Gaileen Sutton

People will certainly continue to want the expertise of experienced local plumbers, during good years and bad times. It’s true to state that many have seen a temporary lull within construction, but the requirement for domestic plumbing technicians continually surpasses supply. Everyone knows a person or even a friend of another close friend that was not able to locate an emergency plumbing technician for several weeks! There is also loads more work to be had putting in additional lavatories, brand new shower cubicles, en-suite bathrooms and so forth simply because families are relocating less frequently and upgrading much more. Consequently therefore, enrolling on some plumbing-related training programme is a really smart employment move.

Skilled plumbers who have the proper qualifications are established for life – people will constantly want your assistance. You’ll find plumbing work satisfying – people are really thankful when you take care of their problems – or simply try to make their home life simpler and easier for them. You will not get bored through mind-numbing work – that just gets to be the exact same old thing. Just about every working day is going to bring you different and absorbing issues to resolve.

You should find it is a lot easier to build up your reputation if you offer some extra trade skills. Anything you accept is going to be a lot more profitable. People will tend to be more comfortable when they have only you running their project – it really is very much more simple than trying to accommodate several trades.

A career move to the domestic plumbing market is often inspired because of the hunger to possess a nice self-run business. Actually the bulk of fresh new career plumbers enter the household market – operating mostly on their own. It’s actually a shrewd direction to look at since there’s an abundance of money and jobs readily available for skilled men and women. No matter what competencies you begin with, practical retraining and certification is likely to soon introduce you straight into your own new line of business.

Just about all trade recognized plumbing-related training curriculums prepare for City and Guilds accreditations as a minimum. Most young people entering the plumbing industry straight from compulsory education will choose an apprenticeship style of training – by way of blending on-the-job NVQ training with their FE studies. You’ll find it much more common however for older career changers to qualify in their trade part time – in order that they can still afford to pay their expenses! Typically the private training colleges tend to be a lot more suitable for their requirements, since their programmes are actually not so rigid and concentrate much more on many of the high-demand skills. Commercial training companies ask for larger fees than Further Ed institutions, yet trainees should get through more quickly – when they just work on the skill-sets necessary for self-employed home-based work.

Quite a bit of employment will come from acquaintances of clients you have completed a good quality job for. Many people like to praise good work. Being your own boss requires being pleasant with everyone you work for. Employment at times may come through the most improbable individuals. It’s extraordinary what amount of work is wasted – through careless conduct and general lack of courtesy.

A lot more often than not, plumbers inside the commercial sector tend to be taken on in order to work for a max 40 hr week. Yet, self-employed home-based local plumbers face a totally different working environment. Many employed folks can’t get permission to get a morning or afternoon off work, so local plumbers who are able to work outside working times can normally gain significantly more work.

If you are going to start trading in your own enterprise, you’ll need to find out a few things on the subject of costing out work. Which means that together with allowing for the time you’ll spend, you are going to have to have a think about all of your various other expenses also. Of course you’ll find it quite straightforward once you have completed a few. Some of the best plumbing training colleges ought to include courses about establishing yourself in business.

Plumbing related curriculums will deal with the different competencies which you will require in order to work with water technologies and heating and so on. You may well also bear in mind a few supplementary skills, in order that any time you’re carrying out household contracts you are able to handle many things on your own, without having to sub-contract some tasks out. Supplemental abilities could be in tiling, elementary electrical related work and/or energy efficiency. Unquestionably the most cost-effective and beneficial way to enter the home-based plumbing market is actually to train by a reputable private re-training firm.

(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Visit Plumbing NVQ or Click HERE.

Basically, the ‘Green Energy’ idea is how our everyday needs are supplied by natural resources such as wind, tides and even geothermal heat. Collectively they are thought to be ‘Green’ because they are ecologically sound and easy to replace. The older energy skill sets have had value for years, especially when we think of wind power and windmills. However, it is the result of eco-efficient and planet friendly options that this process is maintained.

