advice needed please (to ba a plumber)

[sandy]

firstly let me say hello, im a newb here

i know there is a post like this below but my circumstances are a bit different.

this might be a long post so thanks for looking and any help and advice is very welcome.

i am 25 years old. i currently work as a structural engineer (3 years), designing structures for extensions right up to multi storey flats etc, i studied for 4 years at uni to gain an honours degree for this, however i hate the work. i cant stand being stuck at a desk all day crunching numbers.

i left school at 18 to find an appreniceship, i applied to hundreds of companies but was told i was too old! hence why i went to uni.

i have wanted to be a plumber for years.. my granda was a plumber.

i much prefer to be on the move and working with my hands. i wanted to give you a bit of backround info to allow you to appreciate my situation.

so i wanted to ask
-what is the best route for me to get a career in plumbing
-can anyone recomend courses based in scotland that would make me qualified?

i am prepared to take a pay cut to do something i want to do but cant afford to go back down to apprentices wages, so i would prefer to be able to say "yes i have x and y qualifications but little site experience" and work my way up from there, if thats possible.

 

[andyg0507]

without any plumbing quals it might be difficult not to take a pay cut, my advise is try and get on a night college course, so your still earning while your learning.

good luck.

 

[fuzzy]

read any previous threads on this subject and add any additional points that may not have been covered, everyone is different but most points are the same

 

[WHPES]

Is your grandad still about and still a plumber? Even if he is retired he can act as mentor.

 

[justlead1]

Hi, i Guess you want to become a plumber not gain a Bachelor of Arts in plumbing. What ever, Plumbing is a very broad trade and to cover everthing that comes through the door takes a good deal of time to master. With your age and qualifications, gas work may well be the easiest and quickest way to get stared. That is if you live in a city. Boiler manufacturers offer training courses on there products and many training centres offer qualifying courses at a cost. Good Luck

 

[sandy]

unfortunately my granda passed away a couple years ago.

im not bothered about the qualifications i have, im prepared to start from scratch basically, just dont want to start on apprentice wage.. although i would do it for a very limited time to get into it..

ive found a company "OLCI" there seems to be alot of info, some good some bad on this forum about them.. ive requested their brochure so we shall see what that says.

 

[moony]

im not bothered about the qualifications i have, im prepared to start from scratch basically, just dont want to start on apprentice wage.. although i would do it for a very limited time to get into it..

ive found a company "OLCI" there seems to be alot of info, some good some bad on this forum about them.. ive requested their brochure so we shall see what that says.

gonna waste a lot of money, and not get a job unless your prepared to go self employed - if you go self employed you wont have the contacts or experience.... but may blag a few jobs

you say your not prepared to work for apprentice wage ? well i cant advice you to do anything else...

if id got a degree and gone thru uni - i would think very hard about giving it all up for this...

 

[sandy]

hi again guys, been away researching this career cahange and spent hours reading through these forums, i should have done this before posting, anyway..

can anyone recommend college courses around central scotland that do courses?
is it possible to get full time college course? i would like to be armed with some basic knowledge and a certificate before i approach employers..

im keeping the OLCI course as a last resort, for the record i dont really agree with fast track courses either, i worked as a roofer for a while and working on the job taught me more than college.

my aim is to one day be fitting full central heating systems / bathrooms / solar systems etc basically everything..

and im not in it for the money, i just want a job that is more suited to me and make enough to get by


cheers for the advice so far

 

[REDSAW]

hi again guys, been away researching this career cahange and spent hours reading through these forums, i should have done this before posting, anyway..

can anyone recommend college courses around central scotland that do courses?
is it possible to get full time college course? i would like to be armed with some basic knowledge and a certificate before i approach employers..

Then i sugest you read A LITTLE MORE ON THE FORUM.
you will not get a job with basic knowlege and a cert.
sorry but you will be applying for jobs with qualified plumbers too.

 

[david williams]

if you have the money,you can be a master plumber in 12 weeks and earn £60000 streight away,why are you still waiting??? why do you want to be a plumber,money,lifestyle,intressed in job,all of the above??huge shortage of plumbers there is not a single plumber unemployed in england,roll up roll up give us your money.if you do want to be a plumber hold on to the job you have( econamy is not going to get better this year) go to night school,find a plumber to help in spare time.it will be hard but if you want it you can get it.take photos of your work with plumbers get them to sign it off build up your portfolio of jobs ,dont give up!.it will get better in the future.

 

[sandy]

David, thanks, for the second half of your post.. I'm coming go the conclusion that night training and spare time jobs might be the best option..

My only other option is to go to olci go self employed and try get some small jobs Nd work my way up from there...

I'm not one of these idiots who thinks plumbers make 100k all I want is to be doing a job I will enjoy.. I'm a hands on person who likes to get stuck in.. Not a pencil pusher.. That's why I want to be a plumber, I have researched all the trades and chose plumbing because it requires a lot more technical knowledge than joinery/roofing etc.

 

[Ecofrank]

I did a fast-track course and went self-employed straight away. I have just completed my second year as self employed.

