Ever wanted to jack in your job, emigrate and work on a DZ ?

[lintern 1]

Does anyone else ever feel like jacking in their job and emigrating to somewhere warm (like Folirda or Australia) to work on a dropzone ?

I hate my job in automotive design engineering (working on engine management and gearbox control units) and I am totally demotivated with it and engineering in general.

Not only is my job bad, but my workplace is even more dull, boring and depressing.

In addition to that I hate living in England.

The weather in England means that the majority of time you are stuck indoors because its normally raining, cold and windy.

So I don't get to skydive much in this country - even the summers are bad.

I much prefer being outdoors in nice, warm, sunny weather.

My girlfriend feels exactly the same as me and we have talked about it time and time again.

It makes it even more tempting when you see a 5 bedroom, fully furnished house with a swimming pool in Florida for £150,000.

You would only get a run down, terrace house in a rough area for that much in England !

I love skydiving and Im also interested in flying, although I can't afford the training costs of flying.

Engineering bores me and the pay is crap - especially considering my training and experience and the complicated work I do.

I have been feeling like this for a long time and wondered if anyone else ever feels the same or has even done it ?

How much can you earn on a dropzone ?

I imagine it cant be very much, but then again Im not earning much now working in a job I hate, in a country I hate !

[Stumpy 256]

Erm yes. Most days. Have even looked into it but it is the visa thats the problem......

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[Smeger 0]

I think I know what your going through. I recently earned a BA (Hons) Second Upper-Class Degree from Brighton University in Music Production. I'm either over qualified to work in music retail or under experienced to work in a professional recording environment . I've been working with other well paid producers in some studios that were recording clients through a mic the WRONG WAY ROUND for THREE YEARS , and these people are getting paid for that . They can't even manage to route foldback on an analogue desk .
I've only done three jumps and already I have an overwhelming sensation to jump. All day, every day, all I can think of is jump, jump, jump.
I was thinking of working at a dropzone in the UK, just working in a canteen or cleaning toilets or something. At least I'm amongst awesome people AND get to jump (depending on money and weather).
I don't want to be rich, own a large house and have five cars, I'd be quite happy working at the dropzone and skydiving.
I go storm chasing every year for a week or two, depending on what I can afford. I would get my AFF done, but the weather sucks, plus I'm waiting for a mate of mine to do a second tandem because he is seriously considering the AFF as well. I'm willing to wait a little longer if it means I could learn with someone I know on the DZ. Be good for encouragement and stuff. Plus, I'm not bothered whether it's a tandem or not, as long as I'm in the air I'm a happy camper .
Don't hesitated anymore buddy, we only get one life and I'm damned if I'm spending all of it on the ground . Just go with your gut and do what you feel you need to do.

P.S. I apologise for the cheesy moment at the end ! (DZ.com RULES! )

[xpug 0]

I'm with you on that - almost every day over these winter months. Used to enjoy my job until I took up skydiving; now it's unfortunately becoming more like a means to an end.

Love to be in Florida or California, but finding work on a DZ is tough by all accounts I've heard. Thinking about it, the realistic option is to find another job, move over there, get luxurious house for a song, work 3 or 4 days a week and skydive the rest because the weather is so much more consistent than here. That's the main problem here.

Either that or do contract work like a mofo during the 6 out-of-season summer months in Florida and skydive over the 'winter'.

Till then, the closest I can get is spending my yearly 5 weeks holiday skydiving abroad. Off to Lillo this Saturday, hope it's stopped snowing by then (currently 2 degrees! )

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

It sounds to me like you've already made up your mind.

I'm doing the same when my time in the army is up (6 years).

I'd say put all the energy you have into making it come true.

Maybe Australia would be easier, visa wise.

Good luck.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[BIGUN 1,051]

It took you all of eternity to arrive on this planet. When you exit, you're never coming back - ever.

At best, with a lot of luck and good grace - you might get 75 years on this planet.

Whatchya gonna do with it?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[gordy 0]

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Does anyone else ever feel like jacking in their job and emigrating to somewhere warm (like Folirda or Australia) to work on a dropzone ?

Daily, in fact while I am there, hourly!

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I hate my job in automotive design engineering (working on engine management and gearbox control units) and I am totally demotivated with it and engineering in general

I work in the same field so I understand your pain.

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Not only is my job bad, but my workplace is even more dull, boring and depressing.

The more I read of your post, the more it sounds like I could have written it!

I live in Scotland, so that bit isn't too bad relatively, although I would far rather live in Southern California

Working on a dropzone your never going to earn much money, especially in the early stages...

