Night classes for me back in my mid twenties (15 years ago).
Altho night class was significantly accelerated compared to the day course (for kids), I still found it frustratingly slow in places, then a mad rush at others (I may not have had the best experience as I think my college was struggling for staff at the time).
Dragging my sorry butt to class was hard work some days.
NVQ had a portfolio requirement so be prepared to do some jobs for friends and family to build one up.
There are plenty of quick plumbing courses about but I get the feeling that the people who really benefit from them are the organisers - when they take your money!
I could tell you what I had to sacrifice to get into the trade but it would only serve as an example of how to struggle and what not to do.
Plumbing is generally quite basic but you can easily cause quite a bit of damage and what makes a good plumber is lots experience, knowledge and finesse.
Most jobs also require you to be a carpenter, electrician, bricklayer, carpet fitter or ground worker.
I've put some thought to how I'd do it if I were doing it now and I think I'd probably start as a 'man with a van' type handyman service doing all sorts of jobs from fencing to changing light bulbs. There's good money in handyman work and plenty of demand. You'd be gaining a range of practical skills that would crossover well and even include the odd plumbing job.
I'd probably start with a general skills course at college and work on building up contacts.
I think the key to getting anywhere quickly is going to be good mentorship and you'd be sooo much more attractive to a plumber as a good general labourer than a plumbing apprentice IMHO.
Do a course, buy a van, advertise, work your spare time, try to reduce your hours at work, build contacts, get in with a plumber and work under them whenever you can.
I can't stress enough that your goal should be to work under someone and absorb some of their skill, that's probably going to be your toughest obstacle and so should shape your plan.
Yes you could do a course and just be a plumber but you'll be a Rubbish one, will likely make mistakes, other plumbers won't want to work with you and you'll be destined to a life of stress and loneliness before dying of a heart attack at 45!
(I may have got a bit carried away)
Altho night class was significantly accelerated compared to the day course (for kids), I still found it frustratingly slow in places, then a mad rush at others (I may not have had the best experience as I think my college was struggling for staff at the time).
Dragging my sorry butt to class was hard work some days.
NVQ had a portfolio requirement so be prepared to do some jobs for friends and family to build one up.
There are plenty of quick plumbing courses about but I get the feeling that the people who really benefit from them are the organisers - when they take your money!
I could tell you what I had to sacrifice to get into the trade but it would only serve as an example of how to struggle and what not to do.
Plumbing is generally quite basic but you can easily cause quite a bit of damage and what makes a good plumber is lots experience, knowledge and finesse.
Most jobs also require you to be a carpenter, electrician, bricklayer, carpet fitter or ground worker.
I've put some thought to how I'd do it if I were doing it now and I think I'd probably start as a 'man with a van' type handyman service doing all sorts of jobs from fencing to changing light bulbs. There's good money in handyman work and plenty of demand. You'd be gaining a range of practical skills that would crossover well and even include the odd plumbing job.
I'd probably start with a general skills course at college and work on building up contacts.
I think the key to getting anywhere quickly is going to be good mentorship and you'd be sooo much more attractive to a plumber as a good general labourer than a plumbing apprentice IMHO.
Do a course, buy a van, advertise, work your spare time, try to reduce your hours at work, build contacts, get in with a plumber and work under them whenever you can.
I can't stress enough that your goal should be to work under someone and absorb some of their skill, that's probably going to be your toughest obstacle and so should shape your plan.
Yes you could do a course and just be a plumber but you'll be a Rubbish one, will likely make mistakes, other plumbers won't want to work with you and you'll be destined to a life of stress and loneliness before dying of a heart attack at 45!
(I may have got a bit carried away)