Ruddles

Bump! Anyone have any contacts?

I always work to best ability Stew! . Putting in the hours and ensuring all your work is complete and correct is not only what your employer expects of you it also means you're never behind on work, colleagues are grateful (most!) and you can rest easy knowing you've done your best! I've had knock-backs and put-downs thorugh my current employment. Now I know what I want to do, I won't stop until I get it! Being sat at a desk 9-5 just isn't me. I've seen a lot of places give grants based on travel or disability for example, however, I'm fairly central to three collages, I'm going to take a day so I can go in and have a chat with an advisor or better still a tutor Sounds like a decent bloke! Shame he doesn't have a West Mids base! I think too many possible employers are put off with the fact they would receive no money for training an "older" (I use the term loosly...25... ) person. If I were an employer, I'd realise the fact that at 25 I have a better idea of what I want to do and what I want out of life than a teenager. Of course I'm not stereotyping here, just my 2 cents!

Quick update on this. I have received back from a company regarding my application for an apprenticeship. It would seem as they are not willing to sponsor me to train as they receive no funding from the Government as I am 25 years old. However, If I am prepared to complete an evening course (2 years I'm assuming) there will be a job for me when I finish. Does anyone think this is NOT a good route to take?

Being that I'm 25, providing I can find a company to take me on is essential then really. I live pretty much in the sticks but, I have good access to Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester and Malvern as I'm situated pretty much slap bang in the middle between them all. Greeny- At what age did you start learning? Yes I'm a firm believer that things worth doing take time, not these "quick-fix solutions" that seem to be thrown about for just about everything theses days! I'm non-partial to which sector I would eventually end up in be it industrial or domestic. The company my dad works for are in social housing, but I believe also do the occasional industrial locations. Frankly, I'll be happy whatever happens! To be able to fix and implement things around the home would be of great benefit also, like you said Michael, no charges other than your own time Neil- That's a pretty exceptional wage for an apprentice? Is that simply down to the location you work at? i.e. Working in say a smaller place like Hereford or Malvern would not generate as much capital?

Michael, That's one hell of an apprentice wage! Are you sure? Thank's kindly for those links, I'll set about doing some research and contacting them to see if there are any availabilities!

Cheers Neil! I am looking forward to finally learning a trade (shame it took until now for me to realise eh!) Sparky- So despite the fact I'm 25 if I can manage to get myself on an apprenticeship my wage wouldn't suffer terribly from what I'm on now? Is this set to areas or national average? I'm hoping this will be the best decision I'll make also, cerfingers crossed! AK350Z- I've probably gone a little too much into detail on the CV, will try and cut it down to one page tomorrow. NVQ 2 and C & G 2 would be full time courses is that correct? Of course ideal if I can get someone to employ me beforehand. At the moment I'll looking to a "who you know" basis or rather "who my dad knows" at his job so I'll have to wait and see currently then start searching around if things fail to materialise!

Thanks for the help there Neil. I'll certainly have a look into that. In terms of timeframe i have none really, i'll be happy just to learn a sector i'm interested in. Will i be looking at a day release course or 2-3 days per week if i'm fortunate enough to find a sponsor or a company that will take on an improver? The benefit at this age i suppose is i'm focused on what i want to acheive and lets face it, at 18 did anyone know what they wanted to do?

Wow, you're really driving through the courses then Neil! Thanks for the positive comments . Firstly i'm going to see if i can get in with the same company my dad works for, they specialise in social housing and also are a leader in taking on improvers so maybe i'll get lucky! No great loss if not and i will take your advice and 'shop around' so to speak. Fingers crossed i'll be able to find someone and then begin learning! Any thoughts on the progression of courses?

I realise it's all a risky business changing jobs these days, but it seems to apply to every job so i'm positive . I'm driven and passionate about changing my circumstances and being in a job which will be fulfilling and give me a career for life. Whilst my mindset won't get me a job, perseverence should hopefully!

Thanks Dave, yeah I probably looked a bit dim-witted to a passer by, but there was nothing to say it wasn't open (usually there's at least a receptionist available) Thanks the the rest who've posted. SparksCW- I have no idea really, lets just say I doubt I'll be getting a house anytime soon Generally I'm quite good at saving, I never run myself into the red! Hopefully I'm aiming at Adult trainee status (providing someone will take me on) so I don't have to take a serious pay cut and of course lose the Zed! I studied professional CV's on the net before I set mine out and now it's a shortened 3-page CV. English and spelling I have always been pretty good at, so in terms of explaining myself and paperwork I shouldn't have a problem there. I live in the Herefordshire & Worcestershire bordering Gloucestershire catchment area so I've a few avenues available to me. AK350Z & Ken - Going off your initial impressions I'm guessing your both in the electrical if not construction trade? I'm looking at the available courses in my local college, but still none the wiser as to which I'm to begin with. Full-time courses would I assume be the direct route if I were to be lucky enough to find an employer, otherwise It's part-time evenings whilst I keep my current job. Part-time courses at a local college: http://www.hct.ac.uk/Courses/pt_electrical.html Full time: http://www.hct.ac.uk/Courses/ft_elect.html Of course this is just one college as Worcester is also available to me. I'm just trying to get a basic idea of where to start.

