Gas reg? Bristol

[Mcgoo's]

Hi there, I'm currently living in bristol, but I am Northern Irish and struggling to get a decent plumbing job. I was contemplating doing my gas reg, but don't know if that will help me much in the job hunt. I was in Australia for a year, plumbing for 6 months in Aboriginal communities (not pleasant) and came back to find that my 50-55 strong commercial plumbing company that I worked for had turned to 5. I have done basically everything in the P+H game (obviously not everything though) and can't understand why it's such a struggle to get a job?! I have my NVQ 2+3 in P+H from an apprenticeship and been plumbing for 8 years. I'm just looking for advice, anything that could help in the search and if gas is the way forward as at home oil is much bigger than it is here. If I was at home I would go self-employed but I don't know enough people here to get me started.
Thanks for reading, Robbie

 

[villa_tom]

Have you tried sub-contracting? that what I have done, i lost my job in september and just started to contract. No local firms where taking on and the one that was offered me disgusting money!!! Alot of firms round here are using contractors now as its cheaper for them. The problem is that the agencies have the whole thing sewn up so 9 times out of 10 you have to go in via them.

Good luck