Pondering a change of career

[DirtyDawg]

It has come to that time of life (2nd House nearly paid off) where the wife has finished her degree and If I wanted I could give up work and let her do the lot:D
Although my job is financially rewarding (everything to the mortgage:() there isnt a day goes by when I do not get up feeling as if I have been hard at the gym the previous day.
The wife says "Study" but I do not know what.
Considerations so far , Teaching, Nursing/Paramedic or some sort of Govt Ranger job (remote)
Anybody in those Teaching fields have any input, I love history and science and the 10weeks Holidays a year is plus...
Nursing I have all the info from the missus and I have some paramedic quals already.
Ranger..imagine driving in the bush looking after our great country hands on for a living.
Anyone in those 3 jobs..pros and cons would be welcome..
I expect the usual smart ass comments from the not so smart..but I will filter them out:p

[Utemad]

Ranger..imagine driving in the bush looking after our great country hands on for a living.

I don't know about remote stuff but I found that it was impossible to get a job as a Ranger. I have the degree they want and enjoy the outdoors etc and I never even got an interview anywhere in Qld, NSW, Vic or Tas for the jobs I applied for.
Some of the responses I got when I rang about jobs is that for entry level I was over qualified and therefore would not stay. The higher level jobs I didn't have the experience. Add to that the thousands of job applications they receive.
My favourite knock back was that I didn't have a HR licence. Well they didn't ask for one :confused:

You should find out where your wife could get a job doing what she is now qualified for and then see what is available in those areas. If you want a remote Ranger position then your wife might not be able to get a job there.

Although like any Govt job just remember that unless you are the guy on the very bottom of the ladder then 95% of your job will be paperwork and being a NP Ranger a considerable amount of that would be begging for funding as NPs don't generate money.

That's just my experience though. The people who actually get the jobs probably love it.

[taff]

why don't you just give it all up and do a bit of travelling for a year or so and see how you feel when you come back.
ranger job would be quite cool but they all drive jap 4wds :eek: and somehow i can't see you doing that.

[dungarover]

Changing jobs/career isn't an easy option. I know nothing about your field but you have to weigh it up and make a decision that will benifit you long term.

I changed my job about 5 years ago. I am a baker by trade and was becoming deperessed at my hours (primarily night shift, weekends, public hols, etc..) compared to my pay which I think I was being ripped off bigtime. My dad is a plasterer and offered me a job as one (have to learn it of course) for the same money plus no weekends, public holidays, etc... So I took the plunge. It wasn't easy at first but years later it sure has paid off and as I got more experienced I got more money and so forth. Now I earn more than double that I was when I was a baker so from my point of virew it was all worth it.

Trav

[loanrangie]

I will only say that i changed careers after 22 years as a chef and dont regret it, a new job in a completely different field will exercise your brain , i dont know your family situation but the only hard part was starting from near the bottom again with a young family was and is tough, but this time next year if all goes well i'm looking at a 20k payrise. Do it, you hopefully wont regret it.

regards,
Nick.

[Outlaw]

i'm in the process of a career change so won't know the real outcome for another 3 years... been a graphic artist for over 15 years now and basically can't progress any further and been bored for the last 8 years or so... now at Uni to study Psychology full time (4 weeks now)... been a change as first time studying in 15 years but enjoying it now despite still trying to work full time in the job i still despise :p

Good luck with the decision :D

[ladas]

Nige

You could always become an electrician ;)

[blitz]

Hi Nige
One of the greatest pieces of advise I have ever recieved and pass it on at every oportunity I have is this: "make your vacation your vocation" in other words do what you love as a living and it is no longer a job but a career.

hope this helps

Blythe

[loanrangie]

Hi Nige
One of the greatest pieces of advise I have ever recieved and pass it on at every oportunity I have is this: "make your vacation your vocation" in other words do what you love as a living and it is no longer a job but a career.

hope this helps

Blythe

Except we all know what happened to Johnny Holmes !

[Gromit68]

I'm on my 3rd change! It's difficult, but once you get into the swing of it, it's not so bad.

