I dont know what to do , Help

[5hane]

Basically im confused what to do with myself

 

 

I turned 17 on monday, and had me first driving lesson yesterday - i feel old !!!! me past few years have flew by and i dont know what to do with meself

 

 

Since i knew what a car was, ive ALWAYS wanted to work with cars

and at the moment i dont think im doing bad, i worked at a fairly big and respected garage for over 18 months (only reson i left was because no work there - i out "lived" 3 workers !)

And at the moment im restoring classic minis, and lerning loads, and gaining loads of experience

 

Ive been doing mostly body work - i know quite a bit of mechanics, but dont want to do it as its all text book imo, no disrespect to any mechanics on the site, i just dont see it as much of a challenge - partly because i think its more of a craft, you have array of hammers and dollys and fillers to make something which was useless and ready to be thrown away, something usable and as good as new. Also stepping back and seeing a car what was crap and seeing it all mint and fresh makes you feel as youve done a good job

 

But i was talking to a mate at my work, whos 26, and he was saying to me he wished he took another path, as where do you go after learning how to do bodywork well? Its just a job, and ill be stuck with it for the rest of me life, earning (well tbh i dont know how much, not 35 ) a year and ill be concidered a "grease monkey" by anyone who dont have a clue how much work goesinto it.... (most people, i bet alot on here dont know how much work goes into painting a car !)

 

So i dont know what to do ive got 8 GCSE's including a C in english a B in math and an A in science, so ive got a open book really, and could do a fair few courses in collge / uni

 

 

the only thing is, i dont know what i could do i would obviously like to do something to do with cars

 

My work mate suggested trying to get into a pit crew of some sort, his mate is in a pit crew in the US doing nascar and that sorta thing, you go accross the world following whatever motorsport your with.

 

 

what other things is there? I just dotn want to be stuck on a computer all me life, i cant stand being on it at home at times.

 

 

I dunno, ive got to get ready for me driving lesson today (Wish me luck !)

 

 

Cheers guys, sorry its a bit long

[Stu_B]

I wouldn't mind earning 35k a year

[sambo]

Yes mate, 35K P.A is a nice wage.

 

If you love cars then i understand that it is very difficult to make a decent and interesting career doing what you love.

A lot of people said to me whay didnt i become a mechanic, the simple answer is that i dont fancy changing brake pads and emptying sumps on Renaults or volvo's etc all day.

 

Motorsport is the holy grail but getting your foot in the door is just blind luck.

 

If i were you, i would focus on a career that earns you shed loads so you have more money to spend on your passion!

Estate agents seem to be grossly over-paid!......

Or if you dont mind going to college, there are planty of choices.

 

Good luck mate. Choose wisely!!!!!!

 

[Mk2Jo]

Whatever makes you think you have to have the same job for life? You can change careers whenever you want in the future ... look at me ... I am just changing mine now from boring office/accounts/payroll bod to becoming a Driving Instructor and I am 43

 

Have a look here as this website (if you don't already know it) will give you lots of help and advice on a career choice

 

http://www.connexions-direct.com/index.cfm

 

As for £35k ... I would be more than happy if I was to achieve that sometime in my lifetime At the manufacturing company where I work the highest paid machine operators earn £17846 per annum and the highest paid office staff earn £21k I know it's unskilled labour BUT it is still a grown man's/doris's wage.

 

You are very fortunate in that the world is your oyster - seek some help from people who know about advising on career choices as they should be able to steer you in the right direction ..... there are 1000's of jobs out there besides the mainstream ones but keep your feet on the ground as getting into motorsport is not that easy and you may find yourself waiting in line behind many, many others

 

Good luck mate Oh, and good luck with the driving and enjoy it

[SmokeEm]

I'll own up to earning a fair bit more than 35k but I can assure you peeps - you still live to your means and I'm still skint. AND the stress that comes with the job sometimes seems not worth it

[Guest cortinamad-gonetoo]

you feel old

 

give it a rest

[moredoorAsh]

All i ever wanted to do was work on cars, i did my apprenticeship at a ford main dealer and after 6 years i'd had enough of changing oil etc or spending all day looking for a bloody rattle behind the dash, was on no where near 35k a year though prob would have stayed for that

 

Good luck with whatever you decide

[Vista]

Join the military as some sort of engineering apprentice, tanks, planes, vehicles, ships, you name it and you can do it.

 

Plus, there are lots of fringe benefits to a service life, good prospects, pension rights, health care, extra curricular activities etc

[Posse]

Money is not everything being happy and healthy is. But i wouldn't get out of bed for shit dollar Also your still young and a virgin

[Takeshi]

"Only 35k a year". Ha...

