I'm racking my brain trying to find a way out but it's tricky.. In my line of work If you are good at your job, you are buggered with no career progression..I am a Printer and can't really go any higher (B1). Any comments appreciated..
Mate of mine was printer from leaving school in 95, same boat as you.
Became a train driver last year and now on silly money (comparatively)
Has me considering the same.
Blimey..!
My barber was in the print industry until a couple of years ago. He did a training course in London and now cuts people's hair for a living ... He seems pretty happy.
Was printing for 23 years straight from school for the same company. Was then made redundant so did a tiling course and tried tiling and decorating for a while.
Doing something totally different now but I'm not sure the grass is always greener?
Still pop into my old firm and get nostalgic now and again.
If you're fed up, just go self employed and maybe try something totally different?
If you have faith in your abilities (I don't) you might just go far.
How good are you? Start printing £50's in your lunch break?
I was in print for 25 years, left to try my hand at property developing just sold the first project last week 😀 and on the hunt for the next! I've learnt lots of new skills, been on a plastering course and booked in on a plumbing course in a couple of weeks. Absolutely love it best decision I ever made, I just wish I'd got into a trade like it years ago.
My brother got made redundant last year (web printer) he's now retained and is a HGV driver. He loves not being in a factory every day even if the money isn't as good.
A mate I've known since he was a kid went into print, got fed up with the business he was working for a few years ago and set up his own business doing general housing maintenance, kitchen fitting, garden stuff like fencing, painting, decorating, etc, stuff he'd done in his spare time and enjoyed.
He's got as much business as he can handle without having to advertise, especially after very windy weather when there's a sudden requirement for fences needing replacing; he's had five recently.
I was in printing, made redundant and ended up in electronics. Started on a manufacturing line, and have been working my way up to a design engineers role for the last 5 years.
Friend of mine lost his job (print trade is shrinking) and retrained as a plumber, seems pretty happy with his new career.
Dad was a photo engraver/proofer he became a Tube Driver. Brother ran a 102 Speedmaster he now works as a IFA and I did my apprenticeship as a final film planner/platemaker but left to pursue a career in sales. Uncle closed his print firm to play golf as the money just wasn't there anymore.
Happily seems that a background in print is still fairly easy to retrain from.
Cheers all, some really inspiring comments there. The trade has been shrinking for years now and I just want to jump ship before it's too late..thx again
I feel your pain I'm in large format and have been thinking about a change myself. As you say you get stuck with no job progression. Train driving was an idea I've mulled over, I imagine it's a lot of responsibility driving such a big vehicle. POS design appeals as I've got some CAD and 3D skills, have you thought of that as its related so might be easier to do? Unlike above we are reasonably busy albeit seasonally.
Good luck.
Did a few years print finishing before getting made redundant.
I then did kitchen fitting + a few other things for a while before going back to Uni at 31 and doing an Engineering degree.
FFWD 10 years since graduation and I'm now a project manager (manufacturing - defence sector)
No regrets.
Fellas remember this post?? I made it off machines and am now a technical advisor still in the trade, good $$, company car, trips abroad etc..it's clear to me you have to carve your own parth as I blagged the shit out of the interviews...lol
12 months old? Anyway, still reading with interest because I use photographic printing companies on a daily basis.
