I
innertemple
Hi everybody,
Ive probably read hundreds of posts on this site since i registered and there is definitely a lot of useful info, although ive read a lot in respect of people not willing to take on tech cert qualified wannabe plumbers, which i find rather short sighted as people should be judged (if thats the right word) on their own personal situation and abilities, not on what the 'general feeling' is about how people enter the industry.
Ive just turned 38yrs old and i completed the 6129 tech cert recently.
I had extensive experience in engineering & manufacturing & general construction at low level in my previous years, including work in refridgeration manufacturing & testing, electronics & electrics testing/repair & assembly, general building/multiskilled for small building Co's and some railway maintenance contracts, including both relaying & treework as well as many other manual jobs. I was always happier working manually.
I was unfortunate to be in a postion where i was out of work about 7-8 yrs ago and was forced to take on whatever i could get due to my first son being born shortly before that.
I took some work on with my dads friends company in se london, doing freelance criminal defence work. I made little money but had a good rapport with people in general, especially those in need of help in that area. I was pretty naughty as a young man and lucky not too get in more trouble than i did, so i could appreciate what could happen to these people if they didnt get the right kind of help.
Although i probably developed some excellent people skills, i got stuck in a rut, where i was paid very little in a job i never really wanted to do (like many people i guess) and ended up havin to carry on just for the sake of working and getting paid, as much of it went on paying back credit i had to use just to get to work. (which people who live in the SE and travel to london will appreciate, and i only earnt 16K, so try working out the maths with that one). I was taken on the books, which seemed better to me at first, as i would get work every day and was paid 16K.
In any event, i was v loyal to my boss, worked hard and carried on working my but off for a pittance with the promise of more pay in the future, often doing much unpaid out of hours work where i visited chambers or prisons or clients houses or soc's.
This never seemed to happen, and eventually, due to the practice manager being greedy and my boss being a bit of an idiot, he went insolvent (seems a lot of tax & NI had not getting paid!) and i was left redundant and in debt, having robbed 'peter to pay paul' whilst being promised increases in pay over a fairly drawn out period.
So there i was, in my late thirties, redundant, penniless, with 3 kids and a wife to support.
My wife and i agreed that this was the time to try and re-establish my way back into the engineering/construction field, which i was happier in anyway.
Whilst looking for work with local and larger, national plumbing/heating firms, i found an advert for a local training centre.
With no funds at all to pay for a course, but no intention to take this liying down, as at 30+ i still feel young and fit as a fiddle u might say, i contacted the centre and explained my situation who then asked me to attend for an informal interview.
I went along for an interview and when it was over, the CEO told me they would fund me for the C&G 6129 technical Cert, along with my water/building regs and legionella ticket.
I couldnt believe how lucky i had been and was almost in tears, as i have worked all my life and never been given the opportunity to do any kind of course, especially one that i actually wanted to do.
The course was full time and there was no pressure at all to complete the course within any time contraints. The course was modelled on 12 weeks, but the instructors were happy for you to take your time and understand each part of the training, theory and practical. They, being time served plumbers from varying sectors were extremely forthcoming with information and tips, which from my previous experience in construction/engineering was very like being 'on the job' with a senior, telling you excatly whats expected of you in the real world scenario. Im sure not all the centres are like this, as i have read some fairly awful comments on some.
I was very lucky i guess to be in group of only 5 guys, 1 of them being employed already in the sector.
Incidentally, the one employed in the sector had much more problems with the practical work than a couple of us did, which is not unlike many other areas of work in construction i have carried out. Sometimes people who are so called 'time served' are still not particularly competent at what they do, fact. I found this especially in the rail, engineering and tree work industries. Some of the experiences were frankly scary, im sure im not the only one to see this.
Many of the weeks, there was only 4 of us on the course due to his work commitments, so we often had a 1/1 instructor student ratio and otherwise a 1/2 ratio. This was as a result of some other plumbers/instructors that ran some of the other courses, especially the renewables and other prepping for the new solid fuel courses etc, being available when they werent training a class. They would come down to thw workshop and offer their experience on particular projects and practise we carried out. This was brilliant when it came to the assessments, as it felt we had a better understanding of 'why' we were designing a setup the way we were, not just knocking up a preformed idea of a rig on a wall. I found we were allowed to be creative, as long as systems tested successfully, conformed to regulations and were practical, given the application.
Like many others i have seen referred to, i have been searching for an opportunity to work and gain the work based part of the qualifications. Despite the age, i would prefer an adult apprenticeship, where i could complete the work based part of the lvl2 and go on to complete a lvl3 (now diploma).
I would agree that an apprenticeship offers the person the best way to learn, there's definitely no short cut to working knowledge, even to an adult trainee. I would relish the opportunity to carry out an adult apprenticeship.
What worried me is the recent reports in respect of funding and apprenticeships and it seems to concentrate almost wholly on 'young' adults, meaning up to 25 yrs.
Now, not meaning to cause a ruckass, but how on earth is 38 not young?.
I intend on working hard to gain propper experience and am lookin for an opportunity to gain that knowledge with a firm with a view to it turning a long term venture where they will be able to see the return on my learning.
Seeing as anyone around my age would be v lucky if they were able to retire before 70, thats a pretty long time in anyones book.
When im not helping friends or relatives with some plumbing work (mostly just taps, showers and toilets etc) im reading up on my coursework, reading up on new tech or researching more plumbing info and the regs, to expand my knowledge base. My brother-in-law is an electrical engineer, so i chat to him quite a lot in respect of that side of things too, v useful.
Ive got a lot more to say in respect of the above and have probably missed much out, but will stop to give the opportunity for any feedback on the above, or any other helpful input etc.
Then ill carry on later lol.
