UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => shootin' the shit => Topic started by: b3n99 on February 08, 2016, 04:53:42 pm
-
So I'm going to be graduating from Sheffield University with a Masters Mechanical Engineering degree in about June time (and can't wait to be done with it to be honest) and am trying to find ways of earning some money that will also allow me to travel and spend some extended periods away on climbing trips. Im not afraid of hard work, and originally planned to just work for a while somewhere (climbing centre, cafe or the like) to earn some money and allow me to go away for a few extended trips.
Anyone got any advice as to what sort of jobs may be suited to me? Somewhere I'm not going to get tied into a full time job but preferably decent pay so I can save up some money.
Any suggestions welcome.
Thanks!
-
I know a few people (and some are on here) who work in Engineering and IT and their work is contract based. IE work a 6 month contract then have a break for a few months (sometimes enforced sometimes not!) then pick up another contract. Though they all have experience in the field - not sure how easy it would be for someone to do this from scratch (ie for their first job..).
-
CAD Design Engineers often work on contract
-
PhD after the Masters? I did mine with backing from the EPSRC rather than a grant so I got a proper salary (£16k per year - a lot in 1993) plus extra for lecturing part-time. I went climbing, surfing, biking and had loads of fun for three years. Just make sure you write the thing up.
-
Not useful right now due to oil price, but offshore work maybe? usually 2 weeks on 2 weeks off at least so plenty of time for trips. PhD is a good idea if it is your kind of thing.
-
In my experience (M.Eng Mech Eng too) it is likely to take a few years to be useful enough that you'll be able to pick up contract work. I worked 5-6 years before becoming a contractor, did that 3 years while living in Chamonix and now I'm back at Uni again doing another Msc, as the oil industry ... well, you know.
Alternatively you could try and get some site work - working in petrochem/coal/nuclear doing maintenance shutdowns/turnarounds (TARs as their known in the industry) - those are more likely to be able to give you contract work early on, but it's pretty shit (IMO)
So, the problem isn't really the hard work, but the time it takes before you're useful enough to become a contractor.
-
As tomtom mentioned you might struggle to get contract work as your first job, it also has the potential to be a bit :devangel:
It's usually well paid, however you might well find yourself working long hours, away from home with no time / energy to train during the week. You're obviously offsetting that against being able to take longer trips after working for a few months.
FWIW I've got pretty much the same degree and work full time in Sheffield, 4.5 days a week. A bit limited in being able to do long trips but plenty of time to train and get out at the weekends / evenings during the summer.
It depends how much time you want to take out but some graduate schemes allow you to defer entry for a year, so you can take time out but with the security of knowing you have a job to come back to.
-
I reckon getting a few years experience in mEng and then having the flexibility to do contracts is a good idea or as suggested, lots of the Sheffield climbers are doing PhDs!
I can't think of many jobs that lends itself to long trips away long-term except contracting or I'd be trying it out! You're certainly at the age to give it a go.
-
PhD after the Masters? I did mine with backing from the EPSRC rather than a grant so I got a proper salary (£16k per year - a lot in 1993) plus extra for lecturing part-time. I went climbing, surfing, biking and had loads of fun for three years. Just make sure you write the thing up.
16k in today money or back then money? I got 7.5k in 95 for mine and lived well (bought lots of records :) ), so you must have lived like a king for that back then! Tax free too \o/
-
Back then money - couldn't believe my luck. Bought my first house (and lots of records), got married and probably only worked properly for three days a week. Good times.
-
probably only worked properly for three days a week. Good times.
Just like Tomtom now, in fact.
-
Cheers for the advice guys, some interesting suggestions. Contract work does look ideal but obviously need to have some experience and specialise quite a bot more before i'm going to be at that stage. Offshore work is another thing I've looked at but seems incredibly competitive to get into in the first place and all the graduate schemes seem to be aiming at people willing to commit to all their time off the rigs studying (compensated by getting paid a ridiculous salary, £45,000 for a graduate which is crazy, but money isn't really my main concern at the moment).
Im more looking for a completely different job for the next few years (not engineering at all) to allow me to save some money, travel and enjoy some time off as I've constantly been in education my whole life, before jumping into something like whats been mentioned here.
