My hopes are dashed!!

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Bengo

37 year old, been on benefits for 5 years after being retired from work on medical grounds. Mr Cameron putting the squeeze on people out of work, so look towards something I could do. Learning plumbing fits the bill!! Totally. But after reading many posts on here, it seems that I am just too old to be able to do this. Either being told that 1) The C&G 6129 is pointless, as no one would want to take me on at my age to complete an NVQ, 2) that the 6129 is ending this year, and only people with work placements can study the new route to becoming a plumber, or 3) that even after doing 6129, you cannot do self employed work and build up your skills yourself. What's the point in even looking at getting off benefits, if all you get is a brick wall? Maybe thats why 2.6 million are on incapacity benefit??? Matt
 
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Hi Bengo and welcome to UKPlumbersForums.co.uk!
 
disheartening as it may seem dont lose sight of what you aim for yes it is very hard out there at the moment and the other posters do not mean to dampen your spirits but are just giving you valuable advise as to the current state of play my old mum used to say as one door closes in life so another one opens keep your chin up and double your efforts as you only get out what you put in ....regards turnpin🙂
 
Hello my friend do not be disheartened go to college do your theory . You do do practical while you are at college. Not much but you get the very basics. I didn't get a work placement but offered to do work for free with any plumber I met when I had free time.

Working as a labourer I learned what tools I needed how a house is put together (not something they teach you at college - duh) and common problems. Now I work for myself and I try to learn or read about a new thing each day - the guys one here are great for that I am always going through the different posts.

Don't despair!
 
Me hopes have been dashed,
Me career has been trashed
Have sat here retired from work
And five years have passed

I have been awoken by Politicians,
Public Purse savers on commissions
Me benefit book torn out me hands,
Lost all of me appeals and petitions

Forced into the real world,were can I hide,
A plumber was my choice,easy to decide
But could get no NVQ or C & G 6129,
Promised retraining ,turns out they lied

Thought a 'Plumber' I could be called,
Loo,s and tanks to fit,baths to be hauled
Would find no work, not to blame
And all my benefits would be re-installed
 
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puddle said:
Me hopes have been dashed,
Me career has been trashed
Have sat here retired from work
And five years have passed

I have been awoken by Politicians,
Public Purse savers on commissions
Me benefit book torn out me hands,
Lost all of me appeals and petitions

Forced into the real world,were can I hide,
A plumber was my chose,easy to decide
But could get no NVQ or C & G 6129,
Promised retraining ,turns out they lied

Thought a 'Plumber' I could be called,
Loo,s and tanks to fit,baths to be hauled
Would find no work, not to blame
And all my benefits would be re-installed
Click to expand...

Just ignore the wanna be 50p's. If your in it to better yourself thats the most important thing.
 
Bengo said:
37 year old, been on benefits for 5 years after being retired from work on medical grounds. Mr Cameron putting the squeeze on people out of work, so look towards something I could do. Learning plumbing fits the bill!! Totally. But after reading many posts on here, it seems that I am just too old to be able to do this. Either being told that 1) The C&G 6129 is pointless, as no one would want to take me on at my age to complete an NVQ, 2) that the 6129 is ending this year, and only people with work placements can study the new route to becoming a plumber, or 3) that even after doing 6129, you cannot do self employed work and build up your skills yourself. What's the point in even looking at getting off benefits, if all you get is a brick wall? Maybe thats why 2.6 million are on incapacity benefit??? Matt
Click to expand...

the only thing stopping you going forward is you!!!,were there's a will there's a way if you want to be a plumber that badly go for it!!!!
 
hi i was 36 when done my plumbing course 6129 i got nvq by working for a year with local plumbers for free just to gain experience and to get my nvq sign off. i'm now past my nvq 3 and just got my gas reg it was hard going but you got stick at it. 😎
 
darrenbea said:
hi i was 36 when done my plumbing course 6129 i got nvq by working for a year with local plumbers for free just to gain experience and to get my nvq sign off. i'm now past my nvq 3 and just got my gas reg it was hard going but you got stick at it. 😎
Click to expand...

Respect
 
Bengo said:
37 year old, been on benefits for 5 years after being retired from work on medical grounds. Mr Cameron putting the squeeze on people out of work, so look towards something I could do. Learning plumbing fits the bill!! Totally.
Click to expand...

