Fast-track Plumbing Training

peter999

Oldernotwiser wrote:

Whether you do a course privately or by evening courses...

metalmickey is doing the course.

Just curious why such a big change from Web Developer to Plumbing.

peter999

Oldernotwiser

I was posting about plumbing training generally not specifically referring to MM's position. Other people were considering traditional training routes and I was pointing out the need for site experience whichever route is chosen.

Mrs_Optimist

Can comment on this since my husband gave up his job 14 months ago to retrain as a plumber as a mature student (he is now 38). He went to his local college for one day a week and had a Career Development Loan (£3k) to cover the course fees. He did a technical certificate in plumbing and after a lot of hard work and determination, completed the 2 year course in 12 months. The Career Development Grant is funded initially by the government who pay the interest on the loan for 2 years and then you start paying it back over a 2 year period when you start working. My Husbands loan repayments kicks in next year and are around £145 per month. Financially it was a struggle because he worked for free for a local plumber for 12 months and wasn't bringing home any money, but the experience he gained was invaluable. he completed the course in half the time because of his commitment. He has now found full time employment erning more money than he EVER has. He chose not to go down the self-employed route because plumbing is not as lucrative as everyone will have you believe and there may be a shortage of DECENT plumbers, but plenty of plumbers nonetheless. he also wanted to switch off at the end of the day without having constant call outs.

His new employer will now pay for his training so he can go on to become CORGI registered. He will service boilers privately in the winter months but that will be the only thing he does privately. That in iteslf is lucrative - he knows one plumber who can earn £600-£800 per DAY doing this. And it is still cheaper than a customer paying a service contract to British Gas.

Ask around your local builers and costructions companies, may have a training programme to recruit new employees and you will have your training funded either by the employer of can gain funding through other means.


Please don't consider signing up with some of the companies mentioned. Contact your local college. And ask around to see if anyone will let you work for nothing to gain experience. It will be a struggle financially but it has certainly paid off for us.

gaunty_2

Hi All

Here's my story for what it's worth.....

I used to work as a salesman for an international business software company, fair amount of international travel and pressure, and 3.5 years ago jacked it in, at the age of 32, and decided to retrain as a plumber.

Basically got fed up with corporate politics and did not want to have to live in SW London for the rest of our lives (Cornwall or Western Oz instead!!).

I had no trade knowledge at all and no real idea about how to go about it. Most of the local college courses had a one year waiting list and I did not really want to wait that long so managed to blag my way on a gas course (CCN1) as thought that this might look good for any potential employers. This did help but not much (and cost!)

I was very lucky in that a family friend knew that I was looking to join the trade and knew their plumber was looking for a grunt. I'll still working for the same one man band, but I did have to wait to get on the course.

Three and a half years later I'm nearly through my NVQ 3, got Water Regs, Unvented and Gas.

The private colleges are (allegedly) a rip off. Think very very carefully before signing up with them - make sure it it absolutely right for you.

Currently there are two parts to both full NVQ 'Level two' and Level 3 courses - a Technical Certificate and the NVQ section. The tech. cert is done in the class room and counts for about 35% of the full qualification. The NVQ is assessed in the workplace, count for the rest, and can ONLY be completely in the workplace. At a local college, a two year course covering BOTH will cost about £800-1200.

Most private colleges are evening courses allowing students to do their normal job during the day. This is fine as long as they realise that a L2 Technical Certificate (costing about £5000) is worth virtually nothing in the workplace. Most employers either want a young apprentice who they can train or someone who is 'fully qualified' ie. NVQ3.

Therefore there is no way for these private students to get the L2 NVQ (which is a very basic qualification) unless they get full time work in the plumbing industry. In addition, an NVQ 2 takes time to complete (approx. 2 years). This is important as once you start a Tech. Cert. you find that the level of knowledge is extremely basic. You learn how to this trade by doing it with an experienced, understand boss on the job. Experience counts for everything.

I was very lucky. My wife has been financially supportive (and very understanding!) and supported us whilst I went on a block release NVQ 2 +3 course- on the south coast as that was the only place that had places- and I live in London.

Hope this is of help.

Gaunty

P.S. Three months ago my boss took on young (24) apprentice. This guy 'Jon' (names have been changed to protect the guilty), wanted to get into plumbing and had signed up for a private "Level 2 course", without checking the small print. His dad coughed up £5000 for the 6 month course.

He did not check what this paid for. He was told that "he would get the Level 2". It turns out that yes, he gets the Tech. Cert. (£5000). Once this is over rather than getting NVQ 2 (which he can get as he is employed in the trade), the college puts you through the Tech. Cert L3 (another £5000). Then they would put him through the NVQ 2, £?000 then NVQ3 £?000....Still want to sign up.....? Bear in mind employers generally want either completely green or fully qualified plumbers.

metalmickey_2

ive been out ot the loop in the webdev for about 18 months, as i was working on a CMS that was to make me redundant. So all those areas like accessibility, CSS2.0 designing and coding, ive not done for quite some time.

I felt that maybe it was time for a new start, rather that figth the throngs for university leavers who have all those new skills and technologies.

course is going well, check out thebolg in a couple of days when ive updated it outlining my first week.

MM

Plumbing_College

Hi,

Just thought this could be of some interest to some members.

City & Guilds NVQ Level 2, and the paperside needed (framework to 6129 Level 2 Plumbing Studies). Can be done in one-two week slots around your work, in evenings or weekends to suit your own work commitments.

Here is the nice bit; £3900+VAT is the cost, includes busines/taxation advice and updating via newsletters of new legistlation (if you want).

FUNDING COULD BE AVAILABLE MEANING YOUR ENTIRE COURSE COULD BE FREE!

If we can't get the place funded, we can almost always put together a suitable funding package.

Want some more info/brochure etc, call Penny on 0845 634 8712 or info@theconstructioncollege.org

bradley107

i only just came accross this site today and it made me smile. I signed up for this course with BTSC back in July 2005 and i am now a very happy plumber working with a company they set me up with finishing my NVQ's. I do need to go back to complete my ACS gas part but i finished the whole course in about 2 years.

pammy14

Presumably everyones now re-training as a plumber.

Jobs in the East Midlands are very few and far between, so do we have to live down south all week and come home at weekends.

Having over 10 years experience and qualified in the plumbing trade and unemployed since the summer perhaps someone can tell me where all these jobs are. The agencies advertise but when you ring they only want your details the job has always 'already gone'

tigtag02

pammy14 wrote: »

Presumably everyones now re-training as a plumber.

Jobs in the East Midlands are very few and far between, so do we have to live down south all week and come home at weekends.

Having over 10 years experience and qualified in the plumbing trade and unemployed since the summer perhaps someone can tell me where all these jobs are. The agencies advertise but when you ring they only want your details the job has always 'already gone'

hear blooming hear ~ my OH has been unemployed since May too ~ where ARE all the jobs

peter999

metalmickey wrote: »

Ok Heres the PLOG

http://mynewplumbinglife.blogspot.com/

Enjoy

How's it all worked out with the course & work ??

peter999