Anyone suggestions for that type of thing? Don't mind hard/manual work if the pays decent, could be fruit picking to reception work, just anything park time, as flexible as possible and hopefully not minimum wage.
-
Second Engineer, Mega yacht (500 GT +) ~€5-6K tax free pcm. Chief Eng (so 2nd + min 18mth sea time) ~€7-10K tax free pcm. Usually you can work either the Med season (Monaco GP to Monaco Boat show) or the Caribbean season (Sept - April).
Progress to project management or refit management (winters only) ~€10+ pcm.
Owners rep on a new build, ~€lots (depends on the prestige of the build).
Get to play with all kinds of high tech gizmos, from Helos to subs.
Always working in very nice places.
Parley your experience into a Ship yard management position.
Pissing it all away, optional..
http://www.insull.com/newsite10/crew.html
http://www.camperandnicholsons.com/superyacht-crew/yacht-crew-agency.htm
https://www.burgessyachts.com/en/burgess-crew-services/
It also seems to be quite recession proof. Turns out the rich are always with us.
Well, on us really.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
probably only worked properly for three days a week. Good times.
Just like Tomtom now, in fact.
Cheeky... (2.5 days actually... ;) ) though rather scarily, accounting for inflation 16k in 1993 is very close to what I'm getting paid now...
-
Second Engineer, Mega yacht (500 GT +) ~€5-6K tax free pcm. Chief Eng (so 2nd + min 18mth sea time) ~€7-10K tax free pcm. Usually you can work either the Med season (Monaco GP to Monaco Boat show) or the Caribbean season (Sept - April).
Progress to project management or refit management (winters only) ~€10+ pcm.
Owners rep on a new build, ~€lots (depends on the prestige of the build).
Get to play with all kinds of high tech gizmos, from Helos to subs.
Always working in very nice places.
Parley your experience into a Ship yard management position.
Pissing it all away, optional..
http://www.insull.com/newsite10/crew.html
http://www.camperandnicholsons.com/superyacht-crew/yacht-crew-agency.htm
https://www.burgessyachts.com/en/burgess-crew-services/
It also seems to be quite recession proof. Turns out the rich are always with us.
Well, on us really.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I was a couple of glasses in when I wrote that.
It is a serious, but very much overlooked career path and quite transferable.
I started behind you academically. By the time I left the Navy, I had used their CPD route to grow my HND to iEng and AMIME (as it was).
Took the Engineering council route to CEng and MIMarEST and then a Post Grad Dip, DipMarSur to MIIMS (International Institute of Marine Surveyors). I was progressing to FIIMS and finalising my MSc in Marine Surveying when I abandoned my career and frankly at that stage it was ego/status related because I already had a thriving practice.
There are many advantages to Super and Mega yacht work. I worked short contracts and used my time off for studying, expeditions, skiing etc etc. I was never tied to a company and so free to pursue any career path I felt like. I picked up a PPL in Rotorcraft along the way by taking the left seat of the vessels helo (where there was one) and blagging a lot of right seat hours if the pilot had his instructors ticket.
I also became a Chamber operator and Medic and Gas Blending Technician. Several of my mates became Sub or ROV pilots.
I took my Military Dive training and built it to Advanced Trimix and got to do a lot of work for National Geo.
work highly paid short contracts and mixing with the right people can be very rewarding.
It's incredibly hard work and way more more hands on than a trad Engineering career.
There is way more to say, but I couldn't recommend it enough.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Working as crew on boats could also be an option - I knew quite a few people who did that for a few years. Or, move to Chamonix and get a job as a transfer driver - 4 days a week, but you can typically climb/ski/bike on many of your work days too. ~€10/hr and you usually get may and October off.
Loads and loads and loads of good climbing within few hours, plenty of "psyched peeps" to climb with. You don't even really need to be that into the mountains - plenty of sport and bouldering to be done too. But that would miss the point a bit.
