Experienced Plumbing Courses

[Samax]

Hi, Just wondered if anyone has any advise. I'm looking to get a plumbing qualification and wondered the best way to go about it.
I have worked for about 15 years as a plumber/Heating fitter, I am currently Gas Safe registered (Previously been Corgi Registered for 8 years) I have an NVQ3 in Mechanical Engineering.
When I left school it was straight into my dads plumbing firm and learning a trade, at the time I was told that I didn’t need to go to college (Hence no qualifications).
I have recently been out of the trade for 12 years and have only just returned about a year and a half ago. I have been self employed but that has proved difficult building up the work as I have a mortgage/kids to pay for.
I have found that it is now, understandably, very hard to gain employment as a plumber without the correct paperwork.
I'm looking for a course that will be acceptable for employers but wont take me too long to complete, I am not working at the moment so I think that rules out an NVQ but hoped there is some other test that I don't know about.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[lame plumber]

if your gas safe what more do they want?

 

[jtsplumbing]

Take it experience doesn't count for anything then ? Lots of people with qualifications coming out of their ears ! but does not mean they are any good at doing the job.

 

[Samax]

Every job I look at or have applied for say they want an NVQ or equivalent

 

[chris watkins]

Hi & welcome to the forum
Unfortunately the NVQ (6189) is the only one that the industry recognises & yes you do have to be working to gain it.
Any thing else is likely to be a waste of money.
There is supposed to be a mature workers route for the above qualification I believe, it may be worth asking C&G's if anyone is running it.
Sorry can't be of any more help.

 

[deandive]

Ive got no plumbing quals and contract for one of the big six, and on social housing doing boiler upgrades, Ive not really had a problem getting work, I even worked on bathroom installs for a bit during a quiet period. I thought it would be a problem getting a cscs card, but just applied for a plumbing related trade, gas installer card. all they required was gas safe reg.

 

[Killy Bing]

Oil rigs as mechanical engineer and gas pipefitter? ££££

 

[Ermintrude]

Got 20k get qualed up as a diver £1500 a shift. 28days on shift 200m down. Three people watching you 24/7 tho. No day light no privacy. No shortage of cash either
£42,000 a month

 

[Sag]

Got 20k get qualed up as a diver £1500 a shift. 28days on shift 200m down. Three people watching you 24/7 tho. No day light no privacy. No shortage of cash either
£42,000 a month

I'd do a month of that every 6 months.

 

[deandive]

£1500 thats as a saturation diver, it takes a while to get suitable experience, that will even let you do the course its more like £500 a day as an entry level "air" diver, still not bad money though.

 

[Ermintrude]

You get £500 a day on project support as a dive technician ( fixing light bulbs and sweeping up)

 

[deandive]

Im good at sweeping up