Got my degree, considering learning a trade

ifeelabreeze

I want to preface this by saying this a reoccurring theme with myself. I'll give a simplified version and a more long-winded one.

Simplified version.

I've graduated with a Business degree, hated college, dropped out, went back, got by with the skin of my teeth. And every few months I considered packing it in and doing a trade.

I've worked with a Carpenter fitting kitchens, and when I dropped out I went doing an Electrician apprenticeship (sort of regret leaving it, but didn't enjoy it at the same time). Didn't enjoy the large scale industrial work, the EHS input, the fact that I wasn't someones apprentice, I just worked with whoever needed a gopher. I thought I wanted a trade with lower tools outlay, higher barrier to entry, option to go down the maintenance route etc.. aka - Electrician.. But I didn't I preferred fitting kitchens. So I'm considering Carpentry, Brick-laying, Plasterer, Tiler etc.

But anyway, I got my degree (by some divine intervention), and I currently work in an office based Sales role.. Knew I didn't want HR, Accounting, Finance, Marketing etc.. Thought maybe talking to people would be nice, good money too... But it's not for me.

I'm not enjoying it, only 2 months in and the novelty has well and truly worn off. I don't like sitting at a desk, I don't like the office talk, I don't like that I have to watch what I say and that I keep sticking my foot in it in front of HR (stupid, harmless things, like swearing, or joking about falling asleep at my desk), I don't like ringing people asking the same questions, putting the same thing into Salesforce all whilst being seen to be working. I'd be surprised if I don't have ADHD (not self diagnosing, just oversharing) - I can't sit behind a desk, I'm not built for it.

I don't like the role, the people are lovely and the company treats us very well but that doesn't make up for the rest, it's not for me, doesn't suit me or align with what I want to do down the line.

Detailed version.

I want to go back and learn a trade, but I don't really want to do what so many recommend - Get a trade that's got a high barrier to entry, that'll 'always be in demand' and is all in all quite technical - Did that. Didn't like it. I was somewhat considering Plumbing but I think that'd be a similar mistake to my time as a spark.

I like working with my hands, like seeing the end product. I just think I'd prefer something that's a bit more of a craft and less of a 'wealth of technical knowledge'.

One of the main things I disliked whilst doing the apprenticeship was working in the rain, hail, sleet and snow in the depts of winter - As an electrician we were sitting cross legged on the roof of a pharma plant redoing Footers for cable tray because someone did them all wrong, 6 hours, undoing bolts and redoing bolts with frozen fingers.

Big one - I want to one day be self employed, I want to start a business, that's why I studied Business in the first place. I don't want a nice maintenance role in a pharma plant unless I can do it myself, set up my own business, get lads working for me, expand and so on. Obviously Sales experience would benefit me in this regard.

I'm not afraid of the cold, or a bit of rain, it's just the extreme.

Whatever I go doing, I don't intend on doing it for someone else in 10 years time, maybe I won't even be doing the physical work myself! End goal is and always has been run your own business.

I want to work with my hands, I want to build/fix things, love cars but don't want to work on them for a living. Enjoyed fitting kitchens, liked the 'indoors-ness', attention to detail, could take pride in my work, fit & finish etc. , also liked the attention to detail. But as my uncle (the carpenter who I worked with) said; 'there's better trades, with less of an outlay, less lads doing it and less lads down at the pub willing to do it for less', I had to live down with him whilst working because it was over an hour 30 minutes of a commute, but he still offered an apprenticeship.

I've heard plasters, tilers and brickies are hard got.. Also physically tough, not sure brick-laying (but I also heard you can't exactly lay brick in a storm!) I'm fine with working outside, it's just I don't want to get pelted with hailstones whilst I work. I'm not afraid of physical work, I mean I know they say plasterers shoulders give out after a few years, I wouldn't have been very successful if I was still skimming at 50. But for now, there are F all young fellas doing it, good money, lower outlay for tools and because there's less boys at it, less of a chance of someone stealing your work (might have an issue finding workers in years to come though).

This office work isn't for me. Plumbing is the trade that makes the most sense on paper, but I just don't think I'd enjoy the day to day work as much as something that's more 'craft' and less 'technical' - that being said I might change my tune when I'm broken up after my first week..

This is all a bit mad, if someone told me at 18 I was thinking of doing a trade, let alone one other than electrician I'd say they'd been mistaken.. I was going to college and that was it..

So there you have it, that essay.

Apologies.

But any and all input is greatly appreciated.

Jim2007

All a bit confusing... you got a degree, you seem to have done an apprenticeship as an electrician, you are thinking about doing another apprenticeship (???), you don't like office work and being respectful to those around you, but you want to run a business....

Well, eight or nine out of ten businesses fail and an excellent way to ensure you are one of those eight or nine is to not do the office work and not respect the customers and those you need to collaborate with.

The reality is that whether you are a carpenter or an asset manager, to build a great business you need to be a people person and at least for the first couple of years you are going to be the main office worker as well as having to do the actually business work as well. That is the difference between owning one little van and travelling around do the work and owning five van and paying five others to travel around and do the work.

ifeelabreeze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119590536#Comment_119590536

Sorry, to clarify - I started into an electrician apprenticeship, but I left after a number of months to go back to college and finish out my degree, I regret doing so but I also wasn't a big fan of the electrical work.

I have no problem being respectful to others, that you saying otherwise says a lot more about you and your mindset than it does about me. I am well liked (unless everyone has something to tell me), but I'm probably not as polished as others are. I'm sure there's builders out there running multi million pound projects who wouldn't slot quickly into an office environment.

I didn't say I don't want to do any office work ever, I said I don't like it - I can do it, but I don't know any carpenter who gets all warm and fuzzy at the thoughts of bookkeeping.

Again, I work with customers every day, on the phone every hour, speaking to business owners from large MNCs to the mechanic down the road who can't work his email - I'm nothing but polite and respectful. If you're not going to be helpful, at least be decent - don't make hurtful assumptions about my character.

I'm definitely a people person, but the same 5 questions every other minute on the phone starts to get under your skin, well at least it does mine. It's very similar to call centre work it's just the calls are outbound.

I have a head for business, I always have.

But I'd rather be on the move, going to sites, on the phone, in and out of meetings - not chained to my desk with a headset on, that's the difference

I can see where you're coming from and what you're saying, I think I just wasn't very clear, apologies