Practically Classics Forum

I’m currently a contract development/design engineer and to be honest, am getting a little despondent with things so am thinking of a change but am not sure what so am wondering if many people here have changed careers or found something enjoyable to do different to what they originally did.

Basically I live near Cardiff and my hobbies (cars, karts, surfing etc) are back at my parents place in South West Wales (100mls away). I tend to prefer more practical work (or something that is a variety of hands on and analytical) but have found that more and more roles are getting very theoretical. For instance my current role is very theoretical/mathematical and I hardly do any test/practical work which isn’t me. This, combined with not being able to hack being stuck in an office 9-5 for the rest of my life, is making me consider doing something different. I’m thinking of getting more into designing but its not what I thought it would be so may like to do it for big money short term but not sure it’s a good thing long term. The final thing is really is that without making it sound like the grass is greener, I spent time at home this summer due to redundancy and forgot how much I could do there compared to where I currently live. For example I could potter around with the cars all day (or in the evenings if I had a job then) and go surfing etc etc whereas at the moment it’s a fairly expensive two day weekend trip home once a month to do stuff.

Unfortunately, work is not plentiful nearer there which is a problem because we all need to earn money. So without rambling too much I just wonder what other people/engineers here do and if they changed to doing something that they found enjoyable? Its difficult but I’m beginning to think I’d prefer the simpler life even if it means not earning much as it would allow me to be nearer the things I enjoy. Having said that, I’ve not found anything yet I think ‘oh I’d like to do that for a living’, be it self employed or employed.

Please ramble suggestions or experiences below, thanks!

Hi Welshie
Change of career? Try this for size;
Motortrade apprenticeship for four years then ran my own garage for two years. Had a wobbler one day locked the doors took the kit that would fit in my car and never returned . Then ran a market stall for three years selling car parts – very lucrative but you have to be slightly ‘dishonest’ to make a living. Then went to work at an Audi dealership the proprietor of which also ran the Audi UK factory rally cars, transferred to the motorsport department after six months. Spent some years working on rally cars, specialist tuning and modifying for many years until I reached forty years of age then gave it up to be a house husband to my new son and five year old daughter. To kill some time I started doing firework displays for a local company and then set up my own display business, at the same time I studied with the Open University to get a science degree. I sold the business eighteen months ago and now teach in a secondary school.

I often speak to mates and various people who say how much they hate their jobs but ‘just do it’ to pay bills and conform, I know it’s easy to say it but I have always done what took my fancy at the time. At least I will be able to look back and know I have tried different things rather than plod along till it’s time to retire. A good friend of mine left school and joined the army, at the time we didn’t know it but he was actually in the SAS! He is now a vicar and in between he has done the most bizarre array of jobs imaginable.

Probably the hardest part is managing to do without when starting new ventures – clearly it’s something that needs thought if you have a 200k mortgage and wife and kids to support. Each time I have changed direction my wife just upped her hours temporarily and we managed.

I’m probably going to open a can of worms here but I genuinely think there is work out there if one is willing to adapt and work at it. I never went straight into teaching, in fact I couldn’t but that did not stop me. I easily joined a school at the bottom of the ladder as a TA and general ‘dogs body’ but I did all the training offered, made myself ‘visible’, badgered heads of department for opportunities, went the extra mile when my colleagues would just sit muttering about it not being part of their job description ect ect. In the end I was offered year seven lessons and teacher training – all on Sh$t money but I went for it and now.........

Anything is possible if you have the urge to go for it.

There I rambled more than you

I quit my job driving HGV after 8 years for a "Major Dairy firm", after I transfered 250 miles and was treated like crap.

Sacked the project manager who was overseeing the refurb of our new house, and took his place.

Learned a lot of new skills from the remaining trades on site, and am very happy with the way the works have been progressing.

Still do the odd bit of agency driving, but only when I fancy /need some pocket change etc.

Started doing ebay sales for all the extra stuff I no longer needed, and ended up being a "finder of things" for people, such as parts, cars, furniture etc.

Regularly go to the local auctions (house clearance small antiques etc)

Not big money, but keeps things ticking over, and I get to spend lots more time with my 4 year old, and the other half.

It's turned out to be a much more enjoyable lifestyle than I imagined, and although I no longer have "Money to burn" etc, I am much happier, and much healthier.

The hours are great, and I dont have any time related pressures or "desk jockies" trying to tell me how to do my job etc.

Just a case of makeing the jump I suppose.

But I am in a good position, as I dont have a mortgage anymore, and still have investments that take care of the lack of pension etc.

I suppose in the end it depends on what you want to get out of life , and how much money you need to keep the bills paid etc.

