(West London) Looking to be a Plumbers mate for a few days a week

[Chazza]

I've just turned 18, Im based in West London (Uxbridge specifically) as soon as I left high school I enrolled on a C&G level 2 domestic plumbing and heating course, Ive now finished level 3 and im awaiting the certificates. I done the level 3 course in conjunction with an A-Level Creative Media Production course (very different areas I know) and I will be finishing it for the rest of this schooling year on days im assuming to be Wednesday-Friday so im available Monday and Tuesday until 5pm and for a day on the weekend too. Not very flexible hours I know, but im not expecting much in return other than allowing me to be a plumbers mate with a small amount of pay for my labour. The Plumbing courses I completed were heavily theory based, and practical work was poorly managed by the teachers/management so Id still consider myself a novice in terms of practical competance, but my qualifications prove im eager to learn the trade. Id love to find work, even if you just need someone to lug tools around then watch and learn, it is a step up from cramming a chapters worth of text in your head to prepare for an exam, only for you to forget it a week later. Also I dont drive but can travel by Bus. So if you need someone for 1-3 days to assist you, please dont hesitate to reply! Thanks in advance.

 

[chris watkins]

I think we may need a reality check here, first I understand you are young & want a job & see plumbing as a good opportunity but have you done any meaningful research into what is required ? Is a two year college only based course what will gain you employment in the industry?

Have a look around on here for a start it seems that every day there is someone posting requests for work experience, all will work for free, any time, any day & will travel just for the opportunity to learn from a plumber & you want them to pay you for spending time out to teach you !!
Did you pay for your own plumbing course ? I doubt it, the tax payer picked up the tab, perhaps if you or your parents had paid you might have been a bit more interested in what is actually required to master plumbing.
The standard way is to become an apprentice plumber this allows a mix of practical work experience on site to be combined with theory work completed at college one day a week over four years. The two go hand in hand, not, I will do one then sometime after the other, as you admitted "cramming & then forgetting a week later" are not an option here as this is knowledge you must acquire for the rest of your working life not a piece of paper from school.

I am being harsh Chazza, probably, I do wish you luck & hope that somebody takes you on out there I think you would have more of a chance if you committed to plumbing full time rather than hedging your bets with a Creative Media Production course unless you want to come out on site & start filming us at work !!!

 

[SimonG]

Only available until 5 on a Monday and Tuesday. Oh dear, don't know if you know but plumbings not 9 to 5!

Good luck.

 

[Bushwacker]

In a similar situation to you and i agree with what chris has said 100% Before i took myself to college i did a year n half plumbing on site and learnt ALOT from doing so. Went to college for a year to gain my level 2 qualification wouldve prefered NVQ but no one was hiring for me to do so.

Plumbing is a trade where you learn new things all the time and you have to be ontop. Id advise constant research into what you want to do so when and employer finally asks you some questions you can answer them without hesitation.

Working on site means you'll have to travel, you had to be up anytime between 4:30 and 5:30 to beat the traffic, find parking etc then finishing time could be between 4PM-8PM providing your guvnor's sweet with the work thats been done.

Work out there is a little slow and im just getting by. Good luck.

 

[Dannyparty92]

The college and site work use to go hand in glove until the JIB started the skilling up scheme. I have the 6129 tech cert and I'm in full time work plumbing and I'm considering doing the skilling up scheme but at the end of the day id be paying £1200 for another piece of paper. I don't need it in realty I have a plumbing qualification and experience. So keep searching for work do small little jobs on yor own and your break will come.