In the home environment, one can see examples such as Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating Collectors. For electricity created through roof-installed panels, you would need Photovoltaic Panels or PV’s. Equally important is that of Biomass Energy – which includes Stoves, Fuel, Pellets and Boilers burning Wood. Then we have the ancient energy of the Sun and the heat that comes from it – now called Ground Source Heat Pumps. Finally, we have two of the most traditional forms of energy generation that have gone through some resurgence over the last few years; these being Wind Power, Wind Turbines and Hydropower (including Water Wheels.)

Solar Thermal Energy – By using different technologies, Solar Energy is effectively made up of two types of solar panels. Initially, there is the process of obtaining hot water from the Sun via Solar Water Heating Collectors. Additionally, there is the method of converting solar radiation into electricity known as Photovoltaic – or simply Solar Electrical panels. To get the best results these panels need to be south facing at an angle of around 30 degrees from horizontal, and away from blockages.

As a result, Solar Water Power is often considered the most common form of Solar Energy in the UK. With the ability to provide almost half the annual need for hot water in the house, Solar Water heating systems are very important. Getting a professional fitting will cost around 2-5k, however, doing the job yourself could make it as low as 500 to 1500 pounds in total.

Systems Utilising Biomass Energy: This term encompasses all forms of natural products – such as plant and animal material. It’s the ability of this power source to generate diverse forms of energy, such as heat and electricity, that makes this so adaptable. Indeed, within the European Markets, the UK has some of the leading levels of Biomass material at hand. Added to all this, is the lack of C02 produced as a by-product of the whole process. Because the system often involves one tree being planted as another is felled, many wood crops are deemed to be sustainable sources.

To meet the need, fast growing trees, known as Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) are utilised. Perennial grasses are also responsible for large quantities of dry matter. Within this process also sits the lesser known Agricultural and Municipal Wastes. To begin with, Agricultural Waste is often produced as part of the agricultural process overall. However, waste derived from food or wood is another biomass entity – called Municipal Waste.

Geo-Thermal Energy Technology: This is primarily the heating of the Earth (mainly from the sun) and can be utilised in electricity and warm water production. In the UK, we are lucky that we can both heat and cool buildings from the ground source temperature of around 12 degrees. These heat pumps do need some power to operate; but for every one unit of energy they use, they generate four units of energy in return. The energy generated by a heat source pump can in fact be considered 100 percent renewable, if the power to operate the pump comes from solar electrical panels or a wind turbine.

Wind Energy Programs: Without a doubt, wind energy has to be one of the oldest forms of energy production known to man. Whether to your home or to a local grid, when the energy has been generated it must be delivered to a point of usage – and cannot be stored. In fact, the UK has the largest wind resource within Europe. The fact remains that in the UK, there exists the ability to realise 10 percent of our electricity requirement from wind power – as opposed to the current value of just 1 percent. Instead of producing electricity at a rate of 2-10p per kWh, we could be generating at 2p per kWh. Because of this, it is estimated that it takes between half a year to three quarters of a year to cover the installation costs.

Within the UK, Hydropower suits the energy generation model. Just like a thousand years ago, we are utilising the energy from water. That aside, it is fair to say that some 2 percent of the UK’s electrical load could come from this source.

By using a turbine, a Hydropower system can transfer the kinetic energy of moving water into another form. The important thing is that, without having to rely on water storage, the turbines can generate electricity. ‘Micro-Hydro’ however utilises old outdated sluices and dams. This process alone could meet 200mW of the UK requirement. Between 200 pounds and 3k per KW of energy output, is a good estimate of the overall cost of a project such as this.

Because of the energy need of the Western World, we are now seeing a rapid rise in ‘Green Energy’. The UK domestic market appears to be one of the core beneficiaries of this technology.

With the bulk of development work in the domestic area, both Plumbers and Electricians are set to capitalise in this area. It is the political view of this type of energy generation that results in grants and financial aid becoming ever-more prevalent. It is by gaining the right certificates that will provide opportunities and job security for the long term. You could consider either plumbing or electrical training programs that highlight green installation.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Navigate to Green Engineer Certification or CLICK HERE.

