Hi Welshman
I've been in /still am in (kinda) your position. I qualified in Jan with tech cert, part p, water regs and unvented and have only just started (today) to get work experience with a plumber. I could have done this sooner, i realise now.
I first sent out CVs to several local plumbers and applied to the local councils/housing associations. I was then offered a job at the housing association (less than £12K) I thought this was v low at the time (dont now!!) and so thought about it. When I returned to take them up on the offer they said they hadnt the funds afterall. I realise I had not applied for jobs for a while.
Then I get a call from one of the Cvs, the guy offers me a trial period (2 days paid at £5.40/hr). I am told that it will be within 2 weeks and if satisfactory a job at the end. So confident in my abilities I dont send out any more Cvs, although I do sign up to jobs on fish4, jobsite, agencies etc (nothing came of these). Weeks pass and I relax into DIY jobs at home waiting for the phone to ring.
5 weeks on I call and they say they are still v interested but work is v quiet. So I send out more CVs. This time nationwide targetted (the companies I know have employed female plumbers) I get 3 replies the next day!! One which says they will invest in me starting at about £10/hr but I have to commit for a long time - 2 yrs not long enough. One thought I was more experienced than I was. And one which I negotiated work exp with.
So in a way you might have more luck applying to companies not in the same area where you will be working when u go self employed as people are not as worried about competition plus it shows dedication and commitment. It also pays to target your applications - ie to people who have been known to take on newly trained people and are willing to invest time and energy because they want to build their workforce. I thought that it would help that I had Part P and unvented and water regs, but it hasnt helped me get a salaried job any quicker really, I dont think.
The moral of my story is never rest on your laurels until you sign the contract!!! I have wasted so much time because people have promised me jobs only to keep me hanging on/letting me down.
Hope this helps and Good luck with your search!