This morning I received an official offer of employment by the company I wanted to work for since I discovered they took on apprentices at the start of the year.  I've known I had a place for a few weeks, but I didn't want to say anything until I actually had the contract sitting on my laptop ready to be printed and signed.

If it wasn't for people on here I wouldn't have got the job, I asked for advice on interviews (I remember FTMDiaries being very helpful in that thread in particular) among other things.  I was very close to not getting this, I didn't get it for my first choice location but was put on reserve and accepted that I wasn't going to get a position this year, and then at the start of the month they sent me an email asking me to travel to Oxfordshire for an Open Day and whether I would move and live there in a year's time.  It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, I'll be leaving my family and girlfriend, but I'll be taking my best chance of getting out of here and getting into a position where I'll be able to provide for a future family well.

What it'll mean for my chances of transitioning, or participating in this site, I don't know, in 37 days I'll be expected to live in a female dorm and be female.  Will I have to postpone transition if I don't want to be known as the dyke who thinks she's a man?  Will I have time to sort things out so I can at least be known as Alex there?  I don't know, but I'm not passing this up.  I can't pass this up if I want a future, about eight thousand people applied for these two hundred places, who says I'll get another chance next year?

Despite my concerns, I'm so grateful for having this chance to leave the village I've lived in since I was a year old, and get a job (with the railways no less!) and I wouldn't have had it without you guys.  So thank you.

_{Now to try and work out how I'm going to get overalls that fit me from them when the shortest leg they come in is 31" and my leg is 27"...}

Congratulations and well done - those are some impressive statistics on applicants vs. positions so you should be really proud!

And hey, Oxfordshire local here... it's an awesome place to live - let me know if there's anything you need to know or for any local advice

R

Awesomesauce =]

Great news, I'm really proud of you! I think we should all sing a rousing chorus of "I've been workin' on the railroad, all the live-long day!" Thanks for sharing this with us, hugs, Devlyn

Congrats!  I hope it treats you well. 

Quote from: AlexanderC on July 31, 2013, 06:52:24 AM

_{Now to try and work out how I'm going to get overalls that fit me from them when the shortest leg they come in is 31" and my leg is 27"...}

if you can find a pair that fits you up top, maybe you can just cut the legs to where you need them, then fold them a quarter inch in and stitch 'em.  The stitching part is optional, but it'll prevent fraying.

congrats on your employment!

Congrats!

Quote from: Oriah on July 31, 2013, 11:09:14 AM
if you can find a pair that fits you up top, maybe you can just cut the legs to where you need them, then fold them a quarter inch in and stitch 'em.  The stitching part is optional, but it'll prevent fraying.

congrats on your employment!

I have a form to fill in requesting uniform, so my only hope is to go for the smallest and try and sew if I really need to.  It's not my forte, and overalls tend to be thick... or wait until my leave and get someone with a sewing machine on the case.

Thanks everyone!

Congrats!

Don't worry about transitioning.  If you feel this job is a dream opportunity and you can put things on hold, then go for it.  There is no right or wrong way to go about transitioning.  I hope it all goes well.

That's great, congrats!

Woohoo!  That's so cool!

I pretend to be a chick for work purposes too.  You can do it.  And trust me, it has real benefits if you work in a male dominated industry.

Still going by chick name for work purposes myself. It's been difficult too because it's freelance and I have to send emails. I've struggled to remember not to sign Jack at the end! Lol. But it's one step at a time. You've got a job and that's one hell of a step, so congrats! And a job in something you love is just damn sweet, bro. Best of luck to you! Love your enthusiasm .

Good luck! I wouldn't wait til your my age, but there is something to be said for being financial secure and doing this!!


