Another newb

[dgoddard]

Hi everybody - I am another that has been told off :sad_smile:

I have not only not posted here before (does that make sense!??) but I am very new to the forum too. I have been, up til now, using this site as a valuable source of knowlege with regards to training etc. And, at the risk of being....erm...i dont know...slated...if thats the right word...?!? I have just signed up for a T4TS course.

I know that 'fast track' courses are frowned upon - and I fully understand why - but, although this course isn't exactly fast track, I couldnt see any other way of getting onto the industry.

I am 38 years old and, in March this year, 2 weeks after the birth of my daughter, I was made redundant after 22 years in the same IT job - a complete and unexpected shock (the redundancy - not the baby). I had enquired, and thought about a change of career a couple of years back, but 'life' just got in the way and I put it to the back of my mind again.

I have just managed to get another job back in IT (today was my second day) in order to pay the bills - but my heart isn't in it any more - not helped by the fact that the job means working away from home...but it's a job, and pays more than job seekers.

The course itself works towards the QCF levels 2 and 3 of the 6189 diploma - and from my research, is the most comprehensive course i could find (plus a friend vouched for the facilities at the ATL training centre in Featherstone, following some electrician training there), and will take approximately 2 years or so to complete. I looked into local college courses, but having to take a job away from home, I couldn't guarantee being able to attend evening classes - nor could i afford to go to college full time.

I intend to train, get as qualified as possible, gain experience working with an experienced plumber, and make a slow transition to becoming self-employed and ditching the IT job working for an employer.

Anyway, apologies for the long post, but I hope it explains a little about why I'm here. By all means, if I have missed a way into the industry, please let me know...I still have time to cancel T4TS.

Thanks
David.

 

[fuzzy]

hello and welcome, good luck, my concern is you are only working towards, without a job as a plumber you will not pass the course, have you seen the amount of posts asking for work, willing to work for free?
i wish you luck

 

[dgoddard]

Hi, thanks. Yeah I have read some of the posts regarding the lack of work - which is a little concerning - but while training I will save as much as possible and yes, if necessary, work for free (for a bit) and hope that potential is seen in me enough to at least take me on.

On the other side of the coin though, a friend of a friend (based only a few miles away) has so much work local to him, that he is turning away 2 jobs a week from my local area. In fact, I am still waiting for him to come and replace my own boiler which packed up a couple of months back (to be honest i havent chased him...what with a lack of employment and it being summer).

Either way, I am under no illusion that its going to be easy - or that i'll be earning 6 figures a year - but I am determined to make it work.

Thanks again

 

[Blumper]

hello Dave, newbie myself and basically in the same boat.....best of luck to you, all us middle aged 'career' changers or late starters have to do it somehow, its tough getting into it whatever way you do it, we can only hope every plumber over the age of 40 suddenly decides to throw in the towel and bugger off abroad with all their hard earned serious wonger 😉

 

[PlumbBobBob]

welcome along