So where to now?

A famous man once said: ''If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there''

Having been an offset sheetfed lithographer for 10 years I'm feeling the urge to change and expand in my career, but what is out there for someone who has only been trained in one thing?
Which path do I take, how do I get there, what do I need to bring?
We all know it's never too late to change careers but there are the obvious hurdles involved, limited or no training in other skills, lack of confidence, fear of the unknown, maybe a drop in salary...... and the list could go on.

This is probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make recently and I am certain I am not alone in the industry.
Being faced with my own new challenge of changing careers I find myself staring down several paths, and all at once it seems.

Unfortunately the area where I am living (we'll just say the British Isles for now) doesn't have a large print industry for people to gather information and network with each other. As well as being detached from mainland England, our firm is very small so chances for advancement are very slim. Add to that if a position is opened, it is filled very quickly by a qualified person which is logical and fair enough.
And this is where I find job seeking the most difficult: Trainee positions.

So I want to change, but what do I want to do? The choice of careers out there can in fact be very daunting at times and this can even lead to frustration, which I have felt on many occasions especially after sending out so many prosaic and smart C.V.'s.
As I have seen in countless adverts for personnel, ''must be qualified, have x years of experience'' etc and that has always been a put off for me.

But I think a change of tactics is required. I know I'm smart, and I know I can learn new things very quickly. In fact I WANT to learn new things, but in life we don't get qualifications and certificates in our C.V's for wanting to do new things. We have to work and strive to reach these goals if we want them and above all, try, try and try again with what we do have.

I am moving to England at the end of May and not having a new job lined up is a daunting prospect, but also encouraging as it's giving me a drive that I have never had before. I have been fortunate in the past of being at the right place at the right time when it came to hearing of new jobs and opportunities. Not this time. It's off my own back, and if I have to dress up in a suit and tie and knock on every print shop door, then so be it.

I don't have many print contacts in England, and those I did have left the trade or retired. So basically it's pulling up old roots and planting them somewhere new and that means building up new contacts and friends throughout the industry. An exciting prospect but also very scary.

I hope that any of you who feel the same may find a little courage that your not the only one out there. Regardless of age, it's a big step making the change, but it'll definitely be well worth the effort. I wish you all the best in finding your new jobs.
''If you know where you want to go, then you'll find the road easily enough''

Tommy Kronholm

:About me: I am a 27 years old, fully qualified lithographer with experience ranging from Heidelberg SORD's, SORM's, GTO's right up to 8 colour B1 presses.
I have experience with perfecting and UV inks too,plate making as well as limited bindery experience. I have worked in South Africa, Denmark and British Isles.
I enjoy fresh new challenges and am always looking to improve on myself.