--Jay

Congratulations! What is your apprenticeship in? I've been looking for apprenticeships as well. A lot of them seem to be really trying to encourage females to apply. I feel like maybe I should have pretended to be a girl for at least 1 year so I could at least get into the trade, but I've changed all my documents, and started testosterone, so I cant really take advantage of it

Quote from: harlee on August 01, 2013, 04:35:29 AM
Congratulations! What is your apprenticeship in? I've been looking for apprenticeships as well. A lot of them seem to be really trying to encourage females to apply. I feel like maybe I should have pretended to be a girl for at least 1 year so I could at least get into the trade, but I've changed all my documents, and started testosterone, so I cant really take advantage of it

Maintenance engineering on the railways, I don't really want to be more specific and get things coming up if you search the company, but it's a huge scale thing.  One thing I would say is to look for large companies which are offering schemes which give you recognised qualifications, it's painfully obvious when small companies are just looking for cheap labour, and won't get you anywhere in the long term.  For example on a search for engineering apprenticeships there was my one, which gives you a company pension, reduced train travel, and several highly recognised qualifications, but there were also ones which paid the minimum, and barely trained you.

The only reason I'm going to be female there, is that I have to live on site in a shared room for the first year, and although I was planning to come out to them as male when I got the paperwork signed so I felt more secure that they couldn't withdraw their offer (although we've got anti-discrimination laws here, I'm just paranoid), but I got it yesterday with 37 days to spare instead of the few months it should of been if I got my first place.  In a years time when I'm out of the shared dorms and finding a room of my own to live in then I'll bite the bullet and come out.  And I'll be nearly 200miles away from where I grew up, which can only make it easier for me to stop being a wuss.

Alex it would be hard for me to live for a year in a dorm as either a male or female.  I started college in a female dorm and since going back I live as a guy by myself.  I hope this job works out for you and you can fully transition in a yr or so.

Quote from: AlexanderC on July 31, 2013, 06:52:24 AM
This morning I received an official offer of employment by the company I wanted to work for since I discovered they took on apprentices at the start of the year.  I've known I had a place for a few weeks, but I didn't want to say anything until I actually had the contract sitting on my laptop ready to be printed and signed.

If it wasn't for people on here I wouldn't have got the job, I asked for advice on interviews (I remember FTMDiaries being very helpful in that thread in particular) among other things.  I was very close to not getting this, I didn't get it for my first choice location but was put on reserve and accepted that I wasn't going to get a position this year, and then at the start of the month they sent me an email asking me to travel to Oxfordshire for an Open Day and whether I would move and live there in a year's time.  It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, I'll be leaving my family and girlfriend, but I'll be taking my best chance of getting out of here and getting into a position where I'll be able to provide for a future family well.

What it'll mean for my chances of transitioning, or participating in this site, I don't know, in 37 days I'll be expected to live in a female dorm and be female.  Will I have to postpone transition if I don't want to be known as the dyke who thinks she's a man?  Will I have time to sort things out so I can at least be known as Alex there?  I don't know, but I'm not passing this up.  I can't pass this up if I want a future, about eight thousand people applied for these two hundred places, who says I'll get another chance next year?

Despite my concerns, I'm so grateful for having this chance to leave the village I've lived in since I was a year old, and get a job (with the railways no less!) and I wouldn't have had it without you guys.  So thank you.

_{Now to try and work out how I'm going to get overalls that fit me from them when the shortest leg they come in is 31" and my leg is 27"...}

Congratulations, Alex. I remember some of your other threads and being one of those people who said to go for it. Even if you have to act the part (female), you'll have something a lot of people long for - a job that can turn into a great career. And the transition postponement is of course temporary and you can do that when the time is right.

Congrats Alex, see we all told you that you would get the job!     

Don't worry too much about having to be female, or being worried about people thinking you're a dyke. Just be yourself and you'll it in. You can get everything sorted out in due course. 

Quote from: mm on August 01, 2013, 09:51:42 AM
Alex it would be hard for me to live for a year in a dorm as either a male or female.  I started college in a female dorm and since going back I live as a guy by myself.  I hope this job works out for you and you can fully transition in a yr or so.

I spent two years living in a female boarding house at school, so I know I can survive it.  You never know, it might be good for me to be forced to socialise with people again, but they can think again if they think I'm going to join in their female orientated clubs.  No way.