Plumbing intesive coarse

[roguetrader]

where do people get the idea that being a plumber will solve absolutely everything?
ive been doing it for 20 yrs, still got a mortgage, still got a sh1t car, hardly any money in the bank and my knees and back are shot.
do you think one of those short courses might help me? i could do with earning big money and have people clutching at my ankles in desperation for me to call round and spend all day working out how fit a new basin tap in there sh1tty ensuite.
get a freakin life all you saps. 4 grand gets you a really decent holiday, but it wont teach you a trade.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

To clarify
It is an NVQ qualification Level2 .

no its a technical certificate look it up Nvq 2 & 3 take 3 years to do an you have to do a portfolio of work an be employed. what your gettin is some cert they made up for back door entrants so the share holders can have a big back hander

sorry but your wasting your time. do it properly thats the only way you will gain confidence, knowledge & respect.

 

[kevplumb]

ducking out fast then big mouth

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

6 weeks training will not convince anyone out there that you're competent, sadly. Your intentions are very encouraging and honourable, and in another time you'd be snapped up by an experienced plumber or contractor where you'd be put to work covering the basics initially then progressing and gaining the real experience so necessary.
How do I know this? Well, I've just spent 2 years at a Skillcentre, studying and practicals to Level 3. Not quite afforded the last sessions yet (ACS) etc, but I have been trying to secure something out there, working for nothing. Guess what, no takers at all. If I can't get any voluntary work, then there's not much chance of getting paid.
However, I've just witnessed the most appalling work by a "plumber" I've ever seen, and that has turned me completely around from a position of frustration to one where I know I can help friends and family with their plumbing problems. So far, so good. I have the support of some of my tutors - very experienced profesionals - and life has become a little more busy than it was.
Good luck in whatever training route you take. Whatever the case, nothing beats sheer experience. Get the qualifications whichever way suits you best, but get out there and build up some experience with it. Good luck, I'm sure it'll work out for you.

Mike

these short courses are a joke why did you start it. why not gain proper nvq qualifications not the mickymouse ones??

scuse me fitting ideal boilers is even more of a joke

forgot more than you will ever know i am now retired to a warmer clime

do you have all domestic all
commercial all
can yo play with 250 MW boilers do you understand vacuam proving

go play sonny

ideal wouldn't p**s on them if they where on fire

listen coffin dodger, dont need to do all that crap. I earn enough in 3 days to retire when am 45.

started this game from a wee boy, unlike most these days. I think i might be the last of a dying breed. you most likely packed it in cause you could not pass ACS wolly

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

ducking out fast then big mouth

who is the big mouth i wasn't the one who had a pop at you was i soft ****e

 

[kevplumb]

like i really give a flying

i post on this site to help people
ive been there done it had the cards

now i jus don't give a damn

 

[markfxy]

Go for it dv theres loads of work out only three weeks ago i changed a tap washer

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

 

[dv1906]

If I have the opportunity to go to college to do the lengthy process of the 3 years I would my friend I assure you that ! But keeping a family from going to college and living on thin air is a bit more difficult. What I. Asked for here in this thread for people to share their experience. Respecting every one' s profession. I did not ask any one how to con people or how to be a 2 minute plumber that messes up people's houses. It s well understood from my first post that I do not intend to go and plumb a whole house or plumb some complicated system. I have to start from basics and know ones limit. At least I am bothering to study the regulations and safety more to the current non qualified cowboys that think they r plumbers. for this people should be encouraged to learn to appreciate ones trade more. I thank every one who is bothering to give me his taughts and time to advice me. Thanks

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

I am giving you this advice because its goodadvice just because its not what you want to here.

what do you want me to say "yeah there boss those 6 week courses 30k first 12 months loads of easy jobs to do tap washers etc you can charge £ 50 to change one" i think not. facts if your good an have 10 years or more in the trade you may get a direct employed job paying £28k to 30k

or you can have the hassel of being self employed an earn maybe £40k before tax & expenses.. I know of good gas fitters on the dole.

 

[Mark Br]

In reality you're not going to listen to anyone telling you that you've made the wrong decision.

There are so many posts on the web from people asking about short courses and always the response is save your money, but people even after reading them still think it will be different for them and that they will be earning £80k per year.

