Hi, this section seemed like the best one for this question, so here goes.
I finished uni last year (non related), after realizing it to be a brick wall in terms of getting a job, and hating sitting around doing nothing looking for a job, have joined a friends plumbing business as an apprentice, having no previous experience in plumbing or heating whatsoever.
That was over 10 months ago, and as some of you will think, i'm still very new to the game, however I feel I have learn't a stupid amount of information and have gained a ton of experience in the short time of me actually doing plumbing work. Please note that my boss is an experienced plumber and gas fitter with years and years of experience. I have also worked with a few other very experienced people on different sites and different types of work. I have being taught the proper way, I have been dropped in at the deepest of the deep end, all under supervision of course.
The thing is, I do NOT want to go to college, but I know for a fact, I want to be a plumber. I have no qualifications whatsoever so I will probably start right at the very bottom and that's 4-5 years?
I know these quick training courses are garbage and I cannot honestly understand how you can learn everything in 12 weeks, but surely there must be somewhere else where you can start a training course at an intermediate level and not at a beginner level?
What would you time served vets think of doing one of these training courses if I already had the experience and knowledge that I would get in a college course?....or is that still a cowboy way of doing it all?
Also do you actually need to have a certificate in the trade to do plumbing work? Or is it just frowned upon as you don't have it down on paper that you can do the job? I know gas work you have to be gas safe and that does need a qualification but what about everything else which doesn't use gas?
I hope nobody is offended as it sounds like i'm looking for an easy way out, but i'm honestly not, I just want people's opinions from other experienced tradesmen.
Thankyou if anyone can reply.
I finished uni last year (non related), after realizing it to be a brick wall in terms of getting a job, and hating sitting around doing nothing looking for a job, have joined a friends plumbing business as an apprentice, having no previous experience in plumbing or heating whatsoever.
That was over 10 months ago, and as some of you will think, i'm still very new to the game, however I feel I have learn't a stupid amount of information and have gained a ton of experience in the short time of me actually doing plumbing work. Please note that my boss is an experienced plumber and gas fitter with years and years of experience. I have also worked with a few other very experienced people on different sites and different types of work. I have being taught the proper way, I have been dropped in at the deepest of the deep end, all under supervision of course.
The thing is, I do NOT want to go to college, but I know for a fact, I want to be a plumber. I have no qualifications whatsoever so I will probably start right at the very bottom and that's 4-5 years?
I know these quick training courses are garbage and I cannot honestly understand how you can learn everything in 12 weeks, but surely there must be somewhere else where you can start a training course at an intermediate level and not at a beginner level?
What would you time served vets think of doing one of these training courses if I already had the experience and knowledge that I would get in a college course?....or is that still a cowboy way of doing it all?
Also do you actually need to have a certificate in the trade to do plumbing work? Or is it just frowned upon as you don't have it down on paper that you can do the job? I know gas work you have to be gas safe and that does need a qualification but what about everything else which doesn't use gas?
I hope nobody is offended as it sounds like i'm looking for an easy way out, but i'm honestly not, I just want people's opinions from other experienced tradesmen.
Thankyou if anyone can reply.