I want to be a plumber....Please advise!

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I want to be a plumber....Please advise!

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Henry83

Hi, I'm 29 and live in Manchester. I have reached a point where I am not enjoying my current career in the hospitality industry and sincerely believe that a career in plumbing would give me a rewarding and challenging new career. I realise I am slightly older than your average apprentice/student but would work my arse off to achieve this goal, so would greatly appreciate any serious advice on courses and apprenticeships, or anything that you think may be of use to me. Thanks in advance.
 
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welcome fella try to avoid any fast track courses they will get you no where and teach you little .

try and find a bloke whos coming upto retirement and offer him your youthful willingness in exchange for his years of experience.

ignore all the hype that all plumbers are millionaires etc. its a hard trade which is flooded with members

most of all if you want it keep at it ,

good luck
 
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Thanks bod, was just reading a Guardian article I found in another thread you commented on, suffice to say I'm going to steer clear of such organisations! So essentially, I should follow the traditional route of college and apprenticeship?
 
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Henry83;340801 So essentially said:
I should follow the traditional route [/B]of college and apprenticeship?
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The traditional route is apprenticeship and then college, we have just been indoctrinated to think that we need to go to college 'first' to learn a trade - but it sells courses.

Mainstream courses in Further Education colleges will arguably offer better value than fast-track courses. However, don't be mislead by this also. It seems a poor investment to shell out thousands on course, for a job which massively over-subscribed, which you might not get (even if you become self employed).

Try to get some work experience to begin with, that way you can learn the problems of this industry first hand (no work; high overheads; non-payers; legal pitfalls with gas; hassle from customers because you are inexperienced).
 
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i think you stand a better chance for long term employment, advancement and job security in what you are doing, your in a nice warm, clean environment and want to give it up, to have a chance of poor working conditions, in and out of work, finish up with bad knees and back, If you have been watching Plumbers where you work and think that looks a nice easey job and listening to fairy stories about high earnings, well its just that Fairy stories.
 
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jtsplumbing said:
i think you stand a better chance for long term employment, advancement and job security in what you are doing, your in a nice warm, clean environment and want to give it up, to have a chance of poor working conditions, in and out of work, finish up with bad knees and back, If you have been watching Plumbers where you work and think that looks a nice easey job and listening to fairy stories about high earnings, well its just that Fairy stories.
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Agreed. Honestly if i could walk into something else, I would.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
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bod said:
welcome fella try to avoid any fast track courses they will get you no where and teach you little .

try and find a bloke whos coming upto retirement and offer him your youthful willingness in exchange for his years of experience.

ignore all the hype that all plumbers are millionaires etc. its a hard trade which is flooded with members

most of all if you want it keep at it ,

good luck
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good plan !
 
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My Advice: Is Forget It ,Give yourself a Lucky Break.Get on the Next Flight Out of the U.K , Start a New Life Down Under / Canada / or Anywhere but here. Give Yourself / Your Family a Better Life & Start your New Career Move in Plumbing .Ten years from Now you will Reply to me Informing Me this Was the Best Career Choice you could of Made... If you Got the Cash You Have Passed in this Country..No Bull**it

P.s ..Im happy to Assist You in any Way
Meterman1
 
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No Chris Get into this Trade ..I was trying to say if your going to get into plumbing /Gas ...Go for it .... If I was in your shoes I would Get out of the U.K & Start a Fresh........ After a few years working your balls off to get some where in life you will then notice all the effort dont get you anywhere in the U.K .unless you have a Lot a ££££ or Aint got a pot to **** in...then U.K is great...People like us on this site / us who hope to get somewhere in Life are Dommed in this Wonderfull Land of Ours... ..
P.S if you need any assistance / Advice .just ask..

Meterman1
 
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Dont become a plumber!! Its Flooded with them!! Gt yourself outta the country and start a fresh!! Become a sparky!There alot better paid than Plumbers
 
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Yes it really is that bad Rick !!!!!!
Only 3 or 4 apprentices this year out of the whole of our area (south & east London)
Still doesn't matter as long as there are the members of the armed forces who have finished there tour of duty & want to jump into a trade & the "I've had enough of this job" & I've got some money to get retained, brigade. We will be all right cause there is such a skill shortage, a.
PS my nan has always longed to be a plumber, does anybody know of a plumbing course for OAP,s, O & her dog as well !!!!!
 
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All this fast track being no good is ok if youre 18 but if like me you were 34 with 3 kids to feed a 3 year full time college course wasnt going to happen.

As for find an old guy near retirement....thats as bigger myth as earning 70k a year. There not there.

Il say this, in our game getting the work is the hard part, the plumbing is the easy bit, you need to be a salesman and a businessman if you really want to go anywhere.
 
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chris watkins said:
Yes it really is that bad Rick !!!!!!
Only 3 or 4 apprentices this year out of the whole of our area (south & east London)
Still doesn't matter as long as there are the members of the armed forces who have finished there tour of duty & want to jump into a trade & the "I've had enough of this job" & I've got some money to get retained, brigade. We will be all right cause there is such a skill shortage, a.
PS my nan has always longed to be a plumber, does anybody know of a plumbing course for OAP,s, O & her dog as well !!!!!
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thats a low amount, do you take on full timers?
 
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Hi Henry, I am in exactly the Same situation as you were, in hospitality and aged thirty, only difference is I live in Birmingham, did you have any joy with pursuing a career in plumbing, if so any advice you could give?

Thanks

Mark
 
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Thanks for your warm welcome Bod, do you have any advice? My biggest problem is I work all the hours god sends at my current job so can't go down the traditional route of college etc without getting a full time job in ideally plumbing.
 
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is there no evening courses near you , i know they take longer and i sincerely wish you all the best of luck but the trade is saturated with plumbers a fair size proportion of which have no work
 
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Consider why you want to be a plumber and have another search on here, plenty of threads along the same line. If you want it enough you'll do it, but you'll have to sacrifice to get there.
 
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There are evening courses but my job Doesn't allow me to have set times off in a weekly basis. The only other option is the intensive 8 week courses which cost an arm and a leg, also read bad reviews about them, just need a chance at a plumbers mate/labourer and I'm certain I would succeed but no one wants to take the chance :(
 
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Hi been a hands on builder for 20 odd years, got loads of gas work and can't get a reliable plumber/gas fitter to work with us so I'm going for a quick hit gas course, doing the most of our plumbing now so it will be usefull, anyone got any advice on my plans for this, thanks
 
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