so much differing information, help!

[awj7478]

Hi,

I am 31 and about to be made redundant, I have been told that I can get a grant for retraining and was thinking of using it to kick start a new career in plumbing with one of these fast track courses, I know it will not make me a fully qualified plumber but will give me the basic knowledge which I can then hopefully build on.

I am reluctant to do the full time college route as I have a mortgage and a baby about to arrive and so need to be earning something, I am also aware that I am too late to start this year so would have to wait til next year whereas the fast track courses start throughtout the year.

I also know that I will not be earning a fortune when I start and I don't mind getting my hands dirty or grafting.

Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated.

 

[buffy27]

whats the craic..
i don t understand the training in the uk , but i do know one thing-if u are good at what u do people don t ask what results u got in exams or indeed what exams u did.good work..good name ..good livin.. plumbing is easy until u meet problems ,then it is a cleverman game ..best of luck .. buf.

 

[moony]

to be honest if you havent got work with a plumber youve only got one choice mate fast track, cos a college wont take you on without employment with a plumber if they do you'll only do the city an guilds tech certs which are only a pert of the nvq - ya can read a plumbing book and pass them - doesnt mean you can do anything after it though, lads have been kicked off my course as they been laid off 12 months through cos they got no work based evidence. harsh really but they'd mest about for twelve months and hadnt got that all important nvq portfolio together. dont want anyone to feel sorry for me before the brigade jump on me - but im coping 30 with 2 kids one on the way and house to run on simialr money to the 17 yr olds in my class
(im 30) so it can be done matey

 

[REDSAW]

problem is tho,
why be made redundant then seek employment in plumbing where there is no jobs?.
i can see the benefit after the recesion blows over and things get back to normal but that may take 5 to 10 years where every plumber has a job unless they have gone to do other things instead which will no doubt be the case.
if your really passionate (which is the key word) to become a 'real' plumber in say 4 to 5 years time, what are you going to do in the meanwhile to make ends meet?.
t.b.h i would spend the grant on something a lot quicker to achieve to start earning and more in demand like a h.g.v or psv license then when your going study plumbing.

 

[patricklondon]

it might take more time off you than you want but you could start your courses part time i do mine 3 evenings per week and thats term time so several weeks not in college 6.30 to 8.30 (offically 9.00 but we all squeeze out a little earlier). also 1 kid and another on the way

 

[newbie1]

problem is tho,
why be made redundant then seek employment in plumbing where there is no jobs?.
i can see the benefit after the recesion blows over and things get back to normal but that may take 5 to 10 years where every plumber has a job unless they have gone to do other things instead which will no doubt be the case.
if your really passionate (which is the key word) to become a 'real' plumber in say 4 to 5 years time, what are you going to do in the meanwhile to make ends meet?.
t.b.h i would spend the grant on something a lot quicker to achieve to start earning and more in demand like a h.g.v or psv license then when your going study plumbing.

this is best advice i have seen given there is no shortage of plumbers and you will see all you red money dissapear on course/tools/van/insurance etc and never earn enough to sustain a familly without real solid contacts in the trade

 

[shoggy]

I Agree with Redsaw,although to do HGV Or Psa driving means agency work
However more and more poeple are looking to renewables as a good source of income.again though you need to network in the industry and if you don't have the leads am afraid your back to square one. have you thought about being a domestic elec installer

 

[awj7478]

Thanks everyone.
I have thought about electrics but to be honest i'd prefer plumbing.
Everyone seems so negative about the industry at the moment, a lot of people saying there is no work yet when we tried to get a plumber recently, really struggled.
Don't really want to be just driving about, have thought about getting a job while doing the course part time but just thought while I have the chance with the grant money I'd do it the intensive way.
Any more advice greatly appreciated...

 

[moony]

a lot of our customers are saying sits hard to get a plumber, we are fully booked up until feb, but we take on kitchens too (another trade ive had to learn although i tend to just do the plumbing on these and my boss will do most of the fitting whilst i go to other jobs) , we fit bathrooms for a reputable big chain and they offered us the kitchens too so we are laughing as they say, that was 2 years before i started. although a lot of the plumbers on new builds are struggling the domestic side boiler repairs and fault finding etc is still going well around our way (one of the reasons i took the heat and vent course rouote instead of plumbing menas travelling 20 miles instead of one) as the apprenticeship in this is took by an ex worcester engineer who is excellent on boilers and heating. trip to worcester coming up soon and already been on a fault finding and commissioning courses with my boss. so alls going well you just have to press people - i even worked voluntary at weekends when i first started with another bloke to get even more experience. it all counts.

 

[copperman999]

Be careful! don't sign up for a fast track course. The biggest hurdle to getting into the industry is to get work experience and the oportunity to create a portfolio of evidence to achieve an NVQ. Do you or anyone you know know a plumber that might give you experience? if so go for it. You could use distance learning for the job knowledge.
Just do a google search on learn plumbing and ask lots of questions before parting with any money!

 

[david williams]

because of the missimformation about the lack of plumbers ,there are now to many plumbers ,many of them with bitts of paper but no experience.

 

[shoggy]

Be careful! don't sign up for a fast track course. The biggest hurdle to getting into the industry is to get work experience and the oportunity to create a portfolio of evidence to achieve an NVQ. Do you or anyone you know know a plumber that might give you experience? if so go for it. You could use distance learning for the job knowledge.
Just do a google search on learn plumbing and ask lots of questions before parting with any money!

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look for some sort of guarantee,the NVQ and virtual traing like british gas offers to their students..it is out there