Change of career

maxfli65 said:
Got any horror stories - what's the scariest thing a learner of yours has done? Pretty stressful for the teacher with a total novice at the wheel of your car I'd think.....even with dual controls.
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How long have you got...?
Probably the most buttock clenching one was with a guy doing an after test course including country lanes. We're doing 40 odd down this straight but narrow lane when a rabbit runs out. He swerves and starts skidding. Not sure how but I managed to get control and just avoid the water filled ditch.....pulled over and, in no uncertain terms, told him that if that ever happened again - the bunny gets it.!
 
Been self employed forever in building game, staring at 50 next year and v keen to change as well, for my body's sake and well as same old for many years now ...but what to do is the big problem!! Not really afraid of the jump it's finding the right ship to jump onto that's my issue ..
 
Started out as a contractor at Dagenham as a support engineer for the line chief engineer. Then got offered a role in motorsport and did that for 15 years as a supplier and as a customer.
Motorsport changes you, it’s really difficult to go back to a normal day job. I struggle massively, I don’t get the internal fighting or the I don’t think I can manage that attitude or over time costs .. they talk about jfdi, but they don’t carry it out. My era was you did it or you got biffed and some one else would do it, whilst you handed your kit back.
Now 5 years in the automotive industry as a manager/ principal engineer/ specialist and thinking hard about the other opportunities, professional engineers are still poorly paid. But I have a young family so risk is the issue.
 
People tend to regret opportunities they didn't take in life. I made some changes and although they become more concerning once you have a family they can enrich you through their experiences.
I started out as a technition apprentice at British Aerospace then became an Artificer in the Royal Navy, I later returned to BAE and worked in their Defence and Space Systems as a Principal Engineer. I started getting into Software development in the mid 1980s and was offered a job as a Software Applications Engineer in a CadCam company when I was 40, this meant moving my family away which is always concerning. Anyhow, it turned out well and eventually I became the General Manager then Operations Director and later Managing Director. Change can be hard work but also very rewarding in many ways.
 
Been in the NHS for 12 years now and can't see me changing. I'm looking at adding to my pension pot with AVC's and loving my new lease of life in ICU after a really tough two years going through (and not surviving restructuring) learning whole new set of policies and procedures to do medical recruitment and locum doctors. My new role is a breath of fresh air and I'm loving my time. If I had to change for any reason, I'd for another NHS role somewhere first and foremost ideally back into recruitment
 
HomerJSimpson said:
Been in the NHS for 12 years now and can't see me changing. I'm looking at adding to my pension pot with AVC's and loving my new lease of life in ICU after a really tough two years going through (and not surviving restructuring) learning whole new set of policies and procedures to do medical recruitment and locum doctors. My new role is a breath of fresh air and I'm loving my time. If I had to change for any reason, I'd for another NHS role somewhere first and foremost ideally back into recruitment
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That’s another good point if you have a decent pension it’s another factor to consider

Avcs defo worth it aswel Homer btw , I have a final salary pension but doing avcs for the past 5 years to top up to retire as early as possible
 
I was a lead crane driver for 25yrs
I had a few injury’s and couldn’t pass the medical , failed three times and lost my licence.
Moved to Quality control was bored off my tits .
So at 55 retired with my pension and am now a house husband she dosnt want to quit yet.
Renovated one house a year for last couple to supplement the pension and have enjoyed it, hard work but lots of money to be made if you can pick up a decent house at the right price.
 
Think skills rather than job roles....then more is open to you then you might think. I was in Nationwide fir 20 years before taking redundancy...I went from there into military systems...many former colleagues struggled to get new roles as they only looked in financial services. Since I’ve been in utilities, Government, SAR and FS again.

Try and do what you enjoy....it helps! Remember, change is difficult!
 
I suppose I don't really fall into the question in the OP as my job is still in the same industry to what I did in the UK, but it certainly felt like the same scale as a career change when moving overseas to work (maybe even bigger due to selling up etc) It took me months to even decide to take the plunge after the first approach

Can't say there's zero regrets but when its done I hope the pluses & overall experience will still far outweigh the thought of looking back had I not tried it

To OP if you do it just make sure you're doing it to move towards something you want rather than moving away from something you no longer want, the latter may see you not giving enough thought to where you're going as you're half thinking about just getting away from what you have

I cant overstate the importance of getting the full support from immediate family (I mean those that will be directly impacted) like partners and kids etc. A relocation &/or career change will be much more difficult/stressful without their help
 
Slab said:
I suppose I don't really fall into the question in the OP as my job is still in the same industry to what I did in the UK, but it certainly felt like the same scale as a career change when moving overseas to work (maybe even bigger due to selling up etc) It took me months to even decide to take the plunge after the first approach

Can't say there's zero regrets but when its done I hope the pluses & overall experience will still far outweigh the thought of looking back had I not tried it

To OP if you do it just make sure you're doing it to move towards something you want rather than moving away from something you no longer want, the latter may see you not giving enough thought to where you're going as you're half thinking about just getting away from what you have

I cant overstate the importance of getting the full support from immediate family (I mean those that will be directly impacted) like partners and kids etc. A relocation &/or career change will be much more difficult/stressful without their help
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Alota good stuff in here i appreciate it
 
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