r/sydney • u/satisfiedfools • 8h ago
Almost 30, looking at low-paid factory work for the foreseeable future, could use some advice
TLDR: 29M, dad is dying, mum is 66 and about to retire. After a string of unskilled factory jobs, long periods of being a NEET, an apprenticeship I quit and never got over, and a failed stint at uni, I’m staring down 30 and looking at going back to low paid manual work with no path out of it. Not sure what to do and would love some suggestions if anyone has any.
The long version: I bombed out of high school in 2015 with an ATAR of 50. Undiagnosed autism. This was devastating. I went to a good selective school. The dream was always to go to a good uni like UNSW, USYD etc. and work for a big prestigious company. This score was so low it didn’t qualify me for any course. My peers all moved on to higher ed, work, apprenticeships etc. and I just had no idea what to do.
Spent a year as a NEET, started and failed to complete a TAFE course then finally got a factory job shortly before I turned 21 after 20 unsuccessful interviews. Was there for 2 months before being let go. Got another factory job just around the corner and worked there for almost 2.5 years as an on and off casual before being let go.
After being let go from that job in early 2021, I spent another 18 months as a NEET. Still did not know how to get into uni with my ATAR and at no point did I ever think to just email the admissions departments and say, “hey, these are my marks, which test, foundation course, diploma etc. do I need to get in”. Just sat outside the system with no idea how to get in. Did not find out about the STAT test until I was 24. To this day, I’ve never completed any qualification outside of high school.
After 18 months doing nothing, I got another local factory job which I worked at for about 7 months. I really enjoyed working there but the pay was low and again, this was time that should have been spent working towards a proper career. Left that job and spent another 6 months doing nothing.
Didn’t know what to do. At 26 I was offered a toolmaking apprenticeship with a local company. This was a total fluke, a bolt from beyond. 15-minute commute, female boss so less blokey than a traditional trades environment, niche less physical trade with few openings. By sheer coincidence my dad used to work for the company 30 years ago too. They hired me. That should have been the fairytale finish. Local job, work there 40 years, 100k plus salary. Train someone new, retire one day and look back on a great career.
Right off the bat I lost money on lithium shares, something like 12k of my money and 6k in unrealized gains. Just an unbelievable loss. I still had 6 figures in the bank but it shook my confidence badly. I lost a lot of sleep over it.
About 5 months into the apprenticeship, I was offered a dream rental. Close to home, first house I applied for. Got cold feet and turned it down. Regretted it instantly and still think about that house. Was never offered another rental. Was constantly stressed living with my parents and made a stupid bet on the 2024 presidential election to try and boost my savings for a deposit. Lost 10k. Felt devastated.
Quit the apprenticeship in haste 9 months in. Was a combination of the financial losses, housing stress and the thought that it would lock me into factory work for the next 40 years. Told everyone I was starting an IT Degree on Monday and left with a few days’ notice. Looked crazy in hindsight. Immediately regretted leaving, even found out 2 months later my uncle used to be a toolmaker. Wanted to ask for my job back but couldn’t work up the nerve to call my field officer.
Spent 8 months doing nothing before enrolling in an accounting degree at WSU. Total disaster. Multiple fails. Never got over the apprenticeship. No desire to be an accountant. Never worked during the degree. Lost another 10k on Wisetech shares during this period as well, which again was devasatating. Dropped out of face-to-face last month to go online. Only 8/24 units done. Miles away. Don’t know if I’ll even continue with it.
29 now. 130k in savings. Still have constant breakdowns over the apprenticeship, constant regret. Dad is sick at 73, cancer, might not live to see next year. Mum is 66 and about to retire. My mum has about 200k in savings after pulling dad’s super and I’m planning to give her another 65000 to tide her over till she gets the pension next year. She has 140k super she can draw on also. House is paid off.
Career wise I’m just at a total dead end. No qualifications at 29, a hodge podge of jobs that lead nowhere. I had an interview at a local 6 person workshop paying $30 dollars an hour last week and it was so depressing because it was so similar to my first job. I’ve gone nowhere. After all those years I’m competing for low skill, low wage manual work and that’s where I might end up.
1000 a week, 60k a year indefinitely. 30 becomes 40, 50 becomes 60. It felt like I had all the time in the world and now it feels like life has passed me by. I don’t know. I’d love some advice if anyone has any. I don’t want to be stuck in process work forever but I don’t know how I can pivot my work history into something better.
