Hello members of the ST hive mind, I come seeking your wisdom…

I have gone as far in my current career (Civil Engineer) as I am able (or willing) to do, it is becoming clear it is not what I should be doing and the further I progress there is less stuff I enjoy and find fulfilling and more stress.

So I’ve decided that I need to man up and move on… and that I want to do something practical, and develop a skill. I am exploring training in fabrication/machining/toolmaking/etc.

Now I am well aware that I am currently unemployable in such roles (soft over qualified unskilled office type…) so have been looking at an apprenticeship.

Does anyone have any experience (personal or otherwise) of adult appreticeships? I am well aware that money will be tight and I will be starting from the bottom but feel it is worth it to find a job that gets me out of bed in the morning.

Thanks all

I wasn’t aware that adult apprenticeships were a thing until I heard a woman being interviewed 3-4 years ago – she’d been bright, engineering degree, had a career, stopped working to bring up the kids, struggled to find a job that interested her when she went back to work and ended up as an apprentice engineer at Jaguar Land Rover in her late 30s.

If you can afford the pay cut but can find something you want to do, give it a go.

Can you not go back to a civil engineering role/level that you did enjoy and find fulfilling which wasn’t stressful?

You’re an Engineer?

Have you thought about opening a bicycle repair shop?

I ditched Civil Engineering after about 15 years – fed up with contracts, documentation, management, blah blah. I just liked designing stuff. Before you quit I would advise you to look around to see if you can get contract work doing the stuff you actually enjoy (assuming there is some) whilst avoiding the pen pushing.

JLR have a massive recruitment drive and provide training…

JLR have a massive recruitment drive and provide training…

Yes weren’t they in the news recently for announcing massive expansion to their existing plant and plans for a new one.

I work for one of the UK’s largest engineering companies and we’ve won awards for our apprenticeships and I previously set-up and ran an apprenticeship scheme as a pilot for the new funding model. From August, there are no age restrictions on apprenticeship funding – previously employers received different levels of subsidy based on age and trainees over 24 got no subsidy, so most employers didn’t select them. Good apprenticeships cost about 5x the level of govt subsidy. There are now advanced/degree apprenticeships where you do a foundation degree over 4 years combining on-the-job experience with day-release. Apprentice wages are still below the minimum wage, but good employers pay more. Applications for many schemes starting in September close next month. Candidates are selected based on capability not age, at one stage we were training father and son together. The NAS website lists all available apprenticeships.

Not sure if they do adult apprenticeships or not AND offshore isnt in the best of health just now but you could try OPITO. I think they do two years in collage and the last two in placement.

No idea what the money is like for the first two years but have an idea for the final two.

Thanks all, really encouraging, will continue investigating… JLR sounds great however I’m not sure I can take the wage hit and relocate to another part of the Uk so searching for placements in the SW.

I sort of did this, I worked in engineering, started out apprenticed as a toolmaker, then got into production engineering. Was very disillusioned with manufacturing and decided to do an evening course at the age of 30. Did a basic carpentry course, found I really enjoyed so did 2 evenings a week for 3 years to get a qualification in bench joinery. 6 months before I was due to qualify I was made redundant, a local boatbuilder gave me a chance and even allowed me to change the qualification to an Nvq so properly recognised. I never stopped earning and didn’t have to live off apprentice wages. I’m 45 now and it was the best move I ever made (after getting married obviously).

Cheers

Marcel

You can do an apprenticeship at any age, the problem you may have is you previous qualifications if you have a degree or Level 4 there is no funding available for a L2 or L3 apprenticeship – this all changes from May this year when a new funding methodology kicks in. As pointed out above how apprenticeships currently get funded depends on your age – but again this changes post May

JLR sounds great however I’m not sure I can take the wage hit

They pay very well….

For info big employers like JLR, Rolls-Royce etc get in excess of 100 applications for every role as demand is so high, particularly since the introduction of tuition fees.