Steps forward?

SSCW was asking me today about work. She's going part-time later this year to study Law at university. SSCW is someone that thinks she knows all the answers (or rather she gives that impression although I'm convinced most of it is an act). She was accusing me (for want of a better word) of not being pro-active enough about looking elsewhere for employment.

I explained that, despite my frustrations from time to time, I was happy in the industry and fairly happy within the company and that I'd be more likely to seek a move to another department and while my skills would remain relevant, my knowledge would then be obsolete. (That's a good thing though, because the knowledge I'm picking up in this current team isn't transferable anywhere else, so I'd require completely new training etc.)

I've had this conversation with SSCW before, but I'm not sure she knows me well enough to understand what I'm trying to say.

Anyway, a few hours later, my boss comes over for "a chat". I'm a bit apprehensive because there's currently a project in work that's gone over time (not my fault), so I'm wondering if the client is kicking up a fuss. However, it's nothing bad and he actually offered to send me on a training course later this year with some new technology we're going to start using. I mentioned to him that I was currently frustrated and explained why and mentioned that I was actually considering requesting a transfer to another department. He was quite supportive, to be fair because in the past I've actually wondered if he even knows what goes on in the team if he's not directly informed, so this was a nice surprise.

Still the good thing at this point is that he knows I'm not 100% happy. I suggested the place on the training course was given to someone else as I couldn't give any long-term guarantees and actually, the lack of my core technical knowledge means that I'm unlikely to get locked in to the team as some of my work colleagues have found themselves. The silver lining for the cloud!