Advice needed...

[WANNABEPLUMBER]

Having recently joined my local construction college to study a plumbing course, NVQ 2, (6129), part P, and after just being made redundant before christmas from my regular job i now find myself in a bit of a dilema. As you are all aware without having a work place where you can demonstrate your ability to do the tasks involved you can not gain your NVQ 2 i am therfore asking for advice on the best ways of securing a job as a plumbers mate/labourer from reading some of the reviews on here you get a picture in head that the people who take these courses are deemed as some kind of trailer trash for reasons i do not fully understand as surely it is better to learn materail over a 8-12 month peroid than over a 3 year period as you stand a better chance of keeping things fresh in your mind. So if once you was like me taking a similar course or if you are one of the veteran plumbers out there please any help would be greatly appreciated. I live in the manchester area if any one requires my services i have a little experience in bathroom fitting having done two not so long ago and i am the type of person that has always been comiitted to a high standard of work. Thanks.....

 

[Benfoord]

Same Dilemma

I'm currently half way through a course that gives me a Technical certificate
But I'm in the same predicament in that I would like to know how to obtain an NVQ level 2. It seems that you need experience to qualify but you need to qualify to gain experience!!

 

[WANNABEPLUMBER]

You can do all the training for your NVQ 2 in your training centre but you need some form of work whether it be paid or volonteer work to demonstrate to the accesssors that you are able to do the job thats how you are awarded the NVQ 2...

 

[leakylea]

I HAVE BEEN A PLUMBER FOR ABOUT 27 YEARS IN THE MANCHESTER AREA, IFULLY APRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU NEED THE EXPERIENCE TO PROGRESS IN THE TRADE, IF I CAN BE CYNICAL ABOUT IT, THE FACT IS THE ONLY THING YOU NEED IS YOUR TOOLS AND YOUR EXPERIENCE!, THE TIME SPENT AT MANCHESTER COLLEGE OF BUILDING ON DAY RELEASE AND EARLIER ON BLOCK RELEASE WAS GOOD, IF YOU WANTED A SHIRT FOR THE WEEKEND OR A DINNER TIME PINT WITH THE LADS IN CLASS, AS FOR NEEDING ANYTHING BEING TAUGHT THERE FORGET IT
I HAVE ONLY USED STEEL BENDING MACHINE ONCE, I HAVE NEVER HAD TO LEAD BURN RARELY HAVE I BRAISED OR SILVER SOLDERED,AND NEVER SAND LOADED AND BENT 3" C OPPER TUBE. I CONSIDER MYSELF COMPETENT AT THE PLUMBING GAME AND DO SO BECAUSE OF EXPEIENCING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PROBLEMS CONSTANTLY DURING MY TIME IN THE GAME.
DONT BE BLINDED BY CERTIFICATES AND BADGES I HAVE ALL MINE FROM MY FIRST CRAFT C&g TO ACS TO CORGI TO PART P ETC ETC.
YOU HAVE TO GET OUT THERE DO THE JOB FOR FREE IF YOU HAVE TOO WORK IN A BAR AT NIGHT FOR CASH IF YOU MUST, TRY AND BE AS OBSERVANT AS YOU CAN,RESPECT THE PLUMBER, WITH LUCK GET A GOOD PLUMBER WHO DOES A WIDE VARIETY OF WORK, PLUMBING IS MORE THAN FITTING BATHROOMS AND SWAPPING TAPS
ANY ONE WHO WANTS INTO THIS GAME WILL ALLWAYS HAVE MY RESPECT ANDI HOPE YOU FIND THE CORRECT PLUMBER TO WORK WITH
IF I WASN,T IN A SPECIALIST FIELD, WITH VERY LITTLE VARIETY IN MY WORK I,D GIVE YOU A TRY MATE GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[buffy27]

every one seems to b doing these quick plumbing courses.i am not qualified yet myself but am at it 4 years. 4 years working with some periods at. fas {irish training institution}what will the trade become with this craic. am i way off the mark in being critical of these courses. there are no such courses in ireland

 

[WANNABEPLUMBER]

you have the same opion as many others i can only vouch for myself when i say this is something i have wanted to do for years and these courses are the quickest way in to plumbing and getting the relivant qualifications yes many people who take them may not be suited to the profession but ireland is a different country and i could not imagine studying for four years and still not gaining any qualifications..

What area do you work in at the moment then? Yes i dont doubt what you say is true about what you learn in college is not going to part of my career there is no subsitute for hands on experience in any walk of life thanks for your comments.

 

[buffy27]

hi there.ya the craic with training seems to b quite different in ireland.i spen t alot of time initially on the kango/consaw chasing ,insulating and general labour.including making the tea{very important}.generally after 6 months then the employer will sign u up for fas.u spend 12 months at least on site before a 5 month period in school.then another year on site and 2 months at fas.it takes around 5 years until u get your papers.i won' t b finnished until end of 09' at best.to answer your q on what i do.i work for a small firm .we do plumbing,heating,heat recovery,air con,ventilation and refridgeration.i have a general kmowledge of all.i mainly work on the eco-heating team now. solar,geo-thermal,bio mass etc.very interesting i think.not to keen on fitting ware ,find it boring.don't know how good the course u have done is ,but what i'd say is there s no substitute for site experience.from what i see myself so far in the trade is u can read all the books on the plannet but when things go wrong u can throw the book out the window cos its the guy with the hands on experience will sort the problem on site.let me know what your plan is .best of luck dude