So go for it mate, you might just make it, chances are you won't. If you are to stand any chance you will need to find an experienced plumber to work with. Your customer service skills, turning up on time, etc might get you work but will mean sod all when you can't do the job or worse still try and it all goes wrong.

Seriously, good luck for the future.

 

[transam]

Eventually (I have faith ?) the powers that be will wise up to the training scams that are going on in the construction industry ??

If joe public en-masse had any idea as to what is going on they would demand that something was done about it , personally I think these out for a quick buck training centres should be held responsible legally for any candidate that they train up for for X amount of years ??

I beleive one of the big trade organisations heating contracters association , I think ?? have voiced there concerns & have dissasociated themselves from the BPEC certifiction /training association due to there support of certain training centres that engage in fast track training ??

 

[dv1906]

See the thing is this I got a decent job that pays well but I m always interested in different things in life cause one never knows what is round the corner. . I ll give it a try and some time . Cause I cannot go back really. I am not rushing into it . I got some bits anyway to do on my house aswell. If work comes it comes if not not a massive worry. Altough do not get me wrong I am going to give 100% effort. I am quite practical and do a lot of diy work for myself,friends and family.Thank you

 

[vulcancontinental]

Nobody is 100% wrong here.

I taught both apprentices and short course plumber for four years. In that time I saw two guys who were good on the short course. Both were forty.

My advice is;

Be extremely selfish; ignore everything else but the job at hand.

Never put off home or project work, you will still pass the course probably if you do but you will have done it because the course operators want the figures and you’ve paid them to pass, not because you’ve earned it. Be well aware that employers know this.

Do not be friends with other course attendees, they’re all nice guys but will freeload on your work; stuff ‘em! 95% of what they’ll tell you will be b*llsh*t.

If you agree to share work on projects you’d be foolish to do so because you’re relying on somebody else and they (the odds are for it) will be wasters. Lecturers often want you to share because two heads are better than one but hang tough. If you have to share work do it with an older guy who’s had a job and preferably finished an apprenticeship in something else.

It is incredibly difficult to complete the course to the NVQ certificate because the college is there to support and guide you, not to teach you. They’ll give an overview on a subject and then you have to do a veritable mountain of work on your own. This is incredibly demanding and VERY few applicants have the self-discipline and commitment to do it. Hand on heart; I couldn’t have done it if I were starting now without an apprenticeship.

Do you really believe you can condense a 4 year apprenticeship into six weeks? It might just get you a start as a trainee with an agency or an entry to training with BG (what happened to the guys who were successful) but the odds are long. They’re doing OK now. Most people want their hands held all the time plus sympathy and understanding and that ain’t going to happen. It will not be your knowledge that gets you a start it will be your personality.

Have the attitude of the Terminator and ‘absolutely will not stop’ until you’re good at what you do and you might just make it. Think about what you’ve done in life so far; if you’re not like this already you will not become like this just because you fancy being a plumber.

First thing: like the job. In essence you're paying four grand to find out whether you like it.

Short courses are a con but that doesn’t mean you have to be conned; use it for what it is then leave it behind.

My nightmares?

A 50 year old redundant factory worker on an NVQ course paid for by the European Union taking calls on a mobile in the workshop while unable to bend 15mm tube or hang a basin then coming to me to ask about installing and wiring up a Y plan. Worse; the same funds were paying for him to get his ACS at the end of the course (which he passed incidentally). If he was a genius that’s OK, unfortunately he was only a redundant factory worker with a lot of front. Saw him recently in a new Movano, he flagged me down to ask me another question coincidentally about a Y plan. This is 5 years on from the course he took.

Another 35 year old candidate:

I ask "Why do you want to start this course?"

Answer "The pilot on my boiler went out and the fellow that came round to fix it took 5 minutes and charged £60. I want to do that."

Lord have mercy!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Hey DV,
why don't you test the market, put an advert in your local paper for 4 weeks and see how many times the phone rings. You will be very surprized!!

Rf...? Does that mean Reactfast..?, they were bought out last year by Homeserve!

Reactfast used to sell franchisees, but since being bought out they have all gone. Even the boys who had them were bought out. They is also no subbie base for any plumbing work as all plumbing in your area is given to the Homeserve boys.

Good luck in being a very small fish in a very large pond.

Andy