Career change??

[Cows94]

I'm seriously looking at a major career change in the next few years. I'm a tenant dairy farmer & when our current tenancy is up I'll be ready for getting out of the job. As someone with a lifetime of working outdoors & a shooting/stalking background I'm giving serious thought to becoming a forestry ranger. I've currently got DSC1 & several machinery/chainsaw tickets which I intend to keep up to date. Was hoping to get some opinions from folk with more experience in these matters on if I am just dreaming or could it be achievable? I'll be late 40s by the time I'll be looking to make the change

 

[ashray]

no disrespect but you will find it very very difficult to get a foresty job/game keeping or stalking work at that age,20 years ago it was reletively easy now its a different world. by all means try but be prepared for lots of knock backs.

 

[cjm1066]

Good luck with your career change. I got out of dairy farming in my 30 to eventually become an ecologist.

 

[Woodsmoke]

I gave up coach driving at 30 to go back to university and get an engineering degree. 22 years later I'm just about to start a new position within the oil and gas industry. It's never to late, and you're never too old! I wish you the very best of luck!

 

[Red Dragon 2]

Have you thought of becoming a trainer for all the things you have experienced? That is where age and know how come into play.

 

[devon deer stalker]

It's difficult to say, as in my experience I made my decision to leave a relatively well paid job at 50 based on my own financial position.
At age 49 I paid off my mortgage, prior to this I had started to build my fly fishing business (and latterly deer stalking guide) so for me I was well placed to follow my dream.
I remember leaving my employment and getting a phone call the next day from another firm come and work for us, which foolishly I did, after 3 months I thought this is crazy, it's not what I planned for, so chucked it and never looked back.

With the skills you have I would be looking at going self employed, there is plenty of work out there for you, but at the end of the day only you can make the decision.

Best of luck, best decision I ever made, 12 years on I have never looked back.

Cheers

Richard

 

[VSS]

Follow your heart.

 

[patrickt]

no disrespect but you will find it very very difficult to get a foresty job/game keeping or stalking work at that age,20 years ago it was reletively easy now its a different world. by all means try but be prepared for lots of knock backs.

It's encouragement the man needs, not punishment, don't look for problems, look for solutions!!!!. I wish him all the very best


Patrick

 

[Woodsmoke]

Follow your heart.

But be sure you can pay the bills, too

 

[Custard]

Hopefully, things change in the next few years but as far as I am aware the Scottish Foresty are reducing numbers to save business costs

 

[baguio]

It's an extremely difficult job to get into as I'm sure you know. Whilst the qualifications you have are useful they fall short of what you're going to need to get an interview IMO. Get DSC2. Get your quad bike ticket. Become an AW. try to make some contacts and try to get a job in the field secured before you leave your current job.
Best of luck.

 

[VSS]

But be sure you can pay the bills, too

You cut your clothes to suit your cloth. There's a lot that can be done to pare the bills down to a minimum, if it really is your dream to follow a path that may generate less income, and may be less secure, but is so much more rewarding in so many other ways.
Life is too short to not follow the dream, a decision I made while I was still a child. It's funny how so many people work their socks off money grubbing in a career that they don't really enjoy, just so that when they retire they can do what I've always done. Why leave it so late? You might not even live that long! I would encourage anyone to take the plunge, rather than spend their declining years thinking "if only...."

 

[patrickt]

I'm seriously looking at a major career change in the next few years. I'm a tenant dairy farmer & when our current tenancy is up I'll be ready for getting out of the job. As someone with a lifetime of working outdoors & a shooting/stalking background I'm giving serious thought to becoming a forestry ranger. I've currently got DSC1 & several machinery/chainsaw tickets which I intend to keep up to date. Was hoping to get some opinions from folk with more experience in these matters on if I am just dreaming or could it be achievable? I'll be late 40s by the time I'll be looking to make the change

Get stuck in to your dream and aspirations, then you will never regret trying!!. I started of life as an Electrician, then Supermarket Management, Sales Rep/Area Manager, then ended up in.....Law, can't get much farther apart!, and I enjoyed them all, especially Law, still do it!!

Kind Regards

Patrick

 

[Tazz]

no disrespect but you will find it very very difficult to get a foresty job/game keeping or stalking work at that age,20 years ago it was reletively easy now its a different world. by all means try but be prepared for lots of knock backs.

i don’t think a change in your career as a Motivational Speaker is a serious option for you

 

[foxdropper]

Don’t listen to the naysayers mate .Jealous people stuck in a rut .You want something bad enough you’ll get it .40 is a good age to change careers .Your settled ,you know money dosnt getting handed and coming from a farming background your no stranger to work or long hours .
Look into what’s required and contact as many perspective employers as possible asking about requirements and as much info as they will part with .
Youll need further training I’m guessing but nothing that will phase you .
I wish you luck with it mate .

 

[slider]

I gave up farming 12 years ago as my tenancy was ending. I had diversified agricultural consulting prior to this and after a few years moved into a forestry related land agency role.
I really was quite stressed about how I would cope without the farm but it was the best thing I ever did. Evenings and weekends are actually things!

Good luck whatever you do

 

[Pete1774]

Change of career? Go for it and don't look back.
I spent my early life in electronics and computer programming. At the grand old age of 50 I went to university to study as a psychiatric nurse. The change was not easy, nor was the 3 years at uni, but it gave me a new lease of life. I'm now retired with no regrets.

 

[BenBhoy]

It's better to regret something you did do, rather than something you didn't.

 

[potshotpat]

Working down the coal mines. I had fifteen brutal years working as a civil servant, got a job down the pits . Bliss.

 

[slider]

But be sure you can pay the bills, too

The man's a tenant dairy farmer, I doubt he will be any worse off!