Confused on what qualifications I need to get started

[Joe0411]

First of all, hello this is my first post here 🙂

I am very interested in becoming a qualified plumber but I am a bit confused on what qualifications I need to work towards. From looking around this forum and the internet it appears that I need to complete a City & Guilds 6189 Level 1 Diploma in Plumbing and Heating then find employment and work towards a level 2 (and 3 if I wanted) NVQ. Is this correct?

Thanks for your time.

 

[mountainman]

I feel for you Joe, I've been in this trade for 40 years and I am stil finding things that I used to do a few years ago but I'm now no longer 'competent' to do so without a piece of paper and a £200 debit on my bank account.
Good luck mate.

 

[Joe0411]

Wow that sucks dude. Do you have any general advice for me about what life is like being a plumber?

I'm at that stage in my life where I really need to choose a career to work towards and plumbing is one of my top choices.

 

[mountainman]

Plumbing and all associated trades are hard on the body and totally unappreciated.
(we are all ripoff merchants)

If you've got the smarts I'd recommend s less physical occupation.
If you get the opportunity I would strongly recommend going for a degree in a proper subject.

 

[GQuigley67]

if your not afraid of some hard work and getting dirty then plumbing can be a good career, you can earn a decent wage but not going to be earning a fortune i would highly recommend going down the apprenticeship route and gaining the full NVQ3 with gas qualifications also

 

[mountainman]

if your not afraid of some hard work and getting dirty then plumbing can be a good career, you can earn a decent wage but not going to be earning a fortune i would highly recommend going down the apprenticeship route and gaining the full NVQ3 with gas qualifications also

Yeah!
And at some stage you'll get to answer a post like 'my tap is dripping, advice please'

 

[Joe0411]

@mountainman
Thanks for the advice, I understand that there is a lot of hard work involved in being a plumber but I feel as though it would be a rewarding career. I enjoy building things (I built my own PC) and finding out how things are made, plumbing just clicks in my mind as something I would enjoy doing. I have done voluntary work in an office before and did not enjoy my time there at all, I nearly tore my hair out from boredom. I would rather have a more hands-on career.

@GQuigley67
An apprenticeship would be the best choice I agree, but they are very hard to get so it looks like a college course will have to do unless I get lucky. I'll most likely do the NVQ3 too.

 

[Hardy1]

get the experience mate..experience is nothing anyone can learn to solder a bit of pipe, but when your out there on the field in sumones house by yourself...remember its all down to you!! to do your job.. no1 looking over your shoulder for you.. Experience=Competence!

 

[Joe0411]

@Hardy1
Experience is definitely something important as with any career, I guess I will gradually get it as I go along. And hey, worst case scenario if I forget how to do something I can whip out my phone and have quick a look online 🙂

 

[Resolute]

Quite often the theory and know how is easy, it's putting it into practice that's difficult.

You'll find that plumbing (especially the basics) are easy to understand, fairly straightforward in the college workshop but an absolute nightmare in a customers property!

 

[mountainman]

In my formative years I was rather good at plumbing, heating, electrics, mechanical engineering, electronics and computer programming.
I'm still pretty good at most of these disciplines but everyone wants the cheap job!

 

[Joe0411]

@Resolute
Yeah I imagine it's going be to tricky at times, but it will hopefully make me feel accomplished when I get it right 🙂

Was I right in my first post about what qualifications I need?

 

[Resolute]

@Resolute
Yeah I imagine it's going be to tricky at times, but it will hopefully make me feel accomplished when I get it right 🙂

Was I right in my first post about what qualifications I need?

You are on the right lines about the qualifications but it's important to also get experience. No firm will take you on without experience but also unlikely to take you on without an NVQ level 2 either - bit of a chicken and egg situation really!

 

[Joe0411]

@Resolute
Yeah exactly, it's like when I was looking for work nobody would take me on because I lacked experience, but how am I meant to get experience if nobody will take me on in the first place? All I could do was voluntary work and I felt like a slave working for nothing. An insurance company even had the cheek to turn me down due to lack of experience even though I worked there voluntary for a month! Maybe I could get my own experience by doing some self-employed work?

 

[Resolute]

@Resolute
Yeah exactly, it's like when I was looking for work nobody would take me on because I lacked experience, but how am I meant to get experience if nobody will take me on in the first place? All I could do was voluntary work and I felt like a slave working for nothing. An insurance company even had the cheek to turn me down due to lack of experience even though I worked there voluntary for a month! Maybe I could get my own experience by doing some self-employed work?

A number of people have gone down that route but beware it is a hard path to tread! If you do go self employed make sure you are insured and know your limits. Start small and build up.

 

[dontknowitall]

If you enjoy finding out how things work and stuff like that and if you're trying to embark on a new career, have you thought about the motor mechanical world?

I'm not trying to put you off plumbing, just trying to help you think about other possibilities before you spend much time and money on this caper. Plumbing's fine once you've been going for a good three years or so. You still get the most exasperating jobs from time to time but after a good 2-3 years you learn all sorts of things to make life easier.

I know cars are becoming more complicated these days but if you are happy with oily hands, being a mobile motor mechanic could bring in loads of money - for some odd reason it seems to take 2 days for a normal car service these days. Being mobile means you have to turn up with the correct parts and also it means that in most cases the customer hasn't got any worries about getting too and from the garage before and after work and stuff like that.

Just a thought.

 

[tamz]

People seem to think entering a trade requires the qualifications to get the job. I'm afraid it works the other way around as most find out.

 

[fuzzy]

People seem to think entering a trade requires the qualifications to get the job. I'm afraid it works the other way around as most find out.

good post tamz, is always been that way

id only add in terms of education their remit is to supply education and skills to those who wish to do it, whether that leads to a job or not is a different matter!!

 

[fuzzy]

Quite often the theory and know how is easy, it's putting it into practice that's difficult.

You'll find that plumbing (especially the basics) are easy to understand, fairly straightforward in the college workshop but an absolute nightmare in a customers property!

true, but you cannot put anything into practice you havnt first learnt

 

[fuzzy]

First of all, hello this is my first post here 🙂

I am very interested in becoming a qualified plumber but I am a bit confused on what qualifications I need to work towards. From looking around this forum and the internet it appears that I need to complete a City & Guilds 6189 Level 1 Diploma in Plumbing and Heating then find employment and work towards a level 2 (and 3 if I wanted) NVQ. Is this correct?

Thanks for your time.

not correct, the 6189 diploma is an NVQ