Career Choices?

Who here, has done a trade, uni degree, or some sort of life development, ( which pretty well puts everybody in this category) , that just came to a point, and said "I`ve had enough of this" and gone on to something they never thought they would end up doing in life, and its turned out to be the best thing they have ever done?

What inspired your new career, was it purely by passion, circumstance, or by chance?

I`ve been a trady for almost 30yrs, and absolutely had a gut full of it.

Sick of getting injured, burnt and dirty.

Just wondering what pushed you to change for the better?

Apart from the money I can't say it was a change for the better, but I've been at the same company for over 26 years. Many a time I wish I had stayed in the Navy.

Previously with no formal qualifications I now have a Cert 4 in Competitive Manufacturing and currently doing the Diploma of the same. Mind you with manufacturing in Australia as it is I'm not sure what value I could put on them.   

Would I change from what I'm doing? Only if I was forced too!
What would I do? No bloody idea!

Hey MB, did my boilermaking apprenticeship at Mount Isa Mines wa-ay back in 86, moved to Townsville with intent of gettinng out of BM. Did not happen, then I asked a question about a WHS role that came up at work and KABOOM here I am 4 yrs later. Been with my current company for about 12 yrs. Not happy but it pays the bills and puts food on the table.
Probably not the best time to be quitting jobs economically but if your not happy in your current job and it's getting you down sometimes it just aint worth it.

Have you talked to your current employer about other job opportunityies at your current workplace perhaps?

I have an uncle (who lives in Brissy now) that did a motor mechanics apprenticeship after leaving school and hated it.  He promised his parents (my grandparents) that he'd finish the apprenticeship but then wouldn't stay on.  And he did, he left that and became an rural auctioneer (ie cattle and sheep sales, clearing sales, etc).  He then did that for most of his life down 2WA's way before becoming an assessor for an insurance company (Sun Alliance) in the Brissy area.  

It's an interesting question though.  For myself, I was influenced by what my elder brother had done (left school and went to the Footscray Institute of Technology where he did an accounting degree.  When I was trying to work out what I'd do post school I found it difficult to decide.  I felt reasonably academic but not ready to join the workforce.  At the same time,  I had seen my brother go through his uni years under the old Tertiary Assistance Education Scheme (TEAS) - our parents had no money - working holiday jobs (pubs and fruit picking) to keep his head above water.  I like the idea of a couple of years at Uni but how to pay for it?  At a careers night some RAAFies turned up and spoke about cadetships in engineering.  So I ended up getting accepted to do a Uni degree in Electronic Communications Engineering at RMIT, barracked at the now defunct RAAF Engineering Cadet Squadron in the Melbourne suburb of Canterbury (this was pre-ADFS days of course).  Dormitory accommodation, communal shower and toilet blocks, our own Cadets Mess (bar) and a small but welcome salary.  The return of service obligation (ROSO) was one year for each year of study plus one additional year.  If you failed you were thrown out (back-coursing arrangements had been disbanded in 1977).  I got sick of study so ended up doing a three year degree (that was what was called a diploma in 1977).  So I was obliged to do 4 years before I could move on.  But I stayed for 21.3 years as I had a fulfilling career.  I might have stayed on but it got too hard to move with kids in high school and the wife in decent employment.  So, in April 1998 I left the ADF and became a public servant working in the Defence Materiel Organisation as a Project Manager/Director.  In 1998 I was managing a program budget of $482m.  I worked on the RAAF's AEW&C (Airborne Early warning & Control) project ($3b budget) as the Project Control Manager until we got onto contract with Boeing, where the action shifted to Seattle.  I was offered a position there but it made no sense as it had all of the downfalls mentioned earlier about kids in school and wife in employment.  Having knocked that back I transferred to another Department and worked there from April 2001 to when I left in March this year.  I had interesting jobs throughout including managing the Project Management Office for 5 years.

That isn't directly answering the question that was posed because I didn't ever make a major switch from a chosen profession/trade.  So I'll stop rambling...  

I was always goodder at the trades subjects that I was at mafs or inglish so I applied for any trade apprenticeship I could get.
I particularly liked electronics and applied for the old SEC and Telecom as a linesman and got through the process until the medical stage where I discovered I was colourblind!
Apparently thats bad in the electronics field  and although dissapointed I looked elsewhere. It made sense why I was always asking others what the bands were on resisters though.
As I couldnt find a job breaking in virgins I applied to the Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) as a Boilermaker and Structual Steel Fabricator) So a 4yr apprenticeship was started followed by 7 years as a tradesman working on everything from construction to heavy plant repair to laying in mud under water mains welding up leaks. At some point it was discovered I was good on the TIG machine and spent a lot of time in a clean workshop making and repairing anything made from Aluminimum or Stainless Steel. Many pump stations built in the 80's around Melbourne have my handywork inside.

