Hello everyone
I'm 40 and thinking of retraining to be a plumber. I'm thinking of the 12 week course C&G 6129, then being self employed. Doing bathrooms, 24hr, what ever i can get. And then get my NVQ assessments while earning a living.
Is the business flooded with people like me, struggling to keep afloat. WHat sort of work would I be likely to get? Please could you let me know the pitfalls?
You can do it, but go via your local college on day release or night classes. You may get financial support from them, bear in mind all the syllabus is about to change in the near future so 6129 tech certs will disappear and everything will be vocational based, great if your working apprentice not so good if you are a young guy no job.
I started at 45 through the local college on a level 2 6129, did 2 years, had a year off to rennivate some property, went back on the level 3 tech cert and knocked off the level 2 & 3 nvqs in 3 months by showing the assessor work i had done myself, ie unvented installs, bathrooms etc and I used my own flats for the boiler installs and heating systems on the nvq 3. Then set about working with a local gas engineer (he had done my gas work with me on my flats) as and when to get a portfolio for 4 appliances etc. Because I was low income college paid tech cert fees, got european funding for nvqs and 1/2 price acs fees as I was studying at college.
I do not reckon anyone can go out and get enough work after doing 12 weeks concentrated training. I had to work bloody hard doing anything and everything trading as a property maintenace/plumbing company for 5 years whilst doing my training at college. Its only now over the last 2/3 years I have changed to plumbing and heating only and only in recent months that I have been consistently pulling in £4-5k monthly after costs and you never know what is or isnt around the corner.
To be honest, all my boiler installs were initially from customers who's taps I repaired and gained their trust and 5-7 of them were all waiting for me to get my tickets sorted so the 3 months probation with gas safe were quite busy, and the income generation from gas work is substantial compared to general plmbing.
BUT I dont believe the 12 weeks courses give you enough experience to do the job, you need the time working with older (not in my case) experienced guys to learn the tricks. You dont want to find yourself at 5 on a friday with a problem and no friends to call on for advbice and spares, as youll never get a call back or reccommendation.
If your thick skinned enough go for it but it isnt easy and the pay isnt what it says on the news etc
