Career Change

flipdu77on · 10 April 2018 at 11:11AM

Good Morning Guys

So I'm looking to change career at 31. I have a mortgage but no kids and my partner works full time. I'm looking at a trade like plumbing or plastering but would have to serve an apprenticeship. The issue with this I cannot leave my job currently (24k a year) and take the drop and sustain the mortgage plus a wedding next year to pay for.

I want to drop my hours at work to around 30 hours a week over 3 days, Thursday/Friday/Saturday and approach potential employers to complete apprenticeship Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday and go to college evening courses to complete my NVQ etc.

I'm thinking solidly about this but wondering how is best to approach the potential employers regarding the working 3 days a week at the age of 30 and explaining my circumstances.

Any advice would be welcome. I can't be the first person to have retrained at this age with a mortgage round my neck

Thanks

Phil

agrinnall · 10 April 2018 at 12:29PM

Do you have to do an apprenticeship? I had an IT colleague who trained to be a plumber while continuing to do his job full time, then once he'd qualified left to set up his own plumbing business.

flipdu77on · 10 April 2018 at 12:32PM

It's the experience that people need to gain full time work at a good rate of pay. There is a construction company in my area looking for apprentices accross Elec/Plumb/Plaster/Joinery and I was thinking of emailing them with my circs and what I was looking to do.

Surely it would only benefit them to have a trustworthy adult eager to learn?

jobbingmusician · 10 April 2018 at 12:40PM

flipdu77on wrote: »

It's the experience that people need to gain full time work at a good rate of pay. There is a construction company in my area looking for apprentices accross Elec/Plumb/Plaster/Joinery and I was thinking of emailing them with my circs and what I was looking to do.

Surely it would only benefit them to have a trustworthy adult eager to learn?

Well yes, except that my understanding of apprenticeships is that they have to pay an adult more than a malleable younger person......

flipdu77on · 10 April 2018 at 1:07PM

I believe in the first year of your apprenticeship they can pay you the minimum wage for a standard apprentice which is around £3.70 p/h. I can do this for 3 days a week whilst still earning 30 hours per week at current employment and sustain everything however, I couldn't take the drop for a full year.

I'm just wondering how to position it wth employers to get the best response I can. I understand they would want someone 5 days a week however I'm hoping they could see why this wasn't possible in the first instance?

lincroft1710 · 10 April 2018 at 3:36PM

flipdu77on wrote: »

I'm thinking solidly about this but wondering how is best to approach the potential employers regarding the working 3 days a week at the age of 30 and explaining my circumstances.

With difficulty unless you can find one who wants a part time apprentice.

flipdu77on · 11 April 2018 at 8:47AM

I can imagine it will be difficult but was wondering if there is a way to sell it or just simply approach them and be honest?

Career Change

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