Many thanks already for the info ive gained on this site
Ive probably read hundreds of posts on this site since i registered and there is definitely a lot of useful info, although ive read a lot in respect of people not willing to take on tech cert qualified wannabe plumbers, which i find rather short sighted as people should be judged (if thats the right word) on their own personal situation and abilities, not on what the 'general feeling' is about how people enter the industry.
Ive just turned 38yrs old and i completed the 6129 tech cert recently.
I had extensive experience in engineering & manufacturing & general construction at low level in my previous years, including work in refridgeration manufacturing & testing, electronics & electrics testing/repair & assembly, general building/multiskilled for small building Co's and some railway maintenance contracts, including both relaying & treework as well as many other manual jobs. I was always happier working manually.
I was unfortunate to be in a postion where i was out of work about 7-8 yrs ago and was forced to take on whatever i could get due to my first son being born shortly before that.
I took some work on with my dads friends company in se london, doing freelance criminal defence work. I made little money but had a good rapport with people in general, especially those in need of help in that area. I was pretty naughty as a young man and lucky not too get in more trouble than i did, so i could appreciate what could happen to these people if they didnt get the right kind of help.
Although i probably developed some excellent people skills, i got stuck in a rut, where i was paid very little in a job i never really wanted to do (like many people i guess) and ended up havin to carry on just for the sake of working and getting paid, as much of it went on paying back credit i had to use just to get to work. (which people who live in the SE and travel to london will appreciate, and i only earnt 16K, so try working out the maths with that one). I was taken on the books, which seemed better to me at first, as i would get work every day and was paid 16K.
In any event, i was v loyal to my boss, worked hard and carried on working my but off for a pittance with the promise of more pay in the future, often doing much unpaid out of hours work where i visited chambers or prisons or clients houses or soc's.
This never seemed to happen, and eventually, due to the practice manager being greedy and my boss being a bit of an idiot, he went insolvent (seems a lot of tax & NI had not getting paid!) and i was left redundant and in debt, having robbed 'peter to pay paul' whilst being promised increases in pay over a fairly drawn out period.
So there i was, in my late thirties, redundant, penniless, with 3 kids and a wife to support.
My wife and i agreed that this was the time to try and re-establish my way back into the engineering/construction field, which i was happier in anyway.
Whilst looking for work with local and larger, national plumbing/heating firms, i found an advert for a local training centre.
With no funds at all to pay for a course, but no intention to take this liying down, as at 30+ i still feel young and fit as a fiddle u might say, i contacted the centre and explained my situation who then asked me to attend for an informal interview.
I went along for an interview and when it was over, the CEO told me they would fund me for the C&G 6129 technical Cert, along with my water/building regs and legionella ticket.
I couldnt believe how lucky i had been and was almost in tears, as i have worked all my life and never been given the opportunity to do any kind of course, especially one that i actually wanted to do.
The course was full time and there was no pressure at all to complete the course within any time contraints. The course was modelled on 12 weeks, but the instructors were happy for you to take your time and understand each part of the training, theory and practical. They, being time served plumbers from varying sectors were extremely forthcoming with information and tips, which from my previous experience in construction/engineering was very like being 'on the job' with a senior, telling you excatly whats expected of you in the real world scenario. Im sure not all the centres are like this, as i have read some fairly awful comments on some.
I was very lucky i guess to be in group of only 5 guys, 1 of them being employed already in the sector.
Incidentally, the one employed in the sector had much more problems with the practical work than a couple of us did, which is not unlike many other areas of work in construction i have carried out. Sometimes people who are so called 'time served' are still not particularly competent at what they do, fact. I found this especially in the rail, engineering and tree work industries. Some of the experiences were frankly scary, im sure im not the only one to see this.
Many of the weeks, there was only 4 of us on the course due to his work commitments, so we often had a 1/1 instructor student ratio and otherwise a 1/2 ratio. This was as a result of some other plumbers/instructors that ran some of the other courses, especially the renewables and other prepping for the new solid fuel courses etc, being available when they werent training a class. They would come down to thw workshop and offer their experience on particular projects and practise we carried out. This was brilliant when it came to the assessments, as it felt we had a better understanding of 'why' we were designing a setup the way we were, not just knocking up a preformed idea of a rig on a wall. I found we were allowed to be creative, as long as systems tested successfully, conformed to regulations and were practical, given the application.
Like many others i have seen referred to, i have been searching for an opportunity to work and gain the work based part of the qualifications. Despite the age, i would prefer an adult apprenticeship, where i could complete the work based part of the lvl2 and go on to complete a lvl3 (now diploma).
I would agree that an apprenticeship offers the person the best way to learn, there's definitely no short cut to working knowledge, even to an adult trainee. I would relish the opportunity to carry out an adult apprenticeship.
What worried me is the recent reports in respect of funding and apprenticeships and it seems to concentrate almost wholly on 'young' adults, meaning up to 25 yrs.
Now, not meaning to cause a ruckass, but how on earth is 38 not young?.
I intend on working hard to gain propper experience and am lookin for an opportunity to gain that knowledge with a firm with a view to it turning a long term venture where they will be able to see the return on my learning.
Seeing as anyone around my age would be v lucky if they were able to retire before 70, thats a pretty long time in anyones book.
When im not helping friends or relatives with some plumbing work (mostly just taps, showers and toilets etc) im reading up on my coursework, reading up on new tech or researching more plumbing info and the regs, to expand my knowledge base. My brother-in-law is an electrical engineer, so i chat to him quite a lot in respect of that side of things too, v useful.
Ive got a lot more to say in respect of the above and have probably missed much out, but will stop to give the opportunity for any feedback on the above, or any other helpful input etc.
Then ill carry on later lol.
Many thanks already for the info ive gained on this site
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