First letter sent....

[Nick Drew]

Many congratulations on the new job Ben,

Although I must say I am sad to hear that it looks like our industry has lost a madly keen plant fanatic!!

I am sorry that you never got you chance in the seat .

Best Wishes from all of us at CMN

Nick .

[ben_uk]

Thanks Nick

Who knows Jo ?? just have to see what i am like at the time.

Would of been awesome if i got a job with Oakfiled, with u working there as well but sadly that just aint happen.

All i know now is i am very happy to have a permernent job at this point in time.

Cheers Ben

[Jeremy Rowland]

Congrats on the new job Ben, may not of been what you wanted but it sounds a good job and with things everywhere as bad as they are I think you've done well.
I know cos I've also been looking for work since Christmas with no luck applied for whats going and had one interview with no luck
Oh well just do me best can't try any harder or apply for jobs that just aint there.

Jeremy

[nick lamb]

Well done Ben. I echo Nick Drews statement though.
I hope your man recovers mate

[ben_uk]

Blast from the past!

Almost 6 years to the day from the last post and way back on page 22 of Off Topic forum section.


Brings back some memories reading through all the replies after sending out my first letter trying to get on as a trainee plant operator back in July 2008.

Been happy enough working in IT for the last 6 years but here I am again at a cross roads at 30 years old thinking what if I had a complete change and went back into construction and more importantly tried to succeed as a plant operator!

How's everyone doing ?

[Jeremy Rowland]

Great to hear from you again Ben and glad that all is well as is for myself and many of the regular CMN members. Yes I can understand your desire to try and turn back the hands of time but alas fate is a strange thing although some would say that life is what you make it?

Jeremy

[diggerjones]

Time goes quick, have you earned enough now to survive on digger driver wages for a while.ha have.
Have you wife, kids big mortgage.
I would think trying to get into plant again would be the same as what you went through last time.
Good luck

[charlie2]

the first time I have read this topic, cant say you didn't try to get a start ben. and what has been interesting to me is that you took the job as an it techie, that's what my son does at a local school, when he applied and was eventually offered the job he was not going to take it. I was shocked that he was not keen to do it and tried my utmost to get him to do it.
well he eventually did and has been for about nine years its a secure job with regular pay rises
way better than any job I could do, so I am going to say as a sixty year old plant op I think that fate has dealt you a brilliant hand and I really hope you stick at IT and has more potential that operating machines. best of luck to you.

[ben_uk]

Thanks for the replies, thought I'd give a quick update.

I've decided I'm going to do a CPCS course in the coming weeks, going for the 360 tracked above 10 tonnes so it covers me for below 10 tonnes as well.

I'll be doing the CPCS course with CTA in Doncaster http://www.cta.construction/ not to far from me in Nottingham, the course runs for 5 days and if I pass should come out with the red card.

Called a few agencies I used a few years back and there seems to be plenty of scope to get working once I've got my CPCS red card. Also sent a few e-mails out to construction/civil/plant firms in the area looking for any starts for someone in my situation, had a few replies to get back in touch once I've got the red card.

I totally understand a CPCS red card wont make me a skilled operator, that comes with years of experience but I'm hoping it gives me the foot in the door to build my experience on different sites/jobs.

Hoping to get out on site soon as possible! meet people in the game get some contacts together and more importantly build a few references.

I'll let you all know when I've got a start date for the CPCS course.

Wish me luck

[bigkit]

Good luck, nice to see someone with the motivation to pursue what they want to do (and not find a reason why they cant!)