Gas Portfolio South East London/Kent

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Hi All,

Some of you may remember my previous post, in brief....I have recently passed my C&G Professional Tiling Qualification, my C&G Level 2 plumbing and have very recently passed my BPEC Gas Foundation Course.

My next step is to get out and start building up my gas portfolio. Unfortunately the engineer I was due to go out with has had a change of circumstance and I now need to find someone else that is looking for a hard working and reliable mate to go out with.

I have been round nearly all of the merchants/tiling shops locally but so far haven't had any luck.

Does anyone need a hand, or know of anyone willing to help me build my portfolio up? I am very reliable, hard working and have my own transport, any other info please let me know.

Many thanks in advance

Mike.
 
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You are likely find some resistance because many of us have experienced that many people we help afterwards steal our customers or just undercut our prices after we have wasted time training them.

Why will you be different?
 
You are likely find some resistance because many of us have experienced that many people we help afterwards steal our customers or just undercut our prices after we have wasted time training them.

Why will you be different?

well he doesn't have to know how much you charge .

i thought you had to do level 3 before doing gas quals or has that changed ? op why are you looking in tiling shops to sort gas portfolio ? how much experience have you had with plumbing working in real world not a workshop ? what made you decide to do plumbing and gas ?
 
Hi Tony,

I fully appreciate what you're saying, and I would think the same thing.

As a matter of both principle and the fact that I want to do this through hard work and initiative - I simply want to earn my certification and my own customers, I have no interest in stealing customers immorally from someone that has helped me. I am more than willing to sign and affirm that to anyone willing to help me.

Thanks

Mike.
 
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Tiling shops as there are gas fitters that also install bathrooms - and I have a tiling qualification.

I am looking to change careers after redundancy, not looking to earn fortunes, just gain experience and pay some bills.
 
TBH finding someone to shadow is like finding a needle in a hay stack but if you do i would stay with him as long as possible . have you any plumbing experience ?
 
Yeah I can appreciate that. I'm more than happy to stay with them as long as it's tenable, I'm in this for the long term not just to change a couple of taps/radiators and call myself a plumber/heating engineer. I have a bit of experience yes as I have been going out at weekends with my previous fitter and got on very well (to his surprise) but unfortunately he has now had a change of circumstances. Before that I'm afraid I was in an office based occupation but hated it.
 
And if it makes any difference, I'm willing to help out for a day without expecting anything in return if there are any doubts about my abilities/determination.
 
And if it makes any difference, I'm willing to help out for a day without expecting anything in return if there are any doubts about my abilities/determination.

So you expect to get paid while you do your training?
 
I'm assuming you did things the old fashioned way Tony, as an apprentice - did you not get paid, even if it wasn't much!?

Yes I would expect to get something, I have outgoings like everybody else, but I would only expect to get paid my worth.

If you think that worth is nothing then thank you for your time and responses.
 
The apprenticeship scheme is designed to be attractive to the employer as well as giving a good practical on he job training to the man.

It provides a worker for several years at a lower cost in return for the training and working experience.

I don't know why you think that you would be of any value at all to an RGI when you are not experienced or gas registered. It will take him longer training you and cost extra on the firm's insurance. As soon as you are gas reg you will be off competing with him in the local area and trying to do jobs without any experience.

Many trainees think they are worth more than they are.

I met a Rasta staying next door to my house who was on a gas course for long term unemployed who was spot on with his knowledge. I could not find anything he did now.

I asked how much he would expect to do some work for me. It was £100 a day, paid with cash ( which costs £130 ).

That's about £700 a week or £35k a year. More that most experienced employed RGIs earn!

Even ignoring how my clients would react to a Rasta on the doorstep.
 
I'm assuming you did things the old fashioned way Tony, as an apprentice - did you not get paid, even if it wasn't much!?

Yes I would expect to get something, I have outgoings like everybody else, but I would only expect to get paid my worth.

If you think that worth is nothing then thank you for your time and responses.
TBH if your really serious about getting into gas industry in this day an age you have to do everything possible to get that ticket , you will find out getting that portfolio while getting paid will be also near on impossible if you know no- one because it will cost the engineer . you will find out being an gas engineer/ trainee is that you will be constantly paying out, if you can't afford that the only way possible is join a company ( but thats harder than you think to get ) . times have change fella
 
Thanks - I am serious yes, if that's what it takes then that's what I'll do.

Cheers

Mike
 
Thanks, it would seem that this is a rock and hard place scenario. As explained, im not looking to earn fortunes (certainly not 35k whilst training) and I expect to build up my experience and own client base through hard work and initiative.

I don't want to go out there and do jobs without any experience, hence why I am asking for help to get experience. If that does mean I have to work for free then so be it.

If anyone wants a hand for free with a gas job then let me know, I'm sure that I will be of some use Tony, even if it's general pipe work/testing (which I have been trained in).

I'm not a Rastafarian either, but I'm not sure how that's relevant.
 

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