# Career change - Who's done it?



## IamDave (Feb 6, 2015)

Warning - Long post!

Ok now I know there are some threads on this but some of the info I'm after is career specific so thought I'd start a new one.

Basically I have worked in the ambulance service for coming up 5 years at the end of January (did 3 years non emergency PTS and almost 2 years as an Emergency Care Assistant). Since starting on shift work the early starts (up at 5:30) have been taking their toll on me as I really struggle with sleeping before a block of shifts and get less than half what I usually need (might sound like a woe is me situation but it genuinely is a problem).
This led me to be off work a few times at the end of last year beginning of this year but has improved slightly throughout the year but I still get anxious about it on the night.

I'm basically knackered whenever I'm at work because of this (and nights) and started to wonder if it's all worth it. I should have the chance to apply for progression to Paramedic next year which has been something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember but I'm now having doubts. I do enjoy the job, I work with some great people, have a good variety of work and I'm proud of what I do but the main downside is the shifts for me as it is a bit of a struggle.

I've been looking at the possibility of going into IT (not 100% yet) as I'd always considered this as a back up. Not entirely sure what field but I'd considered either web design or support tech work.

So basically I'd like to hear from anyone who's done any career change and how they found it.

Anyone that is currently working in IT (Any field) and how they find it.

Finally any opinions. Should I stick it out a bit longer and see how I get on or start looking elsewhere?

Thanks for reading
Dave


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## fozzy (Oct 22, 2009)

I did it at 39 after working as a (Don't Laugh) Hairdresser for 24 years. I had a huge bike accident and couldn't work for 18months so decided to go back to college, then college and night school, then Uni. The only thing i regret is not doing it sooner. My job now is digital media specialist/ Lead teacher for a specialist learning centre used by all our local schools. I still can't believe I'm here after 9 years lol. I started out doing the tech support quals such as cisco and Microsoft certification but diverted into photography / Animation / Film / Motion Graphics / Programming blah blah.
Just do it!


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## cossiecol (Jun 29, 2014)

It all depends on which sector of IT you want to work in?

I'm currently in the project Management side and gave up my permanent role to go contracting to pay my way through uni. Without any qualifications you are still able to get a job as an IT analyst/support engineer and work your way up from there, although don't expect a lot of cash unless you go contacting, even then for decent money you'll need either a PRINCE2 or PMP qualification, if you get both that's even better.

I'm now leaving this field to study Ethical Hacking so it's not a complete career change but also it kind of is.

If you're seriously thinking about moving on my advice would be just do it and don't spend months and months thinking about it.


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## Shug (Jul 13, 2007)

I work in IT and have done since leaving uni with degree in computer science.
All I can say is avoid it like the plague. 
You say you are proud of what you do. I have no room for pride after the energy consumption in maintaining the will to live. 
Unless money is the only driving force, then go for it.
I'd kill for a career change, just don't know what and whether I could take the income hit. Prisoner to my own bad life choices really.
What was the question again?


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## shycho (Sep 7, 2010)

Shug you should specify what area of IT you work in. 

I've done first line tech support and would agree and say it is soul crushing. However I now work as a Business Intelligence consultant and although it is hard work it is also a very enjoyable job and i'm grateful i'm doing something I can tolerate waking up for on a Monday morning.


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## davies20 (Feb 22, 2009)

I know its horses for courses & all....

But I couldn't think of anything worse than the move you are planning, a varied job, helping people & something to be really proud of, to working in IT.

I've done a couple of 'career changes' so to speak & as mentioned, just do it if its what you want. There are no such thing as bad choices, everything gives you experience which will then lead you to where you want to be - or at least that's how it worked for me


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## AndyED (Jul 14, 2014)

University didn't really agree with me, so I quit and went into sales, then an insurance call centre, then an accident management call centre, then account management for the same company. Didn't like it, and always wanted to work in IT. A local company offered me a job as 1st line support, and with no qualifications but a bit of knowledge about server 2003, I managed quite well. I found support interesting for a couple of years, but kinda tedious when it was always the same problems, but managed to progress to 2nd and 3rd line support. Going out to new customers to audit their network, and recommending solutions was fun. I've moved to looking after the IT infrastructure of a business centre - an IT Manager without the title if you will as I'm the only one. Now I have to report to the board each quarter on our performance, income and expenditure, plan how the speed and pricing of broadband that we offer will change, what kind of phone systems to use and so on - for me massively more interesting after 6-7 years in support.

In that time, only maybe half of the guys I've worked with have stuck with IT, the rest either weren't really interested, or couldn't be bothered to apply themselves and moved on - so it's not for everyone.

Hope that helps a little!