Something to consider though would be to move to Oz or the US etc and get an engineering job there, ok its the same boring work but they pay you more, well in the states they do , but at least then you would be in warm weather, well paid and you could skydive properly at the weekends!

I do consider this every day!

[wmw999 2,120]

I did it. If you consider leaving Texas for Massachusetts to be emigrating I even did that part.

I was 23, and in a job I loathed. I ended up packing for a DZ for the fall season (not much winter jumping in Mass, so it ended). Then I traveled to Florida, and came back to Texas and got a responsible job again about 6 months later.

I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[JonBonGraham 0]

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My girlfriend feels exactly the same as me and we have talked about it time and time again.

Maybe a visa would not be so much of a poblem if your girlfriend happens to be in the right line of work, although I don't know how it works, or if you'd need to be married or just sort of "promise" that you're together and not just saying that to get another visa, but it might be worth looking into.
My long-term plan centres around moving to the U.S. and becoming a dropzone-bum. Damn, you guys that live there are SOOOO lucky!!!

Durham University Freefall Club

Grounds For Divorce website (band I'm in)

[lintern 1]

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Maybe a visa would not be so much of a poblem if your girlfriend happens to be in the right line of work

She is a vetinary nurse.

[lintern 1]

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Something to consider though would be to move to Oz or the US etc and get an engineering job there

I would definitely consider this...

I would rather be doing the sort of work I do now in a country where the weather is nicer so I can at least enjoy my hobby.

I don't even get the oppourtunity to enjoy my hobby in this country because the weather is so lowsy !

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...get an engineering job there, ok its the same boring work but they pay you more

The idea that they pay more is sounds good.

I would like to be rich, own a nice house and have a nice car and one of those super yachts !

I am fedup of earning the same as someone who stacks shelves in a supermarket for a living.

When I left school at 16 I spent 4 years doing a technician apprenticeship in addition to an ONC and HNC.

I then spent another 5 years part time doing a BEng (Hons.) Electronic Engineering Degree and got a 2.1.

Plus I have 5 years design experience in automotive electronics.

But when I look back I regret doing it all.

It definietly wasn't worth all the hard work I had to do to get to this stage and it still aint worth all the hard work I do now

But then again, I think I might prefer a job I really enjoy even if I earnt less.

Afterall, you spend most of your life at work

[tdog 0]

There was another activity I did once that was my passion (designing lighting for concerts, modern dance, theatre, etc). I spent every waking moment doing it in high school and college. I got a degree in the field and then got a job doing it... It lost it's fun real quick - and became work – as soon as I had to do it to pay the bills. I still do it as a “hobby job” – and choose only the concerts that sound fun. I will never do my passion full time again.

I know more than one person who says skydiving lost it's fun once it became a full time job. But the friends who do it as a job or for fun on the weekends seem real happy...

Clearly, you can’t stay where you are – I got depressed just reading your post.

So, how about a plan B? You find an alternate job, other than engineering, other than skydiving, that sounds fun – a job that you could do for a long time… Teaching math/engineering or something to college students, flying planes (you said you liked it and you could get student loans to learn), becoming a landscape architect and working outside all the time (you know drafting I assume), being a bus driver – anything that keeps you happy…. (Does your engineering degree apply to airfoil design – you could work for a canopy manufacturer perhaps? With your electrical engineering experience, perhaps you could work for an AAD company – or a company that makes equipment for the production lines of skydiving gear.) They say most people completely change their career 3.5 times in their life. I am 30 and half way thru that statistic. My grandfather only changed once – so you and I have the right to change 1 extra time to make the statistic average out…

[Tonto 1]

I'm so glad my British ancestors felt the way you do. Of course, they felt that way 185 years ago...

You won't earn 150 000 GBP working on a DZ. Not with your number of jumps.

Your 1st hurdle is getting in. Then it's staying. Then it's being allowed to work. Then it's making a living in a sport that no one is really in for the money.

In 1992 I quit my job, went to the US, got an AFF rating and a Tandem rating and worked on small DZ's for the year. It was fantastic.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[lintern 1]

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a job that you could do for a long time… Teaching math/engineering or something to college students, flying planes (you said you liked it and you could get student loans to learn),

I seriously looked into becoming a pilot but to do it for a living you need to get a commercial pilots licence.

And that's a big problem - because it costs about £60,000 for the training.

I went to a Pilot Training Show before xmas and came away disheartend.

Even sponsorship has become non existent since 9/11.

The biggest grant I've found is £50,000 and you have to start paying that back 6 months after completing the training, whether you have a job or not.

