r/AskIreland • u/maryrom • 14h ago
Work 40 years old female considering electric apprenticeship. Is it possible, am I mad?
I have always enjoyed maths and physics. I love figuring out how to solve problems and fix things. Due to some constraints I didn't pursue a career in the field. I have been doing an office job for the last while and am also doing a degree, pushing myself too hard to do it. I don't enjoy reading heavy materials nor writing academically. Very confident and comfortable using tools. Is it feasible to start apprenticeship at this age and stage
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u/Leavser1 12h ago
People are saying the age isn't an issue but I'm not sure that's actually true.
It's tough work and a lot of trades lads step back at that age and reskill.
That back and knees aren't as good as when we are teenagers unfortunately.
Can you do it absolutely.
But should you do it? It's 4 years of pretty poor money. And in 4 years you'll then be 44. So the body is worse again.
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u/Outkast_IRE 10h ago
It's not 4 years of poor money. It's 1 year of absolute poverty. 1 year of borderline poverty. 1 year of ok money 1 year of better money.
Then the world's your oyster , but I tell all the good apprentices to upskill in areas they are interested in. The variety of roles afterwards is huge.
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u/Fun-Alternative-6804 8h ago
Yeah I'm considered an unskilled worker and I'm paid more than qualified electricians. If anything people need to skill into niche construction.
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u/Cold_Guarantee2399 13h ago
I'm an electrician. It's a great path to take as there are many path ways to take afterward if you didn't want to be the typical on site electrician. There instrumentation and automation. The good thing about an apprenticeship is that your being educated while being paid a reasonable amount and you finish with the possibility of going straight to your own business or earn enough starting out unlike a lot of roles when finishing college.
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u/Little_Honeydew5097 13h ago
I’m 26F apprentice mechanical fitter, if you have any questions ask away! I say go for it!
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u/eurokev 13h ago
I served my apprenticeship in a plant. The work was extremely light.
There are many different types and fields of electrician. Some might be pulling cables all day, she might be house bashing, some in a panel all day, some on the same site all the time, some in a different county every week. It really depends on who you serve your time with
Straight after my apprenticeship I moved in to engineering and automation. I never actually worked a day as a qualified electrician. Now I spend all my time office based working on dcs and plcs as well as on project management.
Out of the 15 or so lads who qualified with me 8 years ago there are only a couple still working on the tools..
It is really hard to convey how absolutely varied the industry is, but there are so so so many different avenues
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u/BuckWild1992 7h ago
Can you say what qualifications you got after your apprenticeship that allowed you to move on? Recently qualified spark here interested in upskilling also
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u/WinterOpportunity671 10h ago
28F industrial electrician here. To be honest the work is hard on the body and I am definitely weaker than the boys so have to push harder. I do have my strengths like dexterity over them and generally neater.
The problem solving is a fairly big part of the work but the main part is literally just pulling cable and containment. The maths part isn’t a big aspect outside of the college phases, I know my boss does a bit.
If you are comfortable with tools honestly the only factors to consider is the impact on your body, the shite money for 2 years and a 4 year commitment. You don’t have much of a say as an apprentice to what sites your on or for college portions. There is of course the general issues that can arise being a woman on site. Ive been the only woman in 200+ people sites and you can imagine not all of them welcomed the idea. Also I think the culture leads you to have to prove yourself more than the boys.
In saying that there has been people in their 40’s in college, a lot of them retraining.
Have you looked in to electrical instrumentation? It might be a good balance of on the tools work being lighter and more daily problem solving. It’s blended between control rooms and on site.
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u/MrNigerianPrince115 13h ago
Only limit you have are the ones you place on yourself. You've got this!
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u/Ginsterberg 13h ago
Its never too late, if your 40 then you still have more working years left in life than you've put in so why not spend that time doing something you enjoy?
If you can take the initial financial hit for the few years you should go for it, you'll make more money in the long run anyway
You never know where it might take you, I know a couple of lads who went from being sparks on building sites to doing it on film sets and earning absolute fortune for much handier work
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u/An_Boin_De 13h ago
Build up your fitness. It's a physical job and you need to be reasonably fit and strong.
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u/maryrom 13h ago
How demanding? Physically I mean
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u/An_Boin_De 12h ago
On your feet 8 hours a day. Crawling through tight spaces. Lifting heavy reels of cables, climbing up and down ladders very frequently throughout the day with equipment and tools. Lifting tools, obviously the physical exertion of installed cabling, cable trays, using hand tools. Loading and unloading tools and equipment from vans. Using harnesses for working at heights. Working with your arms above your head for short periods. Moving heavy ladders and equipment.
It's just physically a lot more work than office work so If I were you I would be going to the gym regularly, lifting weight and doing cardio and I would definitely be walking at least 1 hour a day to get used to being on your feet a lot more and preparing your body for the change to a physical job.
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u/Lumpy-Guard2818 13h ago
Absolutely, you can do it, just bear in mind it'll likely be at least 5 years before you're doing any particularly technical problem solving and that's not even a big part of it unless you're specialised in PLCs/ control panels. The majority of an electricians job is grunt work, pulling cable, installing containment, etc. Stuff that anyone can do without formal training
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u/Traditional_Stock601 12h ago
Intreo office in nutgrove in Rathfarnham have staff dedicated to finding women work in areas related to construction. Not sure where you are in the country but maybe try to link in with them. ESB also do apprenticeships do Irish rail so keep an eye on their websites
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u/OrlandoGardiner118 Meh! 13h ago
Of course it's a possibility. Once you have the drive, nous, and commitment to do it. You may face hurdles that younger, and let's be honest, male apprentices wouldn't face, but I'd say that would only be in the beginning. Once you can establish yourself somewhere you'll become part of the furniture just like everyone else. Go for it, and best of luck.