People today will always seek the expertise of trained plumbing technicians, in prosperous years and bad times. It’s true to say the economy has seen some sort of temporary set-back with new build work, though the need for domestic local plumbers continually tops supply. How often do you learn about the amount of telephone calls an individual had to make – just to discover a real plumbing technician who was available to fix their tap from dripping? And additionally many people enhance their bathrooms, en-suites and kitchen areas more times than they previously did, which always guarantees a regular flow of work for competent local plumbers. On the whole then, enrolling on some plumbing-related training course is a rather shrewd career move.

The majority of household tradesmen and tradeswomen find potential customers via others they’ve done jobs for. Working for yourself means getting on well with just about everyone you work for. Business is likely to appear from anyone and everyone! Pleasantness and favourable attitudes will definitely be remembered.

Industrial plumbers will typically be employed on Mon-Fri only, typically eight o’clock until five o’clock. Nevertheless, self-employed household plumbers have a completely different scenario. Clients are often out at jobs themselves, and plumbers who’re able to work a handful of early evenings and/or weekends can certainly noticeably increase their business money.

One of the more encouraging elements regarding retraining to be a plumbing technician (or in fact any other tradesman actually) is definitely the notion of being self-employed. Most people re-training today will take on smaller sized home-based contracts within their local community. It is hardly unexpected for those who realise how much business is undoubtedly out there, together with the level of profit which decent plumbing engineers tend to make. No matter whether you are really quite handy, or it is all absolutely a mystery to you, after you’re skilled and certified there is work available for you.

Plumbers that work for themselves have got to get good at doing quotes that get contracts for the ideal cost. You may choose to ask for a daily rate, or alternatively a rate just for the piece of work. No matter which you decide to do, ensure you’ve covered all of your costs. It may seem hard to do, yet it is actually reasonably easy in actual fact. Small business procedure frequently incorporated in your coursework with a few plumbing training colleges.

Professional plumbers with the proper qualifications are established for life – folks will constantly require their assistance. You will find lots of real job satisfaction – as it is truly great to see the finished result of your task effectively completed. There is of course a lot of variation, since you operate at various properties with various kinds of homeowners. Moreover you get to pick out which projects to do.

Regardless of whether you decide to study at an FE FE college full-time, or perhaps learn part-time with a private organisation, you will need to become qualified in a number of City & Guilds accreditations. Young people straight out of school or sixth form college by and large try to combine a further education study course with commercial work to achieve NVQ or SVQ certifications. Nonetheless older job movers more often hang onto their existing employment whilst they learn part time. As a result the less rigid programs available from private training providers are inclined to be much more appropriate for adult students. Private college prices are likely to be higher, nonetheless in the long run they’re much more economical for the person looking to start working on their own in a mainly domestic sector.

No matter which training you settle on, you ought to come out with at least foundation domestic plumbing skills in sanitation techniques, warm and cold water technologies and a whole lot more. Yet when you increase your set of trade skills you can often accept a lot of more jobs. You may choose to get qualified to work on unvented hot water, or possibly water reg’s or maybe gas. Broad-based private domestic plumbing curriculums are really the fastest and most effective path into the self-employed home-based environment.

It’s a significant advantage to have many different skill-sets. Your employment will be more evenly distributed throughout the year. You won’t need to work around tilers and/or electricians’ timetables when you are able to carry out small tasks yourself.

(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Look at Plumbing Qualifications or Plumbing Courses.

In a nutshell, ‘Green Energy’ utilises natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat to provide our daily energy requirement. When ‘Green’, they are all thought to be replenishable and natural. Often, by going back in time, we can see the value of wind power and windmills as modern energy sources. Regardless of this, we are mainly talking about using modern techniques to offer planet friendly and eco-efficient solutions.

The home environment, for example, encompasses a range of energy ideas – including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating solutions. Equally there is electricity that is generated through roof-installed panels. Biomass Energy is the next phase, and this involves Fuel, Pellets, Stoves and Boilers burning Wood. What shouldn’t be forgotten is the heat stored in the ground from the Sun – often simply referred to as Ground Source Heat Pumps. Not all ‘Green Energy’ is new – by considering Wind Power and Hydropower we are looking at some of the oldest forms of energy production.

