Total novice in plumbing

[Gul94]

Hi guys,

I'm at a point in my life that I need to learn a trade and make a career out of it.

I've wasted the past 3 years of my life working but to no avail.

I'm 23 and will be joining my local college for a lvl 3 in plumbing.

I learn quick and will try and soak up as much knowledge as I can but is this the best way?

I heard it's better becoming an apprentice?

Once complete hopefully I'll find a firm in London as I live in north London and gain experience with them and then whatever comes, comes.

I'm not a greedy person if I see someone who needs help I'll be honest.

I make a pretty good living what I do for my age but I don't want to do it no more as it's becoming too saturated.

I'm a cab driver at the moment, I know it's depressing.

There are a lot of cabbies who have gone off into trades such as becoming electricians, general builders, the lot.

As I don't know any plumbers or have any family connections in the trade, am I making a good decision getting into plumbing?

Please only serious answers.

Jealous or bitter people don't reply.

It's like when you type 'how much does a cabbie earn' and then you got some users who are obviously cab drivers saying 'oh don't get into the trade, there's no money' - it's bs.. I am a cab driver and you can still make a decent living if you work hard.

But yeah, any advice will be appreciated 🙂

 

[Riley]

Hello and welcome along. Loads and loads of great knowledge and resource on here.

On the positive side- I'd say you are doing it the right way in terms of going to college rather than some fast track course which is all about making the trainer money. It's a very very experience based profession and no one will claim to know it all. You would be well advised to try and offer your self to a local plumber maybe put up signs in local merchants etc it might garner their interest if you can say you are at college.

On the negative - it is very hard work to make a living out of plumbing at the mo. The market is over saturated with unskilled, untrained and illegal workers who will undercut you as they don't use things like insurance or gas safe qualifications. I enjoy my job and wouldn't trade it in but be prepared to work very hard for little reward for a while

 

[mfgs]

An apprenticeship is the best way to learn, its more respected within the trade as well when looking for employment.
Try and get some money behind you before you start as you wont earn much for the first couple of years!

 

[Gul94]

Hello and welcome along. Loads and loads of great knowledge and resource on here.

On the positive side- I'd say you are doing it the right way in terms of going to college rather than some fast track course which is all about making the trainer money. It's a very very experience based profession and no one will claim to know it all. You would be well advised to try and offer your self to a local plumber maybe put up signs in local merchants etc it might garner their interest if you can say you are at college.

On the negative - it is very hard work to make a living out of plumbing at the mo. The market is over saturated with unskilled, untrained and illegal workers who will undercut you as they don't use things like insurance or gas safe qualifications. I enjoy my job and wouldn't trade it in but be prepared to work very hard for little reward for a while

Thanks for the honest answer.

To be honest that's what I was expecting.

I've known for a while that a lot of trades are becoming saturated with too many unskilled fast track 'engineers'.

One question, which part of the country do you reside?

You have to go where the work is, that's what I've found out in my trade.

Thanks for the reply pal 🙂

 

[Riley]

I ply my trade between Dorset and Surrey am very busy but it's very hard work

 

[Gul94]

An apprenticeship is the best way to learn, its more respected within the trade as well when looking for employment.
Try and get some money behind you before you start as you wont earn much for the first couple of years!

I'll try and find an apprenticeship and gain some experience but I've always been the self employed type of person.

Even though it's harder and less money in the start, I realize life is a marathon and not a sprint.

 

[Gul94]

I ply my trade between Dorset and Surrey am very busy but it's very hard work

Surrey is a wealthy area so you're good.

I wish you the best and stay busy mate 🙂

 

[Riley]

Ha ha sometimes it is sometimes it's not ;-)

 

[mfgs]

I'll try and find an apprenticeship and gain some experience but I've always been the self employed type of person.

Even though it's harder and less money in the start, I realize life is a marathon and not a sprint.

Being self employed and going it along is fine, its what I did, after 7 years in the trade. Doing that with little experience and you can easily find yourself out of your depth very quickly. Experience is key, classrooms and books cant teach you about the horrors we come up against on a daily basis because someone else has bodged a system together.
I would suggest being employed for a few years before branching off on your own.

