[Sandy]

Hi everyone, really like the forum - I've found some really interesting and refreshingly honest posts on here so I thought I'd come out of my lurker mode:

Without wanting to sound too much like a cliche, I'm looking for a bit of advice about possibly starting a career in landscaping at 30 years of age...

My current situation is that I work in the IT industry and frankly don't look forward to 30+ years of looking at a computer screen day-in, day-out. The upside is that I get paid fairly well and live in Melbourne, Australia, which I have taken quite a shine to as an English ex-pat. Despite my academic/corporate background I actually grew up on a farm in rural England so I am not the average white collar worker, or at least I like to think not.

I miss the outdoor lifestyle greatly, and I think I'll regret it if I let the world pass me by whilst I sit in an air-conditioned downtown office. So I've recently started looking more seriously at taking up a trade, and landscaping is top of my list...

I'm probably more inclined to favour structural over soft landscaping, simply because I enjoy designing and building (I actually studied Mechanical Engineering at University). I'm also very interested in eco-technologies and sustainabiliy.

So, I don't have any qualifications but I am phisically fit, work hard, am reliable and have plenty of common sense and a practical nature - What's the best way of approaching this? Even better, has anyone else here done something similar and made a big shift in career, or was everyone an apprentice landscaper at age 16?

Cheers,

- Sandy

[Greensmith]

Stick your toe in before you jump in so to speak. Have you done any on the side jobs for anyone to see if you could envision selling landscaping for a living?

And are you thinking of going to school again or learning as you go for Eco designs and such?

[papercutter]

Be prepared for interviews with skeptical employers. I believe you're earnest and have thought this through; however, turnover sucks and their presumption will likely be that you have rose-colored glasses and will wash out inside of three weeks. Make sure you have your "elevator pitch" that sums up why you're making such a big change and why you know it will work.

[Fine Edge]

Before being able to sell the hardscapes, you have to have enough field experience to know how they work and what's the right application for different circumstances.
Reading how-to books is all fine and well but there is no substitute for facing some crucial dilemmas in the middle of a project and being able to re-design on the fly.

I'm all for people starting their own business, everyone on here did it, but see if you can take a week of your vacation and work with a company for that week.

[davemac]

I made a similar career change about 8 years ago. I was 34 and wanted to work outside. i did some landscaping when i was younger and wanted to try it again. I got hired on with a three man operation, worked like a dog and learned a ton. I still work for someone else but the things i learned enable me to teach younger guys how to do the job right and I feel very rewarded working outside with my hands. Oh and I still work like a dog.

[Sonnenblumen]

Hi Sandy

probably worth considering a few 'nixers' to cut your teeth before making the big jump. Your situation is not that unique, in fact there are a considerable number of professionals who have turned their backs midstream on IT/banking careers etc to work in landscaping. I know a number of ex-grad engineers who run successful landscaping companies, and not surprising such companies would have very good work management competencies and particular strengths in more structural/constructional elements. There might be some fall-off initially in income, but don't let that put you off, you will soon gain traction and it is very possible to achieve former or even exceed former income levels.

I have no first hand experience of Austarlia, but your English roots should help. I would be less enthusiastic about a new business on soft landscaping, but is probably more to do with not knowing the local market etc.

At the end of the day, if you have a gut feeling, go with your instinct, it won't be all plain sailing, but what is. Your training will have prepared you well and I hope you take the step and wish you every success.

Let us know and do stay in touch.

I studied Civil Eng and having worked in several related roles in different countries, I discovered my true religion and established a landscaping company. We do very well and I have never looked back. My friends and I still wonder at how it has panned out for us.