Solar Energy Systems: Also known as Solar Energy, this mainly uses two, albeit different types of solar panels to get the desired results. Initially, there is the process of obtaining hot water from the Sun via Solar Water Heating Collectors. Furthermore, there are the Solar Electrical Panels (more correctly known as Photovoltaic heat collectors) which transform solar radiation into electricity. Obviously situated away from blockages such as chimneys etc., these Solar Panels need to be mounted on south facing roofs at an angle of 30 degrees from the horizontal.

Within this discipline, Solar Water Power is often regarded as the most popular form of Solar Energy within the UK. These systems are very efficient – and can deliver 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement annually. The typical cost for installation ranges from 500-1500 pounds for a DIY system, all the way through to 2-5k for a professional fit.

Biomass Energy Systems – This is a general term for all forms of plant and animal material e.g. wood, straw, poultry litter and ‘energy crops’. It is by using these materials in new ways to create energy that makes it so exciting. It is a useful point to make that the UK is one of the major producers of Biomass fuels within Europe. It is the minimal C02 produced, alongside the actual energy production, that makes this attractive to the markets. Having a tree planted in place of another (that is felled for energy production) helps overall.

A process called Short Rotation Coppice (SRC), utilising trees such as Willow and Poplar, is used to meet the demands of such ‘Energy Crops’. Dry matter is also very sought after – and perennial grasses are a good source of this. Within this process also sits the lesser known Agricultural and Municipal Wastes. Agricultural Waste is commonly formed as a by-product of traditional agricultural work. Of equal importance is Municipal Waste, which comes from recycyled wood and food.

Systems Based On Geo-Thermal Energy: Used in the generation of both warm water and electricity, this energy mainly comes from the Sun and heats the Earth. Using the ground temperature of around 12 degrees in the UK – we can both heat and cool buildings. Generally, items such as Heat Pumps are thought of as very effective, as they produce four units of energy for every one that is used for generation. A greate return of energy (sometimes almost 100 percent) is produced – because heat source pumps can operate in-line with wind turbines and solar electrical panels.

Wind Energy – An Update On Old Technology: As an energy source, wind energy has to be one of the oldest forms of energy creation in history. Where the local power grid demands it, energy can be diverted and sold there. To be fair, the UK has the highest level of wind generation within Europe. The fact remains that in the UK, there exists the ability to realise 10 percent of our electricity requirement from wind power – as opposed to the current value of just 1 percent. Although electricity is still being produced from between 2-10 p per kWh, it could be generated from as little as 2p per kWh. Recovery of the cost involved is somewhere between 6-9 months.

Finally, we have Hydropower; an area in which the UK does well within Europe. Having said that, the art of using energy from moving water (just like wind power) is very traditional. In total, this could produce something like 2 percent of all electricity required in the UK.

The Hydropower process uses a turbine that can convert the energy from one form into another. The important thing is that, without having to rely on water storage, the turbines can generate electricity. It is by using the eroded national distribution systems, that allows for outdated sluices and dams to be used by techniques known as ‘Micro-Hydro’. This smaller form of electrical output has been recently reviewed and could allocate some 200MW of capacity to the UK system. The capital cost of installing a micro-hydro system can run between 200 and 3000 pounds per kW of energy output.

Because of the energy need of the Western World, we are now seeing a rapid rise in ‘Green Energy’. Within the UK and mainly the domestic sector, we are well placed to take advantage of the schemes above.

It is the drive for installations in the domestic sector that looks to favour jobs such as plumbers and electricians. With EEC and UK recognition of renewable energy getting ever-higher on the political agenda, the grants and financial aid for introduction of these systems can only increase. Gaining installation certification across these areas can only provide further opportunity and job security to anyone already in related fields or looking to retrain. To that end, it may be worth thinking about combined training. You can then get plumbing or electrical training along with green knowledge.

(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Hop over to Solar Energy Courses or Solar Energy Training.

For many people, an interesting and varied choice often means a career within the electrical industry. From here on we will use the phrase of Electrical Industry to explain the more accurate term of “Electro-Mechanical Engineering”. Also, for ease we will concentrate on those principles that sit within the domestic and commercial markets for the UK. By starting on the main subjects and checking the ‘add-ons’ later on we can review the centre of the electrical industry.

