Changing to a construction career...

mysterion_2

Hi guys, first post here.

So here's the situation, I'm 22, I have 12 gcse's and 2 A-Levels- in Film and English. I work fulltime, on 16k, for RBS as an insurance advisor. I am getting married next may, our outgoings monthly are about 900 pounds.

The thing is... I hate my job. With a passion. Working for RBS is bad enough but the role itself, the people, yeah. Not good. For a while I've wondered how I'd make it as a construction worker/building/manual trade. Whenever I've done things around the house or helped at my parents house I've always enjoyed it, even after 8 or 9 hours.

So my question is, is there any way at all that I can get into the kind of work I want to while still being able to make at least 1000 pounds a month, after tax?

I've seen apprenticeships for construction and things like that, but I doubt they offer a starting wage like that.

Any and all comments welcome, so please, respond. Be positive, honest yet brutal!!

Oldernotwiser

Have a look at evening courses at your local college; these will enable you to gain some basic skills in your chosen trade and put you in a better position to apply for an apprenticeship if something comes up. It will also enable you to see whether you do enjoy this sort of work rather than thinking that the grass must be greener.

At the very least, you'll learn some useful skills without making a major commitment.

Mistral001

I am in a construction-related job. I am office based and do not work for construction companies but I do visit construction sites from time-to-time. I have also worked as a labourer in the summer on construction sites when I was a student. All I can say is that it is not as glamorous as you make out. The working conditions, are bad, especially in the winter spring and autumn. The average working conditions I see even today, would make Auf Wiedersehen Pet look like working for Microsoft.

But I think the worse part is that most builders, are run in a very hierarchical old-fashioned way. Quite a lot of them are family businesses still, with all the nepotism that goes with that. And as for cowboy builders, well it seems to be endemic throughout industry and it is not just the one-man firms with a transit vans - I will say no more.

Hammyman

mysterion wrote: »

For a while I've wondered how I'd make it as a construction worker/building/manual trade. Whenever I've done things around the house or helped at my parents house I've always enjoyed it, even after 8 or 9 hours.

Wow, a whole 8 or 9hrs in a nice warm house working at a low rate now and again once in a blue moon? How do you think you'd do after 50hrs a week working outside in all weathers being expected to work in 30C sun, -10C freezing weather and everything inbetween at a high work rate week after week, spending most of your time ankle deep in mud?
There is also no such thing as a 9 to 5 working day in most construction jobs.

I've done lots of building site deliveries over the years of brick, window frames, timber etc and being glad thats the only time I've had to spend on site.

There is a world of difference in doing a bit of DIY around the house and doing it fulltime.

tco03

Self employment or sub contracting?
I think you may be asking a bit much to walk straight into £250 a week without prior experience or without a lot of investment in tools and advertising beforehand. Master Locksmith work is pretty good to get into.

brutus1983

labourer if lucky through agencys gettin the jobs nobody wants most likely for minimum wage as yove no experience

my advise is go into plastering if you can go on a college course if you can get the quals then go self employed best people to market is electricians following them round after rewires tools wont cost the earth and to get on building sites youl only need a cscs card