Careers

[AlanBartlett]

Are there any career oportunites in this game e.g restorations and so on?

I'm at college now studying media, moving image but think of changing to automotive course just wondering if there is anything out there?

[Keith Andrews]

My children, neices , nephews, friends are all in the 16 to 22 age bracket.
Some are at colledge, some have finished degrees, media, teaching, arts, engineering etc....others have apprenticeships, and dropped out of school, got jobs..
Those with media, arts, computer engineering, degrees...with honours are now working in appliance stores, and toy shops...
Those that are doing and have finished appreniceships, mechanic, electrician, building are doing very nicely.
Those who have dropped out of school, and have a bit of intellegence, work hard, bit of study on the side, are now doing very well....one of them, now 19, the Area manager says " If he was a few yrs older, he would be a branch manager now...

Another thing to consider, looking back at 30 odd yrs of Hotrodding, damn near every one of the guys is an electrican, plumber, builder...very few are in the automotive trade...why? After spending all day with cars, one just doesnt want to come home and do it again..
Automotive ppl go fishing, hunting.

We live in a world where the kids are told "u need a degree" hence most shudder at getting their hands dirty....
Those who go out get their hands dirty, sure start off, crawlling thu small dirty spaces pulling wires (eg electrian) but by the time they hit late 20s early 30s, they are running their own business employing others to get dirty.
We had a Drainlayer herethe other day, he dropped out of school, and atarted with a shovel, covered in mud...now 10 yrs on, he pulls up with a 18 wheeler truck, 2 huge diggers on the back, and his name on the side of the truck...and owns them, well except for 1/2 the big digger, thats new.
Yep he still gets dirty, but nearly paid of his mortgauge on a 12 acea lifestyle block in the country where he lives with his wife and 3 children...

A degree with honours and working in a toy shop doesnt get u there.

#1 son dropped out of school at 15, bummed around for a while till I kicked his...old school style, now at 19 he pulls a pat packet over a $1000 a week, works hard,dawn to dusk, rigging, absailing up and down hi rise buildings, and does night school.

My children...I havnt pushed to go to varsity, one has to go teaching, all I have told them is.." I dont care if you run along side a rubbish truck, whatever u do, do it well, better than anyone else, think about what u are doing and why, and you will own a fleet of rubbish trucks"

Hope this helps.

[Ivor]

I totally agree with Keith, especially now that the creative industry is now ruled by computer software...I run my own advertising, public relations and marketing agency (funny because I was supposed to be an engineer!) and the money is lousy unless you work for one of the big London agencies...just check out the London Olympics logo

Thes days Alan, there is a genuine shortage of skilled labour, particularly in the automotive world. In an eighteen month "working gap year" I was tought all the basics of bodywork and spraying...I hav a huge shed in the garden fully kitted out with the latest spraying gear, including air fed respiratory protection etc and I'm inudundated with people who want me to paint their cars!

In fact I could pack up what I'm doing now and earn twice as much, but I would lose the enthusiasm I have for restoring old cars...so my advice is, forget worthless degrees in non-subjects and get yourself a proper career, you won't regret it, what's more you could always develop your creative side in your spare time.

Just my tuppence worth!

[AlanBartlett]

But thats the whole point I don't know what I want to do. Been thinking about electrics but not sure on anything.

[Keith Andrews]

As far as Im concerned, this "career for life" attitude is BS...
As mentioned above apprence electiricians, sure may remain in the electrical trade....But go from pulling wires to company CEOs,....or even CEOs of companies totaly unrelated...
I started as an indusrial chemist, moved to production management, then to national warehousing....needed a change, so brought a fibre glass moulging factory, sold that after a few yrs, went into engineeering, welding/and a bit of fitting and turning....
I even had a go at a job sweeping floors in a factory!!! just to see what it is like...took a bit of BS to get the job, couldnt tell the truth about over quailfied lol....that turned to custard...6 months later I was a production supervisor.
I enjoy gardens, as a hobby, but enough ppl and schools etc wanted me to design and make gardens/landscaping....so computers became a hobby also, same thing happened there, now I run a small network/computer bulding/maintence company.....
Thru it all, I have always had my cars since a teenager....

