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View Full Version : Melbourne - Sparkie that wants a mature aged apprentice



mudski
4th December 2012, 08:56 PM
I'm not far from 40, and should have done this years ago but got too comfy in my first ever job and stayed there for 15 years. I'm not sure if I could afford to do it or not but I'll put it out there.
I currently have a test & tag business, doing that, also RCD testing and emergency and exit lights too, but I would like to further my knowledge and hopefully provide better for my family. I have own car, troll of course, willing to work hard and learn a lot. I live in the northern burbs of Melbourne too.
If anyone is remotely interested, shoot me a pm.

Thanks.

Stropp
4th December 2012, 08:58 PM
Good idea mate, can't go wrong with a trade! Good luck mate.

mudski
4th December 2012, 09:45 PM
Yeah cheers bud. A few years back I was training to be a firey but had a trial bike stack that landed me with enough damage to ruin that idea for ever. What made it worse was that I knew how fit and strong I needed to be, so I joined the gym, got a PT, lost around 10kg in fat with solely cardio training for six months, then spent another 18 months including heavy weights along with the cardio. I was so fit and strong at the end, I could sprint on the treadmill for 30 minutes without getting tired, then go and do weights for 3 hours after that. I lost 10kg in fat and gained 8kg in muscle. I was so chuffed at my work I had put in, ate all the right foods, took supplements, everything. I was all working out so well until the weekend up at the slate mine not far from Mt.Buller my bike's handle bar decided to kiss a rock wall while i was in top gear. Broke a few bones, ripped a few ligaments and copped a handle bar in the gut. Was enough to ruin my dream for ever. Never went back to the gym after that...
Anyhow enough of my dribble. Thanks for the vote of confidence...

jack
4th December 2012, 10:06 PM
Good luck, my mate did the same in his late 30's. Got qualified as a sparky worked a few years with different employers, moved to Brisbane and is now teaching at a TAFE. Heaps of spare time to do small jobs, wish I had done the same.
At the time I had to many commitments and wanted the security.
Go for it, lot's of tradies in the family and all doing well.

Cheers

MC97GQ
5th December 2012, 06:10 AM
mudski,

Good luck with it mate, I don't have many regrets in my life but the one I do have is not getting a Trade, when I started work I was earning more in a week than an apprentice earned in a fortnight, I thought I was so clever. I don't feel so clever now.

I have told my wife that I don't care what my kids do, so long as they get a trade I will be happy. It is something you can take with you Australia wide.

Mark

macca
5th December 2012, 07:11 AM
My Dad said get a trade (hes a boatbuilder) or get letters after your name.

Not smart enough for letters but have been a sparky since I was 17, never done any thing else.

Been self employed for 24.5 years after working in NZ, Aus, & UK. Allways found work and some of it paid really well.

Mate go for your dream, dont dismiss learning how to build them robots... someones got to do it LOL

Lonicus
5th December 2012, 07:54 AM
Good luck with it Mudski!

krbrooking
5th December 2012, 08:25 AM
Best of luck mudski, hope it all works out for you.

Bloodyaussie
5th December 2012, 08:36 AM
I commend you mate, I have thought of a change in career but hard for me as I have so much flexibility to work around kids and so on.

Hope someone sees the potential in having a mature apprentice and I will keep an eye out for you.

threedogs
5th December 2012, 08:58 AM
Good luck mate know too well how an injury can completely stuff you up. And I mean completely, feel your pain, go for it

lorrieandjas
5th December 2012, 10:28 AM
Hey mudski - I absolutely applaud you and from someone who has changed careers a couple of times I can tell you if you really want to do it - you can. I know a couple of sparkies (contractors of mine) who I can ask about and see if they need more hands at the moment. No promises but happy to ask the question. If there is any interest I'll get you to PM me some details and make the intros.

Jas

mudski
5th December 2012, 05:39 PM
Wow! Thanks guys for the support. I don't even know that we can afford to do it but I wont know if I don't try.