Ranger:
Very very hard to gain employment on a reasonable contract length.
I have a zoology degree with Honours + CSIRO experience + Army/Navy trained and I couldn't pull a ranger job.
People don't give them up. And when they do, they usually have someone in mind before they advertise. Often, advertised positions in remote areas are reserved for indigenous people.

Nurse:
If you like health, why not consider medical radiation? We get paid more than nurses and don't work as hard!
There's 3 streams:
Diagnostic radiography
Radiation Therapy
Nuclear Medicine

Radiography has fantastic employment around the world; in fact, there is a global shortage of imaging professionals.

Nursing is pretty cool, but from my perspective, it's certainly a calling...besides, I can always say "I'm not cleaning that up!" :o

-Alastair

[TuffRR]

I've recently had somewhat of a career change and moved from corporate advisory work to working for Parks Victoria. :D Not as a ranger mind you.

It is the type of organisation whereby once you are in, you are pretty much there for life (if you want to be).

People move up and down and around and there is little recruitment from outside the organisation. Having said that, a lot of the work these days is contracted out, so depending on your background it may be possible to contract to whichever parks service is in your state and basically get your foot in the door that way.

Another option is getting work for DSE (or your state equivalent). Could start of as a project firefighter over summer and move up from there. Again, once you are in, it is easy to move around.

And i certainly agree with the sentiments of make your vacation your vocation. Unfortunately in reality it is not always so simple.

[Landy110]

Hey Dawg, Ace is a science teacher. Send him a PM.

[Fourgearsticks]

I don't know about remote stuff but I found that it was impossible to get a job as a Ranger.

Although like any Govt job just remember that unless you are the guy on the very bottom of the ladder then 95% of your job will be paperwork and being a NP Ranger a considerable amount of that would be begging for funding as NPs don't generate money.


Try again, all they seem to be doing is employing people with degrees to manage the other people with degrees. Years ago there seemed to be 3 in the office for every 20 in the field, now there seems to be 117 in the office for 3 in the field. At the rate their declaring national parks they'll need another 5,000 paper shuflers with degrees to make up the "management plans" and enviormental impact studies for the new gravel they will put on the track to the locked gate. Yet they still aerial bait with 1080? Seems a little bit contradictory, but nothing with the "Department of the enviorment, clean water, climate change and life job for Phil" has to make sense. Don't worry though, it's all for your own good.

[spudboy]

"make your vacation your vocation"
Blythe

That is excellent advice. I will tell my kids that.

I did a 180 degree change 10 years ago, from IT to farming. Once I left it I actually missed it and now I am back doing IT stuff again (as well as farming). There's no money in farming, or you have a good year then 3 or 4 bad years so quite a shock from the regular office type income.

Still - nothing worse than going to work each day and hating it. You'll end up with stress or cancer or just ****ed off with the world.

[p38arover]

Hi Nige
One of the greatest pieces of advise I have ever recieved and pass it on at every oportunity I have is this: "make your vacation your vocation" in other words do what you love as a living and it is no longer a job but a career.

I tried that as a hobby shop operator.

Next time, I'll try it as a hobby shop employee.

I changed careers after 37 years in international telecoms to working for the railway. I could advance higher (to Dobbo's grade) but I want an easier life and I don't want to work in the metropolitan area.

I did consider studying surveying but I'm not sure that there is the call for it any more. I'd enjoy the outdoor bit (if it's not too hot) and the maths.

Ron

[WhiteD3]

Interesting thread:)

I'm a sparkie but found myself in the controls game and climbed to a national role, then got dumped (redundant) in a takeover and had to change industries a number of times since. At 40 started an MBA (now finished thank god!) as I had no other qualification other than the trade.

As for career change, I'm a professional manager (poor description but that's the best I can do) these days and I've been looking for a sea change for some years. Having (almost I think) worked through my mid life crisis I've come to the conclusion that its not so much the career as the company (and its culture) that's important.