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## AMD (Dec 30, 2012)

The upsides

Money especially contracting
It's easy, more so if you have a lot of common sense

The downsides

It's frustrating and bureaucratic
Little D's (Directors / Dictators) are a pain
You lead a sedentary life, and can get back problems
Unless you work directly for end users who appreciate what you do, it's not very rewarding.
The government are always taking more of your money, especially contractors

It was good for years, now I just want to retire and become a detailer


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## IamDave (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies! It's given me a bit to think about at least. I can sort of understand some people might think it's odd changing careers in the direction I am but I guess every job has its upsides/downsides. For me at the moment it is simply the shifts which I can't change (though our rota is under review at the moment and hopefully they'll go back to slightly later starts!). Whether that'll change with time I don't know.

I may leave the idea for the moment until I get to the time where I can apply for the Paramedic conversion just in case things do change. If not I may have to start looking properly. In some ways I wan't to pack it up but in many other I don't bit of a decision that I imagine everyone considering a career change faces.

Field wise I had been looking at various fields: Web Developer (I've dabbled a very little in HTML/CSS and JavaScript but haven't even scratched the surface!), Software Engineer and Support (all apprenticeships though). Which brings me to the other problem. I'm not 100% sure if I can still do an apprenticeship as I've already done one (5 years ago after college) meaning I would most likely need to do part time studying which of course could take a while and cost a bit! There's very few places that require no experience


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## c87reed (Dec 9, 2015)

I moved away employment in the engineering industry (3D CAD modelling) and part way through a degree in degree in Civil Engineering into primary school teaching. This meant going back to university full-time for three years. They do say that there is a shortage of teachers, although I have found it extremely difficult to secure work, other than on a supply basis; with schools favouring more experienced staff. I thought I'd be working fewer hours, however the workload in education is much higher.


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## Loudandproud205 (Oct 18, 2015)

Having recently moved in to PTS work myself after what felt like a life time in factory and manual work, the one thing I found was there is so many different companies offering services and yeah some are better paid and have better prospects but someone that is trained well is a valuable resource and is well worth explaining through with the current employer as they know many other places will snap you up. 

I got offered 3 different shifts to pick from and I went for what was right for me, it's not the best paid one or the best prospects but it allowed the shifts I desired and time to build around my family to as that was one reason I wanted out of my old job.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2015)

So it's your sleep patterns rather than the job itself that's making you want to change?

Is there any way you could get medical dispensation to support you working one set shift pattern all the time so your body could fully adjust?


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## IamDave (Feb 6, 2015)

Hugh said:


> So it's your sleep patterns rather than the job itself that's making you want to change?
> 
> Is there any way you could get medical dispensation to support you working one set shift pattern all the time so your body could fully adjust?


Yeah that's exactly it. It's hard to explain but essentially before I start a day shift (1st of a block) I struggle with sleeping sometimes to the point where I don't sleep at all (I mean at all) and I end up having to ring in sick (happened again last night actually first time since February) and it feels ridiculous saying "I couldn't sleep". Plus I never had a day off sick in my previous role but in this one since I've started I've had a few, I hate having to do it. I've sort of coped with 3-5 hours most of these particular nights but it never gets easier.

When it first occurred I went to the doctors who suggested the same but my manager says they can't purely due to the fact there isn't a shift pattern with only late shifts. The GPs advice when I next visited was "well maybe you need to look at another job" which at the time wasn't really helpful but he was probably right!


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## Deanoecosse (Mar 15, 2007)

I can relate to both career options. I did 10 years 2nd & 3rd line IT support for HBOS until 4 years ago and it was pretty dull & tedious, every day was groundhog day and I was overjoyed to leave in the end. The plus side was there was no shift work. 
My Mrs has been a paramedic for the last 20 years and she does struggle a bit with the rotating shift pattern like you, but has got used to it over the years. Most of her colleagues have been there 10+ years so I think the sleep disruption does get easier, but it's a tough job and the pay is terrible (around £35k including shift allowance which is ridiculous for the responsibilities and hours they work). I'd also say more than half of her colleagues are looking to leave the ambulance service as they deal with so much crap these days, abuse from junkies who lives they are saving and acting as a taxi service for ****heads at a weekend. However, when she brings home a heartfelt thankyou letter from a parent of a kid whose life she has saved, it becomes the best job in the world. That's a feeling you will never get if you moved to a career in IT, so I'd think carefully before you made the leap


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## minority (Jan 3, 2011)

I'm in IT as a application developer and can only say that you must really enjoy it to deal with the crap you get from users and the long hours.

Can't comment on support roles but I am pretty decently paid , with base salary, benifits, out of hour pay and double time for any work I am required to do out of hour and lately I am doing a lot. I tend to do it through the night at weekends so I can spend the day with the kids but it does mean I lose sleep which I can generally handle for a good few months before it catches up with me. 

The down side is I feel my soul belongs to them at times and due to my successes I tend to get the harder projects which mean it's high stress, targets set by management, never understand how a ba and project manager can come up with time scales without asking developers.
User spec which once you complete coding they turn around tell you it wrong even though they have had numerous occasions to check it.

