I need some life advice

[Smifffy]

Do NZCE.
I reckon it would be a rewarding career

For the effort, you may as well do a degree, an NZ cert means jack outside of NZ, DAMHIK.

[Pussy]

For the effort, you may as well do a degree, an NZ cert means jack outside of NZ, DAMHIK.

Fair enough!
I was lucky enough to have a clear goal even when I was a toddler!
Worked my way towards it, and ended up in my chosen role for 17 years.
Just gave it up last year and moved on to another.
Perhaps I should have said... Engineering degree

[scumdog]

Do what you want - your'e still danged young, take some chances and risks (but not of the fatal types.

My last career move was at 44 years old so you CAN change when you don't like what you're doing.

[ttmadness]

I agree, especially knowing Chinese Mandarin which is more widely spoken than Cantonese. As a short term job while you explore openings, call centers and customer service businesses like the Telco's, banks, insurance companies, etc are always looking for foreign language speakers. You could also approach Multi-national companies and offer your services.

Check with employment agencies like Madison, and surf Seek for vacancies requiring Mandarin speakers.

Do what you want - your'e still danged young, take some chances and risks (but not of the fatal types.

My last career move was at 44 years old so you CAN change when you don't like what you're doing.

Respect to that. Why on earth do I feel I'm too old to start something else.

[ellipsis]

...just while you're making up your mind, I would suggest getting a bucket racer.....you can while your whole life away on a race track somewhere...the only thing I've found less pointless in life than motorcycles, is the other stuff in life......

[ttmadness]

Is there some kind of mechanical engineering degree as that may serve as a way in to engine design/development?

I'm lead to believe that is all done in Japan etc, but if there are related opportunities in NZ then I seriously need to know!

Can anyone comment on this?

[Madness]

Find something that you think might still make you excited to get up out of bed for when you get older. Either that or do something really unscrupulous that will bring in enough cash to retire before you're 30.
Getting old sucks arse, but even more so when you have to do something you'd really rather not have to do every day just to pay the bills.
Times not running out at 21 either, IMO.

[PrincessBandit]

That would be my angle mate. I have these regrets and to be honest they haunt me (I'm in my 40's now, fuck that eh).

All those pies you passed by and never ate...

[Genestho]

At 22 I didn't know what I wanted, had a good career after bad, made redundant other external life forces happened simultaneously and left the country, came home, left again, came home again to settle. Weeeee.

At 33 I didn't know what I wanted to do either. I still don't - but now I'm much wiser and open to owning opportunity that suits my lifestyle, I assume you don't have to worry about too much yet?

Possibly most people don't pick their paths but rather cruise along on them, others just KNOW what they want to do.

You're a spring chicken, you're obviously a bright spark, going by what you've posted here. The world's your oyster to be a cliche..

Only you can give yourself final directions, take some risks, no regrets, change your path if it's not working for you.
Life is too short to muck around

Not much help eh? Good luck

[Dave Lobster]

There's a lot to be said for any job that doesn't involve being surrounded by wankers for ten hours a day.

[PrincessBandit]

I've heard of 150- 200k salary in NZ with civil. I won't get far driven by money though, I know that for a fact.

And it's a wise man who understands that while $$$ might be desirable in many ways it's not the be all and end all in life.

There's a lot to be said for any job that doesn't involve being surrounded by wankers for ten hours a day.

Oh I don't know, reckon porn stars don't mind.

[Woodman]

Good onya for even thinking about the future at 21.
BTW you still have a lot of future left, whereas a lot of us here are running low.
Personally I would travel for a couple of years and see what takes your fancy.

[DMNTD:Me]

FFS...mate you're young...get a good idea as to what you want to do and do what you can to make it happen as you wish.
Along the way...stick ya knob in everything...smoke a joint...pull a wheelie, travel the world and live a bit.
Then when you get to my crusty old age you can look back whilst sitting in your wheel chair remembering the good ol' days instead of being overwhelmed by regret.

Get a hairy dog up ya

[ttmadness]

Trust me I know what you mean, thing is I have a woman tying me down. I'm lucky to have done the travelling and mindless adventure that I have already. If it wasn't for her then I wouldn't be worrying about a focussed career, staying in Auckland, saving for a house deposit, the submission to banks for a mortgage and the other pressures that are inevitably thrown upon us blah blah blah. I should probably be thankful that it's now rather than when it's too late though.

[DMNTD:Me]

Thing is I got a woman tying me down. I'm lucky to have done the traveling that I have already. If it wasn't for this then I wouldn't be worrying about a focused career, saving for a house deposit blah blah blah. I should probably be thankful about that.

Fish...sea...many...of.
Life's short, lick all the lollies