I just want to put this out there. Read it if you like, comment if you like and thanks in advance for the sounding board.
I’ve been in the same job for the last 14 years and generally, in the same trade for the last 33 years. I am technical by trade; electrical, engineering, instrumentation, programming, process and mechanical. Through the years, I have been compelled to teach for one reason or another. The teaching began back in the eighties when my “then” father-in-law; an electronics instructor for the local Tech School; convinced me to take on a part time instructor position. I was dubious to begin with, but once I adjusted from “doing” to “teaching”, I began to enjoy the reward of seeing the ‘light of understanding’ come over my students. I taught part time for about four years until career demands began to crowd my time to the point that I couldn’t continue. For years after that, people that I met on the street and sometimes barely recognized, would introduce me as their “teacher”. Some of these young people are now successful engineers. It was nice.
In the last 14 years, I’ve been working for various maintenance contractors at the same facility. In my time here, I’ve worked for three companies, but my position and responsibilities haven’t changed. In addition to being required to troubleshoot and repair problems as they arise, coordinate and install new processes, correct programming “bugs” or add enhancements (could be the same thing!); I also had to set up a training program in my “spare” time. I’ve enjoyed my involvement in the training program here, but my department will never let me be “just” the trainer. This makes it difficult to take on full time trainer responsibilities here. It’s just too easy to call me back over to my old area for a “consultation”.
My most recent employer took over the contract here last September. Things haven’t gone well under this latest banner, so I began to search for another employer.
Now to the present: My job search has yielded two possibilities and interestingly enough, they are both training related. One of them would be teaching full time at a Technical College and the other is a training director position at another manufacturing plant. I’ve been told on several occasions that I should be a “teacher”. I don’t know if it’s true, but at age 51, I’m finding it difficult to make career changes. I also know that teaching (full time) will be very different from what I’ve done up to now.
Here’s my question: Has anyone here made a similar move and how did it go for you?
I’ve been in the same job for the last 14 years and generally, in the same trade for the last 33 years. I am technical by trade; electrical, engineering, instrumentation, programming, process and mechanical. Through the years, I have been compelled to teach for one reason or another. The teaching began back in the eighties when my “then” father-in-law; an electronics instructor for the local Tech School; convinced me to take on a part time instructor position. I was dubious to begin with, but once I adjusted from “doing” to “teaching”, I began to enjoy the reward of seeing the ‘light of understanding’ come over my students. I taught part time for about four years until career demands began to crowd my time to the point that I couldn’t continue. For years after that, people that I met on the street and sometimes barely recognized, would introduce me as their “teacher”. Some of these young people are now successful engineers. It was nice.
In the last 14 years, I’ve been working for various maintenance contractors at the same facility. In my time here, I’ve worked for three companies, but my position and responsibilities haven’t changed. In addition to being required to troubleshoot and repair problems as they arise, coordinate and install new processes, correct programming “bugs” or add enhancements (could be the same thing!); I also had to set up a training program in my “spare” time. I’ve enjoyed my involvement in the training program here, but my department will never let me be “just” the trainer. This makes it difficult to take on full time trainer responsibilities here. It’s just too easy to call me back over to my old area for a “consultation”.
My most recent employer took over the contract here last September. Things haven’t gone well under this latest banner, so I began to search for another employer.
Now to the present: My job search has yielded two possibilities and interestingly enough, they are both training related. One of them would be teaching full time at a Technical College and the other is a training director position at another manufacturing plant. I’ve been told on several occasions that I should be a “teacher”. I don’t know if it’s true, but at age 51, I’m finding it difficult to make career changes. I also know that teaching (full time) will be very different from what I’ve done up to now.
Here’s my question: Has anyone here made a similar move and how did it go for you?