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[Closed] Any skilled tradesmen retrained to work in an office.

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So have any apprentice trained skilled tradesmen, retrained to sit at a desk all day and talk on the phone, while pressing random keys on a keyboard.

Possibly a week long training course, as opposed to a 4 year apprenticeship,and a lifelong learning curve.


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 8:37 pm
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Not yet but it sounds like fun sitting in an office all day playing about on singletrack!


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 8:40 pm
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Sort of but haven't trained for it. It is just where i have ended up though i do still get involved in the hand on side of engineering.


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 8:49 pm
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Yeah I did once many years ago. I did the training (for one academic year) but never actually started an office job (apart for a couple of weeks job experience) I decided that the life of an office wallah wasn't for me after all.
Out on site where men are men and you can have a laugh with the lads, was clearly always my destiny in life 8)


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 8:58 pm
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I done manual trade to software developer through a university degree, further education, and on the job training, the only downside is that sometimes being sat inside all day frustrates me. You get the same characters in offices as you do on site though so I dont miss the crack. Trust me though its worth it, you can only go so far up the site ladder before the reach top, with the right aptitude and attitude an office job (depending what office job you decide on of course) will see you go much further in life. And you wont be breaking your back doing it!


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 9:40 pm
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I honestly couldn't think of anything worse.


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 9:53 pm
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Not exactly the same but I went from being an Organic Chemist working in a lab to a completely non-chemistry office job. The lab work was just that - same lab, same people, same sh1t, different day.
Ironically in spite of having limited experience for my new office-based role, I'm earning more than I was in a job where I had a 4yr degree and 7 years experience...


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 9:57 pm
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Im a chartered building surveyor, and my boss used to be a bricklayer, and our head of dept used to be a joiner (he started off making wooden frames for aeroplanes!). Both of them have the knowledge and skills that people can't learn at uni, and both seem to enjoy how their careers have developed. Neither of them are what you might call desk-bound, as we all spend much of our time out & about, on sites etc (and bikeshops ๐Ÿ˜‰


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 10:12 pm
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Got 2/3 of the way to becoming a bricklayer, recession killed off the building trade. Floated round a few factory jobs, realised was going nowhere so went to night school to learn CNC setting / programming. Got job, worked my way up as high as I could. Got bored, back to night school, 4 yrs & got HNC in Mech Eng'. In the meanwhile got a job in the Design Office, just a Drafstman but was a start, something new. Persuaded company to give me day release & did BEng, got 2.1 & couple of promotions.
Giving lots of thought to going into teaching, been put off schools but lecturing at a college appeals to me.


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 10:32 pm
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you can only go so far up the site ladder before the reach top, with the right aptitude and attitude an office job (depending what office job you decide on of course) will see you go much further in life. And you wont be breaking your back doing it!

Rubbish........ I started out as an apprentice to an office fitting firm (partitions and suspended ceilings). Started doing Joinery work on the side to earn a little extra cash. This seemed to be going well so went to study at uni for 3 years and gained a BA(hons) in furniture design while still working in my spare time (you get a lot at uni!!).

Took on a part time job at a boat yard and learnt more skills fitting out narrow boats and cruisers. Now run my own business designing and building bespoke furniture to commision aswell as fitting out all manner of boats and water craft.

I'm 26 and life is good. Sitting in an office all day would kill me..... although I do have a bad back ๐Ÿ˜‰

Hard work and some good contacts is all it takes.....


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 10:50 pm
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not yet and TBh i'd mot cope well in an orafice enviroment...

I'm fed up with the industry i'm in and will be having talks with some people soon about a possible venture that can stick me in the woods for all eternity making local product and maintaining heritage..

I'd rather be in the freezing wood than in a stuffy flu ridden office...


 
Posted : 15/09/2009 10:59 pm
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I presume that "project - Member" is playing Devil's advocate here ๐Ÿ˜›

How many people really prefer to do 'paperwork', tapping away on a keyboard whilst sat down all day in a room full of pc's and photocopiers rather than doing something more tangibly constructive?

I know I've realised that I prefer to be away from the office...


 
Posted : 16/09/2009 6:44 am