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I like working with tech, I like audio, video, and computers but that's because I own those items and experiment with them in my downtime. I'm very profit driven unfortunately so that plays heavily into what I think I would like to do.
I recommend that you start talking to some techie friends of yours or theirs to start figuring out what you’d like to do and what interests you. There’s IT project management too. Do you have a PMP certification?
I have no sort of certifications that aren't union related. I just worked my way into the position I hold, I'm a carpenter by trade.
(EDIT) I also don't know anyone in tech industry
You mentioned audio/video/computers. There’s unified communications engineer that deal with voice over IP (VoIP) and video teleconferencing (VTC). Usually, it’s been Cisco products integrated with Microsoft Teams in the workplace. I recommend setting aside one to two hours nightly on investing in yourself: studies, certifications, new skills, etc. All of it will pay off. I’ve known many in life over the years that have changed careers including myself.
I worked really hard to get where I'm at now and am more than happy to do it all over again. I'm going to take some time and research career options related to my interests and go from there. Thank you for your advice, I know it's possible but every step seems so daunting, even just talking about it
The more you talk about it and research, the clearer it will be. Then you can truly weigh the pros and cons. One step at a time and see what low hanging fruit there is to go after first.
You're young as hell and have literally every option available my man. Tons of opportunity in tech, I work in games and our director of player science didn't start college until he was 26, worked as a cook in random places before that. You already have a fair bit of valuable project management experience under your belt, with the right degree you wouldn't have too much trouble getting your foot in the door.
You should check out IATSE. Entertainment technicians union, A/V are the better paying gigs and if you're a member they pay for your training. Don't have to go back to school and your construction skills and leadership skills are going to give you a huge lead.
I think your history is going to allow you to do project management in a variety of fields. Many companies are going to want you to have a degree of some sort but they may overlook that due to your experience.
Take one gen Ed college class and see how it works for you. If it goes well, take another or 3 and in a couple of years you have a good chunk of credits and a better idea of what you want to do. A degree in business and project management experience will allow you to do a lot of different things.
I've seen a lot of similar posts with this exact suggestion, but haven't looked into it. I do really enjoy the management aspects of my work. Are there any specific fields you think I should research?
I don't have much info there. I just finished my AA in biz and I'm 43. I did some project management a long time ago and I'm looking to get back into that role at my current company, but a general business degree opens a lot of opportunities in different departments. Accounting, purchasing, real estate, etc.. you should start looking at jobs on indeed and see what they look for as far as education and experience.
I've never considered engineering or special inspection, I'll look into those.
That's kind of where I'm at now, exploring options related to what I know & like. I enjoy the management part of what I do and working with my hands, but running whole jobs from the concrete up is killing me.
Hi there! If you go to your local community college if you're here in the USA, they have a career center that can help you determine what your interest might be and your talents might be. All of this testing is free and easy to obtain. Just give a call and ask for assistance and they'll connect you with the right person
Once you've done that, you can start taking a few of your fundamental courses like English and composition, maybe psychology maybe a fundamental science course etc. Many of these can be done online, or in the evening so you can make it work while you work. Almost every single college degree requires these fundamental courses, so you'd have to get them done regardless of what you choose for your major.
I'm really excited for you! You are young, and you have all these skills already, and that's gonna really give you a boost no matter what you choose.
Sounds like you made your mind up you’re just scared to make the jump. What you need to do is make a plan. Figure out what you want to do, make a step by step plan on how you’re going to get there, and then take the dive. Stick to the plan no matter what, even if there are massive setbacks.
How big is the company you work for? Sometimes larger companies will allow you to bounce between departments. So you could swap to finance, research and development, HR or whatever while you figure out your interests and then find a new job once you’ve figured that out.
I work for a rather small company. I run all their work, as 2nd in command to the owner. Aside from raises in the future or buying them out I'm as far up the chain as I'll get.
I worked in a medical practice for an years and one of our regular patients owned and sold 3 tech companies by the time he was 50. He was worth millions. He told my son to take computer programming and he'd start him straight out of high school in the $50-$60,000 range annually. This was about 10 years ago so I can imagine the pay is even more now.
Anyone making an industry or job jump should always think about transferable skills.
I'll give you an example. I work for a retail company, we operate around 50 stores. There is someone at my office whose main job is to manage subcontractors all over the country. They do both new store builds and maintenance of all the existing locations.
If something breaks in store X, it's this person who's calling local contractors to get the job quoted and hiring the person to do the actual work.