-
If you decide to go for a low paid fruit picking/shop/cafe job, make sure you're careful with your savings. I took that route and managed to blow all my money on weekend trips to Font and the like, so I never had the cash for big trips. It was only when I get a 'proper' job that I could afford them (but then had a wangle with the boss for unpaid leave).
-
Working as crew on boats could also be an option - I knew quite a few people who did that for a few years. Or, move to Chamonix and get a job as a transfer driver - 4 days a week, but you can typically climb/ski/bike on many of your work days too. ~€10/hr and you usually get may and October off.
Loads and loads and loads of good climbing within few hours, plenty of "psyched peeps" to climb with. You don't even really need to be that into the mountains - plenty of sport and bouldering to be done too. But that would miss the point a bit.
On that note,many yachties worked the boats in the summer and Chalets over the winter. Again hard work but the hour basically gave them the days free to ski/climb etc. I was too into my job, but even then, Barcelona has one of the biggest refit yards in the Med (MB92) and refit manager on a project there (I did it three times) gives you a five day week in the best city in Europe and weekends Skiing/Climbing etc with only an hours (ish) drive.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
I know a few people (and some are on here) who work in Engineering and IT and their work is contract based. IE work a 6 month contract then have a break for a few months (sometimes enforced sometimes not!) then pick up another contract. Though they all have experience in the field - not sure how easy it would be for someone to do this from scratch (ie for their first job..).
+1 to this - though in my industry (IT) you'd need a bit of wool on your back (I'd guesstimate 3-5 years as an absolute minimum) to be going contracting.
After that though, something in the £400-£500 per day ballpark is totally achievable so completely possible to do 6 months on, then take a few off (assuming you're any good and get extended - contractors work on a week's notice of termination).
You can also structure your affairs (start own company, invoice your "employers" etc) in such a way as to be more lucrative than being a full-time permanent employee somewhere.
From the guys I know that do it, the key seems to be not to get used to the money - know a lot of people with the big house, the cars in the drive and the fancy holidays who now can't turn down the renewal even if they wanted to!
-
From the guys I know that do it, the key seems to be not to get used to the money - know a lot of people with the big house, the cars in the drive and the fancy holidays who now can't turn down the renewal even if they wanted to!
^^^^This!! So many people get into contracting more for the coin, than the time off. Save enough to keep you afloat for 1 to 1.5 years, live a bsic life and it's easy to take the time off. Get sucked in to the dosh and you'll be working non-stop.
Not to gloat - but I was managing to work 3 or 4 months a year for the last 3 years...until it went to shit :P
-
Ben, do you play any instruments well enough to teach? I know a few people who have set themselves up to teach out of their garage, or working with a music shop etc. The only problem I can foresee is that it takes a while to establish a client base.
-
From a Mech engineering point of view. Avoid milton keynes and northampton (i.e. F1/other racing teams) very good wages but the hours are grim and living in the flat lands.
Best option is London sign up to a 6-12month contract look into the measurements and control industry. Earn enough money to live on for 2-3 years (even paying london living expenses) then go travelling. Worry about the left of life for when you get back.
This maybe my vague plan for a few years time.
-
Offshore work is another thing I've looked at but seems incredibly competitive to get into in the first place and all the graduate schemes seem to be aiming at people willing to commit to all their time off the rigs studying (compensated by getting paid a ridiculous salary, £45,000 for a graduate which is crazy, but money isn't really my main concern at the moment).
I wouldn't bother at the moment, the industry is in freefall. So many experienced people have been laid off and will get snapped up in a second if there is any job going.
If you have any interest in skiing / snowboarding you could work as a liftie or something in one of the ski resorts in America for a winter, then travel the states climbing for a few months? You need to apply early and work long hours, but worth it. At the end of the season I bought a cheap van from someone who was leaving and travelled around for 6 weeks. Pay isn't great and accommodation expensive, but if you don't blow the cash getting pissed every night and spend lots of money on new kit you can save a reasonable amount, especially if you do the odd overtime day when the weather is shit. I had so much fun I did it two years in a row!
-
I'm currently working as a lab technician for a university, but have thought about going for school lab tech jobs in the future. Long summer, Easter and Christmas holidays (and half terms holidays) without having to deal with all the shit teachers get from kids. The money isn't amazing but it's only 8 months working a year.
