boat building as a career change?

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bushwacka

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Finally had enough of working in IT after being laid off last year and am now looking for a mid-life career change. I have been thinkng about doing the 47 week full-time C&G Practical Boat Building course at the IBTC in Lowstoft. The course fees are a whopping £14500! Needless to say I'm really apprehensive about such a huge commitment when I have little idea of my aptitude and great uncertainty about the worth of such a qualification at my age as a possible entry into an industry badly affected by the downturn. I'm being realistic here and am not expecting anything but a modest salary but would like to know what my prospects are from anybody in the business. I'm more into the idea of doing repairs, upgrades and restorations rather than new boat construction. Thanks in advance.
 
I seriously considered doing that course a few years ago but, like you, had reservations about prospects given the huge outlay for retraining. When added up costs from loss of earnings while training, tuition fees, accomodation and sustenance, tools, materials just made it too prohibitive for me.
 
bushwacka,

don't do it !

there's a huge industry now in 're-training' professional people for other jobs; the main purpose is to part you from your money, not to send you onward...

The place you're looking at may be entirely altruistic, but at that price one has to wonder.

As said above, get the training by a college, ideally get a position as second to a builder or surveyor; even if self - funded it would be money better spent - and £14,500 will provide keep for quite a long time, maybe a couple of years if frugal...
 
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bushwacka said:
Finally had enough of working in IT after being laid off last year and am now looking for a mid-life career change. I have been thinkng about doing the 47 week full-time C&G Practical Boat Building course at the IBTC in Lowstoft. The course fees are a whopping £14500! Needless to say I'm really apprehensive about such a huge commitment when I have little idea of my aptitude and great uncertainty about the worth of such a qualification at my age as a possible entry into an industry badly affected by the downturn. I'm being realistic here and am not expecting anything but a modest salary but would like to know what my prospects are from anybody in the business. I'm more into the idea of doing repairs, upgrades and restorations rather than new boat construction. Thanks in advance.
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Who makes any money boatbuilding, other than Sunseeker?

I did consider a boat surveyor course at that same college - seemed to be more option/future, but costs extremely high.
 
Your effectively starting a new business, £14,500 is peanuts.
(the tax man will give you it back as an expense anyway)
We have friends who have set up in their kitchens selling 'brownies' (!), it's cheap to do and so are the returns, cheap.

Have faith in what you do, otherwise nobody else will.
Boats are still popular, offer a good service and you will get business.

(let out clause - IF the same info can genuinely be matched for free, better still :))
 
The ed of Classic Boat said a few years back " Don't think of doing a boatbuilding course as a career, go and earn pots in the City and employ the few good boatbuilders that are out there".

Judging by much on this site, get some marine diesel experience. Might be a better bet.
 
I don't think I would reccommend you spending that much on a course.

But I do wholehertedly approve of a mid life career change.

I left a well paid job in the South to become a part time self employed electrician and run a B&B in the Highlands when I turned 40. Best move I ever made, should have left the Rat race years earlier.

I also knew another engineer in the same company who left for a career change to making guitars.

It seems like a lot of people get fed up doing the same thing all their lives, and I've not yet met one who made a major change and then regretted it.
 
Vern said:
Your effectively starting a new business, £14,500 is peanuts.
(the tax man will give you it back as an expense anyway)
We have friends who have set up in their kitchens selling 'brownies' (!), it's cheap to do and so are the returns, cheap.

Have faith in what you do, otherwise nobody else will.
Boats are still popular, offer a good service and you will get business.

(let out clause - IF the same info can genuinely be matched for free, better still :))
Click to expand...

Its only an 'expense', if you have taxable income!
 
Boo2 said:
Not if you're a director/sole trader.

Boo2
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If it is genuine retraining you can. I did only a couple of years ago. I just submitted a statement with a summary of where the retraining added to my existing skills, supported by documentation on the course that I took. Got 75% of it against my tax in that year. Probably helped that I took advice from my accountant on how to present it and I have a long record as a sole trader with HMRC. However, she did cross all her fingers and toes when she submitted my return - but accepted with no questions.
 
