my next life 5

[denoid]

I’ll try to say this as short as possible. In December, 2011, I finished my 37th year of engineering practice in the private sector. Prior to 2008, I thought I could actually retire someday, but it’s not looking good coming up on age 60. While I’ve mostly enjoyed many aspects of my career, it’s becoming obvious to me that my next adventure needs to be something different, especially if I need to work for another 10 - 15 years. Frankly, the responsibility and the stress weigh on me heavily from time to time.

Walmart Greeter is out, since I have some golden handcuffs, (mortgage, 1 kid still in college, etc). Scaling back on my current job doesn’t sound real good either, since the same deadlines and stress will always be there, even with a reduced workload.

I still work fulltime; my wife & I are still healthy; I have hobbies; I’m trying to teach myself a foreign language (German); I volunteer regularly for a couple of organizations; my wife and I love to travel, but I didn’t have to travel much for my career.

Somehow, I’d like to combine my “other skills” picked up over 37 years, as well as language and travel, into my next adventure. The kicker is that I’ll need to pay the bills and cover healthcare costs for another 10 – 15 years until I really can retire.

Does anybody know of any success stories of friends, acquaintances, or co-workers who have rolled their life skills into a successful second (non-engineering) career, and actually made it work?

 

[denoid]

My wife actually thought of the idea of flipping houses back before 2008. We even went to a couple of seminars on it. After the housing crash, we count our lucky stars we didn't go through with it - I just had this nagging little voice in the back of my head that kept saying "Don't do it". We' be bankrupt like so many others who didn't have the voice or didn't listen to it.

Spanish is not a bad suggestion, but I think you have to follow your passions - mine has always been German, never could really figure out why.

 

[denoid]

Mike: Thanks, but I hate doing my own taxes, not to mention my 20-something daughters' taxes. Note to self: this year, they will learn to do their own).

 

[denoid]

OK, so here's my latest idea:

I've been half considering going back to school in some sort of technical training/apprenticeship to spin some of my engineering skills I've developed (e.g. technical drawing, attention to detail, etc.)with my artistic skills and talents with wood & stone carving, calligraphy, etc., but I don't want to spend years doing it,(schooling, that is), paying a fortune for the training, and I don't know if the end pay result starting out would be enough to keep us afloat anyway.

I'm picturing a job in an architectural stone shop doing architectural restoration carving or matching of existing detail work on existing stone building facades. Heck, I'd even consider working for a stone monument company inscribing cemetery stones. Working under the tutelage of a Master Wood Carver would be kind of nice, too, doing the same type of work.

Relocation is out of the question at this stage of my life, (although a short temporary apprenticeship in Europe sounds kind of nice for the initial training). Self doubts about others' perception of my talent level is a concern - if the pro's don't think I'm talented enough to pull it off, I'd hate to spend the money up front for the training.

There it is. Tell me why I'm crazy considering it.

 

[btrueblood]

SG,

My #3 is son is taking an online course in Latin, to satisfy his school credit requirement for foreign languages (they cancelled Spanish classes at his school, and busing to the school that kept it would cause him to miss out on music). His teacher gives her students work in conversational Latin too, via Skype "parties". Suggesting you check into it, he is having fun with it apparently (based on the lack of vocal complaints about it).

 

[ImminentCollapse]

Hey denoid,

Maybe you could just go work for tumbleaves' company? He/she will be glad to give you a reference!

I see nothing crazy about the stone gig, seems very niche, just do your market research before making the leap.

Not many other ideas for staying at the same pay rate, but there are lower stress options if you can absorb some wage decrease:

Teaching at the tech/community school? Seems like they need "old" folks real life expereince in those positions.

May seem sarcastic, but what about government? Plan review for the local municipality?

Last one would be an organization, ACI, ASCE, AISC, etc, etc.

IC

 

[denoid]

LOL, IC. I don't think tumbleaves would appreciate my presence, based on his/her current situation. Actually, I'm trying to get out to make space for him/her.

You've posted lots of good suggestions, (I gave you a star for that). So far the stone gig is the most sexy, but the market research may shoot it down in the long run. We'll see.

 

[MTPipeliner]

Are there any sort of "inspection" type opportunities within your general location where your experience would be valuable? I know several individuals who have quit their "career" and gone onto inspecting for other companies doing similar work. They seem to be pretty stress free positions, and the change of scenery from one company to another seems to be refreshing -- same issues with a different perspective.

 

[denoid]

Thanks for the suggestion, MTP. I'm not aware of any local firms that only offer inspection. There are a few forensic type of firms, but I choose to stay out of that area - never really liked lawyers or courts, and always did my best to keep away from both.

Ultimately, I think the attraction is probably going to be something 180 degrees from what I'm currently doing.

 

[trey25624]

I find the best way to find what your next career move should be, is to just look for job postings which have transferable skills.

For instance, I am a civil that was doing storm sewer design and was really bored with it. I wanted to get into something different but didn't know what. Energy seemed like a good idea and I thought "well i probably need to go back to school for that since i have no experience in the industry". Fast forward a few months and I apply for a natural gas engineering position that I was not sure I really qualified for. Turns out I got the job and I'm working in an industry I never really expected to be in.

I guess my point is the more you try and plan for your ideal career, the more you miss opportunities that are right in front of your face. It may not fit your grand plan exactly, but what in life does?

I think going back to school is great, but sometimes it really can be a waste of time if your objective is just to find another career. You don't always need school to do that. That being said, you are never too old to go back to school and it could open up opportunities as well.

 

[lisa247]

I would be very surprised if you got an apprenticeship in Europe, since there are tens of thousands of 16 year olds who can't even get apprenticeships in Europe at the moment due to the recession. Good luck in whatever you end up doing though!

 

[denoid]

trey25624 & lisa247, thanks for your comments and advice.

Like John Lennon once said, "life is what happens while we're busy making other plans", (or something like that).

trey: I'm not a big fan of having to go back to school, and I have been trying to keep my eyes open for other opportunities in other things that seem to fit my eye, but, when you're not sure where you're headed, other than "not engineering", that leaves a lot of possibilities. But I've been looking for quite a few years now, and, with my age creeping up on me, I'm just trying to jump start the process a bit. I'm thinking maybe some additional training may be the kick start I need.

I agree, lisa, that my chances of an apprenticeship in Europe are slim to none, but it sure would be sweet if it happened, kind of like winning the lottery.

 

[aetherTap]

the curse of the engineer: overthinking.

here we have everyone trying to think themselves into happiness. it's quite strange, isn't it?

i'm 26 so I have yet to hit the point of most of the posters here, but I'll tell you that music has always been my best counter-weight to the engineering world. no thinking, just feeling.

any time you find yourself wondering where the time went, take note of what you were doing. maybe you'll realize something and it can lead to a great job opportunity where you truly enjoy what you're doing?