Help to become a plumber aged 34!

[Montbowski]

Hello all
I wondered if could get some advice or assistance. Ive been working for an airline at Heathrow since school after 18 years. Now it appears im soon to be made redundant.
Ive always wanted to get into the plumbing field, my fathers a chippie and family all have trades. The problem i have is i know nothing about the industry except what ive picked up from my own house.
It looks like ill have time and money on my side for a short term, ive been toying with the prospect of doing a fast track course, 12 weeks solid full time example.. at a cost of roughly 5k..

I realise this wont get me experience, but what are thoughts about this?

At 34 with a mortgage no longer a job what am i to do nobody takes adult apprentices. If i gained one of these qualifications id happily take a decrease in wages to accommodate my inexperience.

Its just finding a firm that would take you on.

Im not totally sure what the industry standard expects city and guilds and NVQs are two separate things, baffled by the C&G courses. 6128/6129

I want to learn definately a hard motivated person but knowing the correct route to take is the most problematic

Any help please guys is genuinely appreciated, please bear in mind ive got mouths to feed before knocking the fast track route.

All the best
Leigh.

 

[JCplumb]

Hi Leigh,
Why plumbing? If you want to fast track something, why not plastering or painting/decorating? Actually plasterers have less stress, less responsibility,less chance of completely ruining someones house, cheaper overheads, less to learn and are on similar if not better wages than the plumbers half the time.
Once the 12 weeks is up and you have your 'plumbing qualification', my guess is it would be quite difficult to get on anywhere when there are people applying for the same position with 2/3+ years college behind them.
I may be wrong, you come across as a decent guy from your post and I wish you luck.

 

[Tjdservices]

Hi, from my experience all the fast track courses give you the qualification but nowhere near enough experience. I still remember the first plumbing job I did when I started out on my own I could hardly sleep thinking about leaking pipes and that was after nvq level 2 and 4 years experience. It's confidence and experience that I look for and unfortunately that can't be bought. I know a couple of people who have done the fast track route and they all are not working in plumbing as they didn't feel confident to work for themselves and they were too in experienced to work on site.

 

[SimonG]

News is full of a gp shortage. Especially once they go to seven days a week.

 

[joni os]

Now government is going to have paramedics doing doctor's work, who needs more than a driving license and first aid course.

 

[Montbowski]

Thanks gentlemen,

The reasons why i feel plumbing would be best?, its a logical trade, im not looking to get rich but have a skill for life. i can plaster pretty well although not quick but seeing my father (chippie) cousins (plasterers) and friends bricklaying would you wanna do that over 35 years my cousin is 40 and shoulder shot to pieces from plastering.

Way i look at it is, its a skill you can take most places in the world and work.

Im dubious about these fast track courses but what other option do i have, adult apprenticeships dont exist.
Unless i get the technical know qualifications then try to find someone to take me on low wages??? Could this work?

 

[Montbowski]

Thanks JC Plumb

 

[Fallon1982]

" im not looking to get rich"

You've come to the right trade then!!

 

[Dotty]

I wish you well and hope for the best for you but before you go throwing your money at a fast track course take a wander through our forums to see how many others have taken, or considered taking, the plunge with no future benefits either.

I'm not saying it wouldn't work out, we've many fast trackers for whom it has. Just be wary.

But then you have family in the building trade who might be able to help you get your foot in the door.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

 

[Ray Stafford]

my cousin is 40 and shoulder shot to pieces from plastering.

For plumbers, its knees. Plenty of guys find their knees go in their 40s.

If you want to become a plumber at 34? Best way is to start as an apprentice at 30.

It isn't impossible, but it is very hard. This forum gets posts like this almost every day, and an equal number of posts from people offering to work for nothing to gain experience.

Its hard to know how many people go through those courses and end up as competent tradesmen making a living in the industry, but I would be personally surprised if its as high as 1 in 20.

