If you retrain and become certified as a plumber your skills will always be in demand. Construction sites may offer fewer opportunities, but domestic work is as buoyant as ever. 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 if you're looking for adult retraining, a plumbing course could be just the thing for you.
Completely FREE Research Report!Whether you're already quite handy, or it's all completely new to you, once you're trained and certified there's work to be had. To get you off to the best start, we've prepared an in-depth downloadable training report that we're making available to you free of charge.
As there are so many colleges and training courses out there, it will help to put things into perspective. Download the e-book first, and go through it when you've got some time to spare. And then return to this page to refer to any of the training companies offering plumbing courses. You could put it in your Favourites file to make it easier to find again.
One of the most appealing things about retraining to become a plumber (or any other tradesperson for that matter) is the idea of being self-employed. Generally speaking most newly trained plumbers over thirty go for domestic work that they can take care of by themselves. It's a sensible direction to take as there's plenty of money and jobs available for the right people.
As with all the trades, good plumbers pick up a lot of their business via recommendations from satisfied customers. Instructors will fill you in on all your plumbing requirements, but make sure you pay attention to your attitude to everyone. Business sometimes comes in from the most unlikely people. Courtesy and respect can go an awful long way.
Trades-people who work on commercial projects are generally employed daytime hours, Monday to Friday. You'd be wise to open that up a little though if you plan to work for yourself in private housing. Householders are often out at work themselves, and plumbers who are prepared to work some evenings and weekends can significantly boost their income.
There's a good deal of security when you've got the right plumbing skills. You'll be able to turn your hand to any number of jobs. 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! You won't be bored with repetitive work that just becomes the same old thing. Each day will present you with new and interesting challenges.
When you're working for yourself you have to know how to price jobs properly. So as well as taking your time into consideration, you'll have to think about all your other costs as well. Although it can be a bit daunting at first, most plumbers get the hang of it pretty quickly. Business management is included in the coursework with some commercial trainers.
Look for industry recognised City & Guilds courses. These are available from both technical colleges and private training companies. Teenagers straight out of school usually aim to combine a technical college course with commercial employment to complete NVQ certifications.
It's more common though for re-trainers to learn their trade part-time so they can still afford to pay their bills! This is where the private training companies score best, as they offer flexible programmes with courses that will cover the needs of the domestic plumbing market. Mature students then will generally pay more up front for commercial training courses, but fine-tune their training to suit the work they'll get into.
Extra Skill-Sets to ConsiderAny decent training programme will equip you for plumbing work in domestic properties. But if you increase your skill-set you can take on many more roles. It's very useful to know more about kitchen or bathroom fitting, or have expertise in gas.
Having additional skills will make it easier to build your name. Your customer-base will broaden, and the jobs will be more profitable. Householders much prefer taking on tradesmen and women with a multitude of skills.
To sum up, if you're seeking a new career in a popular and well-paid sector, with job satisfaction and long-term security, you could just find your ideal work is plumbing.