Got to make a decision guys - Time for a career change?

[VEGAS]

I can understand your predicament as I have many friends who left the force because they were no longer allowed to "Police"

Spot on Graham.

I never really got onto the subject of bureaucracy, but that is also a huge factor in the deterioration of job morale.

Many bobbies often say that working in the job these days is like trying to Police with one hand tied behind your back.

[Vancouver]

Ever thought of transferring but staying Job. Lot of ex Met and Counties over here e.g. and I have yet to meet one (Local, VPD, RCMP) who regrets the move. Wish I had done it yonks ago. Pay's better, conditions better, standards of living better, schools better, housing better, shall I go on.

If I may criticise one small point, the use of the term "bobbies" in my view is one big problem, it conjures up that Dixon of Dock Green image (Lor' lummy, the rozzers 'ave collared me fair and square guvnor.) which was OK in 1960, but not at all relevant today. Oh and those stupid tourist helmets, when will they ever drag the job into the 21st century. I'll stop now before I begin to levitate.
I was just reading the Mail, about that ridiculous embarrassment of a PS who resigned over his tweeting. Grrrrrrr.

[tonymadge]

Come in here a bit late, train drivers are very well paid and will always be needed, police officers are facing job cuts wage cuts and pension cuts, I left in Jan this year and despite a not so good career choice of delivery driver I am now working again as a doctors logistics assistant (basically getting all their stuff and delivering the doc to the locations) . Best move I made was to leave the police, my advice is GO FOR IT. I found that working for the police, management treated you as a liability outside your seen as an asset, the police will offer you nothing except reduced pay reduced pension and longer working, plus if you get injured on duty no more medical pay off you will be sacked if you cant return to work, no matter that the injury was due to being assaulted on duty etc.... Sadly the best years of policing are gone.....
I thought about train driving but limited opportunities which I can understand as the pay and conditions are very good.

[TSR2]

Regardless of the career choices we make, if your not happy doing something, its time for a change. Don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating anyone changing jobs because you've had a bad week, but when its a chore to get up every day, its definitely time to move. One thing to try and get you head around is TUPE. While there will always be a need for train drivers, its probably very unlikely that you will always be employed by the same company. Its quite likely that the company will be taken over or the contract will be awarded to a different company. While these days its very unlikely that you'll loose your job when these things happen, you will probably go to work wearing a different uniform and driving a different coloured train. Think of it a bit like being a contractor, don't get too attached to a particular company, just rock up, do you job and collect your money (so long as they are paying )

Best of luck with whatever you decide mate

[VEGAS]

Ever thought of transferring but staying Job. Lot of ex Met and Counties over here e.g. and I have yet to meet one (Local, VPD, RCMP) who regrets the move. Wish I had done it yonks ago. Pay's better, conditions better, standards of living better, schools better, housing better, shall I go on.

If I may criticise one small point, the use of the term "bobbies" in my view is one big problem, it conjures up that Dixon of Dock Green image (Lor' lummy, the rozzers 'ave collared me fair and square guvnor.) which was OK in 1960, but not at all relevant today. Oh and those stupid tourist helmets, when will they ever drag the job into the 21st century. I'll stop now before I begin to levitate.
I was just reading the Mail, about that ridiculous embarrassment of a PS who resigned over his tweeting. Grrrrrrr.

Hi Alex, Yes I did consider transferring a few years ago. I have friends in the Police in Alberta, Canada and also in Perth, Australia.

They seem to have never looked back. Good for them. Although I also know one or two that have come back as the working abroad thing just wasn't for them.

Horses for courses isn't it? Grass isn't always greener for some I suppose.

Why would the word 'bobby' be such an issue for you?

Its a term thats very much alive and well over here. Certainly in the North of England.

Absolutely right about the custodian helmets, they are a nuisance. Very traditional looking but completely impractical when chasing someone.

I remember a job in the past, when I ditched mine in someones front garden, chasing a lad who'd broken into a garden shed.

Tony,

I bet your glad your out of it mate. Never a better time to retire.

I'm happy for you in that your keeping occupied and keeping the wages coming in. I'd do exactly the same.

Its important to keep busy once you've left the job.

Ben,

Wise words matey. I did wonder what happens to staff once a rail franchise is up for renewal and asked the interview panel that very question when it was my turn to ask questions as the end of the interview.

They basically said exactly the same.

When I went away and thought about it, they couldn't just make you redundant as then they'd have to recruit and train brand new staff.

Why do that when there are already thousands of staff doing the job already. So, as you say, its a case of a new badge on the jumper and new logo on the train.

I should hear back from the TOC within the next couple of weeks. The last phase I need to undertake now is a medical and references.

Both shouldn't be a problem.

If I get a job offer then I'll be snapping their hand off.

As if you needed telling that!

I'll keep you posted.

Great posts fellas. Thank you.

[TSR2]

If its any reassurance, I know a fella who left the Met in 2001 when the Kiwi's and Aussies came over to pinch some UK officers. He signed up for the Kiwis but was back within the year. No doubt its a beautiful place to live (my brother and his family live in a little place called Eastbourne on the far side of Wellington Harbour), but its very far away and VERY different from policing in the UK.

[VEGAS]

Indeed it is mate.

Something I did consider as I mentioned, however I landed a nice little specialist post in 2005 and have been there ever since.

When I look back at my career, the job has invested a huge amount of time and money in my training and many officers are walking away from established careers to pursue something else. Shame really but the appeal has gone completely for many of the staff.

That said, for me personally, I actually still love the job and enjoy it. Its just sad to see whats happened to it.

If I was going to transfer anywhere though, it would be to a nice quiet fishing village, somewhere in Devon & Cornwall constabulary.

[speedbird591]

I was going to transfer anywhere though, it would be to a nice quiet fishing village, somewhere in Devon & Cornwall constabulary.

Could happen in a couple of years, Eddie. First Great Western are looking for qualified train drivers based at Exeter or Par. It could be a longer term plan as they crop up fairly regularly ...

https://firstgroup.hua.hrsmart.com/ats/ ... reqid=5547

Ian

[Tomliner]

I have refrained from posting a reply here so far because I think that others have covered all the important factors.
Whatever you decide Eddie,I wish you all the very best for your future.
I would like to make the point though that we in the UK should feel some degree of concern that many of our police officers are being made to feel the need to leave the service.
In addition I think that particularly after Jan 1st 2014 we will need these good folk even more!
Good luck Eddie,let us know how you get on. EricT

[Jon.M]

Hi Eddie,

I'm another who hasn't posted here as I had nothing to add to the advice already given.

I would say that whilst train drivers final salary pension is a great part of their overall remuneration I wouldn't bank on it still being there in twenty or twenty five years time. As we can see from the recent increase in retirement age, financing pensions is becoming a big problem. Years ago I read that this was a financial time bomb with increasing numbers of pensioners living longer together with a falling birth rate meaning that today's pensioners are probably the best off that there will be for a long time. That was before the current financial crisis when clever people thought the economy would keep growing forever. Those of us in our fifties will on average be worse off than today's pensioners when we get our pensions, probably when we're about 75.

Having said that I once worked for an insurance company, which is great for cheap mortgages and good pensions. But I found it deadly dull. So I sold my house to finance going back to college for four years. Apart from losing the pension, in the four years I was studying the house I had sold almost trebled in value. I had tried to rent it but it didn't make enough to cover the non subsidised mortgage.

But when I think of what I've done in the last thirty years compared to what I could have expected had I stayed in insurance I definitely made the right choice.

Best of luck Eddie.

Jon