I'm in a bit of a catch22..I was working as a high voltage overhead powelines engineer (Apprentice). Absolutely loved the job, loads of hours, hard physical labour, and they always say getting a fright daily helps, and you get plenty working in 70mph winds and snow at the top of a 50ft wooden pole

Thing was i was spending too much money getting to and from work (120-130 miles a day) £1.20 a litre for fuel and a car that did about 17-20mpg. Also i was working from 6am until maybe 9pm at night, which i didnt have a problem with, but i was only being paid from 7am-4pm, and at an hourly rate of £4 (below the national legal minimum wage) i felt neglected. After receiving glowing reports from my site managers, and putting in countless unpaid overtime, i still was refused a yearly bonus. Needless to say i left.

Having always had an interest in mechanics and cars and bikes, and having recently learned quite a bit from my own two motors. I'm now looking for an apprenticeship in the motor trade, (either bodywork or mechanics). I've applied for a 3 year course in Northern Ireland, but i cant start the course without securing an employer. It works out one day in college, 4 days in placement working. Due to the mess of our country, absolutely NOBODY is taking on new workers, especially apprentices, and I'm now considering England, Scotland & Wales.

I'm 22, and know bit an pieces about cars, done oil changes, spark plugs, fettling with inlet manifolds/throttle bodies, changing belts, brake pads & calipers etc. I find it all very interesting but cant find any way to learn more, and earn while i do it!

None of the franchised dealers here want to know!

Help?

tbh mate, if your good with electrics, and want to work with cars, do auto electricianing with more and one cars with more and more batteries, gadgets and other electrical bits, i dare say you'd never be short of work, either that or be a sparky

Ask the college can join the level 1 course I'm on it and I'm 17 but when have all ages on mine its 3 days a week its not bad like

Just ask the college if you can join the level 1 motor vehicle course

You wont get paid but your lean mate

I dont really want to be a sparky, because workload is entirely dependant on house prices/new builds etc, which is a minefield (my old man is a financial advisor) and i reckon the bodywork side of things is more of a surefooted step, as its not rooted to one particular region, if you get me?

If I'm a trained sprayer, i can work on cars, bikes, buses, open my own business etc. Whereas due to the sensors etc in newer cars, would you not need to specialise in a certain brand?

EDIT

Yeah I've been told about that course, handy thing is the college near me also do the level1 bodywork course, but it (as well as joining REME / TA) is my last resort.

Edited 27 February, 200917 yr by DazzaG40

Its a good course ,

Best bit for you is you can still get a job to pay the bills as its only a 3 day course.

Then when you no what your doin open your on place

Yeah, i get completely where your coming from, and once i get money for a welder / airline I've got loads of projects to build and sell to keep the money rolling. Problem is, I've been applying for everything and anything to keep my going until september, and no employer ever replies? I have full Gsce's, as levels, a levels and keyskills and years of working experience and bags of potential. Seems very wrong to me.

I find myself trying to be greedy with qualifications now, looking into starting a fabrication & welding course, getting a CSR card, and maybe an HGV licence, just to make myself as employable as possible.

If only i had the foresight you did when i was 16/17

I started a college course last year on Mechanics left within a month was definately not for me. Don't want to put you off lad but most folk i've spoken to that work in a garage wished they had done something else.

I've always been told there is a big difference between working on your own car for fun and being paid to work on other peoples. Even to the stage were you just have enough of working on cars and can't be arsed to work on your own.

Even to the stage were you just have enough of working on cars and can't be arsed to work on your own.

I've had this, but the guy i worked for was a prick!

Nod what did you not like about it?

Good information but at the end of the day its a decent career, and with the likes of bodywork i could set up my own business eventually and be my own boss.

x2

but i was a tax dodging student working at the cinema...to this day i still refuse to eat popcorn

It was interesting enough but when you actually get down to it I just couldn't see myself in that profession, I have a short temper and no patience so I could imagine me getting very annoyed at stupid little things on cars if I was working on them all the time. Lol but saying all that i'm an office boy so it just might be down to being lazy and not enjoying hard graft. :grin:

Definately go for it if your business minded though, do your time,save money and build on your experience.

Edited 27 February, 200917 yr by Nod

I love problem solving though, and the thought of office work turns my stomach! Not for me mate, nothing better than getting grubby and having something solid at the end of the day to admire for all the hard work

if you like electrics, come be a avionics engineer and work on aircraft

coming up to that time of year where companies are looking for engineers everywhere

How would you go about starting that mate?

I cant see there being many avionics companies in northern ireland, flying about in hollowed out potatoes basically. roffle

go to your nearest airfield and see what maintenance companies operate there

i work 25 miles away, was a apprentice technician.

working on the small stuff isnt that bad :)

i dont work on the massive stuff, just business jets e.t.c

Railway.

google network rail apprentceships.