Is it too late for a career change?

admin

Hi all, I'm in my early 40s and due to job outsourcing and other factors, I'm preparing to change careers.  I'm currently a computer programmer, and my company is preparing to let me go later this year as new systems come on line to replace my job.  In my early 20s I worked at a train car manufacturing plant as a welder.  I learned to stick, mig and use a plasma arc cutter (loudest thing I'd ever heard).   Over the years I welded here and there, but have forgotten a lot of what I knew.  A local tech school is offering welding courses, which I can take for free on state grants.  My question is, is it too late for me to switch over?  When is someone too old to be considered productive and employable?
Reply:Oh.. yes -- I am mechanically inclined.. I work on my own tractor & motorcycles, have wired a building to code.. like working with my hands.. Computers paid well but the jobs are getting harder to come by, and pay less and less.  I like not freezing my bones off being in an office in the winter, but the stress of being in a tiny cube typing behind screen all day is taking its toll.   The factory I worked at was hard in a different way.. dirty, very dangerous.. I know what I'd be getting into.Last edited by sheslostcontrol; 01-19-2011 at 08:18 AM.
Reply:As far as being too late, that will be up to you. I did a major career change at your age and never looked back. It took a lot of my spare time and hard work but the sucess paid off in a big way. You probably already know there are two types, those who sit back and expect everything to come to them and then there are the successful ones who go and get it for themselves.You can do it with the right attitude.Miller Challenger 172Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC 225/150Miller Maxstar 150 STLVictor 100CVictor JourneymanOxweld OAHarris O/ASmith O/A little torchNo, that's not my car.
Reply:I CERTAINLY HOPE IT'S NOT TOO LATE!!!  I just turned 50 and I'm headed down that road.  I lost my job as a manufacturing supervisor after almost 27 years and went back to school.  I'll finish school at the end of this year and I'll be back in the job market and I'll be 51 then. I'm kinda looking foward to a change.StephenMillermatic 251Miller Syncrowave 200Miller 30A SpoolgunHypertherm Powermax 30Etc., etc., etc.............Cancer Sucks!
Reply:It's never too late!  my only "concern" is the over-forty eye sight...  don't be too vain to get cheaters for your helmet!  other than that, go for it!-----------------------Carmen Electrodewww.CarmenElectrode.comand the boss blogs at  www.JoeWelder.comall powered by  www.Arc-Zone.com
Reply:You may at first have a hard time finding work for reasonable pay. Hard to say with out seeing your work. You could move up fast in the industry. Also many consider welding and fabricating as a construction industry. Layoffs are common to many people till you get established. Good points would be, you get to work with your hands and at the end of the day, there is something you can look at that you made yourself. There is work for people who have the initiative to learn and and aim to succeed. I believe welding is like riding a bike. If you done this kind of work before, you will pick it up again fairly fast. You might want to consider staying after work to practice your welding. If there is no jobs in your field of work now. Then this could be a good opportunity!
Reply:Old is a state of mind.  If you are in good shape and have reasonable intelligence there is nothing but yourself to hold you back.  If you think "I can't do that" then you will discover that to be a self fulfilling prophesy.  The winner of the 23rd annual Boilermakers’ National Outstanding Apprenticeship Competition this year is 40 years old! Go to this website (http://www.boilermakers.org/files/reporter/V49N4.pdf) and scroll down the page to read about his accomplishment under the headline "L-7’s Bogue wins national apprentice competition".What it all comes down to is what you want and how bad you want it. By the way, I just turned 56, and I will graduate the Boilermakers' apprenticeship next month.  I started in the Boilermakers at a shop local in 1990 and switched to the NTL for four years before getting in Local 60's apprenticeship.  I am NOT the oldest to go through it by a long shot but I am up there. If you work hard and prove yourself and can put up with the jokes about being an apprenticesaurus or "Are you going to retire when you graduate?" you can do just fine.  You just have to show the "kids" how to do it!Good luck in whatever you decide, Bob."The man of great wealth owes a peculiar obligation to the State, because he derives special advantages from the mere existence of government."  Teddy RooseveltAmerican by birth, Union by choice!  Boilermakers # 60America is a Union.
Reply:I suggest you read "What color is Your Parachute?"by Bolles.  Good book for career changers.
Reply:Welding is just a job that needs to be performed like any job. If you physically can perform the task then there should be nothing holding you back from getting a job, go for it and good luck!
Reply:Wow, there must be a lot of this going around. I'm 47 and just enrolled in a two year welding certification program with a local college. I spent the last 25 years as a computer network engineer. You would think a guy could make a living doing that but it has changed so much and so many companies have "off-shored" their IT Systems that I decided to change careers.It all started when I discovered an old Miller Thunderbolt 225 in a shed on my girlfriend's property. It was covered in dust and looked like hell. Out of pure curiosity I pulled it into the barn and cleaned it off. After downloading the manual from Miller's site I decided to give the old beast a try. Long story short - it worked and I started trying to learn to weld on my own. After lots of lurking in forums like this, reading everything I could get my hands on and many hours of practice, I decided that I wanted to pursue a more formal education and get some certs. Not sure what I will ultimately end up doing with it but its a start in some direction.As for being too old? Man, that's just a state of mind. Sure, my eyes aren't what they used to be but there's lots of fixes for that. I look at it this way, people that have spent their lives working for a living (whether its writing code or mucking out stalls) have a set of skills that are highly sought after. Primarily, a work ethic, common sense, experience, communication, and on and on. Not to bash the younger folks too badly but you can't learn that stuff in school. You have to learn it the hard way, by getting out of bed every day for 30 years and doing the next right thing.Best of luck to you and everyone else who's made that decision to push all the chips into the center of the table and try something new. I'm all in!Eric
Reply:Im not going through a career change or anything but I can say this.  People unless a bad accident live for a long time 80-90's.  When you put yourself at 40's thats 40 years away most haven't worked at there current fields for longer than 25 years.  Also unless you have a pile of savings your not gonna want to retire to a ss check so like my dad you will work as long as your body allows.  So make the change and don't regret it ever and you will be fine.  Good Luck to you whatever you choose.“The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.”  ~General Patton~
Reply:I have done other things between making sparks and I found it is like riding a bicycle... It comes back to you very quickly.  Being computer literate and a welder opens up all kinds of doors in production welding.  More and more automatic/robotic equipment is being developed.
