It all depends on how you take to it.
Most firms today want you producing good standard work from day one. They usually aren't concerned all that much about qualification, although it helps, they are more concerned about things such as "can you do the job," all qualifications tell them, is that you can answer questions and do set piece work.
I would advise trying to get into a small firm first, one where you might not get a shed load of money and learn, learn, learn. Then go on to the bigger companies, get a track record, but also make sure you get a JIB grade card as the big boys probably won't look at you without one.
And saying that, if you get a grade card make sure you can do the work the grade is for, they can sack you if you can't.
Other than that, if you fancy a certain branch of the Plumbing industry such as sheet lead work or cold water services, or petro chem, or industrial plumbing, then go for the firms that specialise in the branch.
I always preferred working for building companies who employed Plumbers although I probably worked for specialist Plumbing firms more than building. The reason being is, is that the specialists are usually sub contractors to the builders, and the customer pays the builder before the specialist sub contractor gets paid, and you as the sub contractors operative sometimes get far lower pay than working for a builder.
Working directly for the building company cuts the sub contractor out and so there is usually better pay.
Regarding the work itself, well new installations are possibly easier than repair work from a practical point of view. On new work you usually get a set of plans to work too, which is then just a matter of following them. Although you are obliged under a duty of care to point out any faults with the plans and refer them to the appropriate person. In the past it was the clerk of works. Who would then give you the okay to do any changes required but only up to a certain amount, if the changes required where bigger than he could authorise, it was then referred to the architect, who would send out a variation order and amend the plans or drawings.
The plumbing companies did not mind this at all, for they usually got paid a lot extra for changing things.
Repair work was not like this at all, it was all up to you, no plans to tell you what to do, just you or your boss. And it was nearly a new challenge everyday trying to figure out what and how the systems where installed and what to do about the problem on it.
New work on houses was usually bonus related and could be like working in Fords on the production line. You'd do one house then the other 300 near enough the same way. The boss wanted you to make bonus as it meant you where working hard. The problem is if you where slow, you might get the sack. So there was always the temptation to cut corners, to get more speed.
Industrial work could be big and heavy, but usually you might get bonus or you might not. You might get overtime or you might not.
You might have to work shifts to fit in with production patterns, the same on commercial work.
In short you can't really say what its like working in the Plumbing industry so easily. Its certainly not boring and its full of variety.
