So what does everyone do for a living?
- Thread starter BiTurbo
- Start date
You do realise plumbers are just electricians that failed the entrance exam? 
I got a city and guilds in plumbing technical cert level 2 but sadly couldn't get an apprenticeship or even a plumber who'd take me on for a few years to cut my teeth. One of my biggest regrets not being able to pursue it. Wasted qualification!
I stopped sparkying from 1998 to 2013 when they made it harder to stay 715 and the hourly rate went down £4 per hour back on PAYE... couldn't manage financially.
Anyhoo after 15 yrs off the tools frying chicken and having sold that business on I went back to sparking to see out my time, paid my own 18th edition Regs update course plus C&G testing and went back on the tools PAYE for the same daily rate I had last earned in 1995... the only difference I didn't have to pay for a van and fuel.
I jacked after 4 yrs... slow learner, took a gap year and did a further 2 1/2 yrs for another bunch but luckily while we're not minted the missus said she enjoyed her part-time job and could see that mine was just making me angrier so "hang up yet spurs lover" and I've been shouting at clouds like Grandpa Simpson ever since.
What made you angry I hear? One classic example I'm running a job firing in new armoured sub-main feeds to a large comprehensive... sorry, Academy... chatting with the 18 yr old apprentice, genuinely decent lad, turns out I was clearing £90 odd per week more than him.
Anyhoo after 15 yrs off the tools frying chicken and having sold that business on I went back to sparking to see out my time, paid my own 18th edition Regs update course plus C&G testing and went back on the tools PAYE for the same daily rate I had last earned in 1995... the only difference I didn't have to pay for a van and fuel.
I jacked after 4 yrs... slow learner, took a gap year and did a further 2 1/2 yrs for another bunch but luckily while we're not minted the missus said she enjoyed her part-time job and could see that mine was just making me angrier so "hang up yet spurs lover" and I've been shouting at clouds like Grandpa Simpson ever since.
What made you angry I hear? One classic example I'm running a job firing in new armoured sub-main feeds to a large comprehensive... sorry, Academy... chatting with the 18 yr old apprentice, genuinely decent lad, turns out I was clearing £90 odd per week more than him.
Entrance exam involved leaving piles of dust & off cuts on the floor for others to clean up after me…You do realise plumbers are just electricians that failed the entrance exam?
I just couldn’t do it
From a retired domestic plumber and heating engineer Wow they are a work of art you can tell that you take pride in your work.I fit Plant Rooms, mainly. Both Domestic & Commercial. Also fix anything from a drippy tap, a toilet not flushing, and everything in between
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As a gold card carrying member of the Illuminati we were allowed first dibs on drilling through the most fragile floor joist and getting our tray runs in prime locations.Entrance exam involved leaving piles of dust & off cuts on the floor for others to clean up after me…
I just couldn’t do it
Another finely honed electrical skill was firing our armoureds through letter boxes cut into RSJs negotiated for by our bucket carrying brothers... we were both members of the same trade union after all.
Thanks John, very much appreciated mate
You must’ve passed the course with flying colours!As a gold card carrying member of the Illuminati we were allowed first dibs on drilling through the most fragile floor joist and getting our tray runs in prime locations.
Another finely honed electrical skill was firing our armoureds through letter boxes cut into RSJs negotiated for by our bucket carrying brothers... we were both members of the same trade union after all.
I like to think it was the nearest I got to being good at something just flipping annoying that nobody ever desperately needed a spark the way they need a plumber and every time a house burned down it was an electrical fault that ignited the gas leak.You must’ve passed the course with flying colours!
I draw the Plant RoomsI fit Plant Rooms, mainly. Both Domestic & Commercial. Also fix anything from a drippy tap, a toilet not flushing, and everything in between
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Looks like I've escaped redundancy this time. Am being provisionally offered another role (for similar pay I hope). Won't know what the role is for a month or two. Standby for an update in the coming weeks. Scared to celebrate and surrounded by colleagues who are being let go so major guilt and also imposter syndrome.
Fingers crossed for you, Ben.
Been on both sides of that equation and also been the one giving the bad news - neither are comfortable places to be.
Thats cool Ben!
Type of job I’d love to do, but I don’t think my my RYA Level 2 powerboat in the middle of Surrey will get me very far.
I’m currently an AAP (what used to be known as an Ambulance Technician) and an apprentice paramedic, uni finishing on Friday and fingers crossed, qualifying fully in November.
But this is my third attempt as a career, I originally started off as a photographer avoided weddings like the plague, so ended up as a darkroom, media and Mac tech and a lecturer at an FE college whilst photographic assisting, then made redundant so had a short stint as a Trainee Server Architect (which I wasn’t interested enough in) before landing in the ambulance service right at the beginning of covid.
The dream would be to be a winch paramedic, or magically involved in the coastguard or RLNI, or even HART. But I’m too old and fat for all that now, so I suspect I’ll end up pottering at a GP service or primary care when ambulance burnout kicks in. I’ve already outlasted a lot of people in the ambulance service as I’ve been in 7 years and average is 3-5.
I’m a keen diver so interested in marine biology too, but have very little knowledge or understanding except what I pick up from the marine biologists in my diving club.
Tough job that. Well done for sticking it out
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