Want to become a qualified plumber

[Stewy83]

Would appreciate some professional advice from you guys please. I'm leaving the Air Force and would like to get a trade qualification, as part of a redundancy package I have numerous construction courses i can go on but what is best to work towards becoming a qualified plumber. I have looked into details and places obviously give it the sales speech, 2 week course etc which I know is the sales pitch!!!

What do you require to have a plumbing and gas qualifications? I have seen all these courses, plumbing 6129 with BPEC, NQF Level 2 BPEC & BPC but unsure what they stand for and qualify you in. Your advice would be much appreciated, many thanks

 

[PlumbBobBob]

hi stewey83 welcome to the forums you need to contact one of our members armyash he's in the army at the mo. been undertaking retraining to be a plumber through resettlement, looking to leave in november i think.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

Would appreciate some professional advice from you guys please. I'm leaving the Air Force and would like to get a trade qualification, as part of a redundancy package I have numerous construction courses i can go on but what is best to work towards becoming a qualified plumber. I have looked into details and places obviously give it the sales speech, 2 week course etc which I know is the sales pitch!!!

What do you require to have a plumbing and gas qualifications? I have seen all these courses, plumbing 6129 with BPEC, NQF Level 2 BPEC & BPC but unsure what they stand for and qualify you in. Your advice would be much appreciated, many thanks

Stewy,

Its difficult to advise you, given that you have not presented your existing skill-set. For example, if you were already an engineering technician, then the plumbing/gas route may be a practical route.

However, if you are starting from scratch, then don't waste your money. The plumbing/gas game is now minimum wage, if that, once you consider your overheads.

I have taken lads from the services in my own plumbing business, and they have been just the type of employees I needed - punctual, loyal, hard working, polite and respectful. One ex-army guy worked for me for over a decade, while another from the Navy re-joined the services because he said the work was too hard, for the return.

These guys told stories of their peers who had lost their life savings through duff business ventures.

You need some decent careers advice, and an evaluation of your skills-sets, ambitions and aspirations.

Another note, is that there is not enough work around to find employers willing to take you on - so you may be taking on a lot of stress, in trying to go it alone.

Given, that most training packages are now just sales products, I would advise getting any job, which pays regular wages, until such times you decide what you really want to do, and how practical this is, given your circumstances and the condition of the labour market.

Good luck, and read some of the posts on this and other plumbing forums, to get a grasp of the level of exploitation going on.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Do ex-forces personnel not qualify from govt (!) subsidised training? I would ask your resettlemento officer for a help in hand as I am sure a chap I know left the army and he became a sparky with all course paid, all he had to do was find a job to do his NVQ's (couple of years ago so may have changed with cutbacks).

Good lujl mate

 

[fuzzy]

you need to start with a basic C&G plumbing level 2

 

[Stewy83]

lads thanks for the replies, my current experience is basically through refurbishing properties so just a basic DIY understanding. The military do contribute towards the finance of the course, I'm aware that the current climate isnt the best for the construction industry however, while i have the chance to try and get a trade behind me I want to take it. I have spoken to a few builders and contractors and they all recommend plumbing along with gas (gas has just really come into Northern Ireland in the past few years so is still pretty big here, slightly behind the times!!!lol). I'm aware a trade generally takes 3 years apprenticeship etc and im weary about courses taking 6 weeks to qualify, so i'm slightly sceptical and was looking for the advice. Many thanks

 

[Guest123]

Not meaning to sound negative, but I would pick another trade. There are far too many plumbers around, a great deal of them from fast track courses and not enough work to round.

Builders would probably recommend plumbing because their own work is drying up and don't want competition from lots of newbies.

Most ex services do well in disciplined fields and careers requiring careful thought. I'd recommend Information Technology. Go and do a recognised IT course, where real earnings of 50k plus can be made. Sadly the halycon days of plumbers and electricians being the highest paid in the construction industry are gone for the forseeable future.

Best of luck to you for the future.

 

[CES]

Or accountancy and then open your own Business Liquidation Firm/ Administrators.. always seems to be money left over to pay the bean counters when they go under..