[5hane]

I was told by my collegue that i coul dearn up to 35k a year, of course i know thats alot of money, and i dont know if that is correct

 

I think im going to have a look into motorsport, and see what there is. Also Sambo i dont know about an estate agent, but i think im going to have a wider look, im just thinking cars cars cars, and obviously theres alot more out there that i could go for, just never really thought about it

 

Ill definatly have a look at the milatary, i did think about that a little before

 

 

 

 

Possie

 

 

ps. Cheers Joe it went really well

[over_head_cam]

You've got time to do loads of things. I guarantee you won't really know what you can do yet. Try everything. No really. BTW 35k isn't a drop in the ocean, it's above average

 

Also "ive got 8 GCSE's including a C in english a B in math and an A in science, so ive got a open book really"

[5hane]

yer i cant spell, dunno how i did well in english

 

Sorry i didnt mean to put me noes up at 35thousand, i really didnt mean to come acroos like that, mt dad earns less than that, and my mum earns well under that, sorry if ive offenced anyone

[mexman123]

Fookin Hell, when i was 17, i was earning £36 quid a week on a poxy YTS scheme.

Even now at the age of 42, i;m only on £20,000 and i work me balls off, but i enjoy my job.

I say, go with what you are happy doing, i have been so skint at times in my life that i have had to take my kids to their grandparents just to get them fed!

But, i have never been miserable, own my own home, have a lovely wife, great kids, and can occasionally enjoy a beer now and again

Life is to short to be unhappy, just pick a job you enjoy doing, never mind the wages ,(to an extent) i would rather be skint every now and then but be happy in what i do, than earning a fortune and hating every minute of it...

45 years of your future life will be working, and you are a long time dead.....Just enjoy your young life, and stop worrying, Jesus, you are too young to be worrying about Shit like that.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[over_head_cam]

Well put Mexman

 

Shane, I don't think anyone was offended, just surprised

[GT_lenny]

as said before, you can make decent( not amazing ) money at the job your already in and more importantly it sounds like you enjoy it - we all have days when we wished we'd chosen different paths but thats life,

 

its funny i often think i wished i'd gone into panel beating/restoration, who knows i still might

[5hane]

I do enjoy it its great

 

just at the moment im gettign £60 a week (soon to be £40 as ill be doing two half days) which is money, so im not complaining, just a few of me mates are earning double, working in Argos im not going to leave because of the money at the moment - i get alot of experience which they obviously dont.

 

Just at the moment ive got a few years of free college, and i dont want to waste them

[GT_lenny]

I do enjoy it its great

 

just at the moment im gettign £60 a week (soon to be £40 as ill be doing two half days) which is money, so im not complaining, just a few of me mates are earning double, working in Argos im not going to leave because of the money at the moment - i get alot of experience which they obviously dont.

 

Just at the moment ive got a few years of free college, and i dont want to waste them

 

thing is mate in 5 years them mates at argos will still be earning the same where as you'll be a fully experienced car body repairer/restorer- at 22 thats some going,

there's more to be made on the side with your skills too

[GT_lenny]

use the college time to get your paper work for your trade

[Mr Sam]

money isnt everything mate

 

do whats gonna keep they grey cells busy

[faceman]

when you get out in to the big wild world you will be glad to earn 35 k ayear

[Savvi]

Having a body shop next to my unit, i'd say stick to it and get your papers.

 

It has occurred to me in the last year since he moved there, people don't care if the car is safe everything working etc as long as it looks nice

 

 

The guy is seriously raking it in, even in these bad times, before he was self employed he was doing friends cars and making his wages again on the side.

 

If you decide in a few years time it's not for you then look around for some thing else and you still have the chance to do a few "home jobs"

[mk1super]

Restore old fords mate cant go wrong

[5hane]

mmm,

 

I think next year im going to go for enginnering, but stay working in a bodyshop,

 

if i like it i think im going to go onto mortor sport engineering

 

 

i dont know, i have till september to decide

 

 

 

as for money, it can be good If i were to set up me own place (Always been the plan tbh) i think i could earn over £500 a week, proably more ?

[5hane]

Restore old fords mate cant go wrong

 

 

 

 

i think thats the sort of thing i would want to do, classic restorations. and the odd dori car

 

Im also going to start leanign how to do lead loading / body soldering, which is pritty specilist, and not many people do it. If you dont know, its like filler, but you atually use a special solder, which is a mix of tin and lead which you use like a filler, but obviosuly the repair is metal, whcih is ten fold better, and it cant rust through (moisture can be caught bnehind filler) (the do it alot on american chopper)