Careers advice

[B16mts]

Eh up,

No this is not a joke (not like my last recycled post!)

I've been off work on long term sick for the best part of a year due to Chronic Daily Migraines (as its being called!), basically a major banging head almost every single day for 11 months! Well starting my 5th set of drungs this week from my 3rd neurologist, and perhaps these might be the solution.

Either way i ain't going back to my team supervisor job in the neon lit office of 300 noisey people! So i spoke to the lovely people for an hour at Leardirect yesterday for some careers advice to try to figure out what else i might want to do.

As i'm only 24 i've got plenty of scope to start a new career and run with it, but from speaking to them i've still got little direction as to what i want to do.

Could be something to do with computers, working from home: web design, book-keeping etc (as i'm handy on a pc, good at maths etc (have 4 a-levels but no degree)). Could do something partially office based, but perhaps going out to other workplaces or peoples houses : staff training, health and safety officer, financial advisor. There again, i'm good at doing things, and really really get satisfaction from actually seeing the results from my efforts (which i really have lacked from my previous work), so perhaps : landscape gardening, plumbing, electrician etc.

So the thing is still wide opening and i don't really know what i want. The problem i have with work though is i need a kick up the ass, i need someone to tell me what to do, my self motivation is terrible. If someone puts something infront of me and tells me to do it and i know how to, i'll get to it and do a great job. but leave to find something to do myself and i'll do nothing.

Then last night i was talking to the wife and stumbled upon something that sounded like a very good idea to me.

I love cars, and its not a fad. For years ever since i was a kid i have lived and breathed them. So perhaps i should explore the route of car maintenance/mechanic?? Working in a garage, I'd be told what to do, and get on with it. And i'd enjoy it. I love a challenge, i love working with my hands, and am not bothered about getting cold wet dirty or whatever.

Yeah i've got a half built kit car in the garage that i've not touched for a year or 2, but thats because no-one has been on my back telling me to get on with it. I'm sure if it was my job it would be alot different.

What do you guys think? or should should i keep looking?

Are there too many mechanics in the counrty? are there any jobs out there?

Martin

[BUSHWHACKER]

If you'rer getting bad migrains every day, then I would get an MRI scan done incase it's a blood clot on your brain!
Drugs aren't going to cure it, diet, i.e. what you eat normally triggers them.
My wife used to get them a lot before we met, (I'm a calming influence see?) she was your age then and it was because of eating too much chocolate or cheese and stress.
She cut out the chocolate, not totally, has some now and then, and hardly eats cheese unless it's on a pizza, for the past ten years since we've been together, no more migraines.

As for a career, look into engineering maintenance jobs, they're challenging and rewarding, it's a hands on job, plus you get to use machines and equipment to help you with your own projects.

[The Lovely Boyo]

She cut out the chocolate, not totally, has some now and then, and hardly eats cheese unless it's on a pizza, for the past ten years since we've been together, no more migraines.

A mate had suffered with migraine for years, had some tests and found dairy produce triggered his. No more dairy = no more migraines.

As for mechanic - lots out there but not so many good ones. Doesn't sound like you should be self employed as you would end up watching day time tv - no!

Chester - near Stockport -give Stevo a ring?

[B16mts]

If you'rer getting bad migrains every day, then I would get an MRI scan done incase it's a blood clot on your brain!
Drugs aren't going to cure it, diet, i.e. what you eat normally triggers them.
My wife used to get them a lot before we met, (I'm a calming influence see?) she was your age then and it was because of eating too much chocolate or cheese and stress.
She cut out the chocolate, not totally, has some now and then, and hardly eats cheese unless it's on a pizza, for the past ten years since we've been together, no more migraines.

As for a career, look into engineering maintenance jobs, they're challenging and rewarding, it's a hands on job, plus you get to use machines and equipment to help you with your own projects.

Cheers Vince,

Actually already had 2 Mri scans and they found nothing! had acupuncture for the last 6 months and that doesn't work. Haven't touched a crumb of chocolate since i was told not to a week before Easter (b@astards!) nor a drop of caffeine, even to the extent of me having a different pudding to everyone else on my wedding day!! And god do i love chocolate! The other thing is, as its chronic, ther isn't a trigger, as one migraine just triggers another daily, the drugs are trying to break the cycle. I'm going to have injectins in the back of my skull in the next week or so that will numb the whole of the back of my head and neck!! apparently it might work and give me some releif for 4-8 weeks, what the hell! I'll see a Vet if they think it'll help!

I should find out this week if a 4th proffessor neurologist has concluded that this chrnoic condition was brought on by the head trauma i endured in the car crash i was in 18 months ago. When he examined me, he was pretty sure it was, but i'm waiting to see it in writing which should be very soon.

If i go into the engineering/mechanincy side of things, it's just down to gettin the training and experience now as i'm too old for an apprenticeship i think (STEVO!!).

[BUSHWHACKER]

Apparently, magnesium B6 pills keep my wifes migraines at bay, she takes one every day.
She gets them from here...
http://www.healthspan.co.uk/shop/pro...d=MAGT&ct=true

[DaveD]

or try feverfew pills... worked for my mates wife

[Andy7160h]

Hey there, i am 22 and i repair JCB's and its great and the money is not bad either. I know a lad who got an apprenticeship with a similar company and he was 26!

Pay to put yourself through college and try to get a part time job helping someone at weekends, afternoons or your time off to gain practical skills.

