17 replies to this topic

[Nikral]

Just signed up to do the plumbing course, anyone out there done it, looking for peoples experiences of the same courses they did.

Tony

[Bungle]

is it one of these fast track become a plumber in 2 weeks course or a proper apprenticeship with a experienced plumber ?

[mini-luke]

Those short courses are useless unless you plan to make a living changing taps!

[Nikral]

I will take it that you have done the course then Luke. It's not an apprenticeship but gives you the same C&G qualification, will be doing my final assesments with a qualified plumber and gas engineer. Just wondering if anyone has actually done it on this forum and not just make stupid comments

[Bungle]

you will find most of the work done by a plumber is not plumbing and it's these extra skills that won't be taught to you

confused ?

you will start your day thinking your a plumber but the first job is removal man taking the furniture out of the room

next you will be a carpet layer taking the carpet up with out damaging it

your third job will be a chippy carefully cutting and removing the floor boards

your next job will be a mason cutting a channel into the wall to hide your pipes

finally you can do 1/2 hours plumbing work laying in some pipes

then it's time to become a plasterer making good

(quick drying plaster) next your a decorator repainting and making good

then back to being a chippy putting back those floor boards

carpet layer now putting the carpet back so know one knows you were there

and now the furniture back into the room

1 days work could result in 1/2 an hour of plumbing

do these fast track courses teach you these other skills like a proper apprenticeship would ?

[Spiffingly Good]

you will find most of the work done by a plumber is not plumbing and it's these extra skills that won't be taught to you

confused ?

you will start your day thinking your a plumber but the first job is removal man taking the furniture out of the room

next you will be a carpet layer taking the carpet up with out damaging it

your third job will be a chippy carefully cutting and removing the floor boards

your next job will be a mason cutting a channel into the wall to hide your pipes

finally you can do 1/2 hours plumbing work laying in some pipes

then it's time to become a plasterer making good

(quick drying plaster) next your a decorator repainting and making good

then back to being a chippy putting back those floor boards

carpet layer now putting the carpet back so know one knows you were there

and now the furniture back into the room

1 days work could result in 1/2 an hour of plumbing

do these fast track courses teach you these other skills like a proper apprenticeship would ?

I've never met a plumber like that, all the one's I work with are a bunch of moaning sods who want everything doing for them, same for the electricians, I think practicallity and common sense means a lot too.

I'm a builder, and can do both plumbing and electrical work, I think if you have previous experience in a similar trade you can turn your hand to the plumbing course. Although if you haven't worked in something similar before, as bungle mentioned it would be a very steep learning curve once you've actually qualified.

[Carlos W]

See if you can get into working on new builds, then a lot of things bungle mentions wont be an issue!

What I will add is, good luck to you! There are a lot of people out there who think the world owes them a wage!

I see from your profile you have a few years of life experience, you can't learn that on any course!

[mini-luke]

you will find most of the work done by a plumber is not plumbing and it's these extra skills that won't be taught to you

confused ?

you will start your day thinking your a plumber but the first job is removal man taking the furniture out of the room

next you will be a carpet layer taking the carpet up with out damaging it

your third job will be a chippy carefully cutting and removing the floor boards

your next job will be a mason cutting a channel into the wall to hide your pipes

finally you can do 1/2 hours plumbing work laying in some pipes

then it's time to become a plasterer making good

(quick drying plaster) next your a decorator repainting and making good

then back to being a chippy putting back those floor boards

carpet layer now putting the carpet back so know one knows you were there

and now the furniture back into the room

1 days work could result in 1/2 an hour of plumbing

do these fast track courses teach you these other skills like a proper apprenticeship would ?

That is so true.

You can't become a plumber by going to college and getting a certificate, the only way to really learn is on the job watching and learning from your mistakes. I will be doing a plumbing course in the near future, but only because I need it to do my gas qualifications.

Edited by mini-luke, 09 June 2012 - 08:47 PM.

[Nikral]

Thanks for the replies, yes i do have a few years life experience in which i have done all of the above, the certificate i will need to complete the gas qualification and to legitimise my business.At the end of the day no job is difficult its just another skill learned, look at the people on this forum to see non mechanics turning there hand to complete vehicle restoration and yet a garage will charge you £50+ because they have a bloke there who has a certificate go figure.
I was realy looking for someone on this site who has actualy completed the C&G 6189 level 1,2&3 and get there opinion on the course.

Luke just to let you know i understand where your coming from but the apprentice is a dead concept in this country now, the reason i say this is that a lot of trade proffesional's don't look outside there family members anymore and the chance of the average lad on the street getting an appreticship is declining.

[ginsters]

Aprentiship aren't dead it's just harder to find a good apprentice Ive had 7 in 12 years.....useless

You can't beat real experience! These courses will help but you will need to learn In job

Ginsters

[Nikral]

The reason i said apprenticships are a dead concept is that i hit the job market in 1981 from school in liverpool, now at that time all we had were YOP/YTS and similar schemes run by the government at that time as the industries in these regions where destroyed by government and privitisation.Since then there has been a decline in service industry apprenticeships, instead kids at school where told computers are the future so we now have a society of young people who think IT skills are the future. 7 apprentices in 12 years is not uncommon just think what they used to teach at school 30 years ago to now, i can remember when woodwork/metalwork where core subjects at school.

Tony

[twink]

I think it goes both ways, I see a lot of plumbers on a daily basis with work. It does cost them time, money and effort to have an apprentice, if you are lucky you get a fab pairing that works. Unfortunately I see a lot where either the apprentice thinks the world owes them a living, or was pressured into it. Or they are a great apprentice who unfortunately ended up with a plonker to teach them.
The trick is to research your plumbers, then somehow prove yourself to them.

[ginsters]

Nail on the head there twink

[Bungle]

Thanks for the replies, yes i do have a few years life experience in which i have done all of the above, the certificate i will need to complete the gas qualification and to legitimise my business.At the end of the day no job is difficult its just another skill learned, look at the people on this forum to see non mechanics turning there hand to complete vehicle restoration and yet a garage will charge you £50+ because they have a bloke there who has a certificate go figure.

your missing the point these home mechanics are doing the job for them selves if your charging someone you really need to know what you are doing

hopefully being of a older age you have some of theses skills from home DIY to help fill the gap in knowledge

[blacktulip]

i think its a better option to join a local firm and then they send you to college 1 day a week, that way you can see the real day to day work involved and also get your qualifications. i see lots of plumbers each day and many of them have a 'lad'.

i also see many young plumbers who have done the short crash course in plumbing, with the big van and tools who often come in to our shop for 'advice'
its good that they ask and we try and give out as much good advice as possible. all i can say is its not as easy to be a plumber as it can seem to be.

good luck to you by the way :)