In the late 80's early 90's Jeff Kennet decided to privatise all state owned services and our workshops at Preston were shut down (Its now a logistics and distrobution hub) and I was looking at being unemployed for the first time ever with 1 child, a wife and mortgage. As part of a sweatner with the unions there were positions available in the reservoir parks (big dams with a bit of parkland around the edges). I thought I'd have a crack at that for a few months while I'd look for something that paid a real wage.
Well bugger me 24 years later I'm in charge of some national parks and internationally significant wetlands. I have no kids at home but on wife number 3 and I'l still looking for a real wage. I love my job. I get to indulge in my hobby in the name of work. In the summer months a year I am flat out but paid accordingly. I live at the beach. I play on the lakes. I work in the mountains.

Wangaratta Tech School -  Apprenticeship in Melbourne at 16 - Master of my empire at 50.

Not bad for a yr11 edumacation upon reflection

Its simple ,if your saying to your self " there has to be more to life than this "  its time for a change .

Thanks all for reply.

Do I think I`m ready for a change!!   I came to that conclusion when I finished my apprenticeship, but still haven`t found my calling.

You`ve all had some interesting back grounds, and it almost seems by chance that some of you have fallen in to what your doing now.

I don`t see money as the ultimate goal for a happy career, but it plays a vital part of existence unfortunately.

Boiler making can pay handsomely, as I have had some incredible paying jobs in construction, and have met so many different characters in life in doing so in this realm, but goddam it gives me the shits, and stupid politics that goes along with construction. Just been offered a job in the gas industry, as a boiler maker/welder, that has the potential to be a $250 000 a year job. Some may say your crazy to pass it up, but when you hate something, you hate it.

I work in IT. On call effectively 24 x 7. Don't change your career to an it job. I can guarantee with the uptake of cloud than unless you work for peanuts you're job will go offshore in the next 5 - 10 years

I know I don't post too much but I know exactly what your going through, started my apprenticeship as a vehicle spraypainter in 1983 with the view of joining the Police when I finished my time, 2014, still painting cars, still listening to bosses winging insurance companies are the reason we get paid shit.

Ive looked at starting my own business many times but haven't had the balls to give it a real go, maybe soon ( I hope)

I do still enjoy the work and enjoy the final result of my labour but the crap and winging is taking its toll plus the money is crap.

I look at my Grandfather that came to Australia with a family, 3 kids, when he was 50, he came to a country on the other side of the world, couldn't speak the language and still made a go of it.

Maybe we look into things too much

Paul

gee...listen to me whinging about first world problems.

sorry..i`m not trying to bring the vibe down on the site either

mtbeerwah wrote:gee...listen to me whinging about first world problems.

sorry..i`m not trying to bring the vibe down on the site either

Not a problem for me mate. It's an interesting thread. 
We all exist for different reasons.

I was raised in the get a trade first , & you can always go back to it after you do something else era .................so I did , in motor trimming.
I continued in this trade for the next 35 years ( the last 15 of these at that time in our own business ) and also had a stint as a security guard as a second job( before working for ourselves ) when I remarried & was trying to start again .
I sold that business when I got cancer & thought it was time for a sea change , so we bought a 7 day a week mini mart. loved the business side of it , but the 90 odd hours a week wore a bit thin after a few years , so I sold that & went back to trimming.................until rheumatoid arthritis paid a visit , so I once again gave up trimming & then worked  for a music company ( 5 stores Aust wide ) as a storeman..............until my heart decided  it needed a by-pass operation. This firm didn't want me back until I was 100% fit ,something sitting around home picking my nose wasn't accomplishing so I went to see a mate ( trimmer) for a bit of part time work to get fit again................and not feel so useless .Well , I have been there for about 8 years now & never went back to the music store , & the funny thing is , I quite enjoy doing trimming again .Plus there is always the opportunity for some part time work when I retire in this trade. 
I guess , if you feel like you need a change ,you could always do it & go back to your trade at a later date .............life is full of should have dones & as long as you are happy & can make ends meet without too much stress , ...........go for it .

In my case, I've been trundling through life changing jobs every few years. I finished school at the end of 5th form, (year 10). My first job was in a supermarket, packing shelves & packing bags at the end of the checkout, when they used the brown paper bags! After that I went to a local Brake Servicing place in Tauranga N.Z. as a van driver. Since then I've worked for a couple of car sharks, did a bit of sales rep work,worked in a few factories, & more driving.
During the last 18 months or so I've been thinking of getting into a small business of some sort. But things have not gone to plan, & I'm back driving again. Looks like this is my lot!
To be honest, it's pretty good, not having to put up with the boss all day every day.

