To think about quitting my WFH job to re-train as a plasterer?

[confusedlady10]

Would I be stupid or unreasonable to consider quitting my job and re-train in a new field as a plasterer? I am a 29 year old single mum WFH in a dead end call centre job. It’s quite niche as it involves investigating specialist fraud cases but is still mainly a customer service job. The pay isn’t that great (£2k pm after tax living in London) and I’m fortunate to be able to live in cheap accommodation through family, but it’s not sustainable.

I’ve had applied for hundreds of jobs to try in earn more money and elevate, even paid someone to re-write my CV and do an extra qualification in my field within finance. But I don’t have a degree and regardless, I’m struggling to stand out. Hundreds of applicants, countless ghosting's and unfortunatelys after an odd interview. Finance, admin and banking sectors seem to be too saturated whether remote, hybrid or office.

So I was thinking to quit my job, apply for universal credit of some sort (started doing research on what they can support me with) and then hopefully retrain as a plasterer in a course to try and better myself as I heard that there’s good money if you are a skilled labour and could hopefully work for myself or another company. I would hopefully be able to work it around my son and less competition for the jobs I am not getting. Am I wasting my time and dreaming? (I have no experience in this and trying anything to earn more at the moment, whilst still applying for jobs like crazy, pls be nice!) 😣

Sounds like a good idea to me. You’ll become physically fit doing the job. I doubt all apprentice plasterers are ripped! I’ve only personally heard of one other female plasterer, the partner of a colleague.

Good for you @confusedlady10

My dad was a spark and he always said that you never saw old plasterers (over 50). He’d mutter darkly about the dust and the damp.

All the skilled trades will keep you fit and in work, and probably when you hit 50s you’ll wish you had kept your desk job!

But you will be able to be your own boss and have variety in your work, and you won’t be replaced by AI. My dad coped with aging by taking smaller local jobs which had less of the ladder work and carrying rolls of cable up into attics and crawl spaces- but he wasn’t the main earner in our house.

As an academic and not terribly skilful with my hands, I think my best option would be painting and decorating, but I’d fancy carpentry/joinery. I also know a couple of women carpenters which might influence me.

You could also work for a few years and then train to teach whatever trade you go into- colleges offer full time courses for 16-17year olds in the trades, and you’d be an inspiration to girls 😎

Good luck!

Yes I am sure you’re right, my opinion is tarnished by my short stint (2 years in CS) and seeing slacker after slacker, eeking out their work to fill all week, slopey shoulders galore and never wanting to pick up more, flexible working being abused and sickness was ridic. I couldn’t hack it and left for the private sector paved with gold.

This!!

Have you tried picking and a sheet of plasterboard and carrying it upstairs? very heavy and awkward.

Tbh I don't as long as a job is a 9-5. Will check it out.

Tbh after looking, a lot ask for a degree. It counts me out sadly. I can't find any entry level non degree ones unless I am not looking properly!

DS has a female tutor for his engineering GCSE (it's college based, a slightly weird set up) and he loves her to bits.

Look up Women in Rail if this floats your boat.

Just because she was small doesn't mean she wasn't strong and fit?

There is, however, a clear physical difference between being e.g., a plumber or a spark and a roofer or brickie.

It's definitely something that could be achieved if you can support yourself whilst you do it. I'm actually considering doing a locksmith course. Doesn't require heavy lifting but just needs a good knowledge of all the different types of locks and systems. I'm closer to 40 than 30 so was looking at trades that didn't involve being too taxing on my body and could be worked around the kids.

A man I know worked in a bank and one day decided he would like to train as a plumber. He loves it, there is so much variety and the money is great.

If I were younger I would definitely look at training for one of the trades. Instead I am retired and look back at my almost 50 years of boring office work with regret.

Go for it OP.

What about plumber? Emergency call outs pay £££££££££

Sadly I missed the deadline. I am applying for next Sep but will need something in the meantime. Looking at a painter decorator course of some sort in the meantime! 😞

I won’t lie to you, it can be a disadvantage as employers have to pay you more, BUT some will see this as worth it as older candidates tend to be more focused and reliable than teenagers.

Yup! Might explore a locksmith course in case as well. Thank you.

Lol

A few years ago on Mumsnet, everyone was recommending training for a job in cyber security

Might be worth looking at the courses ?

My husband has been a carpenter for nearly 40 years and has many issues with his knees and shoulders due to the heavy lifting involved over so many years. I have had a desk job for 20 years and have many issues with my neck, shoulders and wrist due to the continual computer use. Any kind of repetitive work can mess you up in different ways sadly.

You will have to be physically fit.

If you’re plastering a ceiling for example, you need to do it in one go. Ok if it’s not a big area of course, but if not, you could be in trouble with it going off.

Ooh I'll check it out then thank you!

Have you thought of painting and decorating? Because it's in finished houses, you may be going in to decorate for women on their own, and you as a female may appeal a lot more than a male decorator. Similarly less in the way of technical knowledge required.
Edit - missed your post of just above. Sounds like you have!

Yup! Trying to find good courses, but don't know how to get full time jobs or get in with a company after the course. That's my main worry. But I am looking into that, the locksmith option and cyber security. Thank you!

In my area (South West) they were recently advertising for temporary painters and decorators for commercial work- "experience not essential". I nearly went for it (have quite a lot of painting experience, although not decorating as such), but I landed my absolute dream side job instead.

But that does suggest it's not the most difficult of trades to break into. Doing it on a self employed basis might be preferable.

Love this! Trades are great and we defo need more woman in trades! However my brother is a plasterer and he says he finds it mind numbingly boring and is moving into gym/fitness region instead. He’s also very fit and finds plastering very tough on the body, so keep that in mind! I know a female painter and decorator and she loves it, so might be another one to consider ☺️

Another vote for painter & decorator. It’s physically sustainable if you’re good on ladders.

Also, you can start doing jobs now IMO. Start doing friends’ and family’s places and get your business going via recommendations. Check if you need insurance, but I’d be surprised you need to be qualified to start charging a decent daily rate. Just saying

ETA how technical are you? Alcove shelves is another one that could be a nice little specialty?