to sit on sidelines for near 12 months without work. In the meantime during my degree I was helping out primary teaching reading, maths and sport on a voluntary basis at my daughters school. So then I wanted to do another second degree in teaching, but my comsci degree was too narrow in scope so they would only let me do secondary school teaching. Which would suck with the shithead teenagers around these days so I didnt go ahead with it. Hmmm thats probably not relevant but I bin drinking at a reunion hic

Thanks Guys. Was a bit concermed about the age thing as I am 35 but you have convinced me.

I defintely will have a chat with bother-in-law's mate who is plumber.

Have done a bit of weekend work for my brother-in-law in the past and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Shorts, t-shirt sonds great. Yeah the work is hard in some instances, but all work has its hard areas.

i concurr...find something you like and go for it
i was 32 when i finished my degree...had a morgage, pregnant wife, and no income for twelve months of it..didn't do near enough work and survived on passes..tertiary facilities don't want to fail a student..they make too much money out of them these days so as long as you make a reasonable attempt you are bound to pass
likewise i occasionally have need to visit my old workplace and allways walk out thinking "thank christ"
just remember ..the grass is allways greener on the other side...i know plenty of doctors who are unhappy with their lot...sometimes a change of attitude is just as good as a change of occupation

>Good thing 40% of teachers in Vic are over 50... not long til they are begging for younger teachers <

TAFE NSW in Fitting and Machining has a worse percentage! During the early 80s, they took on bulk amounts of teachers and then with the down-turn in manufacturing, there was an excess. Around 80% are now over 54!! However, the way the government thinks, they will only be taking new ones on with contracts and thoughts are that it may only be teaching weeks plus a bit. Also, many companies want "watered down" tradesmen (oops! tradespersons) so they are more locked into the one company. If only the big government etc concerns such as Railways, Garden Island/ADF, Cockatoo Docks, Steel works etc who trained great numbers of apprentices were still around we wouldn't have shortages in these areas and that goes for teaching as well.

Once again, many of us have changed careers over the years and it has all worked out for the best so go for it. For those with trade backgrounds, NSW TAFE is still a great place to work and in the next few years they will have a great void to fill.

DH

My wife hope to be accepted for Primary Teaching at Uni this year at 35yo. Go for it mate. In 10 yrs you may regret it if you don't. I know it's easy to say that from here. It's a big deal, especially if you have a house / kids / money pit VW, but you never hear people say "I went and got trained and qualified. It was the worst thing I ever did".