New year new occupation?

[Badbusboy]

Hello all,
since a moment(s) of reflection I wish to change my job completely. Handed in notice September, effective December 31st. The point of post - I want to become a tradesman (work life balance none-existent with previous job) At the moment considering Plumber or Electrician. What would the best way to get qualified be and what qualifications - thinking about paying for an intensive course over a period of weeks rather than over a couple of years but wanted to ask for some thoughts on courses - who/what/how long/etc. Thanks for reading this post. Obviously time is pressing re mortgage etc.

Have to play with family right now so forgive me if I don't reply until night!
Cheers

 

[gaz1]

if i had to choose between plumbing and electrical it wouldnt be plumbing

i do a multitude of jobs and enjoy the mixture too much its also kept me in work instead of being fixed into one job

 

[dobbslc]

This might not be what you want to hear but I dont think you'll get qualified as an electrician in "a few weeks" no matter what the salesman in a cheap suit tells you.
Took me 4 years on minimum YTS pay!

 

[Badbusboy]

Hi pdg,dobbslc, & gaz,
I was considering the intensive courses, like this one : http://tradescourses.co.uk/gas/index.php for example! My two nephews are currntly sparkies after NVQ/City & Guilds, etc. I would hope to be able to fit plug/change washer already pdg! But thanks for thoughts so far.

 

[Shox Dr]

Hello all,
since a moment(s) of reflection I wish to change my job completely. Handed in notice September, effective December 31st. The point of post - I want to become a tradesman (work life balance none-existent with previous job) At the moment considering Plumber or Electrician. What would the best way to get qualified be and what qualifications - thinking about paying for an intensive course over a period of weeks rather than over a couple of years but wanted to ask for some thoughts on courses - who/what/how long/etc. Thanks for reading this post. Obviously time is pressing re mortgage etc.

Have to play with family right now so forgive me if I don't reply until night!
Cheers

Cant help with suggestion, but I will say you’re living in cloud-cuckoo-land, if you think or believe a trade can be learnt in a few weeks or months.

 

[brightspark]

I wouldn't let anyone loose on there own for a couple of years working with me . even if u went on a course doing simple wiring on a board on the bench . nothing personal I'm still learning new stuff and keeping up with regs after 45 years

 

[Robotstar5]

The snake oil salesman wii happily take a few grand off to do few weeks course to become an "electrician", you will then be known as a "5 week wonder" by real sparkies, sorry to deflate you.

 

[craig1979]

to be honest mate I think you should call up where you just quit and beg for that job back else that Morgage just ain't going to be paid . even if you get qualified on a fast track corse who In there right mind will employ you with no experience and just a few weeks training. sorry but think you should of got qualified and a job in place before quitting you're job.

 

[Turbo]

Out of the 2 choices it would be easier to become a plumber, you can't hope to qualify as an electrician on an intensive course for the reasons already outlined.

I was a reasonably competent plant electrician 10 years ago but I could only manage basic house wiring. I did look into doing an electrical engineering course but even with my experience I would still have had to do an apprenticeship to qualify, probably shortened by a year or so.

One of my work mates had qualified as a spark before working with me. They needed somebody to do PAT testing but they needed to have studied 17 edition electrics. The guy had only studied 16th edition & he was sent on an intensive course to upgrade to 17th edition. He admitted that he struggled as there was so much new stuff he had to learn that had changed in the 4 years since he last studied.

If you decide to go for electrics PAT testing is a good thing to go into, though it takes an experienced spark to do it properly.

You should be able to get the basics of plumbing on an intensive course but I would imagine you would have to serve time as a plumbers assistant before any employer would let you loose on your own. There are tricks of the trade that you will never learn on any course, only on the job.

What was your previous job?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Looked into doing both and decided it wasnt for me. planning to retrain as a locksmith over the next 6 years and run it alongside my current carpentry/building company until it gets too much then continue with locksmithing into retirement. Body wont make it to retirement doing what i do now

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Just a warning about those distance learning courses most of them are a scam, and often or not they have changed company name numerous time to escape from a rotten past! I'e looked into it myself, and know those who have enrolled and none have walked away with anything worth while. I actually had a friend who did work for them, he was fired for telling people to not bother over the phone!

As for 17th edition it's an exercise in reading a book, you need little to no electrical knowledge to pass, and from there you can do pat test.

 

[fizzy]

Cant help with suggestion, but I will say you’re living in cloud-cuckoo-land, if you think or believe a trade can be learnt in a few weeks or months.

I bet he could get a job installing electric meters or something. They will take on pretty much anyone!
https://www.npowerjobs.com/job/smar...7817801?src=indeedpaid&utm_source=indeedpaid#
Don't ask for experience just the right bits of paper!

 

[Badbusboy]

Hi all thanks for replies,
shox-dr wasn't really suggesting that a trade could be learned in a few weeks or months, but everyone started somewhere! Robotstar, I suspected as much re snake oil and perception by other sparkies. Brightspark, I take your point and would agree with you. craig, sometimes life's not like that, as for begging - not really happening. Turbo, I was thinking that would be the case and thank you. Elusive to me, that's a good shout - my mind nor body would make it to retirement! Why locksmithing if I may ask? Arclikeharry - thanks for the warning - that's a little shoddy of these "companies". Thanks for the input people - some were a little negative!

 

[Badbusboy]

thanks Fizzy, Ill look at that link

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Elusive to me, that's a good shout - my mind nor body would make it to retirement! Why locksmithing if I may ask?

It interests me and its a good excuse to add to my machine tools..
seriously though, security is always going to be needed and it would compliment what im already doing. Il be looking at commercial and auto before domestic. notice lots of QUICK courses while researching and there not worth touching. few years until the wife can return to work, until then nose to the grindstone.

 

[steve_s]

You cant get gas safe registered from a course alone you have to work with a registered gas safe engineer and do a portfolio (work in the really world not bench work) of work and pass and exam.
I know because the apprentice working for a gas safe engineer I know is doing it

 

[Kayos]

Learn to be a plumber or a sparky in weeks is a proper joke

I did a full apprenticeship and I learn every day

I will teach you to solder and bend pipe in a week, but you won’t be a plumber

 

[Gritineye]

Many chimney sweeps around your way? Mate gave up his City job, did a sweeps course and he's never been happier, booked up months ahead and mostly clean domestic work.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Plumbing? I know enough about it to know I don't want to be a plumber

Hear that. Not helped by the quality of plumbing supplies these days.

Learn to be a plumber or a sparky in weeks is a proper joke

I did a full apprenticeship and I learn every day

I will teach you to solder and bend pipe in a week, but you won’t be a plumber

if it takes someone a week to learn that there not cut out to be a plumber.

a good tradesman never stops learning. a bad one keeps making the same mistakes.

 

[addjunkie]

Sucess after any course, doesnt matter what it is .....is all about your transferable skills....we all have them, but you must learn how to use them also sell them to others. The retraining is just really an enhancment of those transferable skills.

Back in the day ship yards for example had various apprenticeships. But all trades no matter what learnt the hand tools piece as there used in every trade.

You didnt say what your past was so what transferable skills you have.