In need of a career change... any ideas?

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  • jtb81100

    Ultimate Member
    May 28, 2012
    2,234
    Western HoCo
    Another idea is check with local school systems. They usually have a guy or two who do equipment repairs, as well as their regular maintenance guys. Decent pay, weekends and holidays off, state retirement.
     

    Ammo Jon

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 3, 2008
    20,638
    OP, as mentioned in another current thread...
    If you have an inspection license, there is a definite market for an "inspection only" facility. There are thousands of people who would be happy to pay extra for a legitimate inspection from someone who isn't trying to get additional work from the inspection.

    EDIT- My wife mentioned offering a pre-purchase clean bill of health service as well- also with no repairs being offered or performed. "This is going to need front brake pads. A reputable shop should charge $175-$200 for the service" People who aren't in the know about cars would find value in this service.

    If he combined the above with MSI it would be a win/win. Charge $100 for MSI and overall checkup.
     

    dogbone

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 14, 2011
    2,981
    GTT - Gone To Texas
    I was going to say something in the medical field. X-RAY tech may be an option. Tough program. I don't know who teaches it anymore but medical equipment repair and calibration is also a good field. Best of luck!

    I was a X-ray Tech for 10 years before I went back to school to get into medical equipment repair. It was great fun working evening and night shift in the ER. Tough on the back, both lifting patients and pushing a mobile unit.

    Medical electronic repair was a great intellectual challenge back when component level repairs were possible. You really felt you accomplished something when you could read the schematic, troubleshoot down to a bad transistor, replace it and getting the unit running again. Later on, technology got to the board level repair, and then to module level replacement. It felt like going from being a detective to being a glorified shipping clerk. It may not be bad working for an equipment manufacturer if you don't mind travel but if you are working in a hospital, there will be on call duties.

    My last switch took me to working in a university library. No formal training but some skills I'd picked up on my own matched with what they needed. Had to bite my tongue working around liberal academics but as a switch from the medical field... well, let's just say there aren't many library emergencies.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,339
    Glen Burnie
    I was going to say something in the medical field. X-RAY tech may be an option. Tough program. I don't know who teaches it anymore but medical equipment repair and calibration is also a good field. Best of luck!
    Many community colleges have programs. Anne Arundel has one of the best in the country. You just don't sign up and a year later you're a tech.
    If you don't have them already, you need to satisfy some basic prerequisite classes first which can take two years and then the actual 2 year program. And it's pretty competitive.

    Not you, but I always hate the people who say it's never too late to go to college. Someone's it is. Especially when you are in your 40-50's, not retired and still have to support a family.
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,216
    variable
    X-ray tech is a good gig, but it is physically demanding. Most of the people who leave the field do so for health reasons, usually back problems.
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,216
    variable
    Ever thought about being an auto shop teacher at a local Vo-tech high school??

    I went to a 'STEM' high school before the acronym existed. We had shop classes taught by folks who had moved from industry to teaching, my math and physics teacher was an engineer who had spent 20 years in gas turbine development.
    If someone has the knack for teaching and is able to deal with teenagers without strangling them, then yes, that may be a worthwhile direction for a career change.
     

    wabbit

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2010
    5,185
    Toxic, are you opposed to working for the federal government? There are opennings periodically when they accept applications for technicians. You'll need to set up a profile and resume in USAjobs, be able to get a security clearance up to the TS level, and endure a long application process, but it's a unique field to get into . PM me if you want to know more, and I'll keep an eye out for when the next application window opens up.
     

    rob

    DINO Extraordinaire
    Oct 11, 2010
    3,096
    Augusta, GA
    Figure out what you enjoy doing and why, then try to figure out how to apply it. What motivates you to work? Don't pick something you dislike just because the money is good, you'll be miserable.

    For example. I like creating things and I like it when someone uses something I created and is happy that it helped. When I was younger I thought computers were neat, so I ended up as a software engineer. I create programs that people use to simplify their work.

    Rob.



    Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk
     

    GoGoGadget

    Deplorable Member
    Mar 10, 2011
    2,958
    A.A.Co. and Carteret Co. NC
    I was going to say something in the medical field. X-RAY tech may be an option. Tough program. I don't know who teaches it anymore but medical equipment repair and calibration is also a good field. Best of luck!

    ^^ This is a good tip. I know a guy who rakes in cash repairing and calibrating some sort of specific medical device. He's one of a handful of people in the country that can work on that specific machine. No idea how to break in to that industry, though..

    Oh, and OP - Roll Tide!
     

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