To experienced plumbers

[mad]

I am currently looking at coming into the plumbing trade, who did you do your training with? What was the cost? What are the best plumbing qulaifications to have to become employable? I woulg also like to become gas safe registered as wel, if i complete and NVQ level 3 in plumbing will i have to then go on to do a full gas safe course or would i be able to say i have experience in it? When doing your plumbing what electrics are involved with your training, do you obtain part p or 17th edition or anything like that?
If anyone could help then it would be much appreciated as don't want to spend thousands on a course if it then turns out to be irrelevant!
Thank you
Mad

 

[Guest123]

Here we go again.

Sorry for that comment pal, but this keeps cropping up time and time again. One thing I would advise you is that you are learning to run before you can crawl. Learn and qualify in plumbing first before you even consider gas and electrics. Try to get a proper apprenticeship and qualifications through a college and on the job experience. Forget the promises of high earnings made by those fast track courses as it will take years before you even earn a decent wage. Sitting looking at text books will not give you the skills to carry out a trade safely and to a high standard.

 

[WaterTight]

Nothing wrong with having a vision or a plan and no harm in knowing what it takes to go the whole distance. Afterall it makes sense that he'd want to find out what is involved in getting to the gas quals before deciding the plumbing quals are worth bothering with if his ultimate aim is to become a full qualified all-rounder. But I do agree that every bit as important as finding out all those things is fully appreciating how long it takes to get anywhere or earn anything - even in normal times, let alone given current levels of competition and the current economic climate.

 

[nick/matt1]

I concur. learn to walk before you run. at least with plumbing you dont have to requalify every five years...yet...

 

[Guest123]

Define "Fully Qualified All Rounder". I've been in this game since 1982 and I have a excellent reputation, I know my daily plumbing work inside out, but even now I learn something new every day. The thought of all these fast track course guys becoming qualified in such a short time in gas scares the hell out of me. Some of the ones I know have worked in banks, offices etc. and had absolutely no experience in the building industry or even diy let alone gas.

I was making the point that it is better to become FULLY COMPETENT in one field i.e plumbing before tackling gas and electrics. Nothing wrong in having aspirations for the future but take it carefully and at one step at a time and the guy will become a good tradesman. The old saying "Less haste, more speed" is a good example here.

 

[sparra1100]

the hardest part is getting anyone to give you a job or training with no previous experience and you wont earn 30.000 to 60,000 like the adverts say am gas safe and lucky to get 15,000 as for the gas thats a few yrs away unless you do fast track and even then youll need a portfollio and that will take 18 months providing anyone will help you, sorry to be gloomy but thats how it is, plus 10,000 in tools,van ,insurance etc av been at this 8 or 9 yrs and not out the woods yet theres loads on here asking for help with very few takers

 

[quality]

If you consider your screen name i.e. mad that is what you would be to trying to get an NVQ in plumbing and then your gas registration

Unless you already have employment with a gas registered company who will invest money to put you through training etc.
You have not got a cat in hells chance.

if you are employed then the best of luck too ya. If not you have no chance

This may seem harsh but this is reality

 

[nick/matt1]

sad but true...i used to hold full gas qualifications, but now there are so many categories instead of just 16, that i cant afford to requailfy, and so stick to domestic, although if the right contract came along i,d retrain in a flash

 

[Guest123]

For some reason, plumbing is seen by too many coming from other industries as some type of utopia, offering easy to come by high earnings, and an easy working life when the harsh reality is quite different.

Don't get me wrong, I'll always give encouragement and freely give advice to anyone that wishes to pursue a career in this industry, but unlike the false promises made by these courses, I will never lie to them.

 

[nick/matt1]

too much govt hype and by flooding the market with short course wonders, price work goes down. one way of keeping the masses in their place imho