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Investigations Into Plumbing Careers...

Retrain For A Rewarding Career As A Plumber

Plumbers are always in demand throughout the UK whatever the time of year. It's true to say we've seen a temporary lull in construction, but the demand for domestic plumbers still exceeds supply. How often do we hear about the trouble someone had finding a plumber to mend their heating system? Plus of course even the DIY experts need a professional plumber when it comes to fitting a new bathroom suite. So training to become a plumber might just be the best career move you could make!

Free In-Depth Information

Once you've learned the necessary skills and understand the systems you'll be working on, the sky's the limit! To help you gain a better understanding of the different training paths available, we've written a very useful e-book that you can access without charge. You'll find it helpful when trying to differentiate between the various courses that training companies offer.

We'd suggest you give yourself some time to read and digest the contents. And then return to this page to refer to any of the training companies offering plumbing courses. It might be an idea to bookmark it now so it's easy to find again.

Become Your Own Boss

The idea of self-employment is what attracts many men (and women for that matter) into the plumbing industry. In fact almost all of those entering the industry beyond their mid twenties work independently in private houses. It makes a lot of sense when you look at how much work is available, and how much money can be made when you've built your reputation.

The best plumbers get a big chunk of their work through word of mouth once their reputation's established. Your technical skills will be gained through study and practical application, but you might also need to polish up your people skills. (After all you never know who's considering your services!) Courtesy and respect can go an awful long way.

Employed commercial plumbers normally do an eight hour day, weekdays only. If you plan to work for private customers though, your hours can be much more varied. Householders are often out at work themselves, and plumbers who are prepared to work some evenings and weekends can significantly boost their income.

A Good and Secure Income

The great thing about plumbing skills is they'll set you up for life. Whether a house is ten years old or a hundred years old, it still needs water and heating! It's fair to say that your days are filled with solving people's problems - if someone's had a burst pipe, or no water for hours, they'll welcome you like a long lost son! Every day brings new experiences and challenges, so you never need to be bored, and you're not restricted to working in one place all the time.

If you're planning to run your own business, you'll need to get a feel for how to do good quotes. This means allowing for your expenses as well as your time. Although it can be a bit daunting at first, most plumbers get the hang of it pretty quickly. Some of the more commercial plumbing courses will teach you about business practices.

The Best Training For You

Both Further Education colleges and private training companies should feature basic plumber training in City & Guilds certifications. Teenagers straight out of school usually aim to combine a technical college course with commercial employment to complete NVQ certifications.

Older students generally enrol on part time courses and study around their existing commitments. So the more flexible courses offered by specialist companies tend to be more geared towards adult re-trainers.

Private colleges will cost more initially, but the student looking for domestic self-employed work will gain relevant skill-sets much faster, and start generating income within months, not years.

Supplementary Skills

Your basic training will cover aspects such as hot and cold water systems, sanitation, health and safety and central heating. You might also consider some ancillary extras so that when you're doing domestic jobs you can cover most things yourself without having to sub certain jobs out. You could get qualified to work on unvented hot water storage systems or water regulations or gas.

The more skills you can offer the better business you'll have. Your customer-base will broaden, and the jobs will be more profitable. If you can take on small electrical tasks or handle gas whilst you're on a job, you won't waste time working to someone else's calendar.

If you're looking to change careers and want reliable, well-paid on-going work, this could well be the right choice for you.