Retraining to Boiler Engineer - any advice ?

[Pengwyn]

Hi guys,
I currently work in the chemical industry and due to redundancy I am going to retrain to enable me to go self employed.
My plan is to get certified in electrical (I am already time served electrician) and train up to get certified in Gas, which will then be GasSafe instead of Corgi.

Have you or do you know anyone who has gone through this retraining route and do you have any advice to help a guy out ?

btw I may be using Hybrid Technical Training who are based in Aintree Liverpool so if you have experience of them let me know.

thanks

Alan

 

[muggles]

Good luck finding a job - there's plenty of plumbers and gas engineers being made redundant at the moment as well

 

[Pengwyn]

I don't want to find a job, as I said I intend to go self employed.

 

[XtraRaptor]

Why does everyone want to retrain to be a plumber/heating engineer?

I reckon in a couple of years there will be a real shortage of financial advisors (was tempted to use *ankers)....


Will it be worth re-training, just in case..

 

[Pengwyn]

A bit disappointed with the replies guys, I was hoping for something a little more constructive.

 

[seco services]

don't matter their are engineers with 20 yrs experience over you that are looking for work or are quiet etc.

don't think a piece of paper and no experience is gonna make the work flood in.

i think you have read to many newspaper ads
be a heating engineer earn 50 k

 

[sooey]

Why does everyone want to retrain to be a plumber/heating engineer?

Well. there'll always be work, while we live in a cold country and while people have holes in their arses.

 

[seco services]

be a funeral director then they are always busy.

 

[sooey]

Or a citizens advice geezer, there must be loads of call for them at the minute.

 

[Pengwyn]

i think you have read to many newspaper ads
be a heating engineer earn 50 k

No that's not the case. And neither do I think starting a business in a recession will be a doddle either. But like I said I am being made redundant and this is the path I am choosing. I have family who are self employed of varying trades and a few friends who are gas fitters, so I know what to expect.

I was hoping to get some constructive advice, and all I get is smart arse sarcasm. Very clever.

 

[seco services]

debt collectors are busy the list is endless.
less training.

 

[seco services]

I was hoping to get some constructive advice, and all I get is smart a**e sarcasm. Very clever.

no where just living in the real world.

you already said your a time served electrician so whats wrong with doing that.
abit more chance of work than gas engineer with no experience.


just hope the family don't mind you sitting on ya ar*e when the phones not ringing.

 

[Pengwyn]

I think the route to a sucessful business is versatilty, especially in a recession., Yes you are right, my electrical base is a start which is why I will be getting the part P, but the gas reg will also put another string in my bow.

And yes you are right - no experience. However my experience in my current role is largely around diagnostics and I have significant experience in gas/flow/fluid dynamics but in an industry base.

If you think there is no work, then that's fine. But there is never NO work, just a shortage of work and even with little experience that doesn't mean I cannot make a success of it.

Maybe you just don't want more competitors.

 

[XtraRaptor]

Sorry...


Mis-read your post, you are planning to re-train as a "boiler engineer" will you have to work up from the foot plate, to stoker, before you can call yourself a "boiler engineer"


Personally I love steam trains, though did not realise there was a career in working on them...



I do think being a heating engineer is like the Starbucks scenario, there are only so many cups of coffee sold on each street, if you open up another coffee shop, the trade is split between them all equally....



Nick.

 

[leakydave]

Trying to be constructive: I retrained as Plumber/Heating Engineer and OFTEC installer etc. 7 years ago and it can be done. Overheads are the main worry; currently about £62 per day for me at the moment; keep them down where ever possible, without cutting corners.

Be versatile, do things well and do them properly. It helps if you can get to know other local tradesman who can help/advise from time to or do things that you cannot do.

Good luck, but as some of the guys are trying to tell you, it isn't going to be easy for a year or two... three or maybe four, who knows?