women plumbers

[Dudley]

are all men against women becoming plumbers or was it just the **** who decided to laugh down the phone when i told him it was for me!!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

well i am not,sadly there are lots of bigots and small minded people out there

 

[hiretools]

Don't listen to that **** you do what is best for you. Other people have no right to assume that a women can't do a compitent job or better as 'Gas man', say's small minded bigots (well worded Gas man).

 

[andyg0507]

the missus of the bloke i work for is also a gas engineer and she knows more than most blokes iv met!

 

[Mbear]

are all men against women becoming plumbers or was it just the **** who decided to laugh down the phone when i told him it was for me!!!

I don't really understand what u mean, told him what was for you?

 

[Dudley]

Thanks, glad not all me think women can't be plumbers!

Oops I phoned a few plumbers asking if they would take on an apprentice, before the bloke answered my question he asked who was it for and I said the apprenticeship was for me!

 

[Mbear]

Thanks, glad not all me think women can't be plumbers!

Oops I phoned a few plumbers asking if they would take on an apprentice, before the bloke answered my question he asked who was it for and I said the apprenticeship was for me!

well Ive drove past 3 different females at the plumb centre in recent wks, all employed by British gas. They where Young-ish girls aswell. I think Brit Gas are very PC when it comes to this and welcome female applications

 

[taz1504]

hi, i'm a female engineer and can honestly say i've had very few problems with the blokes i work with

 

[Puddle]

Maybe with it being a male dominated job,it is just genuine surprise and taken off guard.Once they think about it,they probably would not find a problem,must be frustrating for you getting silences and awkward responses
I have worked with a few women gas and boiler repair plumbers and have not had a problem
Like it or not ,as said you are wanting to get involved in a traditional male trade and certain barriers will have to be broken down,I do not think strength is a big factor anymore,look at it this way,years from now,you can say you helped open up the trade for women and if it is worth owt,I think it is a trade worth your efforts to break into,keep banging on those doors


imho

 

[hiretools]

Puddle 1 word Nice!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[andrewcplatt]

Got some female tyre fitters up the road where i live.Park youre van and before you know it the tyres are off and spare is out,not Polish either.

 

[Dudley]

Thanks everyone,

Its good to hear about other women doing 'mens' jobs! Plumbing is something I have wanted to do for years, but was always put off by friends and family! But I have decided that I don't really care what they think its something I want to do and I'm not going to let people stop me especially not men who can't understand a woman can do a job just as well as they can!

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

If I am being honest, (which I am) I too would maybe question it, but upon your confirmative reply I would accept it

It is difficult as it is a male dominated career

Turn it the other way round though and I still question male nurses etc so its not just you women!

 

[Puddle]

especially not men who can't understand a woman can do a job just as well as they can!

Well to be fair asking us men to understand a women is asking a bit much
And probably some,may find the thought of all that multi tasking a bit threatening


imho

 

[jono1987]

Keep on going at it, if you want something and work hard enough you will get it.

I for one certainly think you should be given a fair shot at it, the only thing that separates men from women is a pair of b*lls and from what you say about people trying to put you off etc - you have an honourary pair !!

Unfortunately we do still live in a society (whether we like it or not) where people are catorgorized by race, religion and sex. Imagine if you were a beautician and i called you and asked you for a job, your first reaction would be that of shock. Im not saying this makes you small minded, im just saying that we are almost preconditioned to have certain prejudices about things as its what we grow up with.

I hope it works out for you and you find an apprenticeship !! let us know how you get on !!

 

[newbie1]

well strength does come into it
bending 22mm
lifting 37cdi
lifting cast iron bath
the list is endless
i am not knocking women honest but if i was on a job and said female couldnt lift or pull like me i would have to question her worth
second i have been known to let an expletive or 2 loose and would offend said woman again
each to their own but i wouldnt work with a woman manually
that said breakdown work i see no barrier to as its more thought than grunt

flame suit on

 

[Dudley]

So basically all men are stronger than women... Not necessarily I have grown up being the only girl in my house since I was 8 and considering young men like to prove there strenght I ended up joining in! I can lift the same as my brothers so either there wimps or I'm just strong for a girl! I don't look like I can lift things but I have worked with male plasterers and carried the same amount of plaster bags they have also living in a pub I used to have to carry the bouncy castle in and out every morning and night which is a 2 MAN job and I was able to do that with a man! So basically what I am saying it doesn't matter if you are a man doesn't mean you are stronger than all women.

 

[newbie1]

having never met you i am not generalising but tbh a bag of plaster isnt really that heavy and its not maybe the exception to the rule but generally yes women are not as strong as men its just simple physioligy if your intent on this path good luck but you will need to get in with someone like bg who like to be seen to be diverse the mainstream employers wont touch you sorry if thats harsh but thats just the way it is

 

[Dudley]

Plaster bags that I was carrying were both 25kg and 35kg which I wasn't carrying one I was carrying 2 at a time running up the stairs with them, so if you don't count 70kg as heavy then sorry perhaps I am just a woman who has no strength!

And yes I do know its going to be hard for a woman to get into plumbing, and that is due to the fact that people have something against women doing supposed mans jobs! But this is something I want to do and have done for ages so I'm going to try may hardest no matter what people say to put me off!

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

I have a female friend who teaches a lot of plumbing in Chester

Dont ask me where as i have not spoken to her for a while but she sure knows her stuff

Lets me honest and open here:

Men are generally stronger than women, it's genetic and evoltional
whilst there are women who are strong this is the genralisation

woman on the other hand are seen as more through than men though

Its pros and cons to be honest, there are female plumbers out there so there is nothing stopping you, some strength is required as mention so if you can do that then you have some capability

Most likely though you will need to set up on your own as a female plumber, the trade doesn't like change and I fear you will continue to struggle to fit in in a male dominated company for plumbing

 

[Dudley]

Thanks Tom I do understand what you are saying I just don't like the fact that some people can be completely against women plumbers without even giving them a chance, if I have to start up as a plumber on my own then I will cause this is something I really want to do! Also if I do get into a company as an apprentice then maybe I can prove to them that it doesn't make a difference me being a woman! And then once I have gained the experience I need maybe I would have a bigger chance of being taken on by other company's.

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

Sell your slef Dudley

When you speak to these companies advise that you are as good as Male plumbers but have the added bonuses off:

Being more trusted by the female population (thats about 50% last time I counted)

Being more trusted by the elderly (thats anyone older than me)

Being able to quickly enter hospitalilty female toilets

I can go on...

 

[Dudley]

Thank you Tom! I will do I have a friend who works for a college but only for upto 19 years old which doesn't help but she has just managed to get me on an adult learning apprenticeship, through another college going to start in september hopefully got to look into it a bit more, but they find you work experience so hopefully soon I can quit my boring job and get doing what I have always wanted!

 

[nourish01]

Hi Dudley

My daughter (17 yrs old) has just finished her 1 level at college and is looking forward to a career in the plumbing industry.

She is going back to college in September to continue her studies but is coming up against some of the same issues as you.

As Tom said there are a lot of plus sides to being a woman plumber or heating engineer and I do hope it all works out for you as I do my daughter.

Regards
Jason

 

[Dudley]

Thanks Jason, hope it all works out for your daughter too. Hopefully as she has finished her first course she will find something soon!

 

[quality]

In this multi cultural society we are now living, you have no advantage or dis-advatage, just do what you want everyone else does, good luck