Teenage Gas Engineers

[Bamber gaspipe]

I`ve been trying to put this one off really..`cos it goes on for a bit..cut a long story short..my nephew, give him his due has served the obliguatory NVQ 1,2,3..took him 5 years, now doing his Gas Installation NVQ level 2..He`s working with me God help him..for his portfolio on Gas work..He has been offered a job installing Gas meters..(don`t even go there)..& now he is thinking about abandoning all for the promise of a 26 fousand year salary...(He`s 22)..I cannot convince him the foolishness of his ways..I thought that maybe if I brought this to the table ..maybe you learned Gents could put him wise..If he sees it in writing, & I have literal backup he may reconsider..sorry to burden you with this..any opinions most valued..

 

[JohnD]

Installing Gas Meters sounds to me like a dead-end job. What scope is there for developing additional skills, especially transferable ones, that mean you can move on to a different or better job? What scope for promotion or pay rises is there? How long does it take to train a meter-fitter; therefore what market advantage does a "skilled" meter fitter have over the 17-year-old who started last week?

Could he ever start his own business, or become a self-employed professional meter-fitter? I think not.

In my line of business there are people who started on less than that, and have progressed to earning double. Can I see a meter-fitter doing as well?

 

[corgiman]

Johns right 26k sounds good now but will it sound as good in twenty years time when he gets laid off and all he can do is change bleeding meters

Get as much experiance of as many things while you have someone to pull your fat out of the fire lad

 

[JohnD]

It might not even be 20 years time... let's suppose that MeterFit (UK) Ltd has just signed a regional contract, and needs to employ 500 fitters; they'll offer a good rate. Once the business has established, they'll realise that an "Area Manager," with a van and the ability to read and write, can oversee a team of a dozen less gifted entry-level fitters at £12k, and can lay off the more expensive earlier recruits. And if the contract comes up for renewal in two years time (as it will) and Universal Metering Co. offers a price of 50p per meter less, all the Meterfit staff will be redundant. Those with less than 24months continuous service will get nothing. Those with more will get a pittance as they are chucked on the scrap-heap and the directors retire to their Florida villas.

 

[Bamber gaspipe]

Thanks Gents, views most welcomed, what can you do?...Kid`s want a fast buck..he`s over qualified..(who isn`t)? but impatient..if it goes t*ts up at least he can depend on his old uncle..not that I would give him preferential treatment..`cos I wouldn`t..

 

[Alfredo]

I'm a late comer to plumbing getting my NVQ2 six years ago at age 46 and doing my gas a year later, and although we work hard at the co I work for and do long hours and night callouts I really enjoy it....most of the time.(except the night callouts..for which we don't get paid much)

A lot of the younger kids dropped out of the course, and I remember desperately trying to persuade one or two of the worthwhile ones NOT to give up. They left for quick money, and six years later they are all wage slaves on lower incomes, with girfriends with babies, and NO PROSPECTS, and it is really really sad, because they ALL regret giving up now, and its almost impossible for them to pick it up again, even though they are now mature enough to realise what they have done.

All any qualification gives you is employment options..to have no options muct be very depressing, and the older you get the harder it becomes. Ask anyone over 40 who has been made redundant and is job hunting. Been there done that.

Alfredo

 

[Bamber gaspipe]

Wise & very frank words Alfredo...you can look back & give yourself a pat on the back deservedly..I`m old enough to respect your point of view (when I was 18, straight in the Army, 5 years minimum)..I joined by the way...loved it, but find now that my teenage son lacks even the most rudimentary signs of appreciation,very Harry Enfield...maybe we give too much...Sorry I`m on the wrong forum....Is there a depressed Dad`s Forum..

 

[TheHerbster]

The Transco bloke over the road from me installs gas meters - contracted out by the metering board. For Transco he says it's just a job they fit in when it's quiet with no emergencies. It took about 15 minutes for him to do mine. Easy work. Certainly mundane from what I saw.