-
The industry I work in (Civil Engineering, mainly the water sector) is continually looking for Mechanical grads but I wouldn't say that it's a good industry to be in if you want lots of time off. My employer (I work for a Design/Build Consultant/Contractor joint venture), the Consultancy side, is fairly flexible with the amount of leave you can 'buy' up to a maximum of 45 days which includes company days and bank holidays. I buy the maximum (obviously) and this is enough for a good balance of holiday length trips and half days during the summer to allow me to make the most of my new location. The trouble is the contractor side of things are used to working much longer hours and from earlier, with less holiday.
If you went into a consultancy type role it'd be very 9-5.
Large trips are viewed as odd. So far Nat and I have got away with them due to 'life events' i.e. getting married, end of PhD for me coinciding with a lull as above etc. but I honestly can't see this happening again for some time. Working contract would be a good option especially in the water sector as the cyclic nature of the funding available means there's a natural lull every 4-5 years. I'd imagine people would want to see you chartered before they'd employ you on this basis (as a minimum). If you want to chat about this more drop me a message on FB. I'm fairly sure my employers are advertising.
PhDs are definitely the favored route for extending the eternal climbing student life.
Shark is correct in that a lot of CAD technicians seem to work contract. However, in my industry at least you'd need to be competent in at least one other specialty i.e. Civil 3D or Revvit. Less and less work is 2D.
Just do the PhD and worry about this in 3.5/4 years...
-
I Lv people asking for careers advice on Ukb
-
I don't know, asking a group of specialists in maximising free time how to maximise your free time seems a good idea to me?
-
Timely posting of a video on the topic (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6644.msg513286.html#msg513286).
-
Did you read any of the replies Chris? Inc the one you wrote :-[
Why does everyone try to tell a fruit picker they can be an astronaut?
-
I did.
I know several fruit pickers, never suggest to any of them a career in aeronautics.
-
You only advise them against it in person ;)
-
Oh and I paid £11 for a pint at Bergen airport 3hrs ago! :furious:
-
How about a career as a life coach? For Dense? ;)
-
Well a fair few people need a rude awakening! Doylo could film it
-
Did you read any of the replies Chris? Inc the one you wrote :-[
Why does everyone try to tell a fruit picker they can be an astronaut?
Love it. A Masters in Mechanical Engineering now qualifies you to be a fruit picker.
Are you Jeremy (C)Hunt's chief advisor?
-
Oh and I paid £11 for a pint at Bergen airport 3hrs ago! :furious:
Only good things that came out of there were rucksacks.
-
Telling me Chris!
No omm the question was asked about jobs that enabled him to bum around now for a few years to give him a bit of cash and loads of time climbing. Not to turn him into an indispensable nuclear physicist. You lot could be politicians not me.
This is how questions go on here;
"Can anyone recommend me a good compression problem on slippers in font around 7a-7b?"
Reply 1) "try rataplat, 7b vertical compression lovely slopers"
Reply 2) "get on Hubble, worlds first 9a now. Sean mccoll can't do it. Should be right up your street"
Reply 3) "no he was asking about problems in font, you should get yourself on the very big and the very small"
Reply 4) "that steak I had at the pizza restaurant in Whitby was the best steak I've ever tasted, apart from that fish pie in Texas"
-
Telling me Chris!
No omm the question was asked about jobs that enabled him to bum around now for a few years to give him a bit of cash and loads of time climbing. Not to turn him into an indispensable nuclear physicist. You lot could be politicians not me.
This is how questions go on here;
"Can anyone recommend me a good compression problem on slippers in font around 7a-7b?"
Reply 1) "try rataplat, 7b vertical compression lovely slopers"
Reply 2) "get on Hubble, worlds first 9a now. Sean mccoll can't do it. Should be right up your street"
Reply 3) "no he was asking about problems in font, you should get yourself on the very big and the very small"
Reply 4) "that steak I had at the pizza restaurant in Whitby was the best steak I've ever tasted, apart from that fish pie in Texas"
Bollocks, how can a fish pie EVER be better than a STEAK!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Because no one eats steak in Whitby or fish in Texas.
