Plumbing Courses.....

Anybody know anything about or have experience ofthe Open Learnin

Centre International Plumbing Courses? Depending on your requirement you can achieve C & G Level 2 with the option of taking it forwar level 2 NVQ. Is it worth it, will it teach me anything I don't kno already (basic knowledge) and will it compromise Part P for any relate electrical work carried out on any work I do? Looking for new direction with a view to leaving current employment Not interested in the tosh written recently in the press re big earnin potential. Just being forced to retire at 55 and will need to continu working till I drop dead (according to the government). Am I having a laugh thinking about 'retraining' ? Any comments o suggestions much appreciated

-- Charlie Pie

Reply to
Charlie Pie
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depending on your level of knowledge you ought to be able to advertise and get work without formal qualifications. if you know any gassy plumbers you can pass over any gas work to them. 99% of people who phone a plumber don't have a clue about what most jobs entail and if you do a good, honest, job for a competitive price you'll be snided with work. if you come across a job that you can't handle simply say so, it's beyond your scope, but say it's due to time constraints rather than it looks a 'mare of a job.

oh, and 'don't have owt to do wi' poo' as my mate says.

RT

Reply to
[news]

Hello Charlie Pie

I would steer well clear of these type Plumbing Courses,my old mate i a Mechanical Engineering (plumbing)lecturer at our local poly,he looke into these "Become a Plumber Fast Track courses ",they are all run a just one thing to cash in on the money in trainees pocket , most of th course is all "Watch as the Trainer/old plumber quickly shows you th skills in a bay ", its all rushed to get you in an through it all .......an on too th next lot of novice plumbers...

IMHO If I was you I would think very hard at throwing your money a these rip-off courses ... I say this because with the option they mention of the NVQ2,its totall unrealistic ,as you need on site /work experiance working with a plumbe already , an getting a start with a PROPER plumber is like findin rocking horse sh*t......most plumb firms only take on daft young 17/1 yos for labour/donkey work ,some do get put on the training /NV courses ...

I would think very hard before you do anything, what do you want to do at your age in the plumbing industry ,if yo want to work for a local plumbing firm ,your best bet is to ring a fe an ask if they need labour ,day work you may get an odd day with some plumber, an if you show willing I sure the guy will give you more days ,til one needs full time ,also as in your local plumb merchants for plumbers needing labour ...

IF no luck above

an you fancy self employment why not concentrate on one area o plumbing , jobbing /repair work (broken/blocked toilets /leaks/washin machines etc )

bathroom suite fitting (supply an fit /or just fit the DIY she suites)

full bathroom suite fitting , (supply an fit suite tile wall an floor )

Mr Jingle

-- Mr Jingles

Reply to
Mr Jingles

On t'other hand, most 'poo' related work seems to be accomplished with twirly springs, rods or a jet hose, and is usually an in-and-out unblocking job, for which the punter with crossed legs is willing to pay a minimum of an hour + call-out fee.

General plumbing runs the danger of getting embroiled in a mire of dripping taps and other small jobs which end up being unprofitable.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

"Open Learning Centre International" certainly sounds like a down-to-earth bunch of seasoned hands-on plumbers ready to share their knowledge and experience with the willing learner, doesn't it?

Not.

Can you do plumbing and d-i-y stuff competently around your house? For friends & relations? (Have you followed this group for a while? How do you rate yourself?)

Can/could you: change tap washers, change taps, repair or replace a ball valve, plumb in a washing machine, fit an outside tap, drain and remove a radiator, replace a rad valve with a TRV, replace a WC syphon, replace a WC suite ...

Can you do soldered copper pipework, compression joints and use plastic pipework and push-fit?

Can you get floorboards up, make holes large and small in walls, patch up and make good (filling, painting and a little tiling)?

If you can do some or all of these things and learn fairly quickly as you go along you could make some sort of living as a jobbing plumber (and general odd-job person, if you're not fussy about doing only plumbing). There's plenty of work available for someone who's competent (and knows their capabilities) conscientious and house-trained. You'll probably have to do it off your own bat unless you can find a local independent who'll take you on, and it's hard work just running your own business as a self-employed person, but it beats hanging out at the dole and SS offices :-)

There's more to it than that of course: registering as s-e with the IR, doing your books, advertising and getting work etc; and clueing up on building regs, standards and so on, getting tools, materials & transport. You can get further advice on this group. (Maybe material for a sort of uk.non-diy FAQ perhaps?)

OTOH if you really want to pay lots of money to someone to Make You Into A Plumber(TM) please contact me off-list ;-)

Reply to
John Stumbles

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