Still looking for the right mob to work for. Don't want much, just a company that's ethical, honest and treats employees with respect. Yet to find it:(

[beforethevision]

As an engineer, I say become one! Go to uni and do mechanical engineering or electronic engineering and find out what really goes on in your car. I Graduated from a bachelor of electrical engineering (aerospace avionics) and love the work i do. Im doing an MBA now, but in the work that i get ot do, i have wired planes, cars, etc. For the University race team, of which UWA have a massive one, i work on al lthe wiring systems, circuit boards, etc. We have digital dash displays, telemetry, power management, lithium batteries, etc. thats JUST the electrical side.
you can do carbon fibres, space fram chassis designs, full suspension geometry analyses, etc.

Check Formula SAE-A (http://www.sae-a.com.au/fsae/index.htm) for more details.

[p38arover]

Another option is getting work for DSE (or your state equivalent).

Dick Smith Electronics?

Ron

[rovercare]

Dick Smith Electronics?

Ron

department of scorched earth:D

department of sparks and embers:eek:

[TuffRR]

Dick Smith Electronics?

Ron

ROFL. ##Goes back to check that Ron was part of that thread and is actually taking the p1ss.##

[Utemad]

Try again, all they seem to be doing is employing people with degrees to manage the other people with degrees. Years ago there seemed to be 3 in the office for every 20 in the field, now there seems to be 117 in the office for 3 in the field. At the rate their declaring national parks they'll need another 5,000 paper shuflers with degrees to make up the "management plans" and enviormental impact studies for the new gravel they will put on the track to the locked gate. Yet they still aerial bait with 1080? Seems a little bit contradictory, but nothing with the "Department of the enviorment, clean water, climate change and life job for Phil" has to make sense. Don't worry though, it's all for your own good.

Interesting. I'm applying for another job with the EPA this week so maybe I'll get it this time. I wish I had kept all my rejection letters. Would have quite a collection by now.
The problem with some of the office types I think was highlighted during my degree when one of the female students was upset that she had to go on a uni camping trip. She said she didn't like camping. How can they manage it if they don't know what it is like in there?
I'd like to think I was a manage for use type of guy as opposed to a lock it up guy.

As for you Dawg, if reading this hijack hasn't made you want to look elsewhere then read it again :(

[Piddler]

I am a Fitter and Turner by Trade for 20 years then did Diploma of Mech Engineering did that for 5 years and 5 years ago went to Uni and did a Post Graduate Degree in Teaching. The best thing I have ever did. You have to enjoy what you do 8 hours a day every day you need to like it.

Teaching is great I teach IT and Design and Technology MDT and it is good it helps if you teach a subject kids want to do.

I never thought teachers deserved the holidays but after doing it for 3 years by the end of a term you are feeling pretty flogged.

We only have 3 terms and they are 13 weeks.

To quote Nike.

"Just Do It"

Piddler

[p38arover]

ROFL. ##Goes back to check that Ron was part of that thread and is actually taking the p1ss.##


I never did find out what DSE really stood for (except Dick Smith Electronics)

Ron

[TuffRR]

I never did find out what DSE really stood for (except Dick Smith Electronics)

Ron

Dept. of Sustainability and Environment.

[rovercare]

I never did find out what DSE really stood for (except Dick Smith Electronics)

Ron

http://www.google.com.au/:mad:









http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/index.htm:D

[Utemad]

...did a Post Graduate Degree in Teaching. The best thing I have ever did. You have to enjoy what you do 8 hours a day every day you need to like it...

But if you're a teacher don't you only work 5hrs a day?

























We have a lot of teachers in my family (not me) and that always goes down like a lead balloon :D

[DirtyDawg]

Thanks for the interesting replies...
My situation is soon I wont have to work but I would get bored retiring and unfair while the missus does the work and I enjoy myself;)
problem I have is I have been self employed for so long I don't know how I will react to "caged hours". The desire to study is there I might even do my Builders Registration and get a job as a Supervisor,or Building quality Inspector, Stay in the Trade I know just a different vocation....

For me ol mate Ladas...... I would love to be a sparky as I have a natural talent:D:D:D

[Frenchie]

Mate, it's staring you in the face, buy Maxidrive and move the business to WA. :cool:

[dobbo]

Mate, it's staring you in the face, buy Maxidrive and move the business to WA. :cool:

I know it's an established business but the cost and moving would be a big outlay



Nige

Teaching?
The Dawg?

with all these bush lawyers they call school students nowadays.