NissanGQ4.2
5th December 2012, 05:47 PM
Good luck mate

I'm in the same boat at the moment wishing I had a trade to fall on, Because we have only recently bought a house I know I can't afford to take on apprentice wages.

Now go get busy building those robots, u do know they are going 2 take over the world one day *LMAO*

Lonicus
5th December 2012, 06:11 PM
Good on you for giving it a go mate.

If you can tough out the lean times the long term benefits, financially, and the sense of personal satisfaction you'll get, will make it all worth it.

mudski
5th December 2012, 07:35 PM
Good luck mate

I'm in the same boat at the moment wishing I had a trade to fall on, Because we have only recently bought a house I know I can't afford to take on apprentice wages.

Now go get busy building those robots, u do know they are going 2 take over the world one day *LMAO*

Thats it!!! No thanks for you!!!
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Just kidding.

mudski
5th December 2012, 07:39 PM
I commend you mate, I have thought of a change in career but hard for me as I have so much flexibility to work around kids and so on.

Hope someone sees the potential in having a mature apprentice and I will keep an eye out for you.

Thanks mate. I know its will be hard as I too have my own business and the flexibility is awesome but I just know, and want to, better my knowledge and provide more for my kids. Hell I'm earning not bad money now, 4 times a week than what I used too, but I'm getting bored of what I do and I need to see the greener pastures just one more time.

krbrooking
13th December 2012, 02:37 PM
Have you thought of going to the mines mark you get the best of both worlds, the good/reasonable pay and the trade at the same time.

mudski
15th December 2012, 11:58 PM
Have you thought of going to the mines mark you get the best of both worlds, the good/reasonable pay and the trade at the same time.

Yes I have bud. But I couldn't be away for my kids for the required time...

Ben-e-boy
16th December 2012, 07:36 AM
you could try with the big manufacturers I'm assuming they would have a yearly intake of apprentices. My preference would be bhp steel works. I have worked with a few bhp steel trained sparkies and they are some of the best I have come across.

My adviceis to go to industrial electrical. there is always maintenance generally a fair bit of overtime and I think you utilise your trade traing better in an industrial environment as apposed to wiring light switches and power points.

greeny_gu_ute
21st February 2013, 06:37 PM
you have a few options here try and target the small one man shows and try and get on with them and you also have skills that could bring extra revenue to them with the test and tagging. or the other option is to get onto some of the bigger companies that take on guys every year. im also a sparky/instro work in the west and i know transfield services have taken on mature age apprentices in the past so maybe keep an eye out for those. another option is HV sparky glove and barrier ie lines man they also make good money and worth looking into.
Cheers Brendan.

mudski
21st February 2013, 10:35 PM
Yeah thanks mate. I'm still looking and asking around but I seem to get the same answer. They won't and cant afford to pay me extra $$$ as of my age and having a mortgage, kids, extra expenses etc etc. Even though they are not required to.
Plus, sometihng I did learn, that the apprenticeship is knowledge dependent now. So say if your a first year apprentice and you have the knowledge of a four year you can skip the years between. Sounds good but most sparkies I have spoken to don't like the idea soley for money reasons. They get an apprentice and expect to pay apprentice wages for the full term, not to all of a sudden be paying a bright spark (excuse the pun) apprentice more just because he knows more than he should...

Going industrial would be good too but I would want to do domestic to start off I think. I personally know two sparkies, ones domestic and the other is industrial, and they each hate the opposites.
Doing the tagging is o.k but boring, E & E testing is better, but still boring. The best is doing the hospitals, shit loads of lights = shitloads of money and if you time it right you can do lot in one day. But boring.
What I get a kick out of is cabling. Like network cabling, I did my whole house, and my brothers and quite enjoyed it. Probably different on someone elses house but I like to see things work after I done my job. T&T is like pulling teeth. But its simple and easy. and like I said, boring.