Hi All, Plumbers Mate / Helper / Apprentice

[josh123]

Hi guys, Im looking for a plumber who would be kind enough to let me work with them.
I have finished my Level 2 City and Guilds and need on site experiance for my NVQ level 2.
Im more than willing to work for free and travel within reason I live in Bristol / Thornbury.
I am competant in most basic plumbing tasks such as copper pipe work,soldering routing,bending ect bathroom fitting waste pipework and hanging rads ect.
I know ive probebly written to all you guys in Bristol but cant knock me for trying.Im honest reliable and hardworking and did I say free I also make a mean cuppa.
Thanks for reading and any advice you can give a wanabe plumber much apreciated Regards Josh

 

[Scott_D]

Hello

 

[josh123]

hello mate

 

[Simon F]

Hi Josh, :welcome: to the forum.
I see that you have posted in the " looking for work" section so can't advise that.
But keep at it and something should work out.
have you thought of getting work yourself for family etc,
then getting a plumber on board to help with it, build up a working relationship?

 

[Dotty]

Welcome to the madhouse Josh.

Good advice from Simon there ^^^

 

[josh123]

Thanks for replys guys and the warm welcome i already do alot at home and family stuff fitted bathrooms and kitchens ect silly NVQ rules mean you have too work with level 3 plumber tho Ill keep ploding on best I can try adds in plumbers merchants ect
cheers all

 

[helpsy]

Hi josh123

 

[Phil_Plumb]

Hi Josh it is silly, i worked with a plumber for 3 years altthough he never ever paid my college fees, so my Tech cert is still with the college and the assessor came out 3 times, then stopped as the college wasn't paid. I left in disgust and started using my skills to do general plumbing, i dearly would love to finish off my NVQ but at 27 years of age no one and i mean no one would take me on. Its a shame cos i know alot and i am a capable plumber, but that don't seem to interest no one. I can give good refs from other plumbers i have worked with but none of them are interested either! So i have gone it alone, i cant do gas even though i should be ticketed for that by now and i haven't got my NVQ certificate even though i should have that by now. I'm glad i watched the guy i worked for and listened because if i didn't i would have wasted 3 years for the square root of sweet FA! He taught me system design, how to pull bends and cross overs, how to get yourself out of the shizzle when things go wrong, but let me down where it mattered the most- my NVQ!

So i might know what im talking about and i defo know what im doing but i cant ply my trade on site just to bring in the pennies as im not qualified yet i bet i can pipe up and fit bathrooms and throw in speedfit or Hep20 better than some plumbers that i have seen on site! Im proud of the work I do, yet seeing another plumber do things i wasn't taught to do cos it looks rubbish winds me up, yet i dont have a qualification so am not qualified to comment!

Anyway drunk rant over!

 

[josh123]

Hi Phil,
I feel for you mate being only 18 im not in the same boat as you yet.but it seems a big comitment for any small plumbing firm or a single guy trying to earn a living in this unforgiving country. Giving there time and knowledge to people like us for no benefit to thereself.Do proper apprentiships actaully exist anymore the ones in Bristol still want you to find your own placment.
What chance do young people in this country stand when you can hire a eastern euopean guy with years of xp for min wage.
It seems even working for free just to learn is not possible.
sorry for rant guys just so frustated.......off now to put some adds in shop windows(im getting obsessed lol)
Josh

 

[Phil_Plumb]

go hang around the local merchants and see what that produces!

 

[Killy Bing]

I see a little flaw here, dont forget to offer a free trial!
Say you know its a huge commitment and realise they need to know what they are getting

express you will use the spare money from your wages after you pay fuel/tax/mot/insurance to first get basic tools, then pay them the extra on their insurances and then onto more tools.

make yourself appealing!
get good work trousers, steel toe caps and a half decent dark polo top or three.

if you get a trail leave your phone in the car, an engineer i work with quite often (im finishing my apprentiship now) gave a trail to a lad.

after the third time of being told to get off it, it went into orbit and landed on a roof.

he got the lads attention then!

hello and good luck!

 

[M G]

Good luck Josh. Some good advice above. I would also suggest writing a brief (very) CV with your contact details on (hand full of copies) and ask the manager at local plumbers if its okay to put on the counter, ive know that work for two lads.
I personally like having an apprentice, especially one that pays attention and tries not to look bored with the amount of standing around and watching you have to do to begin with.
The problem we have had with apprentices on my firm is the last 3 have basically qualified using the firms money, then cleared off to erm 'big money' working for themselves, which has put the boss off taking on any lads in the past 4 years.
Good luck anyway, hope someone takes you up on your offer

PS. Stay off your blooming phone!! ;-)

 

[PlumbBobBob]

welcome along