Reply:It's never too late to do anything.Put your mind to it and just do it....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:X2 on what Zap saidLarryMiller XMT 304 CC/CVSyncrowave 180 SDLincoln PowerMig 255XTTermalDynamics 52Lincoln 305GComlpete machine shop to back it up
Reply:I am 40 years old. I was a Senior Estimator for civil construction companies and averaged 75k a year in salary.  I have a college education and have always developed websites as a hobby.  I was laid off 3 years ago and haven't been able to get another job since.So, I saved up all of my gov'ment checks and bought a Miller 350P, Miller Spectrum 875 Autoline Plasma cutter, Quincy 5 HP air compressor, a Shop Fox drill press and a Torchmate CNC 5x10. I develped a website for my new business and started working from a new office/warehouse.I am excited to be finally working for myself!  Although there are reservations about what the future holds...I believe it will be a better future for me and my family because I no longer work for wages.  Instead, I am now doing something that I am satisfied with.40's are the new 30's!
Reply:The age in which you are right now, you should concentrate more on religion rather then career. You should think about life after death.  Originally Posted by lwintersI am 40 years old. I was a Senior Estimator for civil construction companies and averaged 75k a year in salary.  I have a college education and have always developed websites as a hobby.  I was laid off 3 years ago and haven't been able to get another job since.So, I saved up all of my gov'ment checks and bought a Miller 350P, Miller Spectrum 875 Autoline Plasma cutter, Quincy 5 HP air compressor, a Shop Fox drill press and a Torchmate CNC 5x10. I develped a website for my new business and started working from a new office/warehouse.I am excited to be finally working for myself!  Although there are reservations about what the future holds...I believe it will be a better future for me and my family because I no longer work for wages.  Instead, I am now doing something that I am satisfied with.40's are the new 30's!
Reply:Originally Posted by sheslostcontrolHi all, I'm in my early 40s and due to job outsourcing and other factors, I'm preparing to change careers.  I'm currently a computer programmer, and my company is preparing to let me go later this year as new systems come on line to replace my job.  In my early 20s I worked at a train car manufacturing plant as a welder.  I learned to stick, mig and use a plasma arc cutter (loudest thing I'd ever heard).   Over the years I welded here and there, but have forgotten a lot of what I knew.  A local tech school is offering welding courses, which I can take for free on state grants.  My question is, is it too late for me to switch over?  When is someone too old to be considered productive and employable?
Reply:Originally Posted by CarmenElectrodeIt's never too late!  my only "concern" is the over-forty eye sight...  don't be too vain to get cheaters for your helmet!  other than that, go for it!
Reply:Originally Posted by Donald BranscomI used a magnifier for my welding starting when I was 24 years old. All my welding friends wondered how I could make such good welds.I could see the welds 3 times larger thats why. Of coarse an older welder told me that "secret".
Reply:Originally Posted by sfwebThe age in which you are right now, you should concentrate more on religion rather then career. You should think about life after death.
Reply:Originally Posted by mick1775Magnifier trick? Please, do tell.
Reply:to echo what has already been said; no it is not too late. You can sit on your duff and hope for some programming jobs to come back, or you can be active in deciding what happens to you. I would at least call your union locals - ironworkers, pipefitters, boilermakers (anyone else that does welding) and see what the market is like, and how soon might be able to get to work as an apprentice. Apprentices that come onto my jobs that know how to weld even a little, are more valuable than those that cant. Dont dodge any comments about age, be sure to overwhelm them with enthusiasm and commitment. Heh, if I told any of the ironworkers I work with 40 or older "You're too old for this game", I would literally be inviting a fight. Im 35 myself and have no problems.Changing careers means leaving your comfort zone. I would prepare for a false start here or there. Keep pushing, keep pursuing. Good luck!
Reply:Put on your big boy pants and go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply:Originally Posted by tenpinsto echo what has already been said; no it is not too late. You can sit on your duff and hope for some programming jobs to come back, or you can be active in deciding what happens to you. I would at least call your union locals - ironworkers, pipefitters, boilermakers (anyone else that does welding) and see what the market is like, and how soon might be able to get to work as an apprentice. Apprentices that come onto my jobs that know how to weld even a little, are more valuable than those that cant. Dont dodge any comments about age, be sure to overwhelm them with enthusiasm and commitment. Heh, if I told any of the ironworkers I work with 40 or older "You're too old for this game", I would literally be inviting a fight. Im 35 myself and have no problems.Changing careers means leaving your comfort zone. I would prepare for a false start here or there. Keep pushing, keep pursuing. Good luck!
Reply:the only thing your to old to do is join the army.  i say go for it!! i changed my career path 5 years ago and love what i do now.WELD TO LIVE LIVE TO RIDEA bad welder blames his equipment, a good weldor can lay a perfect bead on any thingMale or female?Either way, the market is not going to be good for an inexperienced welder in their mid 40's, even less so to a woman. By the time you get training, and find a shop that is willing to hire, and then get trained in the way they do business you'll be what, 50? 53?With the way the industry is going I would think you would have a much better chance at making a living in your current profession.Sure you can do anything you put your mind too, but you might not be able to make a living off of it.Have we all gone mad?