On up side I enjoy the challenge and problem solving. I am not your standard programmer I have no interest in coding when I am at home rather play with the kids. It often makes me think I could change career as all I am interest in is the problem and once it solved I have no interest in the coding part lol.


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## IamDave (Feb 6, 2015)

Appreciate all the replies! I think I'm going to attempt to stick it out a little longer and see if the problem settles as I say I quite like the job itself (of course there's the downsides such as late finishes and all the service politics) so would like to continue.

Should the problem persist however I may need to get serious with what I'm going to do and I won't lie I've found it though trying to admit to myself that in may need to change career


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## Mml2823 (Feb 14, 2015)

Get yourself qualified to paramedic level and then find a role that suits. Crying out for paramedics all over the place and you could even get offshore - 2 weeks on 3 off or maybe get onto the coastguard - extra £25000 for a paramedic. I changed career 3 years ago by joining the ambulance service and currently studying to be a paramedic and I love every minute of it but I do admit it is a very different job up here where I am.


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## IamDave (Feb 6, 2015)

Mml2823 said:


> Get yourself qualified to paramedic level and then find a role that suits.


Hoping to get a shot at a course through my trust next year. The trouble is this is now resting on what happens between now and then with regards to the trouble I've had sleeping. I've decided that so long as I don't have anymore full on sleepless nights before work I'll go for it if on the other hand I do then I'm going to have to make a decision.

Don't get me wrong it's not that bad where I work it's actually quite reasonable we have silly busy days but then some days we're steady away. The trouble I'm having isn't work related as such it's just one of those things!


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## Spinonit (Nov 10, 2013)

I've changed career so many times, I must be a career career changer!! 

However, I did almost the exact opposite to what you are considering, when in 1992 I moved from a very successful career in IT in banking in the City, to become a trainee firefighter.

I had become so numbed by the banality of IT (at least in the City), where the ONLY concern was profit. By that time I was a senior Ops Analyst on (now ancient) IBM mainframes. I was forever going on training courses to keep up to date, spending hours in boring meetings listening to the management team telling us how they wanted vast performance improvements but providing no funds. As a previous poster said, it was like Groundhog Day over and over and I'd go home feeling completely unfulfilled. Luckily, the salary allowed me to party that away, or buy nice cars or bikes to soothe the itch.

When I became a firefighter, it was a step into the unknown, with more than a 50% drop in basic salary (in IT I got bonuses, overtime, 12% salary increases etc!), but it was the most fulfilling move I have ever made in my life and I never looked back.

The camaraderie is something that you simply cannot get in any other type of employment. So much so, that even after I was medically retired in 2002, I still keep in regular contact with many of the guys I worked with in two Fire Brigades and the many stations and watches I was posted to.

Im not belittling IT, but a phone call from someone saying they have a serious problem, is never going to be as fulfilling to resolve as one from your control, where you know your are going to assist someone who is in genuine medical need. As with firefighters, I suspect that ambo's/paramedics jobs involve 75% tedium/routine and another percentage of much more interesting work, however, I very much doubt you will ever forget the 3, 4, or 5% of incidents which make you realise that you have made such a massive difference to someone, or more likely to some peoples' (e.g. an entire family who's relative you have saved). True, there will be not so good memories too, but the camaraderie usually sorts that out.

After leaving the Fire Service, I first became a police intelligence analyst, then went back to the fire service in a civvy capacity, then as an emergency planner, like the ones in the north west England who are dealing with the floods. I was always trying to find something better, more fulfilling and each move I said "this will be my last", but three years later, the tedium of Groundhog Day Wore me down and I realised that I needed to revive my soul. So I made another leap in the dark to become an Autosmart franchisee. it's too early yet for me to say much about whether that was the correct choice for me, but I'm sure it will be. I know it will never replace that special feeling I had in the Fire Service, however, that was a feeling I got over time (years, not months). The shifts took some getting used to as well, but they do get better. Admittedly, it is not for everyone and there are always leavers for varieties of reasons.

I guess that's a very long way of saying that I hope you can find time to really think this through, as once gone, it will be hard nigh impossible to resurrect. Have you tried talking to your service about your problems, as I suspect this is not uncommon. There have been plenty of studies by universities etc about this type of sleep disruption, so you may find some answers by googling it? Failing that, can your quack refer you to a sleep specialist, in the same way they might for an insomniac, or sleep apnea? If your quack cannot refer you, your health trust should be able to. Sometimes it's the asking for help that's the biggest obstacle.

