Career advice needed please?

[Stokesy11]

I would very much appreciate some advice on the following -

I have been after a apprenticeship in plumbing for a long time and I think I might of finally nabbed a job with a company which is great news. Full nvq and training.

However my passion has been to work with a plumber who mainly deals in domestic properties so I can really learn the tricks of the trade.
The company that I possibly could be joining specialise in new build contracts. So everything is done from a blank canvas.

Is there a major difference between specialising in domestic properties and new builds and how easy would it be to transfer my skills from a new build to going and working in domestic properties later on in my plumbing career?

 

[Toggles]

Hi Stokesy

Firstly, you say you've been looking for an apprenticeship for a long time, so this tells you that getting a apprenticeship placement is competitive, especially at this time of year with school leavers and others gearing up ready for Sep start.

If this company is offering full NVQ and training then accept it, they will go through intro with your college who should ensure they can meet the 'Range of work' needed for you to complete the course, I cant see any difficulty whatsoever in you doing this via a new build site , which will cover both first and second fixes of hot, cold, heat, sanitation and rainwater systems, all aspects in level 2 plumbing, For the maintenance tasks you will have some training in college and you do these yourself without an assessor anyway, which means you can use any ones house to do these little tasks (Friends & family)

Personally, I think new builds are ideal, you will learn the systems through from first fix to second fix, so many newbies know how to fix a wc having worked in maintenance but haven't a clue about how that wc connects to a soil stack, the requirements for its supply and discharge and so forth.......

Once you understand how these systems and appliances are built and work, I don't think you would find maintenance of them hard to grasp at all, I don't think anyone does and most take a variety of different routes into plumbing, its not all standardised due to the nature and variety of plumbing in general.

As for 'Tricks of the trades'.... Learn the basics of plumbing properly before you learn the shortcuts and tricks of the qualified ..... But to get you started, here's one little trick:- For example, if you're changing rad and valve is passing, use a 5p coin wrapped in PTFE and secure over the valve and secure with valve nut while you change rad, works on isolation valves (15mm) too if your'e making a tap repair or wc ....not to be used as a permanent capping off measure though!!!

Best of luck to you

 

[Toggles]

Oh, and while you are working on the New build site, remember this.......

DO NOT become a push fit/ poly pipe junkie. Copper and soldered jointing, learning your bending, using a blow torch safely and effectively and fabrication of copper are the gold standard in Plumbing

 

[gasmanrob]

Do it. You'll get a much clearer understanding of how systems come together and operate, functional flow design etc later on you can worry about learning old system conversions etc.

Besides new build is where all the renewables are going in and supposedly that's the future.

You'll do a lot worse then starting there.

 

[SJB]

Seconded, I started in new build during the boom for a couple of years before I moved into reactive maintenance.

Now 10 years later when things have started to fail in all those persimmon/wimpy/vale new builds it's stood me in good stead because I can go in and know where things are likely to be before I start bashing holes in walls and ceilings

 

[oz-plumber]

I would very much appreciate some advice on the following -

I have been after a apprenticeship in plumbing for a long time and I think I might of finally nabbed a job with a company which is great news. Full nvq and training.

There's nothing like getting your foot in the door.
As for your concerns - you don't know where you career will take you and what doors it will open in the future.

Experience is everything and you will learn more facets of the trade as your experience grows.

So don't sound so concerned because the job you have been offered is not exactly the job you wanted.
It's thereabouts and that's probably as good as you can expect these days.

Don't forget - there are at least 100 people who would take that job from you if they had the chance.
- and your new boss knows it!!!

 

[gassafe]

I have always preferred the domestic side of plumbing & was lucky the firm I did my apprenticeship with did not do new builds! I did a few days trial for 1 company on new builds & hated it myself, it was like a rat race of trades in there, plastic pipe going everywhere like spaghetti, muddy as hell & felt more like a labourer! If i stayed in this job I think I would have bailed out as its not what I imagined, I prefer a nice clean house, put down the dust sheets & have the customer get the tea & biscuits out

But if I was in your position I'd take it as your lucky to be given the opportunity, with experience iof the trade you'll have more luck at moving jobs to domestic later on of you choose but it's a different world to site work in my experience!

 

[Toggles]

I prefer a nice clean house, put down the dust sheets & have the customer get the tea & biscuits out

But if I was in your position I'd take it as your lucky to be given the opportunity, with experience iof the trade you'll have more luck at moving jobs to domestic later on of you choose but it's a different world to site work in my experience!

Nice clean house, tea and biscuits????? have you been working in the royal palaces?
I've had houses, where I'd rather die of starvation and dehydration than touch their offerings, as for the wc's, some have never seen a bottle of bleach or elbow grease...I've had to wash myself just to leave the property and enter the world again !!! lol...Bless em all

 

[rpm]

As above been in place`s where I`ve wiped my boots before getting back in the van!

 

[Stokesy11]

Hi Toggles,

Thank you very much for the reply.

I really appreciated your view and everyone else's who commented. It's good to know that you all seem to agree I will gain all the skills, training and knowledge that I need through working on a new build site.

As you said it's very competitive to get an apprenticeship with full trading so I count myself very lucky. Will just concentrate on getting my head down and really learning the trade. Am thinking of offering my services for free on the odd weekend with a domestic plumber as well so I can get some hands on experience of working in houses.

I liked your little trick of the trade too. Much appreciated.

 

[Toggles]

Hi Toggles,

Thank you very much for the reply.

I really appreciated your view and everyone else's who commented. It's good to know that you all seem to agree I will gain all the skills, training and knowledge that I need through working on a new build site.

As you said it's very competitive to get an apprenticeship with full trading so I count myself very lucky. Will just concentrate on getting my head down and really learning the trade. Am thinking of offering my services for free on the odd weekend with a domestic plumber as well so I can get some hands on experience of working in houses.

I liked your little trick of the trade too. Much appreciated.

You're most welcome Stokesy

Get stuck in and enjoying your training, welcome to the world of plumbing and mad plumbers ! Don't forget peeps here are full of support and advice for you along the way

P.s......Ask if you can work for weekends on a plumbers mate rate or apprentice rate before offering a freebie of labour !!! lol (When I was an apprentice I got £100 a day at weekends for 11/ 14 hr, was pooped by Monday, but liked the top up on my apprentice money ! haha

 

[Ermintrude]

If you do take note. In the future when systems don't work recall All the shortcuts and botches that u saw on new build will be invaluable in fixing issues when your further on in life. Good luck stay safe !