But the repayments on a grant that size would be huge ! The information I got from the show says a commercial pilot is on around £25k to £35k - the captain earns about £50k - £60k but it takes a long time to reach that status.

I see your point of making your passion a full time job - it could loose its fun. Im glad you drew my attention to that.

You know, just the other week I thought about a job in canopy design.

Although my engineering training would be of no use because it is in electronics i.e. microprocessors, software programming and hardware design.

An AAD company might be more interesting ? But there are only a couple !

It's not just the job thats the problem though... I want to emigrate somewhere warm so I can jump and enjoy other outdoor activities. I hate being stuck indoors which is the lifestyle in England !

[GeordieSkydiver 0]

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Only the person who risks is truly free...

Dude, I have 6 years to go before I can emigrate. If it wasn't for the pension I'd go now.

Find a way. You owe it to yourself.

Lee _______________________________

In a world full of people, only some want to fly, is that not crazy?
http://www.ukskydiver.co.uk

[skykittykat 0]

I did it due to weather in the UK and also wanting to seriously improve my skydiving.

Your biggest hurdle will be getting a work visa. I am not sure of the status of most US dz's regarding hiring non legal workers - I know quite a lot don't.

I would suggest applying for the Working Holiday Visa for Australia where you are then legally allowed to work for a year. They are pretty easy to get as well so long as you are between the ages of 18 - 30 (could be 28, although I think they upped it to 30).

From there, you can do one of two things. Work on a dz packing, or such like and skydive when you get a day off, or,

Work in the mines for a couple of months where you will earn heaps of money and can go skydiving hard on that money.

Good luck.

Liz


Liz

[WildBill 0]

Ok, I have quit, or been laid off and done the skydiving thing full time a few times. The only way I was able to make it was that I had obtained my gear and most of my ratings while I had gainful employment. The last time I really did it was over a year ago and I moved to AZ and ran a small dz and pretty much skydived everyday. It was a dream. Through my skydiving knowledge and knowledge of the banking system I have a small shade tree dz here in Louisiana that operates on the weekends. The pilot thing is really not that hard here in the U.S. you get your private lic. then about 200 more hours, which you can split with someone and then take the commercial test.
I believe the best advice I can give you is get all the ratings you can while you are employed pay all the debt off you can, keep your credit clean and then go for it. Because its hard to pay for ratings while your trying to be a full time skydiver, your debt will go up and if your credit is crap you can't get as far as you might like. If being a full time skydiver is something that you want to do at some point, plan for it and make it happen. IF you don't you will always regret not doing it, and will always lie to yourself by saying it was for the best. "I would not have this nice house and fancy car if I would have gone off and been a full time skydiver." Thats a really crappy way to have to live! Good luck!

[Designer 0]

Did that already.It's not everything it's cracked up to be.Like my present situation as a private contract packer better.Being my own boss is great.Although TK Hayes was a pretty good boss at Z-hills when I was there.Give it go,you will learn something.rob.

[GravityGirl 0]

Uh. Yeah. How do you think I got here?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[Mixoligist 0]

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It took you all of eternity to arrive on this planet. When you exit, you're never coming back - ever.
whatchya gonna do with it?

AMEN !

..................................
Better you than me
..................................

[HydroGuy 0]

The pro shop (Square 1) @ Perris Valley DZ is looking for someone to work full time. Includes gear discounts. You have to be able to work on weekends.

I saw the flier in their window yesterday.

If anyone really wants a job at one of the busiest DZ's in the world, the opening is there.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[MarkM 0]

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Does anyone else ever feel like jacking in their job and emigrating to somewhere warm (like Folirda or Australia) to work on a dropzone ?

Yeah, but I like eating food other than ramen noodles. I'm going to do the "work my ass off in my current field and retire at 40-ish doing something I like" thing.

[lintern 1]

The one thing I wouldnt be able to do on a DZ is pack !

I cant even pack my own rig !

Well I can, but most the time I can never get it in the bag but even if I do the whole pack job takes me a long time!

When I cant get it in the bag I end up loosing my temper, kick it around the floor and get someone else to pack it - normally my girlfriend !

[Ncrowe 0]

It makes it even more tempting when you see a 5 bedroom, fully furnished house with a swimming pool in Florida for £150,000.

What part of florida is this?

"Don't Mess Around With the Guy in Shades- Oh No!!! "

[jose 0]

Where each house has a moat around it with alligators as "pets".

Go out towards old SoBe or SDAmerica and you can find some really big property for nil. Course, you would have to wear a respirator during cane burning season.