'Setting up costs' were tax-deductable when I started up. Don't forget that any tools, equipment and vehicles of your own that you start to use in your business can be 'introduced' into your assets, as if you had bought them from someone else.

Another scheme that could help (if it's still available) is a 'Career Development Loan'. That's an interest-free loan available from some banks, (the Co-op in my case) to help fund re-training. You don't have to start repayments for some time after completing training. I didn't need it but I got the loan, invested it and earned some interest, then repaid it before interest became chargeable.

Also worth checking what grants you can get. My library used to have a book listing hundreds of sources of grants for various trades which were available from schemes set up by charities . Some go back hundreds of years and offer small sums to craftsmen to buy tools etc. (There may well be a Boatbuilders' Benevolent Society tucked away somewhere!)
 
The need is for boat fixers, rather than builders. Apart from a few dedicated wooden builders, boats are built on production lines now. So, focus on what your skills are and look at where they can be useful in the current industry. IT might be an entree into electronic nav/speed/wind/autopilot systems as an installer or problem solver. That could be why you are getting out of IT, BUT, if you have to ask about a new career, you are on the back of the curve. Adapting you current skills to boats might be a less costly way forward.
A
 
The skills funding agency is setup for just this purpose.

The adult careers service has a huge database behind it including grant availability.

It very much depends on the agent you are assigned to - it is all outsourced. And it doesn't sound like you will get any free intervention sessions, but worth a try. Just steer clear of the awful skills diagnostic system - this is intended for people who can hardly spell their name but is seen as a fix all solution.

There is some good info in there if you search hard enough.

Tony.
 
I practially had the stamp about to go on the envelope with my CV in it to Westerly some years ago, when they went belly-up! I was getting fed up with a career in the automotive industry, but it highlighted to me just how insecure the leisure marine industry can be!

I wonder, if your experience is in IT, whether you couldn't retain your accumulated knowledge thus far and get into boats "sideways" by seeing if you can get into marine computing systems, or whatever they're called? It seems like computing is on the increase in all sectors of life and the marine world is no exception. I'm constantly amazed at the electronic wizardry on modern yachts, and I'm sure many boat builders won't have much in-house expertise! If you can afford to think about spending £15k on a course, could you afford to maybe just take a substantial pay cut to make your existing skills more attractive to boat builders? (For a while at least...)!
 
My son has just finished his apprenticeship in boatbuilding on day release courses. During the 3/4 years he's been doing it 3 companies he worked for went bust, he has had to do unpaid 'volunteer' work for another 2 companies and short term contract jobs for another. He finally got a 'permanent' job, with what seems like a thriving company, who saw him through the last months of his studies and continued to employ him on a reasonable wage. I think you would stand a better chance of getting a job in the industry if you trained in a specific skill, welding, GRP layup, electronics installation, gas installation etc than a general 'boatbuilding' course.
Maybe going freelance would be a possibility but much work seems to be passed around via word of mouth so you need the network of contacts. I think the industry is just too fragile at the moment for companies to risk 'starters'.
 
Boat builder

As said boat building as a trade is an anachronism. Boat building now is a coming together of various trades. No one qualification or bit of training will do it all. Perhaps a degree in marine architect might come close.
I understand the OP s frustration at being out of work and fed up with IT. However we work to make money and we can't all do what we want to do. (and the most attractive jobs pay the least). He should just focus his talents and skills on making money ie get a job. Leave the boat stuff for a hobby. Certainly don't shell out huge amounts of money on a dubious qualification. olewill (perhaps migrate to West Australia and do IT)
 
Just to be clear, my career interest in not so much in boatbuilding but doing repairs, maintenance and upgrades - that sort of thing. The course places an emphasis on traditional boat construction, but also covers GRP work, internal fittings, electric and plumbing etc so looks like you get a fairly comprehensive grounding. After the course I was thinking of taking on a low paid dogs body position in a yard of even volunteer to get some further experience and then see what develops. Ultimately, I fancied myself with my own little mobile repair business or something along that line.
 
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