Basically there are two clear ways to gain admission into the electrical market. The first is for those wishing to train via a more traditional apprenticeship route, and the second is for people who are entering the field at a later stage in life. Throughout this document we will simply refer to two types of people the ‘Junior’ and the ‘Mature’ entrants.

Mature Entrants who join the industry later on do so with the aim of working for themselves, usually as a one person business. By contrast, Junior entrants would seek to work with an established electrical firm and build their skill-sets as they train. To be fair, young apprentices leaving school will have a lot of supplementary skills to learn during their early years as a working adult.

Clearly these two options have both differing training styles and methods of entry. Junior entrants go through NVQ training in England and Wales, and SVQ training in Scotland. An NVQ qualification would need to be obtained as part of the training program. New employees gain the necessary course work and testing elements through an apprenticeship or some form of suitable work program.

By opting to work on a freelance basis, many Mature Entrants appear to focus on those areas that provide profitable and practical solutions other than NVQ’s. Having said that, the mature student does aim to gain the necessary skills to do the job, whilst at the same time reducing their training costs at all times. Although this may offer quicker and more commercial options, it does reduce the official requirements set for certain areas of the industry.

Salaries are often simply broken down to those that relate to self -employed people and those in general employment. Obviously, with self-employment, there is the added issue of whether the Entrant is part-time (working around another job) or full-time; we will concentrate on full-time. Skill and knowledge levels can often determine salary levels, although this is equally via a proven ability or certification scheme.

With the right level of experience, ‘Junior Entrants’ salaries can rise considerably from twelve to thirty thousand pounds per annum. On the other hand experienced self-employed electricians have been known to earn around 70 thousand or more within the UK. It should be remembered however that a self employed person must often bear additional costs for items such as vehicles, tools and clothing. Self employed people also have to allow for added expenses. In the UK there is a lot of work for electrical professions due to a short fall of current skilled people. In light of the above, a full seven day week is available to most people should they want it. Whilst figures of seventy to a hundred thousand are often bandied around in the press, they do not often inform you of the long hours you would need to work to achieve this.

For the most part there is a strong difference between the Junior and Mature Entrants’ working week. Electricians who are ‘Junior Entrants’ would work a simple 40 hour working week. But due to the needs of the domestic market the Mature Entrant is often more reliant upon when their client base gets back from work. With many self-employed electricians the core of their income comes from items such as business testing and installation and as such operates during the main part of the week.

Once a career in electrical work has been chosen, a Junior Electrician is often at the mercy of their employer when it comes to learning new skills and expertise. Whereas the mature entrant can gain knowledge from any trade source – even one outside of the core of electrical work. Without a doubt the extra skills help them in their overall employ whether this is commercial or domestic work.

A new trade example is that of the ‘Green Engineer’. This new service to the industry could fit into the overall skill-set of an electrician. The curiosity of both Junior and Mature Electricians to this new industry is well founded especially when considering the power of the UK and the EEC markets in areas of growth and governmental projects.

Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Try Electrical Training Courses or Click HERE.

In a nutshell, ‘Green Energy’ utilises natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat to provide our daily energy requirement. They’re all considered naturally able to replenish and thereby ‘Green’. The older energy skill sets often have value set in times gone by especially when we think of wind power and windmills. This option is preserved by the use of technology, eco-efficient options and planet friendly alternatives.

The home environment for example encompasses a range of energy ideas including Solar Thermal and Solar Water Heating solutions. Next on the list you would find the actual solar electricity Photovoltaic Panels (PV’s) – which basically generate electricity through roof-installed panels. A further factor resolves around stoves and boilers which are known as Biomass Energy. We now also have Ground Source Heat Pumps which is simply the heat from the Sun. Considering items such as Wind Power and Hydro Turbines we are finally getting to very old forms of energy production.

Through a brief review of each we can look at those wanting to train and work in this area and the skills that they will need. Considering the points raised so far, this is expected to be somewhere in the domain of the Plumber, the Gas Engineer and the Electrician. It would be worth gathering information from as many different sources as possible, so check out our other pages on Electrical, Green and Plumbing careers. So it is worth checking out the sites for a variety of training providers as a result bookmark (CTRL-D) this page so you can come back.

