Career advice for plumber thinking of new job.

[mmefc]

Hi Guys,

I'm a self employed plumber 10 years now and worked for a company in Dublin for 15 years so all in all I have 25 years expierience in the heating and plumbing sector.

I am 37 years of age married with 4 children. Living on commuter belt. I have never had a day off work due to the downturn until this year.

I'm considering getting out of the building trade altogether but I didn't get a great education. I did Junior Cert and then started apprenticeship. Didn't get my trade papers in the end. Are there any tradesmen who have had similar problem and left the business? What business did they go into? I have considered coach driving or something along those lines, any ideas?

 

[sidzer]

Why do you want to get out of plumbing...... Surely there is always a blocked toilet an airlock a waterpump to replace.... among the many other plumbing problems people encounter... Many of the colleges are now offering courses in alternative energies technologies.... this has to be the future...

Don't know very much about coach driving but even in the good times pay was alway suppose to be quite low unless you are in with one of the state companies...

A number of VECs offer leaving cert classes for mature students I think its called VTOS... All VECs have adult education guidance counsellors and they are used to dealing with adults returning into education and training - this service is free and there are many very good people in this field. As a mature student (over 23) you can apply to study at college. Mature students don't have to have the points but are considered on life experience and general interest....

PLC or post leaving cert colleges offer 1 year courses which are nice for anyone returnging to education... you can do a PLC in any subject area and most are linked with Institutes of technoloy and universities...

There are some grants and funding for unemployed people returning...

My steer would be contact your local VEC and ask for the adult ed guidance counsellor and s/he will support you and show you your options..

Best of luck...

 

[One]

Here is an unusual suggestion! Become a legionella risk assessor in addition to what you are already doing, not instead of it. There are number of courses in the U.K. that you could do that are only for a day or two in duration. Being a plumber I think is a great base for becoming legionell risk assessor. Do an interent search on legionella risk assessment companies in Ireland to see what it is all about. It might be something to consider.