 

[lame plumber]

started in my 40's having seen that the building bubble was going to burst idc, so no point in trying to buy for let etc any longer as the banks wouldnt loan any more. Got proved right, did day release at college over 4 years, for free with european grants etc that were available. Did anything and everthing in property mainentance, to get a foot in the door, then concentrated on plumbing moving to gas, then oil and lpg and going more for agas n rayburns as my area was full of them. Didnt have a mortgage to worry about, just daughters and horses but it was only money. Will never be rich BUT in 12 years of doing this lot, the knees are knackered ( blew a cartilage stepping over a fence carrying 2 cement bags on my shoulder), buggered my bag 3 years back, and topped off recently with the joy ofd discovering I now have a fractured wrist which is inoperable for the time being. You can do it, but I do see more and more younger tradesmen dropping out to get employed jobs away fm the industry. Personally I feel those that give up havent got the work ethos of old, it seems loads just want an easy life now and the trades dont offer that lifestyle. If you swant to do the job, you can do it, isnt easy but get out there and prove us wrong.

Just be aware, in my mind setting up to be able to do plumbing and heating is the costliest trade to tool up for, brickies carry a bucket, plasterers a bucket and table, sparkies a toolbox or 2, plumbers and full transit sized van to carry all they need.

 

[Worcester]

Age is not the issue, I know of people starting in plumbing, electrics, and other practical trades in their 50's.

The MOST important thing as highlighted by a number of posters here, and it applies to EVERY trade is maintaining your fitness.

NEVER overstretch yourself, and I don't mean in taking on a job bigger than before or stretching your mental capacity, I mean DON'T carry two bags, as you know that is a recipe for a possible problem.

As an employer, I am paranoid about my guys working properly, whether it's carrying more than they should or not having 3 points of contact on a ladder. It's not that I am concerned about the liabilities as an employer, it's the fact that I know one mistake can ruin your livelihood.

I started work in the construction industry before the HSE existed 🙂 , and when I graduated the Dean sat us down and told us that 1 in 3 of us in the room would be killed or seriously injured on site - that is what was accepted then. - I vowed the that it would NEVER happen on any of my jobs.

I have NEVER been criticized by a client or an employer or employee for insisting on taking proper safety measures and care when working. - On one of our sites they recently had the floor tilers in, at the start of the day the apprentice cutting the tiles (diamond bladed grinder) had all his PPE on, by lunchtime, he had stopped wearing his goggles, although not my responsibility, I politely pointed out that he could only ever lose his eyesight once, over the next 3 days that we were on site, he ALWAYS wore his goggles. - DON'T take shortcuts, protect yourself and your working life will be longer.. (And yes I did praise him whenever I saw him taking the proper precautions - that helps reinforce the decision he took himself 🙂 )

Hope that helps - shortcuts will ALWAYS catch up on you someday.

From a financial point of view, have a very clear idea of what job you want to be doing, identify where the opportunities are in your area - a rural area it maybe oil, a city center gas, it may be heating, or "plumbing". - Now what you want to do and strive to become the best you can at it. - You'll find that all the busiest people get probably 90% of their work from word of mouth / recommendations.

 

[PETE 123]

You will be better off training to be a pilot (more money)

 

[Rckape]

I think whatever trade you join is going to mess with your body, personally my knees are shot, and my back hasn't been the same since I twisted it in 2004 lifting up an empty plastic water tank over a bannister.

5K is a lot of money to gamble. People here may seem a bit cynical but it's borne of our collective experience of so many people in similar situations to yours. Personally, I think 1:20 is generous.

Please take the advice as just that, our honest opinion of your situation. I sincerely wish you every success whichever way you choose.

If you decide to go for it, stick around. These forums are a goldmine of real world experience.

 

[tomplumb83]

Go for it, you wont know till you try.
If youre doing a course, it sounds like youre hoping to work for somebody, is that right
I think wages for a plumber with qualifications and experience are roughly 20k so you really have to be desperate to become a plumber.
Cant see anyone taking you on to give experience other than family
Where are you located.
I think there are far more opportunities with electrical qualifications.
Anybody can be a plumber

 

[Ray Stafford]

I think there are far more opportunities with electrical qualifications.

According to this 2014 site, electricians on average earn £30,345 and are 110th in the professions league table.

Plumbers average £27,330 which puts them in 153 spot, better than nurses (£26,252) but not as good as scaffolders (£29,235)

 

[Dotty]

Good post. Sign yourself up on here

How ironic.

Will EVERYONE please register with us?

I will soon be deleting posts by unregistered persons. Good advice or not.

 

[Dotty]

Posts by unregistered accounts have been deleted.