Thermal Solar Energy – Often commonly referred to as Solar Energy, this is primarily captured by two types of solar panels; each of which utilises different technologies for the process. As a first draft there are elements absorbing energy from the sun and creating hot water known as Solar Water Heating Collectors. Furthermore, there are the Solar Electrical Panels more correctly known as Photovoltaic heat collectors which changes solar radiation into electricity. To get best results these panels need to be situated 30 degrees from the horizontal, on a south facing roof and obviously free from blockages such as trees and buildings.

Within Solar Energy overall, Solar Water Power is now commonly used in the UK. Solar Water heating systems can provide over 50 percent of a household’s hot water requirement during the year. The average cost of installing this type of equipment is expected to range from 500 to 1500 pounds for a DIY system, through to 2-5k for a professionally installed system.

Biomass Energy and ‘Energy Crops’ – This is a general term for all forms of plant and animal material e.g. wood, straw, poultry litter and ‘energy crops’. Considering its ability to produce energy in the form of heat and electricity this type of energy is extremely flexible The ability to generate electricity is one of the UK’s main concepts as it has one of the larger Biomass legacies within Europe. Added to all this is the lack of C02 produced as a by product of the whole process. To that end, many wood crops come from sustainable sources (as one tree is felled, another is planted in its place; thus the new tree absorbs the CO2 produced during the heating process.)

By the growth of Short Rotation Crops (SRC) the UK is able to maximise the ‘Energy Crops’ return against the plant production overall. Of equal importance is the production of perennial grasses because of their yield of dry matter. Whilst Agricultural and Municipal waste may appear lesser known they are essential to the whole process. Agricultural Waste is commonly formed as a by-product of traditional work in agriculture. Because it comes from food or wood Municipal Waste is also considered a useful biomass product.

Geo-Thermal Energy Systems… This is where both warm water and electricity can be produced as by products of the natural heating of the Earth by the Sun. By using the ground source temperature of approximately 12 degrees we can either heat or cool buildings within the UK. Heat pumps are recognised as a very good form of power generation generally giving back four units of energy for everyone used. Without a doubt the energy generated from wind turbines and solar electrical panels alongside heat source pumps can be almost 100 percent renewable.

Wind Energy: When you consider the milling of grain and pumping of water it is easy to see how long wind energy has been with us. However, in more recent times there’s been the option to recover the energy for its own sake – and deliver this either to a home unit or to the local power grid. With regard to wind generation it is the UK that has the highest production within Europe. The fact remains that in the UK there exists the ability to realise 10 percent of our electricity requirement from wind power as opposed to the current value of 1 percent. Frankly, electricity can be realised from as little as 2p per kWh as opposed to the current level of 2-10 p per kWh. Recovery of the cost involved is somewhere between 6-9 months.

Hydropower is a subject that suits the UK energy production system. Having said that the art of using energy from moving water, as like wind power is very traditional. Interestingly enough this type of energy production meets 2 percent of the UK electrical demand in total.

A hydropower system transforms the kinetic energy of the moving water into another type of energy by means of a turbine. The important thing is that without relying on water storage the turbines can generate electricity. ‘Micro-Hydro’ utilises a chunk of the outdated sluices and dam systems that have been killed off by the large national distribution methods. Whilst considered a small form of electrical output this system has been thought to be able to give some 200mW of capacity to the UK. The capital cost of installing a micro-hydro system can run between 200 and 3000 pounds per kW of energy output.

It is down to the worldwide energy requirements that sees the growth in ‘Green Energy’. Considering this schemes laid out above the UK domestic market appears to be one of the core beneficiaries of this technology.

With the bulk of development work in the domestic field both the Plumbers and Electricians are set to capitalise in this area. You can now get a range of grants to support the growth of renewable energy ideas within the European market. Equally important is the role of gaining qualifications to install items that we have talked about. By mixing green training with those of electrical or plumbing you could cover both angles.

