Leaving the Forces thinking about Plumbing

[GunnySonics]

Good evening Fella's, i've spent the last few days browsing through all the forums and read the positives and the negatives on going into the plumbing trade yet I would still like to do it, "another fast track plumber" i hear some say :yawn:.

I'm just about to leave the Royal Navy Submarine Service after 22 years as my contract ends in July, by choice i would stay in the service but no contract renewal for me due to cut backs. Im a Supply Chain Manager by trade but i dont wish to be in management, sat behind a desk etc anymore. I've always been quite keen on plumbing around the home and somtimes they even let me have a crack on submarines, afterall you cant sink a nuclear submarine when its already hundreds of meters below the surface already and if anything went badly wrong nobody would be around to point the finger at me.

Anyways...i'm not looking at plumbing to make big money, in fact what appeals to me is being my own boss, a man with a van doing small to medium jobs to keep me ticking over and having some pride and working as an honest bloke and earning some beer tokens and any extra will go to towards my transgender op...(joking of course, i already have the boobs) :lol:

I've read alot on the forum and got a few insights, but im after some good experienced advice on the route to take. I know im cutting corners etc by not going to college but at the end of the day im 40 and have a family to support. The MOD will help me out with the financial side of training, one of the companys i like the look of is "Access Training" in Cardiff. If anyone has had any dealings with these guys i would like to hear any feedback.
With regards to getting myself fully qualified etc without all the addon non essential and essential qualifications any advice on this would be much appreciated. I have 6 months before i exit the Royal Navy and i intend to approach a few Plumbers and Companys for work experience without pay to gain experience. I've done quite a bit of research in my local area in Scotland and there is quite a wait to get a plumber round in a non emergency capacity so there is scope for work up here without treading on toes etc.

Like i mentioned earlier fella's im not looking to make big money in the trade, i would be quite happy to earn a £1k a month as long as its honest and theres job satisfaction im happy.

 

[chas347]

Hi Gunny
I'm ex RAF myself. Did my nvq2 plumbing on day release course. When I left the RAF, went self employed and sub-contracted for a few years. Best way to pick up tricks of the trade is to work with others. After 2 years, did my gas training using my enhanced learning credits. 4 week course and then filling portfolio to get access to ACS exams. Best move I ever made. Plumbing is ok, but hard work. If you got a good head for mechanics etc, shouldnt be a problem. We had a couple of Armanent types from army on my course. Didnt have a clue, but managed to pass the course. If you can get work experience with plumbing company, that will give you a good start. Hope this helped, any questions drop me a line.

 

[lame plumber]

I'm ex Rn as well, did college route whilst working in construction and qualified in gas initially, then did oil conversion and prefer working with oil to gas now. Been at it a while, took several years to get a customer base and established but your pension will be your saving grace. pm me if you want a chat

 

[Unregistered]

Thanks for taking the time to reply fella's much appreciated.

Where did you do your resettlement training, i've found a few training providers on the forces CTP site but still looking for any feedback, heard a few storys of other companys taking the money and basically fobbing people off with distance learning from home.....dont like the sound of that!!

A few others i know that are leaving the service have told me to go down the gas engineer route rather than the plumbing but have my mind set on a plumbing career.
I will be contacting local companys and self employed plumbers tomorrow for some work experience and im quite happy to get the pies and brews in for a few weeks to get some insight into the job and once qualified ill earn my keep and try learning from others, i know you cant put a price on knowledge and experience.
Im sure i will be contacting you for more snippets of advice and thanks for the offers.

 

[nicro3]

Wish you well, good luck in your venture. Welcome to the forum.:clover:

 

[GunnySonics]

cheers nicro much appreciated!

 

[mcniven]

Good luck mate!!

 

[armyash]

Best of luck best thing you can do initially is get in with someone for experience. Make that priority over getting qualified as with no experience qualifications are not worth the paper they are written on. You can use your ELC's etc once you have got your foot in the door so don't be in a rush to use them.

 

[GunnySonics]

cheers for the advice Ash ive been looking around and sending my CV out problem is im a SNCO in the "Supply Chain Logisitcs" field so no plumbing experience etc, ive applied for maintenece jobs with my local council etc and i want experience more than anything, my wife earns enough to keep us afloat for a while, my pension can cover the mortgage and my gratuity is there for any snags. To me its all about a job that im happy doing, enough to keep me out the house all day and pay for a few treats a month such as meals out with the family etc.
If i can get my foot in the door and work hard i know ill be ok, its just getting that break, i know im a hard worker and i enjoy helping people out and the rewards of a job well done so once i have the experience and some quals i can make it work.

 

[harry]

Hello everyone,
can I just say its really nice to see a positive thread with lots of encouragement and support to what would be another fast track plumber.

I too am looking to retrain as a plumber and unfortunately will also be another fast tracked, I'm currently working as a prison officer and have been for the last 10 years but once again the government a ruining another service and I hate it, that and the fact of the juvenille clients I have to deal with.

I have the oppurtunity to take voluntary redundancy which will cover me for around a year and pay a few debts whilst I retrain and hopefully find some work as a plumber mate or starting on my own.

Please don't shoot me down I am extremley good with my hands and a qualified mechanic, welder fabricator and then went on to be a domestic appliance engineer.

Ideally id like to retrain as a plumber and start my own business do small work or mainly bathroom installations and also other a service repairing or fault finding home appliances as well.

Should I just do the c&g 6129 or would the nvq 2 be more beneficial I had also just looked at intense courses in bathroom installation and maybe my part p? gaining a little more experience in plastering and tilling although I have done both with a previous house I owned.

Any advise would be appreciated