I have an opportunity to change careers and am looking for some feedback from the wise and all knowing that post here.
My question is: Is it unrealistic at the age of 41 to be accepted into an apprectice program to start a new caeer in the construction industry? As of now I am leaning toward the electrician program.
I am able to withstand the salary and benefits cuts due to my wife’s good job and am willing to make the five year commitment.
Comments, suggestions welcomed.
Thanks in advance!
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Replies
I was 38 when I left a job as construction superintendent and enter the electrical trade.
Go for it, but know that you have to pull your weight and do the grunt work just like the young ones.
Dave
I was 30 when I entered the IBEW (Inside wireman) and today at 38 I would do it again. There were 5 people older than me in my class of 30 students, one about you age. The thing I liked the most about the apprentiship program was the knowledge I gained. Before that most of my knowledge was gained from the shcool of hard knocks.
Go for it.
I'd much rather hire a 41 year old framing apprentice, than an 18 year old.
blue
Sorry Blue, I was born in MI, left there when I was seven and not interested in them winters with all the white stuff :0).
As a 40 year old Electrical foreman, all I can say is GO FOR IT! I have thought of apprenticeing myself informally to a carpenter to learn carpentry. I previously did a short term apprenticeship in Plumbing and Cabinetmaking just because I wanted to learn a little bit more about them. I was 29 when I entered the electrical aprenticeship, BTW.
Chris
looking back from the age of 62..i'd say 41 is just about right to be starting a new career..
and there sure is a shortage of licensed electricians
I was a research chemist at a one of the big drug companies and after 25 years I decided I wanted to do something different. At age 49, the opportunity came my way to begin life over as a carpentry apprentice and I took it. Like you, I didn't do it for the money because there is just no comparing the two careers, they aren't on the same planet but I did it for the experience and opportunity to really learn the trade. The first year and a half all I did was cut concrete, dig footings, remove stucco and demo portions of established homes to make ready for remodeling, in short... grunt work! I've worked under the direction of more than one jobsite forman who was a good 10 to 15 years my junior but they had knowlege and experience in the trade that I didn't and so I did what any other apprentice does and tried to pick up any experience when I could. There was a slow and gradual change in the types of jobs that I did and now, I do a lot of finish carpentry but the grunt jobs are still coming my way now and again. After six years of on the job training, I found that carpentry is not something that can be acquired in a short time on the job and can't be learned by just "book knowledge". That's why it's referred to as "SKILLED TRADE" You need to do the demo part to gain knowledge on how the older tradesmen and women built things and then your able to proceed to learn how it should be done in todays world. The basic skills are the same just newer materials and methods.
When I started work at the drug company back in 1981, I immediately visited my local junior college and signed up for carpentry apprenticship classes at night. I continued with the night classes in construction framing, foundations, plumbing, electrical and then threw in some plane surveying to allow me to layout the foundation of a house. After 2 1/2 years of night classes I started helping friends build small projects on weekends and began acquiring tools of the trade for the future. After twenty years of this off again, on again, weekend only construction stuff, I just was not happy. The amount "on the job" experience and learning just didn't seem to satisfy my needs, that's when the full time construction opportunity came my way and I took it.
I'm now getting close to seven years in the trades and I still learn new stuff all the time. People outside construction really don't appreciate how much time and effort it takes to acquire the skill needed to build (construct) the average home as it was intended to be done. There are reasons and methods to every aspect of construction that are in place because of the experience of other trades people who have gone before us. Being a chemist or engineer is no less of a learning experience but the effort to be a knowledgable contruction craftsman is just as time consuming and difficult a career. If you like construction, you'll be good at it, it's only a matter of time and effort. If your in constuction because it's only a job and means to earn a living, then you will never be as good at it as someone who's got it in their blood and doing it because they WANT TO! There are lots of people who want to call themselves carpenters, or electricians, or plumbers or whatever but too many of them are just not "PROFESSIONALS". In my short career it's gotten easier and easier to spot those who work as carpenters but who should be doing something else. They are not professionals! Those who are carpenters because they love it and want to do it and who will become professionals in time, should be paid well too and often contractors take advantage of the PROFESSIONALS by lumping them in with the guys who are just there to earn a buck. It's to bad there isn't some system to separate the two but that may change in the future but in the long run, the professional will win the game.
One other comment, there are contractors out there who are in it for the money and don't give a rat's behind about quality, they too should be weeded out but again, I don't know how that might be done. They too are not PROFESSONALS, they're in a profession but they are not professionals.
PS Working construction also gives you fantastic opportunities use the newest tools on the market and decide the good and bad in each. I would never have bought some of the tools I now have if it weren't for using them on the job site.
Maybe for the electrical field but go to school to start . The best you can find . Two years full time in school and you will know things old journeymen don., new technology.
I wouldnt advise anyone in the construction fields unless they were going for a 4 year degree. Lots of good reasons why .
Tim