Plumbing Advice.

[WelshMan]

I am currently doing my Tech Cert lvl2 in college and i was wondering how you guys managed to get experiance in the workplace?. Did you ring around all the local plumbers and offer your services or ask them to take you on as an apprentice?. Did you contact local construction companies and follow that route?. Being a young 36 i am finding it very frutstrating in obtaining relevant work experiance, i dont mind working for nothing as long as i can get experiance. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanx for you time.

 

[Rob]

Its difficult as most 'older' trainees are getting in the trade to become self employed meaning as soon as they've gained experience they'll become competition.

Have you offered to pay them?

 

[WelshMan]

Not really in a position to pay them atm. I work part time when i aint in college so thats a non starter. I dont forsee me being competition for a few yrs yet tbh. I want to feel confident in what i am doing and to do the best job i can whenever i undetake work, so that will only come with time.

 

[Rob]

You need to tell them this for the above reason. make it sound like you want to commit to their company

 

[Nige F]

Work for nothing.......you should be commited (sectioned)

 

[WelshMan]

Haha NigeF ............well like i said experiance is important, if i got paid would be a huge bonus. I obviously not in a position to work indeff for nowt, but just to get my foot in the door.

 

[Softus]

Work for nothing.......you should be commited (sectioned)

I did exactly that when I started out.

Wibble.

 

[plumbunny]

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!

 

[plumbunny]

oh and apply before you finish your course!!!!!