Re: New member looking for a career change

[AStraver21]

Good afternoon All,

I am new to this forum so please excuse me if I have posted this in the wrong area!

I am wondering if someone can offer me some advice, as the title of my post suggests I am strongly thinking about a career in plumbing, hopefully gas fitting eventually.

My history is as follows; at 22 I decided to enroll at a training centre where I gained the C & G 6129 level 2 plumbing qualification. My plan was to carry on and gain the level 3 qualification and also gain the level 2 & 3 NVQ's while working for a local company. Things changed when the company (electronics company - nothing to do with plumbing) that I was working for part time offered me a well paid job to become a director with many perks. I regrettably jumped at this chance and the dream of becomming a plumber went on the back burner.

After 6 years of my current role, things haven't worked out quite as I would have imagined and so I am now 28, with a mortgage and very unhappy in my job!
My main question to you is; where can I go from here with only the C & G 6129 behind me? I have looked at the courses on offer and I am slightly confused as I believe the qualification that I have, has now been replaced by the C & G 6035? My aim was always to gain the relevant qualifications and necessay experience in plumbing & heating before then moving onto gas, I appreciate that this may not be realistic now at my age?

Any information you can give would be very much appreciated.

 

[Killy Bing]

Welcome along, you have some tough decisions to make

it isn't too late but you will have to make sacrifices.

you want to move into a saturated industry where people are signing up to courses every day.
competition for jobs has never been so high.
people post up on here almost daily offering free labour to get trained and many if not most even get taken up on that.

that qualification doesn't mean all that much without onsite experience.

believe it or not you're more qualified as a plumber than i am!

 

[Barry98]

If you want to be one , be one but don't for the love of god do it thinking you will earn good money especially in the first 3-5 years

 

[SimonG]

I'm trying a different tack now, sick of being told I'm too negative.


Go for it, loads of work, loads of money and easy life. I know if I was starting out again I would be a plumber.

 

[Barry98]

I'm trying a different tack now, sick of being told I'm too negative.


Go for it, loads of work, loads of money and easy life. I know if I was starting out again I would be a plumber.

Fibba

 

[PlumbersMate]

If you're director why would you leave? If you're unhappy I guarantee you'll be more unhappy starting out fresh in this game when you realise it's hard work for pony wages

 

[Ermintrude]

U get paid in ponies? I'm still getting paid in goats!

 

[lame plumber]

i like being paid in virginal daughters, some say I'm too expensive

 

[IDCHAPPY]

I'm trying a different tack now, sick of being told I'm too negative.


Go for it, loads of work, loads of money and easy life. I know if I was starting out again I would be a plumber.

:lol:

 

[gassafe]

Sounds like you made your decision at 22 I'm afraid... It's gonna be a lot harder now to try and continue from where you left off!

Your current basic plumbing qual is not that attractive to any employer I imagine, not with a mass of young guys offering the same qualification & the employer gets help with apprenticeship wages etc, would you be prepared to work for minimum wage for 3 years with your mortgage...?

Given your age you would also have to fund all training yourself, plus purchasing tools of the trade... Why do you want to be a plumber? If its the dream of high earnings then get in line with all the others ;p

 

[lame plumber]

Hello out there, Im a plumber and I want to be a director, Ive some training in this area, whats your advice

 

[SimonG]

Fibba

Well nobody listens anyway.

 

[AStraver21]

Thank you all for your responses. Pretty much what I was expecting, It seems I made my bed 6 years ago with the decision that I made.

The reason that I am thinking about plumbing is that I loved the course that I did, I also worked with a plumber for 3 days a week whilst I was training which I really enjoyed and I find it very interesting and it seems there is always something new to learn.
I enjoy getting my hands dirty and the hard work for long hours doesn't bother me but I seriously need to think about how the finances would work, I have an supportive fiancee but I don't think she realises how much of a change it would be! I understand that I would have to pay for the training myself although I do have the majority of the tools of the trade.

I am sure you must be thinking, why on earth would you want to leave your current job and part of me thinks that I must be mad but I am in a very difficult position with where I am now. Plus I am getting sick of sitting in front of a computer for 10 hours a day!

I guess I need to decide if I want to be unhappy with money, or happy with little money!

If I was to go for it, could any of you give me any suggestions about the best place to start? I understand that my question is vague but any suggestions would be much appreciated as well as brutal honesty!

Thank you.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

All the best mate, whatever you decide to do

 

[unitedgas]

Good luck mate. All the best.