Why not a building inspector or something like that. You have the industry experience.

[CraigE]

In all honesty I dont think you would be happy in nursing unless you were an ER nurse or something. Most nurses in my experience see and treat very little trauma medicine. Most of their job is meds, holding hands etc. Howerver trauma nursing such as in an ER or in a critical care unit is different again and highly specialised. If you like your paramedical become an Ambo. A thankless underpaid job, but you will see and deal with real trauma.
Often at accidents we find nurses actually know less than us or road paramedics in accident / trauma/ pre hospital care (no slur on nurses intended as they do a fantastic job).
Craig

[jik22]

The desire to study is there I might even do my Builders Registration and get a job as a Supervisor,or Building quality Inspector, Stay in the Trade I know just a different vocation....


That and/or start your own smallish building/maintenance firm would be worth looking at...then you have a business to keep in the family if you want to.

I have the same problem....bored senseless with IT & comms, but as the wife keeps buying houses as soon as I get close to clearing a mortgage, retiring isn't an option for me. :(

[landyfromanuthaland]

I did my trade as a Industrial painter and lasted 15 years in this trade, I then went wrecking cars for 10 years which was fun, I did part time security work and bouncing none of these were crash hot to any great degree, my brother in law runs AFMA in the NT which is fisheries management, my younger brother got a job thru him as a compliance officer, he goes out on the customs and patrol boats chasing illegal fishos, he has a ball, fishes himself silly in the best water in the world, has a great travelling job though hedidnt like a 3 month run to Antartica, he goes everywhere trips to Indonesia, Pacific Islands, spend all his time out on the sea, My bro in law is looking for compliance officers soon. Only down side u are away for either 3 weeks or 3 months at a time.

[isuzurover]

As an engineer, I say become one! Go to uni and do mechanical engineering or electronic engineering and find out what really goes on in your car. I Graduated from a bachelor of electrical engineering (aerospace avionics) and love the work i do. Im doing an MBA now, but in the work that i get ot do, i have wired planes, cars, etc. For the University race team, of which UWA have a massive one, i work on al lthe wiring systems, circuit boards, etc. We have digital dash displays, telemetry, power management, lithium batteries, etc. thats JUST the electrical side.
you can do carbon fibres, space fram chassis designs, full suspension geometry analyses, etc.

Check Formula SAE-A (http://www.sae-a.com.au/fsae/index.htm) for more details.

I agree - but maybe with your construction (?) background - you might want to think of civil (or environmental) engineering. 4 year degree, but afterwards you will have a pretty good choice of job opportuntities.

EDIT - BFTV - how does the curtin team compare to the UWA team?

[isuzurover]

Interesting. I'm applying for another job with the EPA this week so maybe I'll get it this time. I wish I had kept all my rejection letters. Would have quite a collection by now.
The problem with some of the office types I think was highlighted during my degree when one of the female students was upset that she had to go on a uni camping trip. She said she didn't like camping. How can they manage it if they don't know what it is like in there?
I'd like to think I was a manage for use type of guy as opposed to a lock it up guy.

As for you Dawg, if reading this hijack hasn't made you want to look elsewhere then read it again :(

Utemad - if you really want to get work in the area, pick where you would most like to work and ask if you can work as an (unpaid) volunteer. Once they have seen you are good at what you do, you will be a shoe-in once an opening becomes available.

[Utemad]

Utemad - if you really want to get work in the area, pick where you would most like to work and ask if you can work as an (unpaid) volunteer. Once they have seen you are good at what you do, you will be a shoe-in once an opening becomes available.

That is true but I am over wanting a Ranger spot these days. Unless it was in Tassie :)
Qld Ranger salaries are a joke.
Interesting that a top level Ranger OO6(1) gets paid about the same as a PO2(6). However these days you need tertiary education to get either one.