The plumbing game will finish you off then.
 
gas man said:
the only thing stopping you going forward is you!!!,were there's a will there's a way if you want to be a plumber that badly go for it!!!!
Click to expand...

Quite!...I'm 46 and will be finishing my 6129 in a couple of months...I'm excited not disheartened!!!!
 
Puddle, thanks for the poem mate, didnt know whether to laugh or cry after that. Its great that so many 'around my age' have completed or are completing the 6129, and respect to you, but from what I have read, that will not be possible after Sep 2010. I understand from what I have read on other boards that you will have to have some 'work based' set up in order to complete the new qualification from day 1 of any training. Now, I dont know about you, but to go from my benefits, (which i am fully entitled as I have a chronic neurological condition) to NOWT for a year or two working for free, is not an option.I dont have anyone to support me. Some people may be thinking that I just cannot be bothered to put the effort in, but can I just say that since I was medically retired I have just gained a 1st class honours degree with the OU. I started it, just for personal achievement, not a career choice. My career choice, (lets not forget I have about 30 years of work still in front of me) due to my need for somewhat flexible working, would be to enter the plumbing world. I am not in it for large financial reward. As long as I can get by doing something that I would like to feel good at. I just get a bit peed off with the rhetoric of the government (particularly the new coalition) about getting people off benefits and when I get more enthusiastic about the idea, I read that my chances are very slim due to ageist companies. And ageist towards late 30s is a BIG worry. Perhaps Im just focussing on a small number of posts, but with the end of the C&G 6129 and to quote it being 'virtually impossible' to find any plumbers willing to take on older people, I cannot see a way forward just yet. I will work on it through reading more on this board. Kind Regards to you all. Matt
 
I'm 38 made redundant last year looked at my skills always liked practical stuff. Done soldering and silver soldering before and pipe bending while working in factories hand wash units and coffee vending machines, had to be plumbing then😎.

Doing theory at the moment my tutor told me 6129 to be replaced by a diploma as lot of people going into industry but not doing NVQ2, City & Guilds have not yet confirmed a deadline but it could be probably September 2011 at this rate, so you still have plenty of time😕.

You can still start a course and pass it and the qualifications will count🙂.

Grief from the job centre (previous government my problem) couldn't retrain without looking for work "there way"😡. Months behind as a result while doing jobsearch😡😡. Signed off got back on course get info from here help with my learning😀. Got to go study pipe jointing, I was told good prospects even at this age, hang in there.🙂

Yeah I luv smillies🙄.
 
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started training 46 (nvq 2 & 3, 6129 level 2 & 3), acs etc at 50, went self employed from the start, you youngsters dont know your born yet!!!
 
Called me a youngster, thanks mate, 38, thought I was getting old🙂.
 
hi all

just completing my 6129 portfolio as i type this ,just done 2 years at local college at 2 days a week
also did 2 yrs at college and gained nvq 2 brickwork in 2002 t0 2004
1 was 47 when gained brickwork nvq , and am now 53 with 6129
2 strings to my bow now and getting steady work in both trades
 
if your anything like me then (who completed his acs at 49) your knees are knackered and you want to be a sparky, they always seem to be sitting down to wire things up when i see them
 
old plumber
knee,s knackered along with hips , shoulders , back , neck etc,ect
cant be a sparky cos finger ends dont feel anything
possibly due to 30 yrs down the pit , glad i chose something easier at my time of life !!!
 
defendertd5 said:
hi all

just completing my 6129 portfolio as i type this ,just done 2 years at local college at 2 days a week
also did 2 yrs at college and gained nvq 2 brickwork in 2002 t0 2004
1 was 47 when gained brickwork nvq , and am now 53 with 6129
2 strings to my bow now and getting steady work in both trades
Click to expand...


I looked into the local college here at the Forest of Dean, and have been told by many that the plumbing course is full of youngsters messing around, throwing paper and cheeking the tutor! There is no way I am going to put up with that, but I also will find it hard getting the 3 or 4k needed for the fast track courses. I would not really like to do the course fast track to be honest, as I feel you need time to really take it all in and learn over a longer period. Does anyone have any good experience with local colleges? How was it for you Defender doing the 6129 at college?

Perhaps the good old Royal Forest of Dean college is an exception, but there is no way I will pay to endure that sort of juvenile course environment. Kind Regards to you all
 
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