I've decided my days in the service of the legal system must end.

I'm trying to find an alternative which won't require too much retraining and expense. I'd quite like to do something outdoorsy.

Anyone looked into or done something similar?

Aye, I'm studying part time for a foundation degree in conservation. It took me a while to find the right course and this particular course covers a bit of everything and is proven to work, i.e. most people will end up getting the right training that they need to work in their chosen sector. The course includes modules on agriculture, habitat management, forestry work, ecology etc, etc. You are expected to do some volunteer work as well as the studying, I have been doing a fair bit with the RSPB. I could go on and on but if you want any info, pm me.

I'm totally committed to this and I'm really enjoying it, I've learnt so much in a short space of time and I'm now considering going on to study ecology or something along those lines.

I have been offered jobs but I'm not able to take the inevitable cut in wages just yet. Most jobs will be low paid, 18k would be considered a good wage in conservation or forestry, unless you go into a management position but then your back in a poxy office!

I know lots of people that work outside. David, a local landscape gardener was the British freestyle swimmer in LA, the gendarmes I know are either behind a radar or up a mountain on skis, Mandy is a mountain leader, Vincent is a lumberjack, Bruno is a lumberjack too, Patrick is a municipal gardener, Jean-Mi is a ski coach and mountain bike guide, Jean Baptiste runs a dangling in trees thing, Francis is a forester.

On this forum we have Mr Spence who seems to earn a resonable living from working outside. When I worked for Welsh water I was out of the office at some point most days - a bit too often some weeks in winter. When I was a holiday courier I spent a lot of time outside too but that was easier.

Just bear in mind that unless the job is seasonal or somewhere pleasant (not NI) you're going to spend a lot of time cold and wet IME. One thing all of the above people have in common is they are fit, tough and would still have a shower without moaning if the water heater packed up.

starsky wrote (see)

I've decided my days in the service of the legal system must end.

I'm trying to find an alternative which won't require too much retraining and expense. I'd quite like to do something outdoorsy.

Anyone looked into or done something similar?

So are most of the office and banking workers who have suddenly seen their jobs disapear,without the skills or experience to do the job,theres very little chance of getting another job in a totally different career,without a lot of retraining and good talking.

Bike courier, car wash attendant,window cleaner,refuse collector,security, wheel clamper,trolley jockey,are jobs that are stil out there, but theres a hell of a waiting list.

Sorry thats how it is now.

Sorry thats how it is now.

What a defeatist attitude. If you want something go for it, don't let anything get in your way!

One thing all of the above people have in common is they are fit, tough and would still have a shower without moaning if the water heater packed up.

What are you trying to say John?

From what I can see, there are still plenty of jobs going. If I wanted to remain as a lawyer a bit of retraining in defence litigation or commercial work would see me sorted with a job. Plenty of insolvency and banking related jobs going too.

Yup. And getting about 4 hours sleep a night is leaving me pretty shattered combined with a 100 mile commute daily.

Hence the desire for change!

I can relate to that having changed a few times. The grass really is greener too. Each time though it's been a two-phase thing. First deciding something must change and then making it happen. Sometimes planned (Karlos style with learning new skills) and sometimes literally a walk out. No regrets about any of them. Barbara walked with me on one critcal occasion and we'd now have to consider Sean before changing anything, but I'm sure that you can make change happen.

I spent about 10 minutes thinking what I could/would do if she said she didn't want to go back to work after the school holidays. I was surprised at the number of realistic options I came up with. I won't list them because they are based on my skills rather than yours obviously. Some would involve very little change but one would move us 1000km. It would just be a question of juggling location, income, work volume, potential job stress/satisfaction, free time and the potential to enjoy it.

Wife

Kids

Recession

Failed business venture

Unsettled couple of years

I reckon the above are a case for maybe having a settled period as you can manage.  Any advice off here isnt remotely relevant unless your wife is 1,000,000% behind it.  What is her view?

a case for maybe having a settled period as you can manage

"Settled" is possibly the biggest obstacle to success. I'll develop the idea:

I believe Mrs Starsky has a good job. If Starsky needs a good job too the family outgoings must be pretty high. Most outgoings are related to the family home and its location so I guess the house and the bills it generates are an obstacle to change. Being "settled" in it is therefore an obstacle.

Mrs Starsky seems "settled" in her job which brings us to: 

NI isn't the most prosperous place on the planet, it's divided into clans, unemployment is high and quality of life is low. No offence intended, I'm just being objective. Being "settled" there means working harder for less whether self-employed or for somebody else.

I don't know what baby sitting services family provide or how close the various families are. Again it's a part of being "settled" that is limiting choice. Schools will soon be but shouldn't be yet.

There's nothing positive in being settled in something that is a living nightmare. Stress, loads of time out of the house, no time for wife, kids or anybody else. It'll all turn pear shaped if nothing changes. Men feel a duty to provide for their families and Starsky is currently trying to do it with so many constraints on location, required income and lifestyle it's proving very hard. I don't think achieving it with an outdoorsy job would be any easier. The constraints need addressing first.

I think there are two options:

1/ Mrs Starsky is designated as main bread winner and expenditure is reduced so that her income covers survival so anything Starsky earns will only provide for non-essentials. Business ventures with low capital investment rarely fail if you don't need to draw a salery for the time it takes to build a going concern. A less demanding job (or no job at all) would leave time to train for something that inspires (like karlos) and the time to hunt for something better.

2/ Starsky is designated as main bread winner. He is given a free hand to choose where and what he does and goes off and does it for a trial period so long as it provides instant income. If he proves successful and can provide a better quality of life for everybody then the family join him where ever he may be if it required a move. 

I think that's my longest ever post on BM!

John, have you been spying on me?

Mrs Starsky is main breadwinner at the moment - just. She's earning about £5k more than me.

Where I live is and has proved a major obstacle in my career. I moved here without realising how parochial my profession would be. Employers are looking to take on people with networks which I do not have in this part of the country.

This has then created a situation whereby I have spent large amounts of money on work related transport. I had to find work in larger population centres. I do an average of 30k miles per year and when oil prices go up, I really suffer.

Stability is what I crave at the moment. I am in a temporary job covering for someone who had a meltdown - and she wasn't having to cope with the stress of trying to sort out a business closure with a partner who won't respond to me or the accountant.

So, what I would like to do is take something less demanding but more stable for a while. I am having to call on all my inner resources to stay upright at the moment and that can't go on forever.

Thanks Arry.

Cool responses lads

Its something i beat myself up aout all the time but i always err on the side of staying put.  TBH its worked out ok for me now and life is pretty good on the job front etc.  You always have that feeling though that things could be better.