Change of career - IT to electrician

Hi All,

I 40 years old and have been working in IT for well over 20 years mainly in the area of database and programming.

The money is decent and I I cant complain however I have lost a bit passion for the job, staying up to date with the latest technologies etc.

I have considered changing my career and looking at getting into a trade and studying to become an electrician.

If I had to follow this path ideally id like to “study on the sideline” while I’m actually working in my IT job, get as much of the electrical certification completed then look for some sort of employment or apprenticeship once I have the bulk of my studies complete and move out of my current IT job.

I’m not sure if this would be possible as it might be a case of finding an apprenticeship (which im not sure how easy will be at my age) and studying while I work for an electrical company and essentially having to quit my IT job for reduced pay and working hours.

As mentioned, ideally id like to ride out my current IT job for as long as possible and study on the side.

Any advice appreciated.


Thanks,
Rob

 

I'm sure that it's possible, a mate did that 20 years ago (electric engineering to Sparks).

TAFE, then industry experience component.

Contact your local TAFE, OTEN or RTO.

 

What is your interest level in Home Automation and IOT? There might be a niche where your IT skills can overlap with electrical qualifications for installing and setting up smart devices in the home.

 

Yeah speak to Tafe, I know at the very least you can do a Pre apprenticeship course which will remove the need for you to do 1st year Tafe (about 8 weeks) Every electrician I know had to do that course before anyone would look at them. I'm not sure you could do every component as a lot of it has direct connection to what you would be doing in the field and there are some practical assessments etc.

Just make sure you can live on Apprentice wages, I think even for mature 1st year is only about $21 an hour. For employment try some of the larger companies they seem more open to mature apprentices - Energex, Queensland rail etc. Avoid domestic you don't want to be crawling through ceilings in your 40's.

 

Whatever you do, id cash in on current it skills boom until it runs out.

 

I work in IT too and have always thought that in another life I would have been a tradie. Seems like really rewarding work and very useful in day to day life.

 

A buddy of mine did this in his early 30s and never looked back.

Also, I was having a general chit chat to a plumber who was fixing things in a place I rent recently about this very topic.
His advice (I assume holds true for sparkies) was to look for someone specially prepared to take on a mature age apprentice.

He said the general resistance comes from the more mature appreciates typically struggling to shrink into thier role, and for that an 18 year old kid is just easier to deal with.

 

Everyone looses passion at some point working for the man.Follow your drea and make it happen.