When I researched courses at the time I found it very hard to find anything from somebody who had done a course. So I kept a blog: Should you do the training course..? make your own mind up...

It's been an interesting two years.

 

[joe brown]

I did a fast-track course and went self-employed straight away. I have just completed my second year as self employed.

When I researched courses at the time I found it very hard to find anything from somebody who had done a course. So I kept a blog: Should you do the training course..? make your own mind up...

It's been an interesting two years.

so what where your earnings for the firat year please, was it hard to get the work

 

[sandy]

Ecofrank.. Cheers for the link .. Made some very interesting Reading, looks like there's not much point in the yellow pages anymore

cheers again

 

[oilman]

did the olci route myself

 

[helpsy]

did the olci route myself

And me at Bristol.

 

[Ecofrank]

Web address for blog changed...

I did a fast-track course and went self-employed straight away. I have just completed my second year as self employed.

When I researched courses at the time I found it very hard to find anything from somebody who had done a course. So I kept a blog: Should you do the training course..? make your own mind up...

It's been an interesting two years.

 

[oilman]

hi again guys, been away researching this career cahange and spent hours reading through these forums, i should have done this before posting, anyway..

can anyone recommend college courses around central scotland that do courses?
is it possible to get full time college course? i would like to be armed with some basic knowledge and a certificate before i approach employers..

im keeping the OLCI course as a last resort, for the record i dont really agree with fast track courses either, i worked as a roofer for a while and working on the job taught me more than college.

my aim is to one day be fitting full central heating systems / bathrooms / solar systems etc basically everything..

and im not in it for the money, i just want a job that is more suited to me and make enough to get by


cheers for the advice so far

OLCI can do the mechanical training as well as the theory and the practical and theory exams. You do get City & Guilds qualifications. It all depends on where you are with your life and can you afford to be on a course for the next year? I couldn't, the government is crucifying employers so getting an apprenticeship could be very hard.
I did this route but learn't all the practical on my own, and then did all the exams, but bear in mind I have done things like stripping and rebuilding engines. Not that I was working in a garage just the job that needed doing. The money you earn depends on what price you want to tell the customer. The first 6 months will be quiet but stick with it.

 

[sandy]

Oilman - thanks for the encouragement.. Right now I plan to save for a few months and make sure I make the right decision and take the right route..

If you dint mind me asking, how long have you been out of training? Can you get to level 3 with OLCI on your own? And do you make enough money to have a comfortable life?

The worst thing would be going through the training and having to go back to my current job.. I know this has happened to loads of people.

Cheers again everyone

 

[Phil]

I was in a similar position and age to you Sandy 2-3 years ago, I did a short course to learn the absolute basics (didn't care really about the cert), I went self employed straight away (in a reccession and a saturated market) and now I'm very busy working flat out, today (Easter Sunday) is the first proper day off I've have for months!

Go for it, you have to be good though and you have to be prepared for some very very stressful situations but its overall very rewarding.

 

[fuzzy]

I was in a similar position and age to you Sandy 2-3 years ago, I did a short course to learn the absolute basics (didn't care really about the cert), I went self employed straight away (in a reccession and a saturated market) and now I'm very busy working flat out, today (Easter Sunday) is the first proper day off I've have for months!

Go for it, you have to be good though and you have to be prepared for some very very stressful situations but its overall very rewarding.

What course was it?

 

[sandy]

Phil - that's what I like to hear, what sort of jobs do you do typicaly?

Olci are offering a free renewables course if you sign up for their 6129 course.. I recon they would probably throw in a few more free courses if pressed..

 

[fuzzy]

Phil - that's what I like to hear, what sort of jobs do you do typicaly?

Olci are offering a free renewables course if you sign up for their 6129 course.. I recon they would probably throw in a few more free courses if pressed..

The trade has come under alot of stick for sending half skilled people out into the workforce and them presuming they are fully qualificed. That is why the loop is being closed and the 6129 shut down. I know its tempting to do a short half skilled course then go out and buy a van but most complaints have led the sector skills council to look at this and think 'hey we must stop this'.

 

[sandy]

Fuzzy- I know this and I agree with it, but I have no other feasable option if I want to be a plumber... I realise I need to do the course before the 6129 is abolished..

I am cinfident I can do a good job and become a good plumber

 

[fuzzy]

Fuzzy- I know this and I agree with it, but I have no other feasable option if I want to be a plumber... I realise I need to do the course before the 6129 is abolished..

I am cinfident I can do a good job and become a good plumber

but remember that the 6129 isnt recognised as a full qual, good luck all the same

 

[sandy]

I hope to get the full nvq by recording my work.. I should hopefully be allowed to do this, I plan on calling c&g to get the low down on the changeover

 

[fuzzy]

the change over will probably be this summer. if you have a 6129 there should ebe a bridginf module of someking if you wanna upgrade to the full nvq. if no 6129 then its a full nvq or diploma from the get go.

remember there will be no funding about so you will have to dig deep. my guess is around 4/5k at a college for an nvq2, bout the same for a 3