The only way to find out is to try it?

Mal.

My life so far..........

Did an HND in Mechanical & Auto Engineering - Maths not good enough for a degree.

Went into the Engineering industry as a Draughtsman. Got sick of being made redundant every year so did 8 months door to door carpet and upholstery cleaning - BIG MISTAKE. Didn't want to go back into our dying Engineering sector though.

Sort of drifted into set-building, model making & glass fibre work - it looked promising when we started making themed figures to go in bars etc until the Chinese and Philippine imports totally undercut us.

Walked across the yard and got set on at a printing company, then back to fibre glass, making parts for light aircraft. By this time I had realised that I needed to get back into what I knew best if I wanted to earn even a half decent wage, so had started evening classes doing C&G in CAD as no-one was drawing on boards anymore.

I still had the knowledge, just the tool had changed and I needed to learn that.

Ended up doing decorative architectural metalwork for a few years (bandstands, canopies etc). Walked out due to stress and loaded pallets onto wagons for a few months, then another job drawing laboratory fit outs - a bit like drawing fitted kitchens.

They hit hard times so I ended up doing staircase balustrades, canopies etc and have done it for 4 years. Best job I've ever had. Reasonable money and a nice car thrown in. Boss respects me. I plan to stay there till retirement if it's possible.

So, I'm still a Draughtsman, but in construction rather than Engineering. I get to go and do my own site measures (this is seen as a Draughtsmans necessity, not a bosses excuse for a day out, only to return with half the required measurements - mostly wrong).

I meet people from all parts of the industry from brickies to architects and have to effectively communicate and get along with them all.

So until the Chinese find a way of making buildings, shipping them here and erecting them cheaper than we can do it here, it's about as secure as can be reasonably expected during these times.

I guess what I'm trying to say with all that is that you can go off and do whatever you like, but it's always good to have a "trade" to fall back on and to realize that skills are transferable from one sector to another.

Hope my particular ramble helps.

What was the question again?

ive had a few different jobs farmworker, builder, lorry driver & i spent 18 months as a taxi driver... but when that job finished i signed on & when the woman asked what id like to do now i suggested a doctor.. she had a fit i tried to get training to drive jcbs etc but that was refused so in the end i had some assistance to set up on my own as a builder. im getting by. good luck

They say a change is as good as a rest, so go for it.

I've been behind the wheel for the past 20 years, so doubt I'll change any time soon, but I do get hacked off with the job, there's no enjoyment of being out on the road these days, constant traffic, more scameras than you can wave a stick out, and more and more legislation for this that and the other, add in VOSA and it makes you want to chuck it all in, but I know if I ended up in a factory or office I'd go stir crazy.

I could go back to spanner wielding, but I've been out the trade for too long now, and my qualifications gained back when I left school are wildly outdated now I expect, but never say no, you never know what is round the corner.

I took a year out from going to uni to do a law degree after my a levels to do kart racing and got a job as an estate agent. Enjoyed earning the money and progressed to being a branch manager and very well paid so never went uni. decided I wanted a change so took the fairly natural step of doing my mortgage exams and became an in branch advisor then self employed mortgage broker. Got head hunted to become a regional business development manager for a mortgage lender. Simply the best job in the world. Massive wage, loads of perks and all I had to do was take clients out for fully paid lunches dinners and coffees. Credit crunch. No more mortgages. Bugger.

Decided to do something I enjoyed so developed a trailer just for karting and an online numberplate suppliers. Need money to develop that and have also registered a few property websites that I will set up when market improves so am currently training to be a bus driver just to pay my way untill things improve. Amazing though am happier now without the flash cars etc. Still have a Rolex and Mont Blanc pen but never use either. Enjoy driving the classics more than modern company cars and have nowhere near the stress levels. Cant wait to start on the buses to be honest. By the way I am 30 with partner, daughter and mortgage.

I agree, if you are fed up/bored then do something different.

I work in the Aerospace industry and know a lot of people who moan about their job yet they've been here forever.

I myself left my job in 2002 to go and do something different and although I returned to it in 2005 I thoroughly enjoyed my time away and met some great people. The job was 10 times better when I got back due to change in personnel mainly but also I'm sure due to the fact I had given something else a try when the opportunity came my way.

Better to try than to look back with regret

Wow, thank you all! Its certainly given me something to think about. Right now its just deciding what i'd like to try and finance has been a consideration as I'm currently living alone so have the house bills to pay along with some money for the hobbies.

Now to find something I think i'd enjoy...

Good luck Welsie!

Maybe you might have always wanted to be a Lumberjack.

We know a song about that........