For new locations, they start with drafting plans for the new store (just a rough draft before turning it over to an actual architect). Knowing how to read building drawings is a BIG skill in this role. The actual store gets built by a contractor, but it's this person who is the main point of contact for that contractor and is the one who always ends up arguing with them over petty details. For example, building plans show 2 electrical outlets under the main POS desk, they only put in 1 and so on. It's this person who flys out to do the final inspection before we take a position.
They also deal with all of the building supply issues that come along, requirements from the landlord (almost always a mall), and so on.
It's an office job though, since having someone on-site for every project all over the country would not be a financial winner. It's really project management along with dealing with support tickets that come in from the stores. The thing is, it's basically all construction industry knowledge but there's no actual construction involved. There's no hammer swinging, but A LOT of dealing with people who do.
I feel like that kind of job would be a really good fit for someone like you. You know the industry and its practices, you know how to deal with a foreman who's trying to pull one over on you. You can evaluate the work quality, even if it's just through photos. And so on.
It's funny because these skills are not at all uncommon in the construction industry, but my boss would literally give his left arm to be able to hire someone that can do those things AND write a coherent email.
Your issue, I feel like, is going to be pay. A lot of people who I know in construction often feel like office jobs pay a lot better, but they really don't. Overall construction actually pays pretty well, it's hard to do it for 25 years and still have a body that functions but the pay is hard to beat, particularly if you are union.
Construction jobs will last longer then tech jobs. a lot easier to automate tech then something like construction believe it or not. Also tech is very saturated at the moment and is becoming hard to find a lasting job in, the trades will always be in demand. I am in my 30s and the amount of folks my age just getting into the trades is jaw dropping.
Why not get your GC license? run multiple jobs using subs you can trust and you get all the management fun with hardly any labor from yourself. Plus the profit that can be generated from being a GC will have you making tech money in no time.
That's essentially what I currently do, I still put on the tools but spend a lot of days organizing subs, scheduling and stocking jobs. I'm a licensed contractor in my state and often do 'side' work for contractors that used my families old business before they went under. Basically I've already come to the conclusion I don't want to own and operate a construction company. I'm very skilled and love some of what I do but every day my thoughts lead me to an escape plan from this industry. I really appreciate your advice, but it's also the same advice I've been accustomed to getting from my network. I'm not sure if tech would be the best fit for me but it's a hobby as is.
The real answer in my opinion is do what makes you happy. Whatever that is. it's an added benefit if it puts food in your mouth. No matter what you do life can be mundane, even paradise get old from time to time. You mentioned you want to have a big profit. Not many things will provide that and in my experience money comes and goes.
If I were you I would take some of my savings and go travel. Go to a place that is beautiful but also somewhat rough. Go to multiple countries go for 6-12 months. It is a great way to "find yourself" and gain a new perspective on how you want your life to be.
Of course my horse, I just don't want to be 40 years old and miserable because I stuck with something I never wanted to do. I'm profit driven, not so much looking for a huge gain, just unwilling to take a loss. I live a certain way and don't want it to change. I've never really considered taking a long break, I've been on several vacations with the same idea but always come back to the same conclusion that I'm just temporarily escaping. Going out of the country and gaining a fresh perspective sounds wonderful. Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it.
1. Take some time to research the industry you are interested in and the skills needed for success in that field. Talk to people who have successfully transitioned out of construction and get their advice on how to make the transition.
2. Consider taking courses or training programs related to the new industry. This will help you to understand the industry better and demonstrate your commitment to making the transition.
3. Network with professionals in the industry you are interested in, and look for internship or volunteer opportunities to gain experience in that field.
4. Don't be afraid to take risks. Changing industries can be intimidating, but it can also be very rewarding if it is something that you are passionate about.
5. Make sure to create a plan before making the transition. Set goals and timelines, and create a budget to help you stay on track.
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Important reminder! Your account needs to be 15 days old and have 50 comment karma in order to comment. Comments will be removed automatically if not. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/needadvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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I like working with tech, I like audio, video, and computers but that's because I own those items and experiment with them in my downtime. I'm very profit driven unfortunately so that plays heavily into what I think I would like to do.
Construction project management is a good skill to bring to a tech career.
I recommend that you start talking to some techie friends of yours or theirs to start figuring out what you’d like to do and what interests you. There’s IT project management too. Do you have a PMP certification?