[Dave110HardTop]

<Snipping your quote a little>
Some days I hate my job. Sometimes it is as boring as all get out (especially when we have mostly elderly patients waiting for nursing home beds), but sometimes it can be quite exciting...its not uncommon where I am to have 2 medical emergencies in one shift on a bad day...and we get all the medical emergencies from the other wards in the hospital as well
It would have to be one of the more varied jobs I will admit...and mostly I love it :D

NM,

If you dont mind me asking, do you work in the ER Dept or Acute?

Reason being I've recently applied to do a 2 year 'entry to practice' Masters of Nursing Science (fastest way for me to qualify). The longer term plan is to move into ER, and possibly remote area further down the track.

It doesn't have to be TV style nursing, but I really don't want to be bored either. Fortunately, the course I'm doing has us out on placement 3 days a week within 6 weeks of starting, so I'll find out quickly what I'm in for.

As far as the paramedics go, anyone thinking of heading down this path, do it now. I delayed, and its proved to be a bad move. There is a trend at the moment towards a specialised 3 year uni degree in paramedic science to be required to even be considered.

Its now the case in Vic, I think QLD are moving down that path, I'm not sure about NSW. NT hasnt, and probably won't any time soon (Its run by red cross from memory). Dunno about WA.

Essentially, there used to be 3 ways into the Ambulance Service (not patient transport) in Vic:
1) General Entry - once a year, lots of aptitude and psych tests. If successful you would do a diploma in addition to on the job training.
2) As a nurse with experience in ER and similar
3) As an interstate/international transferr.

Now, there is only one way in. Complete the 3 year degree offered at 2 unis (Vic Uni and Monash I think). Then you can apply, got through similar testing to the testing for general entry previously, and maybe be accepted. If not, apply for your taxi license, as you'll be doing patient transportation.

In other words, you could be a nurse with 15 + years experience in ER, Acute, Remote area and god knows what, and they will still tell you to go back to uni, and leave it up to the uni to decide if you get any sort of RPL.

Personally, I think this is daft. I think one of the strengths of the ambos has always been the life experience of its members. Thats the qualitity that allows them to cope with the things they have to see (and do). You can't teach that at Uni. Very few people with life experience are going to be in a position where they can undertake a 3 year degree, which may or may not get them the job they want at the end of it. I'm waiting to see an ambulance with P plates at the moment (yes I know it's actually illegal to drive and ambulance on P's, I'm making a point).

From memory QLD is about to do the same.

Unfortunately, the sport I play (and get a lot out of playing, coaching etc) is only really played at the level I want to play it in SA, Vic and NSW.. otherwise I'd have moved to WA by now to join the para's. Who knows... it may still happen... :-)

Apologies for the thread hijack DD... And my 2c.. is there some sort of emergency service with a civil or structural bent that you could look at? Though the downside of any service like that is shift work and weekend work.

cheers

Dave

[CraigE]

NM.
Good stuff and I was in no way demeaning nurses. They do a fantastic job, just sometimes people have to higher and expectation of them. HDU and ICU nursing would be a challenge and more fullfilling I reckon. You are on the money on cardiac arrest, not many nurses want to go near it and on occassion I have found some that do not even know how to do CPR properly.

Dave,
I actually work on the general wards!! However, I'm on a cardiac medical 30 bed ward with 24 telemetry monitors. The plan is ( and I have to add this has been told to us for the last 6 years, so I'm not holding my breath) that the current CCU (Coronary Care Unit) will be moving to our ward as a 4 bed unit. Hence all our ward staff are currently doing an education package to effectively make us CCU nurses :D Its a bit of a joke tho IMHO

Now, having said all that we are treated as an HDU (high dependancy unit) so we get anyone who is really sick but not quite ICU status and ICU patients when there are no ICU beds available, which is more and more common these days (4 in the last 2 weeks...but no intubated patients as we have no respirators)

And that is why we see so many medical emergencies. Mostly cardiac related.

Funny thing tho...no-one wants to work on our ward as most nurses are frightened of being confronted with a cardiac arrest...and we get very few of those. In the 12months or so that we have had our new crash cart that allows the nurses to defibrillate its only been used once or twice in that capacity.

[CraigE]

Has been a 3 year course in WA for a while now.
Other option is a Diploma Of Medical Science through medic 1 in WA. Is roughly the equvalent but can be done quicker.
Cheers
Craig

NM,

If you dont mind me asking, do you work in the ER Dept or Acute?

