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Original poster

Should I take a pay cut to move into tech?

18 replies

Chunkymonkey123 · 17/04/2022 09:56

I currently work 3 days per week, earning 26k. I’m a teacher and I am at the top of the pay scale so no chance of an increase. I also want to leave teaching. I have been offered a tech job with a big company that will be a training contract paying 31k for two years full time.
This is obviously a big pay cut and would be going back to full time which will mean more childcare but it is partly WFH.
Does anyone have any experience of taking a pay cut and if this is likely to be a good plan long term?

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 17/04/2022 09:59

31K for 2 years' full time work seems very low

Diddlysquat13 · 17/04/2022 10:00

Do you enjoy teaching?

mdh2020 · 17/04/2022 10:03

DH was very unhappy in his job and took a pay cut to change career. It turned out to be the right choice. He was much happier and over time he made up his lost income. But we had two small children at the time and it was very hard. We lived on a tight budget, no holidays or outings, and he had to take a Saturday job to make up his wages (he could earn more for a day’s work than I could). To sum up, we had a few hard years but in the end it was more than worth it. However, £31k for two years sounds very low - does it even meet minimum wage requirements? Are you sure they don’t just want two years of cheap labour from you?

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Givemestrengthorvodka · 17/04/2022 10:05

Is that 31K per year or across the two years?

What kind of tech job? There is a huge demand for certain DDAT (digital data and technology) jobs just now. I'm in one in public sector and get paid a ddat supplement on top of my salary as it's a hard to recruit area. So depending on what your training is in there could be potential for a much higher salary once qualified.

Dearmariacountmein · 17/04/2022 10:07

I took a pay cut to move into tech - it wasn’t as much as a cut as yours or as low (went from high 20s to low 20s). But less that 4 years on and I’m earning nearly 4 times that.

In tech earning potential isn’t really capped and once you get your feet under the table it’s easy to progress.

Original poster
Chunkymonkey123 · 17/04/2022 10:13

Sorry I wrote that badly, it’s 31k per year for the first two years

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 17/04/2022 10:19

Do it.

D0lphine · 17/04/2022 10:22

@Chunkymonkey123

Sorry I wrote that badly, it’s 31k per year for the first two years
So it's not really a pay cut then. It's a pay increase plus after the training you'll be able to leave and get the big bucks

Omg do it! No brainier!

Seemssounfair · 17/04/2022 10:27

What type of role and what are the career opportunities?

Original poster
Chunkymonkey123 · 17/04/2022 10:27

Thank you for all your comments!
I’d have to increase my son’s days at nursery from 3 to 5 so I don’t want to do that if it’s not a long term good idea. But next year when he’s at school I should be around to do the school pick ups whereas at the moment my older child has to go to after school club. Pros and cons 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
Chunkymonkey123 · 17/04/2022 10:28

@Seemssounfair

What type of role and what are the career opportunities?
It’s a back end engineer but they’ve said I can move after the training if I’d prefer a different role. It’s with a big international company.
OP posts:
spirallingupwards · 17/04/2022 10:28

@D0lphine pro rata it's a pay cut.

@Chunkymonkey123 it sounds like a good opportunity if you really want to get out of teaching.

RedskyThisNight · 17/04/2022 11:16

It's worth it for the pay cut if

  • you will end up with an industry recognised qualification at the end of it
  • the job you are pursuing will lead to genuine career prospects in the future. It sounds like it will. Although you should probably note that if you do want to move into a different role after the training period, that might well involve more re-training so will be another period of not progressing.
GorgeousLadyofWrestling · 17/04/2022 11:27

I would take it a million times over. I work in tech and I’m not even an engineer/ developer but I am out earning my peers in other industries. Technology will always be a safe career and your earning potential is sky high.

Patchbatch · 17/04/2022 11:30

It’s a back end engineer but they’ve said I can move after the training if I’d prefer a different role

What's your current degree in? Why would they train you to be a back end engineer and then say you can move? Confused. Working in tech isn't all sunshine and rainbows, I'd be clear on the expectations they'd have of you.

topcat2014 · 17/04/2022 11:41

Don't forget the 25% employers pension contributions you will lose..

Be careful you are not being promised jam tomorrow

Duracellbunnywannabe · 17/04/2022 11:47

31k a year at the bottom of their scale with room to increase later. I would go for it.

D0lphine · 17/04/2022 17:49

@topcat2014

Don't forget the 25% employers pension contributions you will lose..

Be careful you are not being promised jam tomorrow

She can always go back to teaching if it doesn't work out. Thoughts like this keep people stuck in situations they hate.
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