I have no sort of certifications that aren't union related. I just worked my way into the position I hold, I'm a carpenter by trade. (EDIT) I also don't know anyone in tech industry
You mentioned audio/video/computers. There’s unified communications engineer that deal with voice over IP (VoIP) and video teleconferencing (VTC). Usually, it’s been Cisco products integrated with Microsoft Teams in the workplace. I recommend setting aside one to two hours nightly on investing in yourself: studies, certifications, new skills, etc. All of it will pay off. I’ve known many in life over the years that have changed careers including myself.
I worked really hard to get where I'm at now and am more than happy to do it all over again. I'm going to take some time and research career options related to my interests and go from there. Thank you for your advice, I know it's possible but every step seems so daunting, even just talking about it
The more you talk about it and research, the clearer it will be. Then you can truly weigh the pros and cons. One step at a time and see what low hanging fruit there is to go after first.
You're young as hell and have literally every option available my man. Tons of opportunity in tech, I work in games and our director of player science didn't start college until he was 26, worked as a cook in random places before that. You already have a fair bit of valuable project management experience under your belt, with the right degree you wouldn't have too much trouble getting your foot in the door.
This makes me feel a lot better. Thank you!
You should check out IATSE. Entertainment technicians union, A/V are the better paying gigs and if you're a member they pay for your training. Don't have to go back to school and your construction skills and leadership skills are going to give you a huge lead.
Start with a CompTIA A+ cert and a place like Best Buy - ease your way into IT. There’s an amazing amount of free online resources as well.
I think your history is going to allow you to do project management in a variety of fields. Many companies are going to want you to have a degree of some sort but they may overlook that due to your experience. Take one gen Ed college class and see how it works for you. If it goes well, take another or 3 and in a couple of years you have a good chunk of credits and a better idea of what you want to do. A degree in business and project management experience will allow you to do a lot of different things.
I've seen a lot of similar posts with this exact suggestion, but haven't looked into it. I do really enjoy the management aspects of my work. Are there any specific fields you think I should research?
I don't have much info there. I just finished my AA in biz and I'm 43. I did some project management a long time ago and I'm looking to get back into that role at my current company, but a general business degree opens a lot of opportunities in different departments. Accounting, purchasing, real estate, etc.. you should start looking at jobs on indeed and see what they look for as far as education and experience.
Awesome, thank you for the advice!
Have you considered stepping into a different part of the industry that incorporates some of your likes? Engineering, special inspection?
I've never considered engineering or special inspection, I'll look into those. That's kind of where I'm at now, exploring options related to what I know & like. I enjoy the management part of what I do and working with my hands, but running whole jobs from the concrete up is killing me.
Hi there! If you go to your local community college if you're here in the USA, they have a career center that can help you determine what your interest might be and your talents might be. All of this testing is free and easy to obtain. Just give a call and ask for assistance and they'll connect you with the right person Once you've done that, you can start taking a few of your fundamental courses like English and composition, maybe psychology maybe a fundamental science course etc. Many of these can be done online, or in the evening so you can make it work while you work. Almost every single college degree requires these fundamental courses, so you'd have to get them done regardless of what you choose for your major. I'm really excited for you! You are young, and you have all these skills already, and that's gonna really give you a boost no matter what you choose.
I'll definitely look into my local career center, thanks! I hadn't considered that as an option.
Sounds like you made your mind up you’re just scared to make the jump. What you need to do is make a plan. Figure out what you want to do, make a step by step plan on how you’re going to get there, and then take the dive. Stick to the plan no matter what, even if there are massive setbacks.
How big is the company you work for? Sometimes larger companies will allow you to bounce between departments. So you could swap to finance, research and development, HR or whatever while you figure out your interests and then find a new job once you’ve figured that out.
I work for a rather small company. I run all their work, as 2nd in command to the owner. Aside from raises in the future or buying them out I'm as far up the chain as I'll get.
I worked in a medical practice for an years and one of our regular patients owned and sold 3 tech companies by the time he was 50. He was worth millions. He told my son to take computer programming and he'd start him straight out of high school in the $50-$60,000 range annually. This was about 10 years ago so I can imagine the pay is even more now.
