Thread: boilermaker career options???

Hi Phil,

How do relate to younger people in 11 to 17 year range?

One area that is screaming out for people with a trade based background is the Technology Study subjects or Manual arts as it was formerly referred to.

It requires at least a Diploma level or better.In itself,that is not really hard to do.

I can't speak for the southern states but I know they can't get enough trade trained teacher.
The emphasis is about to change on trade training and the Government is about to spend the big big bikkies on Vocational training staring at high school level.

Its not for everyone ,I know. One needs a special disposition but The hours are great , the holidays good if you can hack the students.

Cheers
Grahame

Hi phil_1980,
You may want to look at getting into the Sales side of your Industry. You have practical experiance using the equipment and consumables in your Boilermaking Welding years which would be an asset to the prospective Employer as you can speak from experiance on how to use the equipment.
Many people have gone from the Trade side of the Industry to the Sales side and have made a great living from that.

Regards,
Keith.

Phil
Another area of teaching is TAFE. Go and see the head teacher of the Metal fab & Welding section of your local TAFE and ask about part time teaching. This is a way for you to try it out before committing yourself.

regards
bollie7

Thanks guys,

Teaching is not something I've explored as an option before, which is ind of funny considering the missus is a teacher.

I've thought about sales but to be honest I think i might be a bit rough around the edges to inspire confidence in potential customers.

Thanks again you've given me a new line of thought to consider.

An old Army mate who recently got out picked up a Cert IV in workplace assessment.

Walked straight into a job doing driver training. Ok its not boilermaker/welder, but from asking around doing this course seems to open a few doors.

Phil

My brother-in-law was a boilermaker, the old type, he did his apprenticeship in England making boilers and welding. He furthered his career by training apprentices for the iron ore company he was working for at the time. He went on to teach welding at a TAFE school in Perth. While there, he was advised to attend a Toastmasters course. Toastmasters gave him the confidence to speak in front of people he did not know. He got involved in human resources, worked for a brewery in Perth for a number of years, quit and moved to Victoria where he worked as the chief toe cutter for CUB.

I have always admired him as where he had come from and where he ended up. It can be done Phil. Toastmasters should be in the yellow pages of each state if you want to go that path.

DD

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Hi Phil,

How do relate to younger people in 11 to 17 year range?

One area that is screaming out for people with a trade based background is the Technology Study subjects or Manual arts as it was formerly referred to.

It requires at least a Diploma level or better.In itself,that is not really hard to do.

I can't speak for the southern states but I know they can't get enough trade trained teacher.
The emphasis is about to change on trade training and the Government is about to spend the big big bikkies on Vocational training staring at high school level.

Its not for everyone ,I know. One needs a special disposition but The hours are great , the holidays good if you can hack the students.

Cheers
Grahame

The Southern states (NSW) at least have or are shutting down their IA teacher training.Uni NSW shut down IA in the 80s after Architecture took it over.Goulburn rs.
Sydney university which pretty much shut theirs down 10 years ago is giving what's left the bum's rush as we speak. They have a new funding formula and all the deans are deciding that workshops are too expensive to run.
The NSW education dept is asleep at the wheel because if you ad 65 to 1946 (the real baby boom year) you get 2011.
All these chaulkies are on a super deal that penalises you if you stay after 65 so next year it hits the fan.
H.

Originally Posted by clear out

The NSW education dept is asleep at the wheel because if you ad 65 to 1946 (the real baby boom year) you get 2011.
All these chaulkies are on a super deal that penalises you if you stay after 65 so next year it hits the fan.
H.

I think you will find that the retirement age for puplic servants in NSW is aged 60 years, (but I could be wrong on that count). If it is the case, its already started to hit the fan.

Unless you are approaching 65 years of age there's not much there that can affect you in the near future.

The government ( at least up here anyway ) seems intent on spending mega bucks or so in each high school with a suitable student cohort to stream into the subject.

In my humble opinion,we have too many teaching metal trades VET education at the moment who do essentially don't know their rrrse from their elbow in the confines of a modern metalfab shop.

While these people are essentially well meaning,someone one who has not done the work and are well experienced the nature of of a workshop can't direct and teach students the essential skills that are learned by doing.
The sounds of a mig operating correctly in short arc or the sound of an oxy cutting plant cutting correctly can't be learned from a book.



I know I may possibly offend some people here but honestly the best people to teach the subject are former tradesmen.

A university can teach you how to teach yes,but can't teach anyone to teach a core trades subject.

Thats my 2c worth.

Grahame

Phil,
I think your options are many and vaired.
You could "progress" to administrative duties such as:
Workshop management,
Drafting (great to have tradies actually drafting rather than uni based, as they know how and where things should be,
Estimating (well paid if you perform well)
Consultant (welding or products)
Supervisor
Weld inspector.

These are direct progressions and there are many more indirect ones also. The better you are, the more options you will have open to you.
It does seem a wall where turning 40 presents challenges in the trade that didn't previously exist. That age differs between peopple, but on average it is the target age.

You may find a gradual approach to job role being the choice if you are in a larger company. Over the next 10 years, you will find your future vocation if it doesn't find you.
Cheers Cam
(an ex tradie of a number of trades and better for it)
My current roles are: estimator, draftsman, scheduler, sales, office administrator, designer, R&D manager, IT Admin, purchaser & coffee maker.
My previous roles included; toolmaker, gasfitter, leadlighter, plumber, machinist, maintenance fitter, factory manager, hydraulic fitter, welder/fabricator, mechanic, and some other obscure roles like bricklaying and tiling for builders. Most of which I have tickets or certs for. But my name is not Jack.
The world is your oyster.