Hope you come to a satisfactory conclusion :thumb:


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## 330CDT (Jun 14, 2015)

c87reed said:


> I moved away employment in the engineering industry (3D CAD modelling) and part way through a degree in degree in Civil Engineering into primary school teaching. This meant going back to university full-time for three years. They do say that there is a shortage of teachers, although I have found it extremely difficult to secure work, other than on a supply basis; with schools favouring more experienced staff. I thought I'd be working fewer hours, however the workload in education is much higher.


If you don't mind me asking, what made you want to leave the engineering industry / 3D CAD modelling?

Reason I ask is that I've been working in the industry for a couple of years, mainly in 2D CAD design and drawings. But I'm looking to progress and learn more 3D relatively soon - It's something I would like to do. Would like to hear your take on this!

Thanks,
Tom


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## c87reed (Dec 9, 2015)

330CDT said:


> If you don't mind me asking, what made you want to leave the engineering industry / 3D CAD modelling?
> 
> Reason I ask is that I've been working in the industry for a couple of years, mainly in 2D CAD design and drawings. But I'm looking to progress and learn more 3D relatively soon - It's something I would like to do. Would like to hear your take on this!
> 
> ...


Delayed response I know, but I left in part due to the increasing time constraints when draughting/3D detailing. There wasn't the option to produce a good, clear drawing. This was due to the big contractors constantly cutting rates etc. Everything seemed to be rushed, and it left little room to have, or take pride in your work.

The world of 3D modelling is moving at speed though, the emphasis now is on BIM modelling. I used to use Tekla, which is a great system to be able to use and it is fair to say that it takes some skill to operate.

Hope it's not too late in the day.


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## Big jock (Jun 10, 2016)

Just my say but do what you enjoy, if you enjoy working with computers and networks go for it, if you are just thinking it would be a good job I would exercise caution.
Personally I am just waiting for a position to open up in the tourrets suffering whisky tasters industry.


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## 330CDT (Jun 14, 2015)

c87reed said:


> Delayed response I know, but I left in part due to the increasing time constraints when draughting/3D detailing. There wasn't the option to produce a good, clear drawing. This was due to the big contractors constantly cutting rates etc. Everything seemed to be rushed, and it left little room to have, or take pride in your work.
> 
> The world of 3D modelling is moving at speed though, the emphasis now is on BIM modelling. I used to use Tekla, which is a great system to be able to use and it is fair to say that it takes some skill to operate.
> 
> Hope it's not too late in the day.


Thanks mate. I'm currently in building services now. It's a bit like you describe, most people want everything, yesterday...

I'm moving to another job soon and may be able to have a dabble in BIM so I'll see how that goes!


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

I did a career change about 9 years ago. Spent 16 years in IT for the NHS in the operating theatres in a major hospital in Cambridge.

Had a new manager take over who didn't know his **** from his elbow. Woke up one morning and thought 'I've gotta go to work' it was at that point I knew I had to get out!

Took a job with the village taxi company as a stop gap, and got head hunted couple years later by the leading chauffeur company in Cambridge. Been with them for nearly 6 years. Best move ever!


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## 330CDT (Jun 14, 2015)

neilos said:


> I did a career change about 9 years ago. Spent 16 years in IT for the NHS in the operating theatres in a major hospital in Cambridge.
> 
> Had a new manager take over who didn't know his **** from his elbow. Woke up one morning and thought 'I've gotta go to work' it was at that point I knew I had to get out!
> 
> Took a job with the village taxi company as a stop gap, and got head hunted couple years later by the leading chauffeur company in Cambridge. Been with them for nearly 6 years. Best move ever!


Awesome! So you're essentially a 'posh' taxi?

I genuinely think I'd love that. How do find it? What's the hours like?


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

330CDT said:


> Awesome! So you're essentially a 'posh' taxi?
> 
> I genuinely think I'd love that. How do find it? What's the hours like?


Errr, no! Totally different service....

It's amazing how many assume that I am a taxi though.

Hours are all over the place, 6/7 days a week, practically no social life, but, I wouldn't be doing it if it didn't pay well, & it does pay extremely well.

To be fair, the time I spent working for the village taxi company was brilliant. Boss was an idiot who folded his company in the end. If I had the finance, I would of brought him out, he was literally sitting on a gold mine but couldn't be bothered to promote his business! He was literally printing money!


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## 330CDT (Jun 14, 2015)

That's awesome man!

I can really see the appeal. A great cash builder even if it is for a few years.

Just realised, you're probably not in the UK? 

Isn't everything well paying over there?


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

330CDT said:


> That's awesome man!
> 
> I can really see the appeal. A great cash builder even if it is for a few years.
> 
> ...


Nope, in the UK. Not the Australia Melbourn


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## Jack R (Dec 15, 2014)

I gone from being self employed carpenter/builder to employed project manager although still in the construction industry, it's nice to not have the aches and pains anymore and four months in still really enjoying it. Also when I get home now at half five I'm finished and can see the kids instead of being stuck doing paperwork, and even though I'm not earning as much I seem to have more money too.


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