 

[mfgs]

I'll try and find an apprenticeship and gain some experience but I've always been the self employed type of person.

Even though it's harder and less money in the start, I realize life is a marathon and not a sprint.

Being self employed and going it along is fine, its what I did, after 7 years in the trade. Doing that with little experience and you can easily find yourself out of your depth very quickly. Experience is key, classrooms and books cant teach you about the horrors we come up against on a daily basis because someone else has bodged a system together.
I would suggest being employed for a few years before branching off on your own.

 

[Gul94]

Being self employed and going it along is fine, its what I did, after 7 years in the trade. Doing that with little experience and you can easily find yourself out of your depth very quickly. Experience is key, classrooms and books cant teach you about the horrors we come up against on a daily basis because someone else has bodged a system together.
I would suggest being employed for a few years before branching off on your own.

Thanks for the advice pal.

At the start I will work for a company so I can familiarize myself with the trade and take up as much work and soak up as much experience as I can till I am comfortable to go at it alone.

Thanks for all the positive responses.

 

[Gul94]

You say at the moment.

Is there anything that could protect the trade of plumbing or electrician from unskilled and unqualified workers?

It's like the Uber drivers who come to London not knowing where to go following a satnav compared to say me a hackney who had to learn and familiarize himself with the roads and points of interest.

It seems like all trades are getting hammered with unskilled workers just saturating it.

I know driving a car is not a skill but to become a hackney you have to know a certain area so when your customers say where it is you at least know where you're going.

 

[Gul94]

You say at the moment.

Is there anything that could protect the trade of plumbing or electrician from unskilled and unqualified workers?

It's like the Uber drivers who come to London not knowing where to go following a satnav compared to say me a hackney who had to learn and familiarize himself with the roads and points of interest.

It seems like all trades are getting hammered with unskilled workers just saturating it.

I know driving a car is not a skill but to become a hackney you have to know a certain area so when your customers say where it is you at least know where you're going.

 

[KingDoey]

Hello welcome to the forums.

Just out of interest why plumbing?

 

[Gul94]

I've always been told it's good to learn a trade so I thought I'd give it a go.

I could do carpentry, locksmith, electrician or anything.

Plumbing seems to be the best one for me.

I can't really explain why but it's the one I'd feel most comfortable with.

I live in the London area so there's always work if you work long hours.

What would I need to do?

Become gas safe registered?

What would be other qualifications that would be beneficial?

Thanks!

 

[Gul94]

I've always been told it's good to learn a trade so I thought I'd give it a go.

I could do carpentry, locksmith, electrician or anything.

Plumbing seems to be the best one for me.

I can't really explain why but it's the one I'd feel most comfortable with.

I live in the London area so there's always work if you work long hours.

What would I need to do?

Become gas safe registered?

What would be other qualifications that would be beneficial?

Thanks!

 

[Radioman]

This trade is the same as yours I am afraid. How many hacks and licensed hackney carriages are there in London? Around 19,000 is a figure quoted. And I know there are around 120,000 private hire drivers. All the building trades are the same, saturated with self taught unskilled people.

 

[Gul94]

I understand that.

It seems to be the case in every field at the moment.

But skill based trades require skill where as driving does not.

My cousin recently had his room done by a self employed decorator and plasterer.

We won't use him again as he did not do a good job.

If he was good then we would pass this information onto all of our relatives and he would be getting jobs after job.

But because he didn't do a good job we will not refer him to anyone.

The quality of your work is what matters.

 

[KingDoey]

Just be prepared for long days, aching back, knee pain (im 28 and my knees are battered already!). Idiotic customers, people undercutting you, expecting everything for nothing. Many people think plumbers and Gas Engineers earn big pay packets and have it easy. A small percentage may do but the majority of us take an average wage. Dont believe the old hype from the media about plumbers aswell.

That said it can be enjoyable and satisfying and once you have a good few years behind you, you can earn a few bucks.

You say you are 23. Maybe try your loval housing association/council. They tend to take on mote mature apprentices and with that you will get all your training funded. You will want to get up to NVQ 3 and from there you will probably want gas. Aswell as unvented and water regs tickets.

If you truly want to do it then im sure you will succeed. Best of luck!