I'd like to add to my above post,
I started off as an Adult apprentice, which to a certain extent, earned me a wee bit of "respect" with my new co-workers, I was not some new boy fresh out of school, the fact that I had a heap of vehicle licences also helped.
But one thing that ALL apprentices are met with, was to hit me really hard, the wages.
I ended up flatting here in Ashburton for the first few years I was here.
Having luxuries like a car, just didn't happen.
This was in a time where apprentices could be paid less than minimum wage, because they were under a training scheme.
In my first year, I earned NZ$3.60 an hour, this was a humungous shock from the NZ$15.50 I had been earning as a Paid Senior Fire-fighter.
But no point in moaning, I was glad to be working again.
Things did get better, the work got steadily better as I learned new skills and I was really fitting in with the crowd at work.
Back then, you had to go away to the Polytechnic in Timaru once a year for a month on your Block course, this was more a pain in the backside really as half the time the tutor (who had been teaching basic electrical skills to people that couldn't find a job, was more often than not, burned out) and he would often ask the students to help teach the class, this isn't nearly as dangerous as it sounds, in fact I picked up more on the basics of Electricity this way than reading any book or watching a video about it.
You were constantly watching your class-mates to see if they would screw up!
I personally miss my days as an apprentice, they were good days.
My advice to anyone looking to get into this trade, please by all means, have a go, if you have the intuition to be a good worker and don't mind a few of the more menial tasks, like sweeping floors and so-forth, you may just fit in.
In closing, I will say that age is no barrier, if you have good eye-hand co-ordination and are good with tools and have an eye for detail, we need you!.