All accept a few friends, who are accountants, teachers (thu some of these are now Principals) solicitors, doctors...have had many a change of carreer over the yrs.....the guys above tends to lack the confidence in their ability to do much else cause they have never worked with their hands...
Thu, do have a accountant friend who now has a lawn mowing round...and loves it.

So u dont know what u wantbnto do?
Well I did from about 10yrs, a chemist, and soon got sick of it....

So I suggest to u, Do something that will have a demand, doesnt matter if it is not what u want to do.....but do it well, listen, always learn, and do it well.....
So long as u are doing something better than those around you, with good attitude, new things/opportunities turn up.

I illustrate my son (above, dropped out od school, now a rigger) when I kicked him up the ...I literaly draged him down to a job changing tyres, It was a customer, after 2 yrs, like his prescision how he worked, and attitude, and offered him a job...

Been thinking about electrics

Thats all u need, stop thinking, just do it, and let your future follow from there

[Ivor]

OK Alan, these are the skills most in demand around this neck of the woods (in addition to a good sparks).
Plumbers/heating engineers
Panel beaters/sprayers
Auto electricians
General builders

You can find plenty masquerading under those titles, but if you find any of them that are actually skilled and reliable means they are worth their weight in gold...which is why the good ones are always booked up and make serious money.

OK, not the most glamorous jobs in the world, but they will definitely take you on to better things!

[Keith Andrews]

OK, not the most glamorous jobs in the world,

Well those jobs, no Trades, every day is different...u do everything from hammer nails to negoiating with the local council to advising your customers...

Bloody sight more interesting than sorting spam mail, settling permissions for new uses...but there is always the new servers and operatiing systems....every few yrs.

If u have a trade, and u ever want a desk job, theres always everything from the local council to building suppliers..
If you are a deskjockey, its very hard to go the other way..
Bottom line a doctor is just a mechanic for the body.

Now tell me what is REALY the more glamorous ? the trade or a desk job..

[Robin Fairservice]

I have always been intrigued as to why people get and do the jobs that they have. I was given two pieces of advice by my father: first enjoy your job, or change; second don't do you hobby as a career.

I am a professional civil engineer, and have always worked in the publc health field, which meant dealing construction industry and with various members of the health profession. It has become clear to me that if you want to enjoy a long working life, stay away from jobs involving heavy manual work, and endeavour to get into a position where you make decisions about your work, not let somone else control you. Injuries, wear and tear on your body and stress which leads to ill health would be avoided if one could follow these principles.

[ian Howell]

Can I throw in a few 'pennorth?

I served an apprenticeship as a Marine Engineer but I had to leave the sea when I had family problems.

But that apprenticeship, and the college qualifications that formed part of it, have stood me in good stead since.

I am mostly involved these days - and have been off and on for most of my working life - with electronic security systems

Now here is an application for electrics that gets you into some VERY interesting places, a very wide range of systems and applications, some fairly high tech kit, DIFFERENT (nearly) every day, ALWAYS in demand (it's an insecure world we live in - sadly) and PLENTY of prospects for advancement or starting your own business (at present - it might get harder in a few years), but you are young.

When I left the sea I started on installation with one of the big nationals, and over the years worked for large and small outfits leading up to senior manager of the UK operations of a world leading company (sounds grand, but the UK operation was relatively middle-sized).

On the way I found myself in general engineering, in communication systems, and for 10 years, with a Defence Contractor on airbourne weapon systems.

All this on the strength of a Marine Engineer's apprenticeship.

I agree with the others - apprenticeships do seem to be the way to go. There are apprenticeships available in the Security Systems Industry, and it's as good a start as any.

Whatever you choose, don't forget - enjoying the work is worth 20% of the wages.

These old cars are a wonderful way of letting off steam. There is nothing so satisfying as making things work that seemed beyond repair, or bashing the daylights out of a bit of metal and making a really good job of an unobtainable spare.

And you can always go for a ride to get away from it all!

Good luck with whatever you do. Remember - There is ALWAYS room for a good one!