Hi guys, I am after a bit of advice on what to do. I'll start by telling you a bit about myself. I'm 29 years old and had been doing plumbing for 11years, I was running my own plumbing company but work was up and down. I started my acs in april 2012 and passed the initial assessment but never completed the portfolio, I then had a knee operation in October and was not able to work for 6 months, which in that time I couldn't afford to keep my company going and had to sell my van so I had a bit of money to live on whilst not working. In this time I thought about a career change into accountancy so started to study a qualification called the AAT. I have now completed level 2 and am due to start level 3 in 4 weeks, but have found it nearly impossible to get even an entry level job. Also recently I have discovered I may not be able to fully qualify due to having previous debt defaults on my credit history. So basically now I am not working and money is really tight. So my question is do you think it is worth me spending around £3000 to get me gas safe qualified and registered? Is there enough work out there in the gas industry, I would probably set up as a sole trader again... Is the market difficult at the moment? Thanks for reading and would appreciate any comments...
- Thread starter plumb-tech
- Start date
Welcome to the forum. Although you can post in any forum, the USA forum is here in case of local regs or laws
P.s I had already spent £1500 on the initial acs course, and have until February 2014 to complete the portfolio otherwise I would have to start from the beginning again..
Hi plumb-tech.
I can only tell what it's like in my neck of the woods, Cheshire. I'm afraid it is still very much up and down, one day I can look at the diary and see 6 weeks work planned, the next I don't know where the next the job is coming from. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but I have to be honest with you.
I'm not gas safe qualified so I will defer to the others to give an opinion on that situation.
I can only tell what it's like in my neck of the woods, Cheshire. I'm afraid it is still very much up and down, one day I can look at the diary and see 6 weeks work planned, the next I don't know where the next the job is coming from. Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but I have to be honest with you.
I'm not gas safe qualified so I will defer to the others to give an opinion on that situation.
D
Dotty
E
Ermintrude
You need to find a gas safe installer to help u do portfolio ! Then consider the 3k question . If you just need wonga and don't care about reputation or custards get. 2030 and jump on green deal bandwagon . Rough rough!
It is and it isnt. When i was plumbing i started to hate it but now im not plumbing i miss it.
Also a lot of gas engineers i speak to say they they love the gas side of things but hate the plumbing as well.
I'm also a bit worried if iwas to get a job as an accountant will i get bored...
The £3k is including doing the gas portfolio with a company that charge £1k, you go out with there engineers for 4 weeks.
What is 2030???
R
Ray Stafford
E
Ermintrude
I'm not going to apologise for this ! You are going to be a useless mess! All they want is your money. Dickie will rip u into shreds shortly.........
4 weeks...... Honestly? If you pay me compliments u can come and watch me and I will do your portfolio . Don't be a mug! What will u be after 4 weeks????? 3k worse off that's what!
Its £1000 to do your portfolio with a company in luton, I have a friend who has done it... The other £1k is for the acs assessment, then the rest is for registration to gas safe and a gas analyser...
I can probably get my portfolio done for free working with people i know but it would take much longer to find the certain jobs that need doing to complete it. As with the company that charge a grand they do work for the council so have a load of gas engineers doing loads of work so will get the jobs i need.
E
Ermintrude
How much do u think u will learn In 4 weeks ?
That's 20 days , 1/2 day on Fridays.
I'm sorry u made my heart sink when u said 4 weeks and then I thought about why Dickie says what he says.
You will be a liability ! Sorry I wouldn't let u anywhere near a custards house. After 4 weeks you would be fitting condensate and possibly doing hot and colds or even rads.... That's it though.
That's 20 days , 1/2 day on Fridays.
I'm sorry u made my heart sink when u said 4 weeks and then I thought about why Dickie says what he says.
You will be a liability ! Sorry I wouldn't let u anywhere near a custards house. After 4 weeks you would be fitting condensate and possibly doing hot and colds or even rads.... That's it though.
Did you not read my original post, I have been plumbing for 11 years, in that time i have done a lot of boiler installations and repairs. I wouldnt be doing the 4 weeks to learn anything, just to prove to the gas safe i am competent.
Can i ask how long you have been plumbing/gas???
E
Ermintrude
Longer than 4 weeks but not quite 20 years.
So were u corgi before?
If not the regs won't sink in after 4 weeks and if you weren't corgi shame on you! Yeh read your post and wasn't sure how honest it was.
If you had a company why didn't you get blokes u used to work with to do portfolio for free?
So were u corgi before?
If not the regs won't sink in after 4 weeks and if you weren't corgi shame on you! Yeh read your post and wasn't sure how honest it was.
If you had a company why didn't you get blokes u used to work with to do portfolio for free?
No i was never corgi, i already know most the regs as stated before im not a newbie to gas. I have also already passed the first acs exams getting 100% pass. I wouldnt ask for advise if i was being dishonest....
Also as stated before i can get portfolio done with guys i know but it would take longer as there are certain jobs you have to do, i.e work on a back boiler which there is not a lot around...
K
kirkgas
What certification body are you doing the gas with?
Where does it say in their portfolio that you MUST work on a back boiler, you don't, you need to work on appliances that are relevant to the assessment you are undertaking, ok it's better to work on all appliances but most don't, so if you are doing CENWAT you will be assessed on boilers and water heaters, so you need experience on them, open glued and room sealed would be great but some people never see them at work and need to rely on the training centres appliances to get through, you say you have done the initial ACS, what exactly do you mean by that, the Gas Foundation theory exams?
K
Koogatubac
Hey plumb,
I feel like you most days, you hate plumbing then you get days that you love and think you wouldnt do anything other than plumbing.
I think with plumbing you should get/have close to everything there is so your scope of work is large.
Regarding plumbing shortages, im in north east and theres far too many plumbers in alot of towns which is making alot of trademen work for close to minimum wage just to win jobs and get by...
Im not going to criticise as ive been in this boat, started own business, didnt like it and couldnt get the money i was after, now work for a mate with absolute loads of work! Alot of mates have wrapped up self employed and gone back working for people
I feel like you most days, you hate plumbing then you get days that you love and think you wouldnt do anything other than plumbing.
I think with plumbing you should get/have close to everything there is so your scope of work is large.
Regarding plumbing shortages, im in north east and theres far too many plumbers in alot of towns which is making alot of trademen work for close to minimum wage just to win jobs and get by...
Im not going to criticise as ive been in this boat, started own business, didnt like it and couldnt get the money i was after, now work for a mate with absolute loads of work! Alot of mates have wrapped up self employed and gone back working for people
K
Koogatubac
E
Ermintrude
T
tamz
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