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hi guys just qualified as a plumber only level 2 city and guilds. I have been looking to do an NVQ but struggling to find anything. I know a gas engineer who has said he could help me with my portfolio if I go the gas route. I'm thinking should I take my gas course and get my portfolio done instead of trying to get my plumbing NVQ? What would you guys with experience recommend?
 
Yeah I know I'm thinking shall I do my gas because I have the opportunity and then I can think about achieving my NVQ then and after getting some work done in gas may be able to network and do some plumbing work just means I could get some money in in the meantime
 
Isn't gas work not part of the nvq3 plumbing framework anymore?
 
hi guys just qualified as a plumber only level 2 city and guilds. I have been looking to do an NVQ but struggling to find anything. I know a gas engineer who has said he could help me with my portfolio if I go the gas route. I'm thinking should I take my gas course and get my portfolio done instead of trying to get my plumbing NVQ? What would you guys with experience recommend?


Do you want to end up a Gas fitter, Plumber who's Gas qualified, Heating Engineer? What's the long term thought? Is it to do Bathrooms and Heating for example or Servicing. Is it to Stick to the breakdown side or full Heating and Hot water system installations. Domestic only or Commercial too.
I know you might not have any clue right now of where you imagine being in say 10 years but if you do have an idea it will help you decide which path to travel down at present. It will also help the folk on here to suggest things for you.
This subject is 'massive' it covers all sorts of things.

Off what you have said to date I would suggest carrying on to level 3. If you stray from the path now it may take you in a more restrictive direction.
Remember, Gas is only one fuel we use. It is the main one in a lot of the UK and the one that the biggest song and dance is made over but it is not the be all and end all. There is a lot more to this job than one fuel.

Disclaimer: I am no careers adviser!!
 
So you have your diploma level 2? To be honest, you don't need a massive portfolio to get up to level 2 NVQ from where you are. You just need a bit of work experience with someone who has the NVQ2 or equivalent. Not easy to find, but the hardest bit really is finding a workplace recorder. If you work as self-employed and have a plumber friend who could watch you work and sign the paperwork, that should also be okay (it's a bit unusual, but get your assessor to check the rules).

Usual portfolio for NVQ2 would be two cold appliance installations, two hot appliance installations (a bath, sink, etc can count as a hot OR a cold, but not both) , and two central heating installations (add a radiator to a new location), all conducted in site conditions. Other less common options are two new soil stack installations, and two new gutter and drainpipe installations. You have to cover a choice of three of the five options, twice each. It has to be your own work and own design. You need to ensure that each category is carried out on TWO sites (so you can't change two radiators in one house and call that two). There are also some maintenance tasks you need to do to qualify, and these need to be witnessed by another plumber, but the tasks themselves aren't hard to find: tap washers, cleaning a sink trap, that sort of thing. You need plenty of photos of you doing the work.

If your gas guy is offering you gas training, ask if he can help you get your level 2 NVQ at the same time. It may be what he is offering by the sounds of it.
 
But isn't nvq 2 totally irrelevant and you need nvq3 to become a fully qualified plumber?
 
I think level 3 is 'advanced', but when I told my college I was more interested in solid fuels and renewables than gas or oil, they suggested level 3 may be a waste of my time as it only covers gas or covers oil, so I understand level 3 is leaning towards those sectors.

That said, level 3 does cover more theory e.g. loading units and head losses for accurate pipe sizing, if you want to learn them, or even if you just want proof that you've learned how to do them. From what I've seen of the course, it feels more A levelly than level 2, which feels more GCSEey.
 
But isn't nvq 2 totally irrelevant and you need nvq3 to become a fully qualified plumber?
I dont think you can progress to level 3 untill you have completed level 2. I get confused with diplomas etc, obviously most of us have done the apprenticeship route which is the work/theory qualification.
 
Great advice from Last Plumber.

How about looking at things from another perspective. Here are some questions you could answer to help YOU decide what YOU want out of our industry.

- what do you like most about the job?
- do you like working on site with the banter?
- would you be happy working on your own for long periods?
- does working long hours at work and then having to do even more when you get home fill you with joy or dread?
- how are you with getting on with people?
- do you listen well or prefer to talk and others listen?
- what will you offer that will be different from everybody else?
- how will you compete?
- do you like working for a specific customer group (like say older people)?
- what are people in YOUR area looking for in a plumber?
- what kind of jobs do local people complain of NOT being able to source in local plumbers?
- who are busiest local tradesmen in your area?

We are all different. My personal journey never included gas. It simply never interested me and the thought of (generally) competing on price made me realise I had to offer something different. I took the path of doing what others didn't want to do the small, seemingly inconsequential, 'boring' but easy jobs. In my first year, working my younger arse off, & doing between 15 & 20 jobs a day I turned over approx £100k. The reality in 2018 is that everyone chases the 'big' jobs and ignores the smaller ones - including maintenance. That leaves a massive market for those who wish to offer what people 'value'.

Enjoy your journey.
 
Whether you choose to go Gas Safe registered or not. You are not a fully qualified plumber without level 3. It’s not all about gas. Level 3 is also just a continuation of the knowledge acquired at level 2.
Plumbers who are only level 2 qualified are really ‘handy men’. It’s like trying to drive a car with a motorbike license.
 
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