Career / Life Choice

RandySmurf

Hi Everyone.

I am looking for some help, advice, anything really.

I am a 35yr old, have wife, kids, mortgage... All the accessories lol.

I sat my leaving many moons ago, however at the time I had no idea of what I would like to do, and I sat my leaving with no ambitions of going to college, just got to work straight away.

I came up through the good times, where it was a case of leaving one job and walking into another, I have had so many jobs, from working as a car mechanic, operating heavy plant machinery, working in pubs, and my last job which was ment to be a temporary gate stop ended with me basically waisting over 10yrs of my life as a skilled Factory worker, I say waisted as I had hoped that at some point it would be recognised what I do, the standard I do it, and my potential to be a leader, but that is not the case, and it will never happen as its very much a case of who you are, and who your friends with.

It was a bit devastating to finally come to this realisation, more devastating to think I was stupid enough to believe i would progress and further myself in this Job..

I am at a stage now where its time to either make a change or just stop my brain thinking too much and forget about progression and just clock in and clock out like everyone else... Something that seems difficult for me to do.
I get paid €430 per 39hr week, which considering being here over a decade and it's a role where I make things with my hands and need skills and training, I think is on the low side, I know I or my family not living as comfortable as I would like to be.

A position where I could earn 30-35k per year would allow us to live a lot better life..
However having your cake and eat it will come to mind when I say I value my family time, and I believe kids need it. I could easily stick myself on a machine and get 30k per year but it would mean working 60 + hours per week during summertime,
The trade off is more money = less time with kids.

So now I'm wondering do I stop looking at the smaller picture and look at the big picture, do I sacrifice a few years now and go back to education and try find a career that gives me the Salary I want, whilst not working silly hours to make it..

I really don't know what to do, and like when I did my leaving cert I don't know what I would like to do as a career..

Is it wrong to be of the mindset I don't care what I do as long as Its the quickest route for me to get X amount every week for Y amount of hours.

Apologies for the long winded post

spurious

Find your local ETB (previously VEC) Adult Education Officer and speak to them about what possibilities there are. Their job is to help people in exactly your situation.

djpbarry

RandySmurf wrote: »

So now I'm wondering do I stop looking at the smaller picture and look at the big picture, do I sacrifice a few years now and go back to education and try find a career that gives me the Salary I want, whilst not working silly hours to make it..

I say go for it – you’ll regret it if you don’t. You say you feel you’re worth more than you’re making (and you’re probably right) and that feeling is only going to get stronger as you get older – it won’t go away.

You’re still relatively young, so it’s certainly not too late to go and do something else. Earning somewhere in the region of €30 – 35k per year shouldn’t involve working crazy hours. It’s a perfectly achievable goal.

RandySmurf wrote: »

I really don't know what to do…

Who does?!? As said above, go and talk to someone about it. Do some research online, browse recruitment websites and try and get an idea of what might interest you. What are you good at? What would you like to be doing on a day-to-day basis? What would you like to be able to tell people you do?

Best of luck – hope things work out for you.