Paul, sounds like you`ve had a bit going on life, and seemed to be content now, which is a good thing.

Hope your scares from the big C have gone, and didn`t effect the outcome of your life to much.


Well Kiwi, have been thinking of doing a short term driving job, just to break the monotony, and besides a like hitting the road.

I know, a motorcycle courier!!
One that goes from Q.L.D to W.A

mtbeerwah wrote:Paul, sounds like you`ve had a bit going on life, and seemed to be content now, which is a good thing.

Hope your scares from the big C have gone, and didn`t effect the outcome of your life to much.


Well Kiwi, have been thinking of doing a short term driving job, just to break the monotony, and besides a like hitting the road.

I know, a motorcycle courier!!
One that goes from Q.L.D to W.A

The funny thing was , the cancer was a result of a mutated gene syndrome which I found out I have years later ( I have regular scans & am ok now) . At the time, I wondered & sort of partly blamed all the glue fumes etc at work ( very little occ  health & safety back then) .Hence part of the reason for the sea change( Plus I wanted to try my hand at something different.)I suppose the fact of the matter is that apart from the gene thing , the drugs I take to keep the rheumatoid arthritis under control can also be carcinogenic , but you make the best of a situation  & get on with it ( risks and benefits ) .Please don't take my reply to your post the wrong way ,I didn't tell this  story for any other reason other than to point out that life is too short to be bogged down doing something you hate doing job wise ( or life wise ) if there are alternatives you can do even for a while . Sometimes a break from something can give you a fresh outlook on life & a real sense of achievement . I can only suggest ...........go for it if that is what you want, otherwise you will always wonder what could have been.

( LOL Paul's philosophy on life ............ok that's enough being serious for now    )

gus wrote:Its simple ,if your saying to your self " there has to be more to life than this "  its time for a change .

As an old Indian once said "Wise Man Speak"

Maybe I am one of the lucky ones, but I honestly do not know any one personally who has quit his or her job and gone backwards.

I started my working life repairing caravans. The guy shut up shop 3 months after. Looked around for an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker, no go. Got a job as a salesperson in a camera shop (I was always keen on photography) I stayed there for 10 years then left to be a freelance photographer. Worked for AMCN, Two Wheels and a few other mags. Contracted by Triumph Aust for their bike launches. Worked for Geelong Advertiser for a few years part time too. Worked as a picker in a cool store (big fridge for Coles) Worked as a boatman repairing row boats at a college in Melbourne. Went back to the camera shop, left there again a couple of years after to sell caravans (lasted a month-hated it!) Went to a white goods retailer, lasted almost a year. Back to the camera shop, left again after a couple of years. Run photo courses - over 1000 people through the doors in 6 years. Finally got an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. Marriage broke down, could not afford to live on $12/hr. Photo courses still running. A few part time jobs in the camera stores again. Got a job as a postie for a year. Then a job in administration. Moved interstate. Been a postie again for the last 2 years. Trying to find the time to start photography and running courses again. Shit I have had a lot of jobs in 24 years of work!

I started out as a grease monkey staying with the same company for 20 and a bit years. I was over swinging spanners at about the 10-12 year mark but luckily my job description included a fair bit of pretty cool non mechanicy type stuff so I stayed for longer than I would have if it hadn't.
After I left I bummed around without a job for about 6 months or so by choice and then got into auditing for the next couple of years.
Then I moved into WHS (OHS/EHS what ever you want to call it) but kept my hand in on the auditing deal. I'm still there as it's a pretty unique work place (there are only 6 of these things in the country).
Thing is I've developed a soft spot for mental health and have done some things towards helping people in that world and got a ken huge buzz out of helping. At the moment I'm looking into what I can do towards becoming a psychologist which I never would have seen coming at the very begining.

Cal wrote:I started my working life repairing caravans. The guy shut up shop 3 months after. Looked around for an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker, no go. Got a job as a salesperson in a camera shop (I was always keen on photography) I stayed there for 10 years then left to be a freelance photographer. Worked for AMCN, Two Wheels and a few other mags. Contracted by Triumph Aust for their bike launches. Worked for Geelong Advertiser for a few years part time too. Worked as a picker in a cool store (big fridge for Coles) Worked as a boatman repairing row boats at a college in Melbourne. Went back to the camera shop, left there again a couple of years after to sell caravans (lasted a month-hated it!) Went to a white goods retailer, lasted almost a year. Back to the camera shop, left again after a couple of years. Run photo courses - over 1000 people through the doors in 6 years. Finally got an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. Marriage broke down, could not afford to live on $12/hr. Photo courses still running. A few part time jobs in the camera stores again. Got a job as a postie for a year. Then a job in administration. Moved interstate. Been a postie again for the last 2 years. Trying to find the time to start photography and running courses again. Shit I have had a lot of jobs in 24 years of work!

