New Career Skills! - HELP!!

[Killy Bing]

Did a year with no pay.... You gotta be dedicated to get into the industry and also, its not nice work when you start, it really isnt.

As for people looking but not replying, there are hundreds of these posts on the forum.

 

[Markss]

None of the "fast track" courses get a good press which is why i asked about the NCS one,i have read a lot of reviews from people complaining about them and the qualificaions they leave with but most of these seem to be on the 4-10 week courses, im doing the longer 18 month course and hoped a few plumbers on here may have experience with them to help put me at ease a little.

ok maybe i didn't research enough and did rush into it but thats not to say i've not been thinking about it for a while,just always been something holding me back. i work in the gas industry now although not skilled or quaified but i have always wanted to progress further.

and to answer your question i would be happy to work along side someone for free to gain experience and real job knowledge if its something i could do along side work but who would want to take on an un-skilled un experienced 28yr old? just figured my only way of doing this is to pay my way through training. although i said quit i guess i used the wrong words, i didn't mean completely quit persuing a career in plumbing i just meant cancel the course do more research before spending the 6.5k.

the main reason is in the last few year we have been taken over at work by DHL and they are slowly running the company into the ground which has helped give me the kick up the arse i need to persue a trade like i always wanted to instead of keep turning up to the same job,taking the money and moaning about it.

 

[Markss]

Did a year with no pay.... You gotta be dedicated to get into the industry and also, its not nice work when you start, it really isnt.

As for people looking but not replying, there are hundreds of these posts on the forum.

i would work for free as i beleive working along side a skilled experienced person in real life enviroment is the best way to learn,just figured nobody would wan't me. i finish work everyday at 3pm and can free up weekends so maybe thats something to look into.

i did post on a few older threads but though starting my own may get a better response,plus all the threads i found about NCS was just negative feedback which filled me with more doubt about handing them my money.

 

[Killy Bing]

Please take this with a pinch of salt, maybe even a kilo of it.

as far as industrys go the gas, oil, plumbing and heating industrys paying to get into them will cost you far far more than you realise.

this is simply down to experience!
In a working day each of us can make a single mistake and thats 200k of damages and possibly even a life lost.

but by doing time served apprenticeships, working under someone for a long time before even thinking of qualifications, revising, learning gas regs, how gas works, how pressurised symptoms work, combustion, dealing with problems you encounter, learning from your peers, safe working and even just how to use tools.

this is what makes us safe as we can be.
the stigma of fast track engineers is them being newly qualified and overly confident with little experiance of possible problems.

my advice would be is try to find someone you can do a few weekends or evenings with and get a feel for it before parting with money for a course.

 

[Killy Bing]

i would work for free as i beleive working along side a skilled experienced person in real life enviroment is the best way to learn,just figured nobody would wan't me. i finish work everyday at 3pm and can free up weekends so maybe thats something to look into.

i did post on a few older threads but though starting my own may get a better response,plus all the threads i found about NCS was just negative feedback which filled me with more doubt about handing them my money.

ahh thats better!!
driving is a bonus, you could always find an engineer without a licence
Print up leaflets and hand them into local merchants, training centres

state your willing to work evenings for free in exchange for experience.

Experience on the tools will be more useful than any course for the most part.

if its what you want to do then stick at it, look into it.

there wont be any fast route about this

 

[Markss]

to be honest i think it's this that worries me more. i don't want to put money and time into a course and leave not feeling competent enough i would rather work with someone and pick up the skill rather than someone try and cram it into me in a 12 month period.

at work i build + test gas boxes,modules and lpg stuff and although it's nothing major its something i would like to progress in.

thanks for your advice 1king55 for now i will cancel the course and have a good look into what other options i have.

 

[Killy Bing]

A course is great to do (I'm finishing an apprenticeship now)

but in the case you're personally shelling out thousands of pounds then have experience first, that way you're not stuck on the real basic stuff and can learn more of the tricky stuff.

Get some regular work experience and then think about courses.

as for any gas courses, you have to build up an on the job portfolio of work and thats something you cant gain in a classroom (as far as I'm aware)

stick at it

 

[TimeServed]

You certainly seem keen enough but you really need to research the world that is plumbing, also maybe start asking company's if they were to consider employing you if you were able to get your training qualification with your lack of experience.....it's all very well paying £6.5k for some paper, but without the required experience you would struggle with the employers tasks.
You will also need to research how much this is going to cost you, training, tools, massive pay drop for a year or two.

 

[deandive]

Hey markss I did my gas course and acs at olci, and found them to be great, apart from the call centre, it seemed like I had to call back a couple of times to get through to someone competant at times, dont let that put you off though as I found the training to be top notch and the trainers were very knowledgeable. I agree though you need to get in with a local plumber to gain experience on the job and I would get this squared away before you pay out your money This can be a difficult thing to do even if you offer yourself free of charge, and you will need someone to sign off your work to get the full qual and build a gas portfolio if you intend going down that route. Stick at it though changing career was the best thing I did, Ive got far greater earning potential now and more flexibility in how and when I work.