Reason being I've recently applied to do a 2 year 'entry to practice' Masters of Nursing Science (fastest way for me to qualify). The longer term plan is to move into ER, and possibly remote area further down the track.

It doesn't have to be TV style nursing, but I really don't want to be bored either. Fortunately, the course I'm doing has us out on placement 3 days a week within 6 weeks of starting, so I'll find out quickly what I'm in for.

As far as the paramedics go, anyone thinking of heading down this path, do it now. I delayed, and its proved to be a bad move. There is a trend at the moment towards a specialised 3 year uni degree in paramedic science to be required to even be considered.

Its now the case in Vic, I think QLD are moving down that path, I'm not sure about NSW. NT hasnt, and probably won't any time soon (Its run by red cross from memory). Dunno about WA.

Essentially, there used to be 3 ways into the Ambulance Service (not patient transport) in Vic:
1) General Entry - once a year, lots of aptitude and psych tests. If successful you would do a diploma in addition to on the job training.
2) As a nurse with experience in ER and similar
3) As an interstate/international transferr.

Now, there is only one way in. Complete the 3 year degree offered at 2 unis (Vic Uni and Monash I think). Then you can apply, got through similar testing to the testing for general entry previously, and maybe be accepted. If not, apply for your taxi license, as you'll be doing patient transportation.

In other words, you could be a nurse with 15 + years experience in ER, Acute, Remote area and god knows what, and they will still tell you to go back to uni, and leave it up to the uni to decide if you get any sort of RPL.

Personally, I think this is daft. I think one of the strengths of the ambos has always been the life experience of its members. Thats the qualitity that allows them to cope with the things they have to see (and do). You can't teach that at Uni. Very few people with life experience are going to be in a position where they can undertake a 3 year degree, which may or may not get them the job they want at the end of it. I'm waiting to see an ambulance with P plates at the moment (yes I know it's actually illegal to drive and ambulance on P's, I'm making a point).

From memory QLD is about to do the same.

Unfortunately, the sport I play (and get a lot out of playing, coaching etc) is only really played at the level I want to play it in SA, Vic and NSW.. otherwise I'd have moved to WA by now to join the para's. Who knows... it may still happen... :-)

Apologies for the thread hijack DD... And my 2c.. is there some sort of emergency service with a civil or structural bent that you could look at? Though the downside of any service like that is shift work and weekend work.

cheers

Dave

[DirtyDawg]

After being a Nurse for 25yrs and being made to get a degree of which she just has completed, my wife has given me all the info I need for the Nursing side of things.
I qualified as "Combat Medic" in the Army and did 6 mths of shifts in Femantle Hosptial ER as part of the training back in the 90's it was a course that came up and I got on it using the excuse as an MP it was part of my job to attend TA's and therefore it may come in handy. I quite like and have an aptitude for that kind of medicine and I have considered Para/Ambos jobs but here is my weakness...Children , Kid falls off bike and breaks a leg I'm great, get called to a house where some 3 yr old has been used as an ashtray..Not so great and I would be locked up. eg Last time I was in Hosptital a mother brought her 5yr old in for consuming a whole bottle of "Painstop", mum was couch warming and didn't realize for 30mins. I felt like saying "you Idiot , how the hell did she get it, what part of keep out of reach of children did you not understand" after some verbal interviewing she confessed to being to lazy , removed the cap and allowed the 5yr old to self administer.. I could have slapped her fat head off her shoulders:twisted: I am not warm and caring enough for nursing..just me.

The posts added have been very good though cheers...
As for the suggestions of an engineering degree...as Clint Eastwood says " Man's gotta know his limitations"

[Bigbjorn]

drug allergies and overdoses...any one of these not recognised and left untreated can kill in minutes

:D

Putting on my ex Dept. Social Security Field Officer's hat now.