-
Because no one eats steak in Whitby or fish in Texas.
Texas has 3359 miles of coastline (according to NOAA), the 6th longest of all US states. Opening onto the clear, abundant waters of the Gulf.
Whitby has 35 miles of coastline, opening onto the shallow, muddy waters of the North Sea.
If forced to consume the abomination known as "Sea Food", I'll take the Texan Shrimp over the Whitby floater...
Edit:
Fuck. Dense was right.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Did you read any of the replies Chris? Inc the one you wrote :-[
Why does everyone try to tell a fruit picker they can be an astronaut?
Jobs suggested that an Meng Mechanical Engineer would be the PREFERRED choice:
Engineering and IT {less so the IT, but could probably get into it as a numerate graduate]
CAD Design Engineers
offshore work maybe
petrochem/coal/nuclear doing maintenance shutdowns/turnarounds
Second Engineer
measurements and control industry
Civil Engineering, mainly the water sector
Things that any old Masters directly qualifies you for:
PhD after the Masters
school lab tech [or science teacher?]
And since he said he'd consider less skilled "hard work" that gives lots of time off:
Working as crew on boats - I knew quite a few people who did that for a few years. Or, move to Chamonix and get a job as a transfer driver
low paid fruit picking/shop/cafe job
Ben, do you play any instruments well enough to teach
liftie or something
Well fuck me, isn't that an eclectic but highly valid list. :thumbsup:
-
No it's a load of bollocks which he'll do precisely none of so utterly a pointless list of people's musings.
-
You need to stop holding back on your opinions, just let it rip.
-
:(
-
Water plant construction supervisor in Spain?
-
Very topical!
-
Junior doctor
-
Not enough cash
-
Trying to get a visa for Canada might be worth looking into. Summer bush jobs pay ok and you save a lot due to very low living costs.
Treeplanting would be the easiset job to get, payed per tree but if you're willing to flog yourself to death carting bags of seedlings around clear cuts in clouds of mosquitos and black fly, live in a tent for three months and only shower once a week, then you can come away from the season with CAD 5-15k banked.
There are other nicer jobs out there (first aid attendant, field assistant on min ex projects etc) but they might be a bit tricky to find/get.
-
Expedition leader?
Oh right...
-
You considered moving back home/is it an option Ben? Rent/bills are a big chunk every month.
-
It's grizzly work, but working in an abattoir is well paid and always in need of work.
Friend of mine works for 2-sisters food corp and regularly has to visit their Merthyr plant. The team who de-bone the carcasses get paid £1000 a week.
He knows a guy there who has been using it as a means of saving for travelling for over 10 years now.
Gnarly work, but if you can stomach it......
-
:badidea:
-
Dear God, an abattoir! Makes me realise maybe I am not that obsessed with climbing some of the shit jobs people will do so they can go climbing more!
-
Dear God, an abattoir! Makes me realise maybe I am not that obsessed with climbing some of the shit jobs people will do so they can go climbing more!
Bitd, it was bin-man in Swiss; is that still happening?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
It's grizzly work, but working in an abattoir is well paid and always in need of work.
Friend of mine works for 2-sisters food corp and regularly has to visit their Merthyr plant. The team who de-bone the carcasses get paid £1000 a week.
He knows a guy there who has been using it as a means of saving for travelling for over 10 years now.
Yeah you can make a killing in that business.
Drug trials is an alternative safe way of making money....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35337671
-
Dear God, an abattoir! Makes me realise maybe I am not that obsessed with climbing some of the shit jobs people will do so they can go climbing more!
Sometimes you have to do shit jobs to live never mind save for trips.
-
It's grizzly work, but working in an abattoir is well paid and always in need of work.
Friend of mine works for 2-sisters food corp and regularly has to visit their Merthyr plant. The team who de-bone the carcasses get paid £1000 a week.
He knows a guy there who has been using it as a means of saving for travelling for over 10 years now.
Yeah you can make a killing in that business.
