Greetings all

[colinah87]

Hello everyone.
My name's Colin and i'm 26 years old.

Been thinking for the past 18 months or more about a career change (have worked in bars/restaurants for years) and plumbing is the one that seems to appeal to me the most. I'm very keen to learn the trade and would like to work within renewables most likely.
I find it very overwhelming the amount of information that is available to everyone especially when it comes to specific qualifications and the likes.

For the past 8 months or so i've applied to countless apprenticeship schemes through the apprenticeship website but I have never made it past the application stage. I've grown used to receiving an automatically generated email saying 'thanks but no thanks' It's something I find very disheartening and i'm now finding it harder to complete the application forms in the first place.
One thing I've been considering recently is doing a college course (I'll post about that in the specific forum) as it seems the best way to gain some sort of start in the industry.

Anyway i'm looking forward to hopefully gaining some new insights into an industry I wish to work.

Thanks
Colin

 

[mutley racers]

Welcome along colin. I also was in the same boat as you 7yrs ago. Fancied a career change and decided plumbing would be the one. Considering that plumbers were in short supply and earning over 50k a yr. I looked for an apprenticeship for 2 yrs but could not find one. Saved 10k to do a 10 week fast track course as was getting desperate. Then my girlfriend at the time was at uni in africa and had a mate who ran a plumbing company. Asked if I could work with him for 3 months to see if I liked it. I did that and liked it and when I came back to uk, I decided a college course would be better, while looking for an apprenticeship. But my wifes churchbin africa had a guest speaker from the uk, who invited me to their church on return. And I went, he introduced me to a plumber and I had a apprenticeship. Amazing it was. But it is not what you hear, all glamourous and making mega bucks. It is saturated and difficult to get work.

I went on my own 2yrs ago and in the 1st yr I made a loss. Last yr 12k and hopefully this yr maybe 20k. But its a tough job, tougj on the body and sometimes even on the mind. You need to save a good few bucks to really make it work as you will probably have to work for free for a wee bit. But ifyou are determined you can make it happen.

This site has been a saving grace for me. All the guys on here are so helpful and really quite patient. Great bunch of fellers.

There is one you need to beware of though, they call him...CROPPIE

 

[Dotty]

before you throw any money away consider this.

The plumbing industry is saturated. There is barely enough work for experienced plumbers, never mind fast trackers.

 

[colinah87]

Oh i'm aware it's saturated but what advice would you give me then?
Preferably something a little bit more constructive than "don't bother"

Also I never said I was going to fast track anything.

 

[Dotty]

You're daft. Don't bother!

Seriously though you're the only one who can make a success of it if your heart is truly in it.

And, as I said to someone else, you make a go and a living at it, and prove me wrong, I'd be only too pleased to shake your hand.

 

[colinah87]

Ok thanks.

One thing that is confusing is how there are countless adverts online for plumbers and the likes and yet people on these boards claim it is saturated. It's mental!

 

[Dotty]

Because the training companies are a business primarily interested in making money. That's done by getting bums on seats at £6k a time. THEY are the ones creating the myth there's a shortfall - there's not. THEY are the ones spreading the rumours that we're all minted - we're not.

The very same thing happened back in 1998/9 before the Y2K bug was going to bring the world to a grinding stop, TC's spread rumours there was a shortage of IT professionals. tens of thousands of people jumped onto that band wagon and rapidly saturated the market. But still the TC's spread the myths there were shortfalls and you could make a small fortune.

Yes there's money to be made, but at the moment you need to be experienced, established and very, very focused.

You will have early mornings and late nights, you'll knacker your back, your knees and your hands. You'll get home every night night wondering why you bother. you'll be working outside when it's cold and in a roof space when it's hot. You'll work in places so disgusting you'll think you've puked up your stomach lining but still have to go back and get the job done. Then you'll have custards telling you they can get the parts cheaper online and you should be charging a lot less because "so-and-so down the road has just qualified and he said he'll do the job for £7.00 an hour!"

You have also to worry about registration with regulatory bodies (GasSafe), public liability insurances, van insurance, tax, fuel and wear and tear, tool replacement, training fees (Cos it don't stop once you got your 6189!) and so on.

But the training co's wont tell you that.

Because they just want to dig their arms into you.

So now you understand my perceivably disparaging response.

 

[Atouchofgas]

What he said above. Good luck if you do decide to do it but look at the amount of posts in this forum on guys who are in the same position and how many are willing to work for free

 

[colinah87]

Thanks for those posts! I'm well aware of those cowboy outfits trying to make a fast buck out of desperate people. A few months ago I had a meeting with someone from ATL PT and I genuinely couldn't believe what he was telling me. I'm daft but not that bloody daft! It's alarming that people hand over silly money for what they offer.

I want to learn a trade but this has made me think seriously. Maybe plumbing isn't the one. I looked into doing a construction skills diploma which is suited for people like myself who are looking for a change and is aimed at finding what trade is specifically for yourself. All food for thought.