Career Change - ADVISE NEEDED PLEASE!!

[Paul.Whitewood]

Hi All,

I'm currently considering a career change and am keen to re-train as a plumber. I'm 26 and I know i've left it late, a day doesn't go by when I don't wish I'd done it 10 years ago.

Unfortunately i'm not in a position to drop and take an apprentice wage due to mortgage commitments and all the other bills that come along with getting older!

There are intensive courses you can do and although I appreciate an apprenticeship is the better way to go, unfortunately I do not have that luxury.

Has anyone got any advise on the courses? I understand that although the course gets you qualified it doesn't get you the experience of working on site, however if I am qualified surely I can go work for a firm and having the knowledge I obtained through the course I would be able to earn enough to get by (more than apprentice) and gain site experience quickly, thus meaning my money should improve fairly quickly. I have a cousin who has already said whilst i'm doing the course I am welcome to join him on site at weekends to gain experience, the long term goal is me to go and work for him, so I have connections for future employment.

Any advise would be well recieved, it's a really confusing time! Please bear in mind my situation and commitments etc!

Thanks Guys!

 

[GQuigley67]

dont waste your time mate find another career you will not make enough money to keep your mortgage, plenty of other posts on here with people in your situation there is no work out there for fast trackers and people with little or no qualifiactions/experience

 

[Barry98]

MOST decent firms do not take on fast trackers , you may be the best and i wish you luck but ignore the media and the sales men offering you the course. i assure you if you asked on hear for all those with a second income/supported by others/minimum wage i would guess 50% of the plumbers are . etc etc etc it goes on but i wont bore you stick around and you will see a genuine pattern within the threads

 

[Paulus]

As GQuigley says, check out all the other posts from people in your situation, there are loads of them. I suspect you wont get too many replies as I think we are all tired of pointing out the reality of the current situation in plumbing.

Sorry but thats reality.

 

[GQuigley67]

most employers are looking for time served tradesmen(NVQ/SVQ3) and with a minimum of 2 years post apprenticeship experience, plus gas safe and alot of others, most stay well clear of fast trackers.

 

[secret squirrel]

I feel your pain,

However, all the above posts are correct.

I am a fast tracker and proud of it. It is not an easy route to go down. It really isn't, forget the course costs, you'll struggle to get employed (I didn't even bother trying, I don't or ever want to be employed). Your start up costs are huge, tools endless, van, road tax, PI insurance, forget about paying tax in your first year because you honestly won't earn enough (probably). Getting a customer base takes an age.

The work is challenging, tiring, lonely and sometimes the day never stops, you'll worry that the phone doesn't ring and when it does then you'd wish it hasn't.

OK, then I hear you ask how have you survived? to be honest, my partner earns extremley good money and is a career woman. If it wasn't for her support I'd be changing jobs.

You'd earn more on benefits. If you search my posts earlier on I put up a couple whats it like to be a plumber and a year on etc. You may find these useful.

 

[Resolute]

As others have said its difficult. The main problem you'll face is getting your full qualification. Most training centres (especially fast track) only provide you with a technical cert - you need on the job training to gain the full NVQ or diploma - this is near impossible to get without a job in the trade.

 

[fuzzy]

have a look round the forum mate, lots of info, any specific questions can then be asked

 

[REDSAW]

there is hundreds of skilled plumbers getting laid of every week so there is a large turnaround, if you think you can compete with them gaining a job then good luck.

 

[WHPES]

Plumbing will be a difficult business to break into for a new entrant at the moment due to the shortage of work and glut of very experienced and qualified people you wll be competing against. I don't know what to advise but there must be better professions suited to your current skills and experience. If you were to go ahead I am sure you will find yourself sitting at home day after day wondering if you are going to get a few tap washers to change or a toilet to unblock now and again. 3 years ago I was flat out, now I only have about 1/2 the work I did then. People are not spending money.