I couldn't do it full time, it would be too boring and not challenging at all. Seems like a waste of all his training time, and he is young so he would get bored very easily.

 

[Bamber gaspipe]

Thanks for your input...the more views I can muster the better....more opinions please...most grateful for your replies....

 

[BOB.DOLE]

I`ve been trying to put this one off really..`cos it goes on for a bit..cut a long story short..my nephew, give him his due has served the obliguatory NVQ 1,2,3..took him 5 years, now doing his Gas Installation NVQ level 2..He`s working with me God help him..for his portfolio on Gas work..He has been offered a job installing Gas meters..(don`t even go there)..& now he is thinking about abandoning all for the promise of a 26 fousand year salary...(He`s 22)..I cannot convince him the foolishness of his ways..I thought that maybe if I brought this to the table ..maybe you learned Gents could put him wise..If he sees it in writing, & I have literal backup he may reconsider..sorry to burden you with this..any opinions most valued..

TAKE IT FROM ME SON, BIN THE GAS GAME ITS ALL CORRUPT..
IF you have a morgage God help you, expect to be used like bog paper you will be in work here and there at 3 month contracts then down the road you will go, and after your first 5 years you will be kicking yourself for not taking up some other occupation, instad of wasting 5 years kicking this barrel of muck.

 

[sandhu40]

I'm a gas meter fitter working for British Gas. I fit around 15 meters per day Mon-Fri. I work 9-4.30 on a self employed basis. I clear around £1200 after tax. Next week I will be working until around 6pm. That equates to around 45 hours per week, fitting 90 meters. That will leave me with around £1400 per week after tax and still only working 45 hours per week. Out of the £1400 I have to cover my diesel (its only a 1.3 Combo and I do around 8 miles per day) insurance, £900 per year, Corgi registration and wear and tear on a £3000 van. NO other costs I can think of. I will do this for 2 years and then move on to something new. So meter fitting isn't a dead end job. On the contrary, it gives you the chance to go into lots and lots of private homes and leave your business cards. I try and generate business like this and it does seem to be working.

Just my thoughts.

 

[scatmanjohn]

Your thoughts are only 2 years too late

 

[Gastel]

I'm also a meter fitter and get paid per meter fitted, I clear between 10-15 a day,20 on a good day.....I cleared after tax last week £850 & the latest I finished all week was 6pm, certainly no dead end job......on my last job installing central heating systems I came out with just under half that a week & worked later hrs while also being stuck in the same house for 2 days usually, this job might be simpler than installing heating systems but the responsability is alot greater.....being in so many houses each day heapes more potential blame on you should any spillages,gas leaks or ventalation problems occur even though you havent touched any appliances, your meant to check all & everything in every house & record all info onto a computer......there was a bloke I heard last week who was suspended as a house he installed a meter in,the combi boiler started spilling carbon monoxide......as he was the last guy in,he got shafted.

 

[ollski]

there was a bloke I heard last week who was suspended as a house he installed a meter in,the combi boiler started spilling carbon monoxide......as he was the last guy in,he got shafted.

Surely if he is only qualified with MET1 he cannot inspect any appliances.

How old is this thread?, I'd completely forgotten I had an ignore list!

 

[undercover]

I'm a gas meter fitter working for British Gas. I fit around 15 meters per day Mon-Fri. I work 9-4.30 on a self employed basis. I clear around £1200 after tax. Next week I will be working until around 6pm. That equates to around 45 hours per week, fitting 90 meters. That will leave me with around £1400 per week after tax and still only working 45 hours per week. Out of the £1400 I have to cover my diesel (its only a 1.3 Combo and I do around 8 miles per day) insurance, £900 per year, Corgi registration and wear and tear on a £3000 van. NO other costs I can think of. I will do this for 2 years and then move on to something new. So meter fitting isn't a dead end job. On the contrary, it gives you the chance to go into lots and lots of private homes and leave your business cards. I try and generate business like this and it does seem to be working.

Just my thoughts.

Which agency sorted you out for this?