Drug trials is an alternative safe way of making money....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35337671
I once worked with a lad of 27, who had bought his Mum and both sisters houses, working as a blaster in hard rock mines across the Americas (and Cornwall, oddly).
When we met he'd settled down for a safe Government job.
In a very active war zone.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
Drug trials is an alternative safe way of making money....
I got paid £1200 quid to go to India for 2 weeks to trial an anti-diarrhea drug once. The drug was administered like a nicotine patch except they agitated the skin first before applying the patch. I removed the patch though as soon as I left the building (in the UK). I was glad I removed it as I met other people in Goa on the same trial and they had horrible red boils on their skin that led to permanent scarring. I had to fill in a poo diary and stay within an hour of a poo courier who would collect my poo on a moped. However, I wanted to go to Hampi so I broke all the rules. I "water damaged" the mobile phone they gave me and filled my poo cool box in the same BM and delivered it all at once at the end. Was great as I only spent £400 quid and came back in profit.
-
I removed the patch though as soon as I left the building (in the UK).
....
I wanted to go to Hampi so I broke all the rules. I "water damaged" the mobile phone they gave me and filled my poo cool box in the same BM and delivered it all at once at the end.
::) :no:
-
:off:
Habrich how easy is it to get a working visa in canada?
-
Drug trials is an alternative safe way of making money....
I got paid £1200 quid to go to India for 2 weeks to trial an anti-diarrhea drug once. The drug was administered like a nicotine patch except they agitated the skin first before applying the patch. I removed the patch though as soon as I left the building (in the UK). I was glad I removed it as I met other people in Goa on the same trial and they had horrible red boils on their skin that led to permanent scarring. I had to fill in a poo diary and stay within an hour of a poo courier who would collect my poo on a moped. However, I wanted to go to Hampi so I broke all the rules. I "water damaged" the mobile phone they gave me and filled my poo cool box in the same BM and delivered it all at once at the end. Was great as I only spent £400 quid and came back in profit.
Brilliant :)
-
Drug trials is an alternative safe way of making money....
I got paid £1200 quid to go to India for 2 weeks to trial an anti-diarrhea drug once. The drug was administered like a nicotine patch except they agitated the skin first before applying the patch. I removed the patch though as soon as I left the building (in the UK). I was glad I removed it as I met other people in Goa on the same trial and they had horrible red boils on their skin that led to permanent scarring. I had to fill in a poo diary and stay within an hour of a poo courier who would collect my poo on a moped. However, I wanted to go to Hampi so I broke all the rules. I "water damaged" the mobile phone they gave me and filled my poo cool box in the same BM and delivered it all at once at the end. Was great as I only spent £400 quid and came back in profit.
Brilliant :)
And this is why you can't trust "Scientific" research, follow the flying Spaghetti Moster! Only he knows the true way!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
-
It's grizzly work, but working in an abattoir is well paid and always in need of work.
Friend of mine works for 2-sisters food corp and regularly has to visit their Merthyr plant. The team who de-bone the carcasses get paid £1000 a week.
He knows a guy there who has been using it as a means of saving for travelling for over 10 years now.
Yeah you can make a killing in that business.
Where's that tumbleweed icon :(
-
I think with it being commonwealth a temporary work visa isn't that hard to get, judging by the amount of Brits and Aussies working at Whistler.
-
:off:
Habrich how easy is it to get a working visa in canada?
Considered finding work and getting the company to sponsor your visa?
I had this when I went to Oz and the people employing me were obliged, as part of the visa, to pay for my travel (and my partner) there and back (although I had to push them to pay for the return flights and point out to them that its clearly stated in the terms of the visa).
-
It's easy to get the first Canadian work visa and you should be able to stay on by renewing while out there provided you've found an employer willing to sponsor you. That's what I did for 4 years: initially went out on a BUNAC student visa - loophole in it allows non-students up to 30 years old to apply - then kept renewing the work visa via my employer by crossing into the US and back.
Just don't do what I did and ditch sensible forward-thinking, buying a house, getting settled with a partner and then losing both (due to losing job close to the end of visa expiry with not enough time to organise a new employer/visa and thus not being able to return anytime soon)..
-
So that's why you're so bitter!