(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Check out Solar Training or Click HERE.

Lots of people choose a career within the electrical industry because it both appeals and motivates them. Whilst the original term is ‘Electro-Mechanical Engineering’ we will simply refer to the subject as the Electrical Industry. Also, due to a wide variety of qualifications and standards throughout the world, we’ll focus on those that fit the UK domestic and commercial market. As this is such a wide ranging subject matter we’ll begin by sticking to the main area first and come back to the ‘add-ons’ later.

Basically there are two clear ways to gain admission into the electrical market. The first is for those wishing to train via a more traditional apprenticeship route, and the second is for people who are entering the field at a later stage in life. To begin with we have the ‘Junior Entrants’ and then we have the ‘Mature Entrants’.

Principally, Mature Entrants join the electrical workplace later on, and focus on becoming self employed. This means working on their own and not having to pay salaries to anyone else. Those who join as Junior Entrants, on the other hand, appear to do so with the aim of joining an established electrical firm – in order to gain further qualifications and experience whilst picking up practical and other work-place skills. Upon leaving school many apprenticeships provide a fast learning curve for young adults looking to boost their auxiliary skills.

The two different ways into the industry have two separate methods of preparation. In essence, the Junior Entrants follow an NVQ syllabus, or SVQ syllabus in Scotland. Whilst the core syllabus is relatively similar to non-NVQ commercial training, there is a particular requirement to attain the actual NVQ qualifications as part of the overall training program. New employees gain the necessary course work and testing elements through an apprenticeship or some form of suitable work program.

By working independently and without the need for NVQ assessments, many Mature Entrants can concentrate on those areas that provide the biggest profit and offer the largest practical solutions for themselves. Having said that, the mature student does aim to gain the necessary skills to do the job, whilst at the same time reducing their training costs at all times. Whilst this may seem to reduce the overall qualification set, this meets the trade requirements for the areas involved, and thus provides a quicker and more direct commercial route to the market.

We should differentiate the prospective earnings into the two categories of employed and self-employed. Obviously, with self-employment, there is the added issue of whether the Entrant is part-time (working around another job) or full-time; we will concentrate on full-time. Income levels are also dictated by experience and knowledge gained – usually proven via an accredited proficiency or certification level.

The basic salary for Junior Entrants tends to start around the 12-15k mark, but rises regularly to around 30k with the right level of experience. Conversely, the UK newspapers often report experienced mature electricians can expect an income of anything up to 70.000. Regardless of all that is the need to cover off additional costs such as tools, clothes and even a vehicle and all that goes along with that. Earmarked within this is the need to cover additional expenses such as accountancy or insurance. Aside from that, the current skills shortage within the UK still means that there’s lots of high value work out there. Without a doubt, the market would allow for some people to work a full seven days a week. Whilst figures of seventy to a hundred thousand are often bandied around in the press, they do not often inform you of the long hours you would need to work to achieve this.

To be fair, most Junior and Mature electricians experience very different working hours to each other. ‘Junior Entrants’ would normally be required to work Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Whereas the Mature market can be more dependent on the domestic market for some – i.e. weekend and evening work, when their clients are available and back from work. Although by testing and installing various business systems, many self-employed electricians manage to work during a normal working week.

A Junior Entrant that has chosen to adopt a career within the electrical trade is more than likely to gain follow up expertise within the particular field they fall into, often dictated by the main business activities of their employer. Whereas the mature entrant can gain knowledge from any trade source – even one outside of the core of electrical work. Without a doubt the extra skills help them in their overall employ whether this is commercial or domestic work.

One new, fast growing area – one that invokes a wide array of skills sets and is new to the industry overall – is that of the ‘Green Engineer’. The curiosity of both Junior and Mature Electricians to this new industry is well founded especially when considering the power of the UK and the EEC markets in areas of growth and governmental projects.

(C) S. Edwards 2009. Look at Electrical Training or Click HERE.

The press have often expressed how much Plumbers can earn in the UK. Figures of 30-70k p.a. are touted, alongside much talk of the profound shortage in the number of Plumbers within the UK. Is this really a fib – or is this in fact accurate? For an experienced Plumber, this amount of salary is both realistic and feasible. To be fair, the higher earnings of 70-100k p.a. are generally for those working within the self-employed field.