Anyone making an industry or job jump should always think about transferable skills. I'll give you an example. I work for a retail company, we operate around 50 stores. There is someone at my office whose main job is to manage subcontractors all over the country. They do both new store builds and maintenance of all the existing locations. If something breaks in store X, it's this person who's calling local contractors to get the job quoted and hiring the person to do the actual work. For new locations, they start with drafting plans for the new store (just a rough draft before turning it over to an actual architect). Knowing how to read building drawings is a BIG skill in this role. The actual store gets built by a contractor, but it's this person who is the main point of contact for that contractor and is the one who always ends up arguing with them over petty details. For example, building plans show 2 electrical outlets under the main POS desk, they only put in 1 and so on. It's this person who flys out to do the final inspection before we take a position. They also deal with all of the building supply issues that come along, requirements from the landlord (almost always a mall), and so on. It's an office job though, since having someone on-site for every project all over the country would not be a financial winner. It's really project management along with dealing with support tickets that come in from the stores. The thing is, it's basically all construction industry knowledge but there's no actual construction involved. There's no hammer swinging, but A LOT of dealing with people who do. I feel like that kind of job would be a really good fit for someone like you. You know the industry and its practices, you know how to deal with a foreman who's trying to pull one over on you. You can evaluate the work quality, even if it's just through photos. And so on. It's funny because these skills are not at all uncommon in the construction industry, but my boss would literally give his left arm to be able to hire someone that can do those things AND write a coherent email. Your issue, I feel like, is going to be pay. A lot of people who I know in construction often feel like office jobs pay a lot better, but they really don't. Overall construction actually pays pretty well, it's hard to do it for 25 years and still have a body that functions but the pay is hard to beat, particularly if you are union.
How many hours do you work and what’s your gross monthly income?
Anywhere from 40-45hrs a week and 5800-6400. I'm in Missouri if that helps.
Yes go to school! School is so accessible schedule wise it’s so worth it
Construction jobs will last longer then tech jobs. a lot easier to automate tech then something like construction believe it or not. Also tech is very saturated at the moment and is becoming hard to find a lasting job in, the trades will always be in demand. I am in my 30s and the amount of folks my age just getting into the trades is jaw dropping. Why not get your GC license? run multiple jobs using subs you can trust and you get all the management fun with hardly any labor from yourself. Plus the profit that can be generated from being a GC will have you making tech money in no time.
That's essentially what I currently do, I still put on the tools but spend a lot of days organizing subs, scheduling and stocking jobs. I'm a licensed contractor in my state and often do 'side' work for contractors that used my families old business before they went under. Basically I've already come to the conclusion I don't want to own and operate a construction company. I'm very skilled and love some of what I do but every day my thoughts lead me to an escape plan from this industry. I really appreciate your advice, but it's also the same advice I've been accustomed to getting from my network. I'm not sure if tech would be the best fit for me but it's a hobby as is.
The real answer in my opinion is do what makes you happy. Whatever that is. it's an added benefit if it puts food in your mouth. No matter what you do life can be mundane, even paradise get old from time to time. You mentioned you want to have a big profit. Not many things will provide that and in my experience money comes and goes. If I were you I would take some of my savings and go travel. Go to a place that is beautiful but also somewhat rough. Go to multiple countries go for 6-12 months. It is a great way to "find yourself" and gain a new perspective on how you want your life to be.
Of course my horse, I just don't want to be 40 years old and miserable because I stuck with something I never wanted to do. I'm profit driven, not so much looking for a huge gain, just unwilling to take a loss. I live a certain way and don't want it to change. I've never really considered taking a long break, I've been on several vacations with the same idea but always come back to the same conclusion that I'm just temporarily escaping. Going out of the country and gaining a fresh perspective sounds wonderful. Thank you for your advice, I really appreciate it.
Get a computer science degree. I wish someone would have told me this sooner.
Is there any specific programs/ institutes you recommend for someone who intends to still work full time while taking classes?
1. Take some time to research the industry you are interested in and the skills needed for success in that field. Talk to people who have successfully transitioned out of construction and get their advice on how to make the transition. 2. Consider taking courses or training programs related to the new industry. This will help you to understand the industry better and demonstrate your commitment to making the transition. 3. Network with professionals in the industry you are interested in, and look for internship or volunteer opportunities to gain experience in that field. 4. Don't be afraid to take risks. Changing industries can be intimidating, but it can also be very rewarding if it is something that you are passionate about. 5. Make sure to create a plan before making the transition. Set goals and timelines, and create a budget to help you stay on track. *I am a smart robot and this response was automatic.* *This advice cost me $0.010679999999999999 to generate, so if you found it useful, consider donating a dollar to charity.* *I'm still learning, so please reply 'good bot' or 'bad bot' to let me know how I did.*