Hi Geoff, yes I too thought I could be a magician in the IT sector of my current employer, but after nearly 5 years of 'nothing-ness' I think I'm making the right decision to change career at 25 which is apparantly still a very young age!! Jetset- I have just completed the form and yes....it did take over an hour . Funnily enough I am far more suited to Engineering, Creative arts and Construction industries than Medical, IT, etc. and as it happens Electrician is very high on the list Did try the local college, but realised it's half term so there's no one there Although Anni (g/f) will be popping in for me next week and asking an advisor and electrical tutor, so hopefully I can arrange a meeting with one of them or both. Will also be finding out if the company my dad works for will employ me and put me through training, not getting my hopes up. Just a light on the horizon! rmgthatsme- I certainly won't leave on poor terms, it's been a dead-end, but I suppose it's also been experience (good and bad). I will hopefully be able to keep a few people in regards to references for future jobs, etc. Again, thank you for your kind words! Thanks to everyone again for their comments!!!

Thank you all for you're positive attitude to this stage in my life and many thanks to you and your wife Jetset!! I will be filling the form in on the website tomorrow afternoon as soon as I'm home I'll be stopping by the nearest college tomorrow to gather as much information as I can, after being let down in a meaningless for so long I'm very, very happy that there's finally a glimmer of hope of the horizon. Won't be setting my heart outright, but even these first steps have really improved my current state of mind!!

Thank's for comments chaps, it was a cold albeit nice sunny day! Recommended for petrol-heads and rally-enthusiasts alike

My dad's been a painter & decorator most of his life and was until a year and a half ago self-employed. He now works for Festival Housing, so he's querying a few electrician's there on the range of courses and possible train & work programmes. For me I have no house, no sick family, no major out-goings, the only thing I don't want to lose is the Zed...naturally! I have tomorrow off work, so if I can manage to book a meeting with someone of knowledge at my nearest college (roughly 20 miles from home). Think I'll also see how Festival Housing recruit too!

Good phrase there dave and at £12000 a year, I don't think I can go back much further! I have a good amount saved for; possible future house deposit. So I may be able to use that. I can see courses ranging from £200 to £6000!! But I'm unsure as to which course is best to take. Anyone know anymore regarding the courses on this subject?

Amazing response here! Really! Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply! I'm generally sick of being sat in front of a pc all day and the company in general; they don't pay anyone well unless you are in the 'click'. Most managers are on £30,000. It's a country company so they get away with paying minimal amounts. I'm definitely interested in learning and working as an electrician. I don't want to see the same pc all day every day, I want to get out, do different things each day. I'm unsure which course to initially read up on or take. Some of you seem quite knowledgable in the construction sector, any hints or direction you can give me toward which course? I see there are City & Guilds, NVQ's and Part-P. Would it be possible to find an employer who might train me as such? I should mention when I left school I entered a HND in Construction but didn't see it through as an injury forced me to quit however, this was architectural based and not electrical. You are all correct, I'm on my last legs here and I can only imagine their idea of a pay rise would be 50p extra an hour. 4-5 years and I've only ever had a pay rise of 20p extra p/h . I want to have a trade 'skill' and more to the point I want to be able to ENJOY what I'm doing.

Sweet pics dude! Jealous!! I won't get the chance to go this year, but we'll be heading to Saalbach next year for two weeks. Only been to Tignes before and I could have happily 'lived' on the slopes!!

Bear with me on this one!!!! Has anyone recently or between the ages of 25-30 changed their career path on here? I sit at a computer day in day out inputting and any highly detailed excel spreadsheets or work I do is taken for granted by the senior staff who can barely type in excel let alone adapt calculated fields to a pivottable. It's a 9-5 job on what can only be described as a paltry wage which sums up to about £12000 per anuum. I am quickly considering applying for an Electrician course (unsure of which yet as there seem to be a few) as my grandfather used to work as one during his days and I was highly interested with his work when I was younger. I am still interested now and after 4-5 years sat in front of a zombie box I'm quite interested to learn a 'skill'. Basically I am sick of being taken for granted and more and more I feel I am being 'used' by the company to produce information for them. They promised me a pay rise last August when I transferred to my current job role and after roughly 3 reviews they keep changing my objectives and have said a certain 'manager' has not seen me shine yet. So, realising that I probably will never get anywhere with this current company in career nor wage and the fact I have no qualifications, only experience I am leaning almost horizontally into said Electrician course. My question's are: At 25 y/o (26 Sep this year) am I too old to start changing career path's and would I need to take a pay cut in terms of where I am now to say a possible apprenticeship? Would an evening course be better than a full time course (having to give up job to complete it)?

I'm after a towing eye like the pic below. Are there any traders which have this sort of thing in stock?