Anyone gone back to do a Mature Age/Adult Apprenticeship?

[DRB120]

After contemplating many things in life lately I am seriously considering going to learn a trade. I'm 31 now and with the pressures of life, mortgages and kids I'm guessing it would be a rather daunting experience. I've read about adult apprenticeships and basically it means I would be on minimum wage for the next few years until qualified rather than the 3 peanuts and a bottle cap a young bloke gets paid.

I'm hoping that someone else has given it a go and can share their positive or negative experience with me. I'm not sure which trade as yet but having worked in finance for the last 6 years I'm well and truly ready for a change and come to the conclusion that sitting in an office all day isn't what I want to do for the next 30 years.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers,
 Dale

[rodw]

One of my employees left at about your age to become a plumber. My son in law is a bit older and is doing his apprenticeship as a sparky. But that is a bit different as he is the GM of a fairly big construction company and his electrical contractor is putting him through as they do so much on site work together.

[edz]

A mate of mine is almost through his first year as an adult apprentice Carpenter [ 45 yro] with all the allowances for for travel / tools etc as a bonus ... Compared to his previous Automotive parts retail job he's on better money now ..

[oldmate]

I have 2 trades. Automotive refinisher, as I Beleive it is now, and a carpenter also (current line of work). Just go for it mate if that's what you want to do. You may get a good employer that will look after you if you prove to be a bit switched on, more than the average apprentice. Just don't become a carpenter, or spray painter lol.

[evolution]

I don't know if you have given defence a thought?
but you would be more than able to do a mature apprenticeship through defence and not have to be on minimum wages for 3 years. Also subsidised housing etc etc.

I only mentioned it due to the fact you said that you don't want to sit behind a desk.
I know quite a few people who went down this path. They wanted to have a career change, but after doing the figures simply couldn't afford it.

They are all going gangbusters now, but you would certainly need an understanding family and do plenty of research about what you would be getting in for.
If it is something that you would consider, don't be afraid to contact your local defence establishment and ask to have a chat to someone about it to get a first hand perspective.

Cheers
Evo

[Rumpig]

.....Just don't become a carpenter.......

you seem to be doing alright as a chippie with that flash camper you have these days and overseas holidays mate, reckon i need to become a chippie aswell to live the life style you do 

[wato100]

Dale go for it
I was 34 when I started as a builders labourer, then after about twelve months my boss offered me an apprenticeship, he kept me on the labourers wage until the end of the apprenticeship and paid me when I went to trade school (which was great with a very young family and mortgage).the worst part was going back to trade school and putting up with 18 to 20 something's that used school as a holiday and did nothing, it was a lot different from my first time around as a fitter and machinist where school was very strict just choose something you enjoy and it wont feel like a job

steven

[Wezza]

I did an electrical prevoc course at 30 years old with the intention of gaining an apprenticeship.  Part of that was 6 weeks work experience.  I chose a national electrical contractor and at the end of the work experience got an apprenticeship with the company.  After 5 years they offered me electrical estimating training and now I am an estimating manager.

Was tough doing the prevoc as we were living on my wifes wage only, but one I got the apprenticeship, adult wages applied.

I am still at the same company after 13 years.

I say go for it. A lot of companies will put on adults because they know that their work ethic is better and they getter better productivity for the spend.

[Muckinhell]

have just recieved my electrical liscence late last year at 38. i spent some years trying to get into the likes of ergon energy to be a sparky as there a great place to work and top money. during that time i organized myself so as to be able to accept the lower wage when an apprenticeship came along. in the end i took long service from my then current job and did a prevocational course wich gave me my first years tafe out the way and also allowed me to not wast anyones time if i wasnt up to the math involved with electrical. eventually it payed off with a private contractor. although the 1st year ergon boys were on something like $30p/hr i went to tafe with, at the end apparently most of them are turfed out into the big wide world.

so glad i didnt get into ergon after that cause now im practically running a whole pub build myself. no ergon guy would manage that id say due to lack of domestic experience.
otherwsie if your keen, organise yourself and finances to a more managable level to expect someling like $550 a week as 1st year sparky say and take it from there, but if your offered something in the mean time its not the end of the world.

[jmorgan1981]

I work for an electrical distributor and have since I was 17.

My last job in the company (before what I currently do) that I work for was as Trainer in a training centre. We would have the apprentices for about 15 1 week blocks throughout there 4 year apprenticeship. Our company and me included likes the mature aged apprentices as they are far more dedicated and interested in the training side of things. Plus in the field they get in and find work to do and don't have to be nudged.

In my line of work a mature apprentice gets 1st year tradesman wages for the life of there apprenticeship.

My guess is an employee will love to have you because you have something to work for (a family) other then beer and skirt money. Plus if they want a long term employee a mature age apprentice is more likely to stay in the same place.

[DRB120]

Thanks everyone for the thoughts so far.

Money is really the only issue I have, My wife has a great job and we may be able to get by on minimal wage, just need a few lifestyle changes I think. Would also help if we weren't building a new house at the moment.

Im so torn in making decision as I will effectively be taking a 30 to 40K hit for a few years at least but am confident that it will be for the right reasons in the long run.

I must say I always thought being a chippie wasn't a bad job but maybe im wrong. The old man has been a plumber all his life and I know that is 1 trade im not overly interested in. Thinking along the lines of tiling, maybe painting but rather undecided. Im happy to work my arse off to do what needs to be done but it would be nice to at least relatively enjoy the work im doing day in day out.

[oldmate]

you seem to be doing alright as a chippie with that flash camper you have these days and overseas holidays mate, reckon i need to become a chippie aswell to live the life style you do 

Once again, because this is a family forum..........................................     

Thanks everyone for the thoughts so far.