Every other youngster now adays is either a plumber or electrian etc, the way i look at it is there are gunna be so many of them in the future there wont be enough work and it will be a saturated market.

[plumb bob]

Hey there, i am 22 and i repair JCB's and its great and the money is not bad either. I know a lad who got an apprenticeship with a similar company and he was 26!

Pay to put yourself through college and try to get a part time job helping someone at weekends, afternoons or your time off to gain practical skills.

Every other youngster now adays is either a plumber or electrian etc, the way i look at it is there are gunna be so many of them in the future there wont be enough work and it will be a saturated market.

Exactly!

I'm a career plumber/heating engineer, and I've never made a fortune but for the last 20 years I've always had work.

All these youngsters are coming into the trade after reading all the £150,000 a year $$$$ in the papers thinking they can do a 4 week course, or maybe as long as one year and then start earning £1000.00 per week.

Basically it aint gonna happen, as with any trade you need proper training and then plenty of experience to be good at it.

Then all you have to do is get a job, or find your own customers who are willing to pay for your expertise! some of them think that tradesmen are registered charities, and also have no idea about the cost of materials.

Also whatever trade you take up you will be using hand and power tools that are very noisey, and be working in dirty and noisey conditions.

Its not as easy as the press make out!!

Anyway, that my two penneth. He he he..


Clive..

[paulh]

Exactly!

All these youngsters are coming into the trade after reading all the £150,000 a year $$$$ in the papers thinking they can do a 4 week course, or maybe as long as one year and then start earning £1000.00 per week.

Basically it aint gonna happen, as with any trade you need proper training and then plenty of experience to be good at it.

Clive..

I agree with you Clive I've been a qualified sparky since 1969 and my highest salary was 20k pa and no overtime, it makes me laugh/cry when I see some of the figures bandied round about tradesmens wages.
I too am on long term sick (6months)with heart problems and my chances of getting back to work look pretty slim as I was employed as an industrial sparks and it was heavy work.
I'm now waiting for the letter from my employer terminating my contract and I'm off to the jobcentre to see what trainings available for a 56 year old, preferably sitting down.

Anyway good luck in finding something more suited to you Martin.

[B16mts]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I know from family that plumbing/electrician stuff isn't all the glitz and money the papers make it out to be, and besides, it doesn't really appeal to me either.

Also notice that I haven't actually mentioned a salary in any of my posts. Not i don't have a rich mommy n daddy, nor a family death or lottery win. I may have a little compensation to tide me over while i get some much needed training done, but i'm willing to start at the bottom of the ladder and work up. My wife is earning enough teaching, and so long as i'm bringing in some funds, we don't want for much, so we'll be fine.

I think i'd prefer to go down the route of full college courses and paid/unpaid work experience at the same time if funds permit, until i'm fully qualified, rather than doing an apprenticeship.

Anywho, thanks alot for the advice guys. I've found plenty of info on the courses etc. and got the support from my family. Just need to find confirm if there's actually jobs out there before commiting myself to go for it when i'm better.

cheers,

Mart

[B16mts]

Hey there, i am 22 and i repair JCB's and its great and the money is not bad either. I know a lad who got an apprenticeship with a similar company and he was 26!

Pay to put yourself through college and try to get a part time job helping someone at weekends, afternoons or your time off to gain practical skills.

Every other youngster now adays is either a plumber or electrian etc, the way i look at it is there are gunna be so many of them in the future there wont be enough work and it will be a saturated market.

In fact, you've said exactly what i intend to do in your middle paragraph!! And i wouldn't mind doing the job you're doing either, being a farmerboy!

Mart

[da SLUG man]

i've become a DJ... it's pi$$ easy and christmas / new year it's a great earner!...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th4NGYkgx5c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yoJK7EX75E

here's my new lasers that i just got today.


wanna do something else too, but office work only pays cr4p money and only 8 hours a day!!... how do you live on that??


p.s.... the music is the local radio station and Avid Merrion just happened to be on at the time introducing Razorlight!

[227angrydonkeys]

i used to be a teacher, now im a builder, i get paid half as much and the holidays suck compared to teaching but i love it, i dont answer to men in suits anymore and if a kid $$$$es me off i can just 'hide' them under 2 cubic metres of wet concrete, whereas before there was loads of forms to fill in. i work with one other guy and we do extensions , and general pimping of houses, booked up solid for the next year, i have worn a shirt for 3 days this year since easter and i get to do what i want.
go and try loads of things out till you find one that fits.

[Sancho]

Personally, I think some kind of building work is the way to go. I work kind of at the top of the food chain, as a full time 'client' project manager. I get given a piece of land and a budget and told to build as many flats as I can (I work in social housing so don't even try to make a profit, I just have to do the best job I can).

I spend half my time in an office and half my time on building sites, I get to shout at architects, I eat a lot of bacon sandwiches and there are about 2,000 flats in various bits of London that I can point at and say I was responsible for. Not single-handedly of course, but I did my bit.

There's a bit of a shortage of people who can do this kind of work, so maybe look at training as a building surveyor or project manager - you get to cover a little bit of every trade, so you can always 'home in' on one.

As for the headaches, definitely ditch dairy as the first thing. Acupuncture only really works if it's stress related (normally tense head muscles). If you have sinus problems, clean your nose out with a teaspoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of salt diluted in a cup of water. Obviously - sleep more, drink less alcohol and caffiene, drink more water, run around a bit and eat properly.

[227angrydonkeys]

you can always make more money but you cant make more time