Doing a 4 year apprenticship at the tender age of 28?

Heathen

Hello all..

ok first off, im 28.. I know its a bit late for starting an apprenticeship so have a few questions I hope people can answer /direct me in the right direction..

I have been working for 14 years in many different jobs... manufacturing / Logistics / public service/ customer service / more manufacturing and also a few years in IT, im now back in another IT job, but the last 3 places I have worked for have gone tits up, and now the place im working in will be doing the same in November.. giving the jobs to India.. so I will find myself out of work again..

when I left school I did a sparks apprenticeship but dropped out after a few months cos I really needed money fast and I had to take a contract that was offered to me from a previous employer that was many moons ago and I have regretted dropping out of it for years.. but now faced with this news of yet another job pulling out of Ireland i would love to do my apprenticeship and complete it.. having a proper qualification would be so good for me seeing as I really have nothing only experience in all the fields I have worked in.. nothing really on paper..

but what I need to know before I get all excited about doing my apprenticeship is this... are the apprentice wages still as bad as they were 10 years ago? is there any schemes through fás whereby a man of 28 with responsibilities and debts can do a partly funded apprenticeship? or any government scheme were i could do my apprenticeship but not have 4 years of debt at the end of it?

id really like to go back doing it but the thought of getting less than the dole every week for the next 4 years doesn’t seem too glamorous

if i go to do it now, I will be 32 when I qualify.. has anyone here ever done an apprenticeship this late? or know anyone who has done this?

Thanks for reading, any information you have would be most helpful

Regards
Mack

noel123ie

Hi there

Im 32 and thinking of doing the same!

The wages are about 280/week I think for year one and go up to about €435 in year 4.

Im in IT as well in a call centre in Cork only dying to move on.

I reckon even if you have to do another jpb/foxer its worth it.

If you do some research into this and still are interested I reckon you should go for it as wages are very compeditive when you finish.

If you dont you wioll always regret it.

Cheers
Noel

Heathen

thanks for the info Noel

anyone else have any expeirence in this or have any useful information?

rasper

Worth thinking about where your chosen trade will be in four years time, with influx of cheaper workers and construction going over steam-while a sparkyship may be safest, it may not be as rosy as the climate is now.
Not saying not too just that things will change for better or worse.

Gillo

I'd say go for it. I'm in a relatively similiar boat only I am in sales, they way I see it you'd qualify at 32 but won't retire until 65 - 70. I'd recommend doing a sparks, you can prob start doing nixers within 12 months. A sparks I spoke to said a few years ago told me that a knowledge of networking is useful as a lot of sparks are getting into laying networks, so with a background in IT you should be grand.

The only reason I am not doing the same myself is at the moment I owe too much money and also with a child to support I couldn't afford to take the 50%.

If you can afford I'd say it's a great way to go.

FearDark

Hey there Macker Eire, first of all this link will tell you the wages of apprentices http://www.fas.ie/fas_allowances/sta...struction.html . Ok im 23 and ive mucked around enough too going from job to job on building sites and at the moment im unemployed and have been for the last month, theres not much going at all so ive decided im doing an apprenticeship, havent decided in what field yet though. I would also like to know if there is any schemes to help us through, i have bills to pay, car + rent are a priority for me but e200 a week certainly wont pay for that + food, petrol money, cost of living in general, its not possible. Its only possible for a lad living at home with parents and no overheads to do this. I guess what im trying to say is that are there any schemes out there to help??

Thanks

the_syco

FearDark wrote:

http://www.fas.ie/fas_allowances/sta...struction.html

That link doesn't work, but this one does: http://www.fas.ie/fas_allowances/standards_based_apprentices/construction.html

Gillo

Suppose you could try part time work, maybe a few nights in a bar or evening / weekend work in a shop.