May sound like a silly question, but do you really love taking photos, as a job?


I think it sounds like a fantastic job. But I guess like everything else in life, it can just be a job. I can maybe guess, that if your not shooting things of interest, then maybe it could be tedious. but of course, the total opposite if your shooting things of interest.

I think it would have been a good gig, shooting for the bike mags, obviously, if you`ve got a passion for bikes.
You`ve certainly done a few things in life.

I did think about trying for a postie job, but by the sounds of things from the media, it sounds like posties days are numbered. which is a shame.

dhula wrote:I started out as a grease monkey staying with the same company for 20 and a bit years. I was over swinging spanners at about the 10-12 year mark but luckily my job description included a fair bit of pretty cool non mechanicy type stuff so I stayed for longer than I would have if it hadn't.
After I left I bummed around without a job for about 6 months or so by choice and then got into auditing for the next couple of years.
Then I moved into WHS (OHS/EHS what ever you want to call it) but kept my hand in on the auditing deal. I'm still there as it's a pretty unique work place (there are only 6 of these things in the country).
Thing is I've developed a soft spot for mental health and have done some things towards helping people in that world and got a ken huge buzz out of helping. At the moment I'm looking into what I can do towards becoming a psychologist which I never would have seen coming at the very begining.

 After been injured a few times in the work place, health and safety was something I did look at, but don`t think I could handle the politics behind that one either. I don`t like to see anyone hurt, and have a lot of empathy for someone that has suffered life changing injuries.

Its a very honourable thing to be going in to anything, where your helping others.  Good luck with your future.

I left School in year 10 got a Job on the Council but apparently i was to much of a bludger for them, got a job at the local paper making print plates, 4 months later it went broke, got a job at coles in Canberra as a trainee manager, hated Canberra moved home to Pambula, Hated the Boss at coles in Bega, finished my trainee ship, left there went to Heinz Greenseas as a packer, got to be a retort operator, went to uni got a degree in food science then was made redundant, Got a job as a Advertising Rep for 2EC/ PowerFM was there for 8 years, awesome job shit money left there went to Rural Press as the Sales Manager for the Merimbula News Weekly left them after 6 months because they were absolute arseholes, got into New and used carsales did that for 12 years, got jack of that but made alot of money. went into business machines ( photocopiers ) did that for 4 years made a shit load there too, boss went fucking looney so i went to manage a Telstra store worst fucking job i ever had dealing with Telstra's shit service, gave me stress related anxiety.

Was told to have a career change, applied for a position as a reverse marketer with Workways, what the hell is a reverse marketer in plain english i am a people trafficker i get people Jobs, its a great Job i love it,  out and about every day talking to people helping people change there lives it is very satisfying

Cal wrote:I started my working life repairing caravans. The guy shut up shop 3 months after. Looked around for an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker, no go. Got a job as a salesperson in a camera shop (I was always keen on photography) I stayed there for 10 years then left to be a freelance photographer. Worked for AMCN, Two Wheels and a few other mags. Contracted by Triumph Aust for their bike launches. Worked for Geelong Advertiser for a few years part time too. Worked as a picker in a cool store (big fridge for Coles) Worked as a boatman repairing row boats at a college in Melbourne. Went back to the camera shop, left there again a couple of years after to sell caravans (lasted a month-hated it!) Went to a white goods retailer, lasted almost a year. Back to the camera shop, left again after a couple of years. Run photo courses - over 1000 people through the doors in 6 years. Finally got an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker. Marriage broke down, could not afford to live on $12/hr. Photo courses still running. A few part time jobs in the camera stores again. Got a job as a postie for a year. Then a job in administration. Moved interstate. Been a postie again for the last 2 years. Trying to find the time to start photography and running courses again. Shit I have had a lot of jobs in 24 years of work!

Shit , you've been around more than a bong at a hippy commune    

Radio Technician apprenticeship with Dept of Civil Aviation in Melbourne in 1966 aged 15.

Completed 5 year course and along with others got asked to write down a list of locations I would like to work in.

I wrote down 1. Papua/New Guinea, 2. Anywhere but Victoria, 3. Anywhere but Victoria, 4. Anywhere but Victoria (you get the drift)

As PNG was heading into independence that year this was not an option so I got offered and accepted a move to Tasmania.