Money is really the only issue I have, My wife has a great job and we may be able to get by on minimal wage, just need a few lifestyle changes I think. Would also help if we weren't building a new house at the moment.

Im so torn in making decision as I will effectively be taking a 30 to 40K hit for a few years at least but am confident that it will be for the right reasons in the long run.

I must say I always thought being a chippie wasn't a bad job but maybe im wrong. The old man has been a plumber all his life and I know that is 1 trade im not overly interested in. Thinking along the lines of tiling, maybe painting but rather undecided. Im happy to work my arse off to do what needs to be done but it would be nice to at least relatively enjoy the work im doing day in day out.

Being a chippie isnt that bad mate. Ask rumpig he loves it, and although i have a flash camper, this is a photo of his house.

[Albo]

Best apprentices l had were over 30. Employers are more incline to take on old apprentices as the young ones are just not cutting it.
Mature age apprentices (over 21) will soon be on 80% of tradesman wage.

[rags]

I employed my oldest brother 40 at time as an adult apprentice in my plumbing business about 15years ago,he had been working as a labourer and asked me to take him on. I  moved on,and  these days he has taken over the work.
My B/in/law at age 40 after a defence career also took up a printing trade and has only just officially retired.

[Black Diamond]

Great thread it's something I've been thinking about a fair bit too. Some positive feedback so far

BD

[xcvator]

Dale, you sound like you're a bit lost mate, can I make a suggestion ?
Sit down and make a list of the things you enjoy doing and things you hate doing or have a phobia of ie: do you have a fear of hights ? if so forget being a chippy or painter (up on ladders a lot ) Do you like gardening ? consider landscaping/lawn mowing ( ask Jeepers Creepers or Speewa).
I guess what I'm trying to say is to find something that you enjoy doing, because if you enjoy it you will probably be better at it, and if you don't enjoy it, in 5 or 6 years time you're going to be going through the whole exercise again.
Oh,btw, I finished my mature age plumbing apprenticeship at 45     
Good luck 
 

[Clouty]

Once again, because this is a family forum..........................................     



Being a chippie isnt that bad mate. Ask rumpig he loves it, and although i have a flash camper, this is a photo of his house.

Did you take that from your helicopter oldmate..

[oldmate]

Did you take that from your helicopter oldmate..

Nup, from Mals,  when he invited me over once. He sent the chopper to pick us up. Nice bloke.

[Clouty]

Geeez.. Your lucky I still only get the limo sent pick me up.. 

[oldmate]

Geeez.. Your lucky I still only get the limo sent pick me up.. 

It's a chippy thing. You don't understand. 

[Rumpig]

It's a chippy thing. You don't understand. 

how right you are mate, the riff raff get the limo and the fellow hard working tradies get the chopper ride 

[evans52]

I guess what I'm trying to say is to find something that you enjoy doing, because if you enjoy it you will probably be better at it, and if you don't enjoy it, in 5 or 6 years time you're going to be going through the whole exercise again.

In 2010 I quit Insurance after 10 years and had a choice between a Pre-Voc Course in Plumbing or Carpentry. I chose Plumbing. I had always considered it, regretted not doing it as a Young Bloke and at the time I looked at it as a trade will never go away and that water and #2's have to go and come from somewhere, where as building demand comes and goes.

With 2 kids, a mortgage and other loans, The Bride financed it all for which I owe her forever. After about 3 months I realised I made a mistake. I didn't want to be a Plumber as much as I thought it would and ended up not enjoying myself. Being 33 at the time I was the 2nd Oldest Student there. The other Bloke was a Single Father of a 10 year Old at 45 and he used to be a Chef. We found ourselves in the same boat - regretting our decision. He went back to being a Chef and I floated around for the next 2 years having over 12 jobs trying to find the right fit for me. Job #12, the one I have now in Mental Health, was a job I had never considered and didn't think I had a chance at getting, even though I knew I could succeed at it. I've had it for the last 18 months, studying  at the same time and love it.

I don't regret giving Plumbing a crack. It was expensive financially and got tough at times, but it made me realise I don't want to be a Plumber. If I hadn't tried it, I would've always had the "I should have been a Plumber" thought.

My advice as the above quote, have a think about what you enjoy, talk it over with the Mrs and maybe the Kids, and decide from there. When making an educated and reasonable decision, I believe it's better to have a crack than sit back wondering what could have been and/or regretting not doing it. If you chose the right path, there's no reason why can't succeed and have a huge house on a River, you can send a Chopper or Limo to pick your Mates up and get a sweet as Camper 

All the best.

[oldmate]

 


On serious note. Good on you mate, it's a tough choice, but really life is a deck of cards, you have to play with what is in front of you, sometime you can make it work and other times you can't , sometimes you get lucky and get given a great hand, but if not, chin up move on and get the next hand dealt. 

[Trex_s4m1]

ive done it ass about so to speak. i have tried most trades in the past from when i was 16. at the time computers and stuff were my joy and challenge. now im paid well for a challenging role mentally, and as much as i hate being in the office, the people more than make up for it.
when i finish for the day i do the fun stuff like practicing what i call welding, or working on the camper trailer, in the shed tinkering. all the fun stuff i wouldnt enjoy if i was paid to do it. (after a while)

maybe find a trade you like the idea of, and give it a crack, ask around at some more senior guys in the trade if you can do a ride along for a few days for free. fetch their tools and be their lacky.. you will soon find out if you enjoy it or not and you dont risk pissing the missus off by changing your mind every week.
i may not have helped but good luck all the same mate its a funny world we live in and we just need to make the most of what we have. either way cheers! 

[nab]

When I worked at my last job, I had a 51 year old apprentice. Felt guilty sending him into the roof or digging trenches but he was keen as mustard! Best apprentice I ever had!