To be fair being with a regular employer often results in working from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm as standard. Normal remuneration such as holiday pay and sickness allowance, along with wages of between 15k and 30K p.a., are usual from UK companies in this area. A self-employed person can earn more money than this traditional approach, but will often need to work outside of the Mon- Fri, 9am to 6pm example. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

Then there is the matter of working for yourself, which agrees with some people more than others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good ‘business’ sense. Furthermore, additional costs such as materials and transport, along with legal and accountancy fees will need to be paid. Although it is expected that these can be relatively small in relation to the earnings overall they can mount up, but then so can the benefits. And the benefits nearly always far outweigh the downsides!

From the outset it’s the double offer of teaching them from experience and covering most of their working needs that Student Entrants are looking for in employment. As quickly as possible the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of accreditations that they will rely upon. To be fair it is the ‘domestic’ market which appeals to a large number of self-employed plumbers and not necessarily that of the commercial sector. (Well the majority do at least)

Furthermore, each route into Plumbing has a necessity on the certification process overall. It is when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) is considered that a considerable discrepancy becomes clear.

To begin with, the Student Entrant appears to rely more heavily on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will regularly employ a range of certifications in order to meet the needs of their client’s requirements from the beginning. Certainly, the self-employed person needs to rapidly gain the key domestic-centred qualifications that will satisfy their typical household-based clients. Once they have covered the core parts the Student Entrant will often carry on their study not dissimilar to an apprenticeship in the workplace (where the NVQ element can be appraised.) The Student Entrant can also make financial savings at the start, as it is a cheaper form of study overall. It is often by gaining certifications faster, by being motivated by a more commercial standpoint that the Self Employed Entrant will achieve considerable financial benefits before a Student Entrant.

It is by covering the study needs along with those of a clear careers discussion that meet the financial rewards. For adults with demands of say a 20kp.a and a family to look after, the prospect of going back to college and spending a further 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work can be very daunting. Equally, many self-employed students fund the courses themselves whereas the Student Entrants often have their studies paid for them as part of their overall apprenticeships. These costs (for self-employed status) can often end up around 3k-10k+, dependent upon the course structure and the level of certification sought.

Self Employed Entrants can consider a wide range of private technical colleges as opposed to the reliance on further-education colleges and that differentiates them from Student Entrants. It is through well known educational paths that many commercial training companies can offer routes into correct qualifications and skill-set requirements. In the current climate the ability of Self Employed Entrants to maintain their current financial situation and job, whilst at the same time as training in the evening, part-time or on self study classes remains one of the advantages of this system. With so many training colleges available, it makes sense to gather information from as many sources as possible. We’ve provided links and adverts from several, so why not book-mark this page (CTRL-D) so you can come back later to review your options.

It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their ‘marketability’. Courses in areas such as Gas, Electrical and Green Energy can provide added certifications. Forming part of the common domestic and commercial heating system, Plumbers have often opted for Gas Training.

With core subjects followed by NVQ’s, Gas Training is a thorough and exact training program. This considers ongoing development, especially for those who trained first as a plumber and are seeking extra skills. It could be said that the blend of training covering Plumbing/Gas training is better matched to the mature student. Indeed, the path for the Mature Student seems to be to drop the NVQ elements and to focus on the core subjects.

It is from this mix of training methods that the self-employed professional appears to benefit. The opportunity to learn a wider range of perceived skill-sets (whilst earning money from them) becomes the attraction. The removal of any reliance of sub-contracting key skills of third parties definitely enhances the commercial package. Sub-contraction needs to be handled carefully as the erosion of customer satisfaction by having to wait for key work to be completed by third parties can result in a serious reduction in potential earnings. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.

In conclusion, the Self Employed Entrant can enjoy a much higher (and more quickly achieved) income than a Student Entrant, but they would have to work at developing a broader range of certifications (and consider the business side of things too.) Note: This information relates to the UK market, policies and industry requirements alone.

(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Hop over to Plumbing Qualifications or Plumbing Training.