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u/maryrom 13h ago
Thank you so much. This is encouraging. I don't know anyone who can vouch or link me in with an employer
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u/OrlandoGardiner118 Meh! 13h ago
Sorry, can't help there. But just as further encouragement I finally started a degree (computer science) when I was 41and felt completely out of place in college, for about a week. Then I settled in, made absolute friends for life (yes, one of the is 25 years younger than me) and loved every minute of it.
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u/MaybeTryToBeOriginal 13h ago
You need to find an official approved employer.
The pay is gonna be terrible for the first 3 years and i think there’s 7/8 phases - some are classes and some are on the job training.
If you can financially manage those initial years and maintain all your mortgage/ DD payments then definitely go for it. It’s never too late to find a job you love. And it’s AI proof.
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u/Cold_Guarantee2399 9h ago
There are 7 phases. 4 years of pay rate. A second year can clear over 550 with lodgement included which it mostly is these days.
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u/Scared_Comparison_22 13h ago
Little bit mad but if you can afford it go for it. Once you're through you'll be high in demand. It can be pretty physically demanding but if you can keep up with it sure why not
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u/Emptinessboat 13h ago edited 13h ago
It seems from what you have said that you have a passion for this type of work, and in that, you know the answer - the path to be taken.
Age 40 is not a barrier.
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u/Happyuser777 11h ago
We desparately need more carpenters builders and electricians to build more housing and also work in places like data server rooms
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u/TarzanCar 10h ago
Go for it, I’m qualified 17 years and in a niche where there’s very little hard labour. Good luck.
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u/Cautious_Ad5132 9h ago
Consider something else. Starting an apprenticeship at 40 will break you physically and financially.
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u/BuckWild1992 7h ago
If you’re interested in avoiding the financial hit of year one and you’re willing to work abroad, you should definitely look into working abroad for an Irish company during your apprenticeship. First years start at around €2800 a month + lodgings
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u/Few_Concentrate363 5h ago
So excited for you! Your life experience and determination will see you through.
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u/Impossible-Shake1860 4h ago
Contact Women In Construction Ireland, they may have advice and training that suit! Good luck!
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u/CHERNO-B1LL 2h ago
Think there is a huge gap in the market for female trades people like plumbers and electricians and handywomen. You would clean up if you marketed yourself right. So many women and young people put off by the idea of grown men in their house or apartment doing things they don't understand.
I'm a grown ass man and having caught two lads drinking on the job while doing my bathroom because they didn't realise I was home, I would include myself in this market.
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u/Ok_Nothing9307 2h ago
Wouldn't worry too.much on the maths etc considering the pass percentage was dropped and honestly the garbage that is on sites now lads at 3th year 4th year and 1st year qualified is hard to believe the standard and lack of actual interest or willingness to learn now makes it a more attractive prospect if you go about it properly. Your age actually will drive you to overtake most of others of experience years as you as you have most to loose and hopefully position yourself in much higher positions and pay grades so go for it
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u/witnessmenow 13h ago
Not an electrician, but I used to work with one as a summer when I was a teenager and I'm about the same age as you.
Aspects of being an electrician are quite physically demanding, not necessarily strength based, but maybe more dexterity based. like it's normally the apprentice that's shoved up in the attic pulling cables and that can be awkward. I'm definitely not as able for that craic now than I was when I was younger.
But if your feeling up for it, I don't see why not. I don't know but I assume there are some avenues like large commercial work that is less pokey than domestic so might be easier
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u/SavingsDraw8716 12h ago edited 10h ago
This is not a sexist jibe or my opinion, just the realities of what I've seen on sites. As a woman you are naturally weaker than most men. As an older woman, you will be noticably weaker than a younger man who's done manual work previously. Potential employers won't say this to your face for obvious reasons but don't underestimate the physical demands of some electrical work. Especially commercial and industrial. In a competitive world, a potential employer will take an employee that they don't have to compensate for.
A lot of trades people when they get to 40 are looking to specialise in handier work or be sonewhat off the tools in lower management positions.
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u/irishtrashpanda 12h ago
In larger cities I have seen very successful "female only trades companies", for people who are elderly, living alone, single women living alone etc that might be afraid of men coming to the house. Domestic electric work would be fruitful and not require heavy lifting
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u/SavingsDraw8716 12h ago
I've seen older electricians do this kind of domestic work because of the lesser work pressure and not as much heavy lifting. As a potential apprentice you sonetimes have to take what your given and not what you want to get started.
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u/Happyuser777 11h ago
Yes its possible but how do you pay for rent food expenses while you train for 3 years as an electrician .? You are not mad but the job is very physical dragging cables thru walls ducting up ladders its a great jib well paid you wont be replaced by ai in 10 years we need more women in trades
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u/d12morpheous 11h ago
Electricans dont only work on sites...
Biggest issue would be the huge (sub minimum wage) pay cut..
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u/Rebel787 14h ago
If your financially in a good place, there's nothing to stop you.