Spent 2 years in Launceston and 5 years in Hobart then had the urge to return to Australia.

Got job in Dept of Defence in Canberra as project manager for 7 years

Back as a technician with university in Canberra for 7 years.

Tired of Canberra so packed up and moved to Gold Coast (Currumbin)

After 3 months got bored with fishing 7 days/week so enrolled in IT degree.

3 years on Gold Coast and had itchy feet again.

Travelled up Qld coast to Cooktown and back looking for a new destination.

Settled on Mackay and graduated from university.

At age 50 got job in private school as IT systems administrator

7 years at school then moved to IT job for private engineering firm (2 years)

Back to original trade as radio technician working for 4 businesses over next 5 years mainly in coal mines west of Mackay.

At 63 sick of working 60 hours per week so "pulled the pin" and moved to Hervey Bay.

Comfortable lifestyle (my superannuation plus savings have been good to me) so no need to work.

Have a large circle of mates on bikes in Hervey Bay so spend quite a lot of time riding now.
My advice to anybody thinking about a change - just do it

My story isn't dissimilar to 2wheelsagain's as far as how we ended up where we are.

I tried to get an Apprenticeship as a mechanic with the Army at 15, got through everything ok until they found out I had flat feet at the medical.

2 years later at 17 I got an apprenticeship at the Engineering and Water Supply Dept (E&WS, now SA Water)

During the 4th year of my apprenticeship another SA Government department approached the E&WS looking for tradesmen or 4th year apprentices for a period of time while they advertised for mechanics (2 out of a workforce of 10 had just gone to the mines). I wasn't happy in the workshop I was in so put my hand up and found myself finishing my apprenticeship at the Department of Marine & Harbors (DMH)

I loved the work there, we still had a fleet of cars, trucks commercial vehicles and construction equipment but also had the Government owned Dredges, Pilot Boats, Mooring Boats, I applied for one of the vacant positions and ended up full time. 9 years later the SA Government went through some major changes and massive cutbacks to workshop services, I could have taken a package but thought I'd take a chance.

Myself and one other mechanic stayed, we were amalgamated with the fitters who were mainly responsible for the Grain Bulk Loading Plant and the Outer Harbor Container Cranes, for the next 2 years I raked in shift penalties/overtime etc and in 1992 and 1993 I earned about the same as I did in 2005.

The Government decided to amalgamate a heap of Departments into Super Departments, The Highways Department had it's name changed to the Department of Transport and we along with the State Transport Authority were swallowed up, I found myself back in a workshop working on Cars and Trucks with promises of security and no more cut backs. 18 months later the writing was on the wall and I started looking around, within our own Department I saw a add for Temporary Transport Inspectors too cover the extra shifts need to have Blanchetown open 24/7 while they built the new bridge, at the time I didn't even know what the job was but applied for it and got it, a few weeks later I found myself with another mechanic and a motor reg clerk in a classroom learning about legislation and the legal system, I felt way out of depth.

About 2 years later our contracts were about to expire with no promise of ongoing work and a job came up for a Qualified Mechanic in the Government Roadworthy Inspection Station, in 1998 about the time my daughter was born I started there full time, I found myself travelling to every corner of SA, to Broken Hill and also occasionally to the Jackson Oil & Gas Fields and Roma in QLD.
In 2006 I was one of 2 Inspectors, a Mechanical Engineer and a Admin person the got the Government's new Vehicle Emission Testing Facility up and running. We had 2 dynos, 1 Heavy Vehicle which can simulate loads of up to 120 T, the other a 4wd dyno able to test all vehicles up to 3.5T.  The 1st 12 months was mainly doing a Test and Repair research program on behalf of the Commonwealth Government (to repay their funding) and fuel rebate eligibility testing for transport companies with older vehicles, once the main program was completed we were incorporated back into the Vehicle Inspection area.

I had a few issues there (wont go into them) but walked out of there one day never to return, I've now found myself inspecting vehicles recorded on the national Written Off Vehicle Register prior to them being able to gain registration, I've been doing this for over 4 years now and still find myself being able to do some travel around the state

At nearly 50 I am a qualified light vehicle mechanic. I completed post trade courses in diesel 1 & 2, and heavy vehicle braking systems and got 1/2 way through applied automotive electrical before the changed the whole format of the course, I have 2 x Cert IV in Government (1 x Statutory Compliance) (1 x OHS&W) and have 1/2 completed a Diploma in OHS

Bloody hell Chook, you sound like your over qualified.


Good to see your living the dream BanditDave. Ride when ever you want