Looking for an apprentice vacancy in NW

[Nick5050]

Hi Tony,

Don't get me wrong I have looked at other options than Manchester but for me financially at this moment in time would be an impossible task. I have no children but do have a loving partner of nearly ten years that would follow me to the ends of the earth if need be.

Don't think that I didn't have a fair crack at my degree, at the time I was working thirty hours a week in a busy kitchen and studying at the same time to make ends meet and stay at university, I would have loved to be in the same position as your lodger.

I by no means wan't to dwell on past failures as I tend to look forward in life but without getting too personal my parents were very young when I was born and struggled to support me. From the age of around fourteen I have paid for everything from the shoes on my feet to the grub that goes in my mouth. I'm not blaming anyone but maybe they could have been more supportive. After a long drawn out break up they moved to separate parts of the world and left me fending for myself. Since then I have had to take any job I could to survive but this time something has to change.

To be honest I think your making wild assumptions of myself based on people you may have met in a similar situations but like others have said this is going slightly off topic and the original request was for helpful advice and guidance from experienced professionals such as yourselves.

Like you said Gasman, everyone deserves a start

 

[HERTS P&D]

My the time I was 28, I had worked in five UK locations and in Libya and Qatar!

Tony's 5 UK places:
Belmarsh, Dartmoor, Pentonville, Ford, Parkhurst, and finally Dartmoor!
Then they let him loose on the general public.

Sorry Tony.



Andy

 

[Nige F]

You`re a card, Andy - I suffered with quatar for years until I had my synapses cleaned and polyglots removed in the ENT ward - I don`t need tunes anymore ( bit like Sir Paul )

 

[Agile]

Since taking his first degree in classics or history etc., he has been working as a waiter!

He is still not sure if he will take the £28k job in March. I think he would be mad not to.

Part of the neg thoughts are relating to his g/f who is a nurse. Thats a very transferable job and she likes his area.

You have been told that the only jobs in our field at the moment may be in London yet you seem inexplicably tied to Manch which is a relatively depressed area.

You said that you worked in a retail situation and succeeded in turning it round financially very successfully yet you then said that you hated retail?

When young being flexible is the key to getting on. That includes moving to new jobs.

Based on your excellent science "A" levels I would say that in many ways you are too clever for the plumbing industry.

If you were single I would consider providing you will accommodation in London while you did some work/training with me. But I dont have enough work and could not take on the responsibilities of giving a formal apprenticeship.

Andy, I have never worked at any of those locations but do have a friend who is a nurse at Gartree.

Tony

 

[Dan Robinson]

Tony - you crack me up.

 

[silverback]

Tony, you changed your career late in life, you worked for the BBC before doing what you do now, so what makes it ok for you and not for others.
I don't know if you know this Tony, but life is for living, its not all about work you know, if the guy comes from Manchester, has his roots there and is happy there, why should he have to travel around the country just to work, people should be able to get work in their own community, they should not have to up roots and move due to the incompetency of successive Governments

 

[silverback]

Nick5050, I wish you luck you seem to have a sensible head on your shoulders, but always remember, you work to live, you don't live to work, life and how you enjoy it is the most important, we only get one chance, so don't be forced into moving from a place that you like and are happy, just to get a job, I would rather be poor and happy than rich and miserable

 

[Nige F]

Based on your excellent science "A" levels I would say that in many ways you are too clever for the plumbing industry.

Damned right - If I`d got more results from my education - which was supposedly better than most . And I did try hard I would have been an architect - But I couldn`t master maths/sciences so I was pragmatic and did what I did

 

[doitall]

if the guy comes from Manchester, has his roots there and is happy there, why should he have to travel around the country just to work, people should be able to get work in their own community, they should not have to up roots and move due to the incompetency of successive Governments

Thats why large towns and city's are becoming slum areas because there is no work, the further North you go the worse it seems to get.

If moving a few hundred miles to find a pot of gold then so be it, get packing I say.

Note for Silverback. There is very little work/jobs up for grabs, so don't compare it to kent and the South.

 

[Agile]

Tony, you changed your career late in life, you worked for the BBC before doing what you do now, so what makes it ok for you and not for others.

I don't know if you know this Tony, but life is for living, its not all about work you know, if the guy comes from Manchester, has his roots there and is happy there, why should he have to travel around the country just to work, people should be able to get work in their own community, they should not have to up roots and move due to the incompetency of successive Governments

When I joined the BBC, I had to agree to work on a "no fixed base" basis which meant that I could be posted to anywhere in the UK.

In addition to the UK postings, for excitement, extra responsibility and career experience I took secondments to Libya and Qatar.

Most good careers need travelling to get experience and jobs. Anyone unfortunate enough to be living in a depressed area has two choices! Making a bright future in other areas or countries or staying put and accepting the problems in their local area.

These can be dire for anyone in the plumbing industry which has been hit more than most by the downturn in the building trade and household expenditure problems.

Most need to work to live so the quality of life is mostly depending on the job and income. A GP earning £90k should be able to live well!

Children are the worst problem affecting relocation but anyone else who wants to get on will in most cases need to move, either permanently or on a temporary basis.

Although successive governments of all types have failed to greatly improve the most depressed areas. But better to have a British Government than a Syrian one where the troops kill the civilians.

Whilst the north of England has been pretty bad many parts of Scotland have not seemed to suffer so badly.

Tony

 

[willsgas]

Hi Nick,
From reading your posts it was like reading my life story, poor start in life, unsupportive parents, failed attempt at a university degree due to finacial costs (although mine was mechanical engineering), then a stupid decision to become a plumber.
I took a 2 year evening class for the 6129 then, it then took me another year to find someone foolish enough to take me on, I called everyone in my area, sent CV's, spoke to plumbers I saw in the street, spoke to friends, checked regularly on every employment site I knew of, until I got lucky, so if you really want it don't let anyone put you off or tell you otherwise.
One thing I can say is that not finishing my degree is going to haunt me for the rest of my life, so I would advise strongly you seriously consider your options available.
I wish I could help you further and wish you good luck.

Carl.

 

[silverback]

if the guy comes from Manchester, has his roots there and is happy there, why should he have to travel around the country just to work, people should be able to get work in their own community, they should not have to up roots and move due to the incompetency of successive Governments

Thats why large towns and city's are becoming slum areas because there is no work, the further North you go the worse it seems to get.

If moving a few hundred miles to find a pot of gold then so be it, get packing I say.

Note for Silverback. There is very little work/jobs up for grabs, so don't compare it to kent and the South.

Work is scarce down here as well, as we have been swamped by Eastern Europeans who work cheaper than we can afford too, but I am not up rooting myself just to find work

 

[doitall]

All very well silverback if you can afford to not work, the question then is how far do you go before you loose the house, business, etc.

I know quite a few that will do just about anything to feed the family and pay the morgage, including my Daughter that found a load of cleaning jobs and delivering yellow pages etc for peanuts.

At the end of the day they are back on their feet and still have the house.

Not having a go at anyone, but when you get desperate, sitting indoors waiting for it to come to you is not an option.

 

[Agile]

Go West young man, go west !

 

[boilerdoktor]

tony what you are saying is ridiculous

1) manchester is in parts deprived (just like peckam etc etc)
2) many of your ex bbc colleagues have lined my pockets since moving to salford
3)cheshire is probably pound for pound much richer than most of london (except maybe central and west london)
4) because of cheaper prop prices in general people up here have more spare cash

agile get yourself out of your cocoon

good luck OP