NM, do the police, citizens, & taxpayers of Australia a favour. When you come across an overdosed addict, ignore them. These people and their suppliers should be removed from the gene pool. They are responsible for a great proportion of crime; most receive a Social Security payment; almost all prostitutes have an involvement with drugs as users or dealers or both; They are a burden on their families, the health system, and the justice system. They are mostly unrepentant and do not wish to stop using. They think it is their right to use,and the rest of the world is wrong. Don't treat them, just shove them in a locked room and let them go cold turkey. If they die, they die, if they live they may have a better understanding of their problem. Apply the Islamic catch-all of Insh'allah, "It is god's will". Maybe the old British solution to a problem officer in the regiment, show them to an empty office, and hand them a pistol with a single bullet, and say " Do the right thing, old chap".

[edddo]

good thread..hasnt the world changed from the time of our parents....
I trained as a surveyor in the early eighties with a vague notion that it would be good to be outdoors rater than an office....I found it almost immediately tedious, and monotonous and overly technical...but it took me 13 yrs to leave it behind.....I wanted a job where I worked and interacted with people and not just about land law and surveying issues..I looked at psych and welfare courses and ended up doing social work (finished in 2000). I have had a few jobs since then have more work satisfaction than ever.............the big bonus for me was that I was able to get into a 2 yr program (Latrobe) and saved myself 2 years!! Love my work and love my time off.................in the landy........personally I would think twice about the vacation=vocation idea....just me...I reckon the 2 should be different.

[p38arover]

I wanted a job where I worked and interacted with people .

What I like about my job is that I'm mostly alone and I don't deal with the public.

I am not a social being.

[Bigbjorn]

What I like about my job is that I'm mostly alone and I don't deal with the public.

I am not a social being.

What I found at DSS was that by the time many officers are trained, competent, and knowledgeable, they have had a gutful of dealing with the clients and start looking for back office jobs with no or minimal client contact.

I used to tell people that it would be a nice place to work if not for the management and clients.

[VladTepes]

Right – where do I start. Here is your rant in full, Brian:


Putting on my ex Dept. Social Security Field Officer's hat now.
NM, do the police, citizens, & taxpayers of Australia a favour. When you come across an overdosed addict, ignore them. These people and their suppliers should be removed from the gene pool. They are responsible for a great proportion of crime; most receive a Social Security payment; almost all prostitutes have an involvement with drugs as users or dealers or both; They are a burden on their families, the health system, and the justice system. They are mostly unrepentant and do not wish to stop using. They think it is their right to use,and the rest of the world is wrong. Don't treat them, just shove them in a locked room and let them go cold turkey. If they die, they die, if they live they may have a better understanding of their problem. Apply the Islamic catch-all of Insh'allah, "It is god's will". Maybe the old British solution to a problem officer in the regiment, show them to an empty office, and hand them a pistol with a single bullet, and say " Do the right thing, old chap".

Now to take things one ar a time:


Putting on my ex Dept. Social Security Field Officer's hat now.

Hmm, ex for a reason I suspect. Given the **** perhaps ?
No that was a cheap shot – to be fair you probably did just get sick of it.


NM, do the police, citizens, & taxpayers of Australia a favour. When you come across an overdosed addict, ignore them. These people and their suppliers should be removed from the gene pool.

Tell that to someone who has lost a child to drugs. Sometimes despite peoples best efforts at raising there child that child, for whatever reason, becomes an addict. Those people are deserving of whatever assistance we can provide in order to get them off the drugs. That solves any social problem addiction may lead to.

As far as the suppliers / dealers go – you probably won’t get an argument on that point and certainly not from me. The judiciary is, in my opinion, far too easy on those people in this country.

Also, it’s not really a discretionary power that NM is exercising – NM sees it as an obligation to help, not as a “favour” (Again, this is my opinion and only NM may correct me on this point).

Leaving addicts to die is doing police a favour ? What do you base that one. Less work for them ? If so, that’s like saying leaving cancer patients to die is doing doctors a favour.


They {addicts} are responsible for a great proportion of crime; most receive a Social Security payment;

Possibly true but do you have figures to back that up ?


almost all prostitutes have an involvement with drugs as users or dealers or both;

Again stats ? Perhaps it was a personal survey ?!


They {addicts} are a burden on their families, the health system, and the justice system.

