Becoming a plumber

[Tizko]

Hi. I am 25 and I want to change career and become a plumber. I know that it will be very difficult finding an employer to take me on as an apprentice at my age, especially in this day and age.. So I am thinking of asking local firms to take me on and offering to work as an apprentice for free, just so that I can learn the trade good and proper. I don't want to waste 2 grand on a course that claims that I will become a fully qualified plumber in 6 weeks! Anyway, Do you think that offering to work for nothing will increase my chances of landing an apprenticeship??

any advice is appreciated.
thanks

 

[Dotty]

Welcome to the forums Tizko.

Hate bursting your bubble son but you'll be joining a very, very long queue of people willing to work for free. Contrary to what you've been told the plumbing industry, like all the construction trades, is on its knees at the moment. There is also no shortage of qualified plumbers, all also looking for work.

The myths of there being a shortage and of us being well on the way to becoming multimillionaires isn't true son.

Those myths are perpetuated by the 'qualified in 6 week's'training establishments.

Let you into a secret. Those training establishments are businesses interested in making money. They do that by charging you 6k at a time. And the more bums on seats they can get, the more they make.

Sorry son, but that's the reality.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

well said croppie. just to add most plumbers probably wouldn't want to take you on because it would slow them down on jobs showing you how to do things properly. also they would have to take out additional insurance to cover you which would put their costs up and profits down. then there is the customer to consider, would they want an inexperienced person in their home?

 

[Kyle87]

I love plumbing. I really do. But with hindsight I would have done something else. I wish I had this advice before I started college and buying kit.

 

[lame plumber]

just do a search on similar threads and the truth will out. £6k training, and what do you live on during that time and then your insurance £433, van costs inc the van, advertising around £1500 per year, tools, mine must be worth some £5-7k, spares etc £2-3k and you get an idea of the investment needed to survive. You will be incredably lucky to find anyone who will take you on out there, so youll have to learn on the job if you go ahead and basic plumbing doesnt earn a lot at present, you need gas and oils qyuals and experience to make money and thats another load of costs. Having said that it can be done, I did it at 45 BUT I had a separate income in the form of rents coming in (10k)and money from another employer only £2-3 k a year but that kept me going as I built a business, and I did anything at to earn money ie jobbing builder/painter/gardener. It was bleedin hard work, took a while to concentratrate on the bits I like ie oily boilers plus gas to keep me earning and now I can look forward to crippling arthritus of the knees, and spinal curvature from my prolapsed discs (all 3 of them). Still keen to go for it now

 

[Tizko]

hi thanks for the posts, they have just made me more determined. I work another job in the evening so working for free wouldn't be an issue for me..

 

[Dotty]

Good for you son, hope it goes well. I truly do.

Don't be surprised if it doesn't.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Mate at 25 I would be looking at other options, this industry is dead ! most of the guys on here started in Plumbing when it was a good thing to be in, and have no other choice but to stay with it. the UK is getting ready for the next influx of eastern European labour early next year, What do you think that is going to do to the industry ? Best thing think about leaving this Island before it sinks, just getting turned into a dumping ground and being reduced to a 3thd world state.

 

[quality]

Mate at 25 I would be looking at other options, this industry is dead ! most of the guys on here started in Plumbing when it was a good thing to be in, and have no other choice but to stay with it. the UK is getting ready for the next influx of eastern European labour early next year, What do you think that is going to do to the industry ? Best thing think about leaving this Island before it sinks, just getting turned into a dumping ground and being reduced to a 3thd world state.

that's harsh but true

 

[nicro3]

Follow your dreams, if you are determined you will make it. There are many on here who will not agree but like any job if you focus on your goals it is only a matter of time and hard work. Goodluck

 

[SimonG]

In this day and age time and hard work might find you come up short, what's missing at the minute is opportunity. imho

 

[lame plumber]

as long as your earning enough elsewhere, give it a go, but dont be surprised if it hurts doing so.

 

[tamz]

Follow your dreams, if you are determined you will make it.

 

[nicro3]

In this day and age time and hard work might find you come up short, what's missing at the minute is opportunity. imho

I am sorry, but I disagree plumbing and associated works is not brain surgery or working in the arts it is a job.
Apart from having a practical slant on things I think it can be learnt by most. Then you take you chance, tradesmen are not born they are taught and hard work and application are key to this.

 

[SimonG]

I am sorry, but I disagree plumbing and associated works is not brain surgery or working in the arts it is a job.
Apart from having a practical slant on things I think it can be learnt by most. Then you take you chance, tradesmen are not born they are taught and hard work and application are key to this.

Disagree away but you can work your puddings off, if you don't find an opportunity or one presents itself then what you going to do? All I'm saying is that the opportunitys are few and far between. I was lucky to get my foot in the door years ago and then worked hard to turn it into something.

 

[lame plumber]

I disagree with Nicro, plumbing is becoming more complex and some of the heating side is becoming more like your average car where it isnt worth opening the bonnet anymore. To be able to work on this kit now does require a bit of brain and the ability to think, learn and logically apply what you see and diagnose, a lot of people cant actually be taught or do that at present.

 

[nicro3]

View attachment 14247

Sorry Tom not getting it. Maybe had a few too many sherberts.

 

[tamz]

What Simon meant is in any parts of the country rates are so depressed you could run around daft all day and still not make a decent living.
Also the trade now has little to do with how good you are at the job or what you know. Most customers wouldn't know a good bit work if it bit them on the rse. They want it done for the least amount of money.
Thankfully there are still some decent customers out there but they are getting few and far between.

 

[tamz]

Sorry Tom not getting it. Maybe had a few too many sherberts.

That is my dream. My body is putting up a fight but i'm determined i'll make it :lol:

 

[SimonG]

As it stands at the minute if I needed additional labour to work with me I would take on a fully trained plumber. He/She isn't going to slow me down and there are a few decent guys around who are out of work. If I was to take an apprentice or trainee on then I would be slowed down considerably, even allowing that they would want to work for 'free' (does that actually mean that they will cover my employers liability that I would need to take out?) I would be spending time showing rather than doing.

I would like to think further down the road that I would be able to take an apprentice on and impart my knowledge before I call it a day.

Now I'm not saying that's the right or wrong way to do it, but it's the way I see it. So hence I see it that you can work as hard as you want at college etc, but if there's no opportunity what are you going to do?

I won't put anybody off from wanting to become a plumber / heating engineer, but neither will I sugar coat it.

 

[TerryWaite]

To add to this I think finding decent work in the industry can be more who you know rather than what you know. You still need to be good at what you do, but knowing the right people is a must IMHO.

I am from Liverpool originally where I found it much easier to find work than when I moved to London and North Wales. Because I had zero contacts there. takes some doing. Good luck but as already mentioned by the above posts these conveyor belt training centres are killing the industry.

I served my time as a commercial pipefitter. Got laid off in Nov 2009 when the recession was quite bad. Thought I would find a job after Christmas. I didn't. Six months went by and I was still unemployed so I borrowed a few grand and went to one of these training providers to do my ACS. Three months or so later I got it. I massively disagree with these places yet I felt I needed to do it.

At least I had relevant experience as a pipe fitter, most of the people on the course were gardeners/taxi drivers.

There is no way in the world they are all still doing it now, some of them didnt know the difference between 15 and 22mm copper.