Career change, which trade?

[Peadee]

Hello all,
I'm looking for some advice with regard to which trade offers the best prospects and earning potential in the long term. Also, the best way to go about getting trained.
I am currently facing the prospect of being made redundant and need to make some decisions about where I go from here. I have come to the conclusion that being employed in the future is probably not the route that I want to go down. I have been in my job for 22yrs and I will be able to stay in it, if I agree to work a permanent night shift, which I just do not want to do. If I take the redundancy I will receive "enhanced" terms which means I will walk with a decent pay off, which should afford me the luxury of being able to take the time to re-train. By time I mean 6 to 8 months. I have a house with all the associated costs and 2 kids so even a decent pay off won't last for too long!!!
The question is, will sparking or plumbing offer me the best opportunity for long term earning potential? I am a competent DIYer and have good practical skills. I have no fear of studying or hard work and have an interest in both of the trades that I mentioned (Does this sound like a CV?!!!)
Anyway, which is the best one to go for and to what level do I need to train in order to earn a decent living. Is it essential to train to "Part P" or "Gas Safe" level? Also, where to go for such training?
A Google search throws up countless training centres for these trades but, are they any good or are they just a mechanism for somebody to part me from my cash!!!

Your thoughts and opinions on this would be very much appreciated

Thanks

Peadee

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Peadee:
I admire that you wish to train and learn a trade to enhance your employment/careers prospects.
Don't be fooled in to thinking any short/crash courses are going to lead to a long rewarding career in either plumbing or electrics.
You really need to be doing a recognized course that is overseen by City and Guilds.
Unfortunately you are the wrong side of enrolment for these courses, as most have them have already started.
A part-time course would take you 3 years to get to a good standard knowledge.
Full-time 2 years.
Becoming a competent person within the electrical trade could be done, if you really knuckle down and get some hands on experience in a couple of years.
In 6-8 months it is not going to happen. Certain electrical work can be carried out without the need for notification but if you intend to make a living of it, most jobs will come up with work that is notifiable.
Which will mean applications and fees must be made to building controls. The fees are quite tasty and usually make it impossible for an electrician, that is not able to self certificate work making any money or even getting the work.
Regarding the plumbing again there will be work you can carry out without the need to be a member of gas safe or application to building controls.
But to become a gas safe engineer in 6-8 months, not going to happen.
A few other points I would like to point out:
If you decide to change careers and go in to a trade, do it not for the money but because you actually enjoy doing that type of work. The best thing about work is that you actually enjoy doing it, specially if your going to have to spend time learning the trade in the first place.
Self-employment is hard, it's not for some, it's not all it's crack up to be.
Times are hard, there is still very little work out there, so be prepared for some tough times.
It is essential to train to part p as an electrician, as it is to train to BS7671:2008 but part p is a building regulation.
If you train to BS7671:2008 that will be good enough, that will take you beyond the scope of part p. There is no need to take a part p course, just understand the best you can the requirements of Part P.
Part P is not a qualification it's building regulations.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADP_2006.pdf

 

[Space cat]

I have a house with all the associated costs and 2 kids so even a decent pay off won't last for too long!!!

Keep the job! At least until you find another one.

Going self-employed is the same as starting a new business - and the first rule of starting a new business is "Have your capital and be prepared to lose it". From what I can see, you can't afford to lose it.

PrenticeBoy is right:

If you decide to change careers and go in to a trade, do it not for the money but because you actually enjoy doing that type of work. The best thing about work is that you actually enjoy doing it, specially if your going to have to spend time learning the trade in the first place.
Self-employment is hard, it's not for some, it's not all it's crack up to be.

In your position I would put up with the night shift until I found something better. It's always been easier to get a job if you already have one.

 

[Alarm]

Agree with what he says.

 

[Nige F]

FORGET PLUMBING it`s been ripped apart by every other trade , now there won`t even be drains to clear because the utility suppliers have adopted most of the sewer network - then Brit. Gas/ dyno rod will do the rest Use the redundo £ to pay some / all the mortgage and go on the dole - I`m serious - good luck anyways

 

[amwc]

Tube driver - £50000 a year

 

[^woody^]

Tube driver - £50000 a year

I saw that too. What do they have to do for that? I mean the train drives itself FFS.

Anyway, I don't think any building trade is good for long term potential. It's much too dependant on the economic fluctuations so good times are few and don't last.

All the good experienced hands have secured most of the work so its very difficult for any one to nudge in with just a few months training.

Probably better looking at some sort of niche area where there aren't 10,000 other people chasing the same work

 

[Alarm]

LOL have a look at what they have to learn to be a tube driver.

 

[^woody^]

Yep 25k a button

 

[Alarm]

PMSL

Good one.

 

[Peadee]

Thanks for the replies folks, it was pretty much what I expected to hear mostly. I guess I will have to give it more thought. Love the tube driver thing, made me laugh out loud!!!! I read all about that myself last week, £50k, that's unbelievable. Even better when you consider the deal they have just struck for the next 3yrs. They get 5% this year and then for the next 3 they get RPI inflation plus 0.5%. A bumper deal in anyone's book! We are fighting like dogs for 1.5% and it looks like this will only be achieved on the back of redundancies!!!

Thanks again for the replies so far

 

[CareerChangeChancer]

Your thoughts and opinions on this would be very much appreciated

No. Don't listen to this lot. They know nuffink.

Come and join us on the pipes. Not much to know - just remember - $hit runs downhill, and hot water rises. That's all there is to it.

Plumbing's where it's at. Several million of us can't be wrong.


Failing that, forget tubes (copper pipes or Underground). You don't want to be hauling Cockenees 'round the smoke all day long. Streuth Circle Line - clockwise or anticlockwise - you'd be going off your chump in no time. Cor blimey! Instead, what they paying to drive trams in Manc? Mad for it!!!

 

[DeltaT2]

Save your money mate, there's 1000s of good time-served Plumbers & Sparks looking for work. We get sent 100s of CVs every week.
Since the New Build crash of 08, there's been a glut of Tradesmen. So as advised stick, with your job.

 

[HERTS P&D]

FORGET PLUMBING it`s been ripped apart by every other trade , now there won`t even be drains to clear because the utility suppliers have adopted most of the sewer network - then Brit. Gas/ dyno rod will do the rest Use the redundo £ to pay some / all the mortgage and go on the dole - I`m serious - good luck anyways

Thanks for that Nige,

You could of broke it to me gently.

Andy

PS Nige is bang on, listen to the oldies.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I was working for an underground worker yesterday and he told me that there is a 2 year wait to get onto the tube drivers list. They only employ someone when some else retires.

He also told me that all they do is open and close the doors, everything else is via computer.

Andy