A burden on their families ? I suspect you have a different understanding of the word. They are perhaps a challenge. A source of anguish. But a burden (I sense you mean it in an "unwanted" way) I don’t think so.

Do they create a lot of work for the police and courts ? No doubt. However what else are the police and courts for, if not intervening where a law or laws are broken ?


They are mostly unrepentant and do not wish to stop using. They think it is their right to use,and the rest of the world is wrong.

And perhaps it’s become beyond their control. Ever consider that ?


. If they die, they die, if they live they may have a better understanding of their problem.

Hmm, that’s compassionate. Again, what of their families ?

Many of them already have an understanding of their problem, they are just unable to beat it by themselves.


Apply the Islamic catch-all of Insh'allah, "It is god's will"

Having lived in an Islamic country I can tell you that’s NOT what it is about


". Maybe the old British solution to a problem officer in the regiment, show them to an empty office, and hand them a pistol with a single bullet, and say " Do the right thing, old chap".

The right thing, eh ? Again, I’m glad you are no longer a social worker !

What’s your solution for litterbugs ?




Don't misunderstand me. I am NOT in any way defending drug use. Quite the opposite. However I did just feel the need to point out that your argument is flawed and that your anti-social attitudes are not necessarily broadly appreciated or shared by others here.

And a personal message from me...

Pull your head in !!!!

[CraigE]

As said dealers (whom at a high level are not usually addicts) string them up.
Most addicts are on the bottom level of society and deserve some help, however not endless help.
Our obligations as far as paramedics, nurses and doctors are to provide unbiased assistance. It is not up to us to make a judgement wether this person should live or die, but to treat the symptoms and preserve life.
It is our duty and is enforced in legislation.
The big problem is the perception of recreational drugs, which infer to kids they are ok. West Coast Eagles are a poor example of the way this message is conveyed.

[Quiggers]

Dirtydawg, get a job as a marketing manager for some national company.... most of those I have to work with (in those roles) don't know ****....but they get paid well and travel - and the companys pays for everything....

or you could be an actuarry, which is a boring gig, but for $300+ an hour, i'd do it....:D

or you could just retire, sell up, invest, hook up the van and travel... take some pix, write some stories etc...

GQ

[Bigbjorn]

Vlad, I was a Field Officer, not a social Worker. Social Workers and Fieldies are the opposite ends of the welfare spectrum . Fieldies want to get the so and so's off The system, get them before courts for fraud, and hopefully before a magistrate that will lock them up for a while. Social workers find excuses for them, hold their hands, and tell fieldies that druggies are poor misunderstood creatures. No one forces them to put the stuff up their veins or up their nose. By the way, I retired as soon as I thought I could afford it. Didn't ask for or get a redundancy package. I saw too many druggies and you will not change my opinion that they are a waste of oxygen. We, the taxpayers of australia, are paying welfare to people who claim to have no income but are spending hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars a week on their drug habits. This mostly comes from theft or prostitution. Look at the prison statistics of convicts who are drug users, or in for drug related crimes. And they are only the ones who get caught and actually get a custodial sentence. Whilst they are in gaol they are not receiving welfare payments, wasting police and courts and parole officers time, clogging up the health system, housebreaking, mugging, stealing as a servant, breaking into parked cars, whoring on the streets, and so on ad infinitum.

[jik22]

Dirtydawg, get a job as a marketing manager for some national company.... most of those I have to work with (in those roles) don't know ****....but they get paid well and travel - and the companys pays for everything....

GQ

Define "well paid" as I could quite easily drop back to a marketing role and do sod all all day long. ;)

[Quiggers]

around the hundred pa plus expenses and perks...

might go there myself...p1ss easy job...

GQ

[mrapocalypse]

here's one, what about doing a bobcat,bulldozer earth moving ticket,. Get yourself a truck and bobcat, be self employed, you can grow it or sit back. Not a lot of debt or maintencae considering the hourly rate!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/TIPPER-TRUCK-BOBCAT_W0QQitemZ150170031986QQihZ005QQcategoryZ473 64QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have done stories on these guys, It's my favourite alternate job......