Plumbing or Engineering!?!

[ArtfulHussy]

I've spent the last few years trying to break into engineering after my apprenticeship as a panel beater when down the pan. This year I completed my NC mechanical engineering and I have just been offered a job as an apprentice mechanical inspector with RWG (Rolls Woodgroup) in their turbine and power generator overhaul facility in Aberdeen.

I have just had a plumber round who is accredited with SMIPEF (think that's the right acronym), who was so impressed by my bravery to attempt plumbing without any previous experience and willingness to understand exactly what he was doing he offered me an apprenticeship there and then. He then told me he is self employed and makes £45 an hour, is never short of work and can comfortably take in £2000 a week.

A few years ago I would have taken his hand off to accept but I've job hopped so much over the last year, and spent years working towards this engineering thing, would it be totally foolish and stupid to take his offer? I'm at a stage where, either way I would have a pretty sound future ahead of me. I guess the major difference could be that as a plumber I could go self employed in the future.

Opinions from the floor? Please!?

 

[red]

I think you should do the one you enjoy more, also weigh in what affect the earning difference would have on an apprenticeship over the next N years versus the career path in engineering.

 

[Dal]

As a Mechanical Engineer (for the last 28 years for my sins) and someone that can do plumbing (but hates it) I'd say that the decision for you totally depends which you enjoy most as Red said above.

That said, and putting the plumber case forward, you'll never be out of work as a self employed plumber so long as you can handle the self employed status and the paperwork / tax / NI paperwork you'll have to do yourself.

A career in Mech Eng at the moment is pretty buoyant as there's far more jobs than engineers out there. By the same token, the varied roles withing mech engineering should mean you'd find something you could enjoy.

You could also be a freelance / contract engineer remember.

Generally Aberdeen + oil engineering = ££££

 

[moondustka]

Whatever you do, don't go into electrics.. You'll never be appreciated.

I would go for engineering over plumbin and I would guess plumbing is more taxing on the body after years and years.

 

[hotrodspike]

What ever you decide to do, make sure you enjoy doing it, as you're going to be doing it for a long time. Don't forget the retirement age is going up all the while so your job/career is going to last you for 40/50 years or so, and that's hell of a long time to be miserable doing a job you don't like!

Oh, and if you decide on plumbing, imagine cleaning out somebody's blocked toilet on a hot sweaty afternoon with all that stinking crap coming back up the U bend! Not to mention the disposable nappies that have been chucked down there as well!

I'm an engineer by the way, toolmaker/grinder by trade. Not as much money as a sh1t unblocker, but today I've been machining a final drive for a Harley racing bike that's racing over the weekend so it had to be done in a hurry. Very satisfying, happy now.

 

[Frank]

I think if it appeals to you and you think you'll enjoy it, then by all means go for plumbing. But don't do it based on this -

[post]354253[/post] I have just had a plumber round who is accredited with SMIPEF (think that's the right acronym), who was so impressed by my bravery to attempt plumbing without any previous experience and willingness to understand exactly what he was doing he offered me an apprenticeship there and then.

....Step back and look - that is just flattery. There are many non-plumbers around who are very competent at plumbing and many who are extremely willing to understand the business (mainly because they don't want to pay £45 an hour next time!) Do they get offered apprenticeships on the spot? Nope.

The real motive is a mystery, but I'd steer clear of that one for a start.

 

[Doingitsideways]

If that's the going rate for a plumber in Aberdeen, I'm loading up my tools and heading north!!

I wouldn't believe the £45 per hour bit myself. That's bonkers money.
£2k per week is all well and good, that's over £100k P/A. But even of you did manage to earn that, the tax would be mega!
I think he may do £2k worth of business per week. Business and profit are two very different things.

I've never earned that amount of money in my life, and I've been doing this for a while now.
If I can clear £5-600, I've had a good enough week.

Either way, only you can decide what's best for you.
I learned a long time ago that it's not all about the money.
I've been offered jobs for fairly substantial amounts of money, but either knew the people were @rseholes, or the stress would have been mega.
Been there, done that, never again.

Good luck with whatever you decide, Fella

 

[moondustka]

Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity.. :wink:

A lot of people flaunt their turnover around. I don't know why because you can pay £3 and have a look through anyone's books to see what the profit was.

 

[ArtfulHussy]

Thanks for all the input folks! I'll stick with the engineering I guess. I've spent a few years trying to claw my way into a job I'm engineering and I've been offered a mighty fine one so I should be thankful that my hard work has paid off.

Hopefully in four years times I'll be a qualified inspector..

 

[ArtfulHussy]

So today my boss sat me down and asked if I would consider staying with the company and foregoing the apprenticeship with RWG (haven't even finished my probation yet!).

I've been offered the opportunity to assist with the QAQC chap next door inspecting and test fitting the new tools that come in, as well as being taught how to run the stores with a view to taking control of them when the current store man retires (around 18 months).

Not a bad dilemma to have but I don't know what to do. Current job is double the money I would be on with RWG, closer to home, hours are good, atmosphere is good. But the other job is Rolls flamin' Woodgroup inspecting their turbines and is an actual apprenticeship with a proper structure.

I have to decide by Monday.

 

[Robyorks]

Ahh, a curve ball!

Plumbing/Engineering/Stores bod...

Stick with the apprenticeship I reckon!

My oldest brother is a Navy retired engineer, was head hunted by a firm in the UAE last year and hasn't looked back!

 

[Dal]

When we're looking for new engineers, ones with proper apprenticeships always shine a little bit brighter. k:

 

[ArtfulHussy]

Och I know. I'm just worried about the money. I'm 25 and I know I'm still young really but I'll be pushing thirty by the time I've finished my apprenticeship and am on a decent wage. If I'm on a decent wage now, albeit at a different job, I'll be more comfortable and could just settle for what I've got. I actually applied to be a mechanical fitter but was offered inspector instead. It's not exactly what I was after but I figured the inspector roll would be a good market regardless.

I'm torn between going for it and just accepting that maybe I'm one of those people who just works to make a living and doesn't mind their job, but isn't exactly excited about it. I'm concerned that I won't really be excited about the inspector job once I get into it and then I'll be kicking myself for leaving this one.

Also, if I stick with the good noney I could maybe look at getting a horse next year and spending a bit of money on my pumas...

 

[yippeekiay]

Hard I know when you're young but try not to look at the money unless it's a short term fix and you have a longer term plan.
Believe me, when you are in a job that you don't enjoy, no money can be a substitute for having a job you enjoy doing. Well, almost no money :lol:

At 33 I ditched my trade and cut my wages by more than half to re-train and do something I wanted, that's the best decision I ever took despite the financial pressure it put me in for a few years.

On the plus side I always have my trade and in the last 3 years I actually went back to it for two 3-month stints. Those 3 months were more than enough as it kept reminding me why I changed my career but in both cases the money was too good to say no and I was working with my best mate to negate the sh1tty job :lol:

 

[ArtfulHussy]

Age sack plumbing. Put the sink in today. What a fkn pig of a job. I hate plumbing.

On the second dilemma front however I have decided to speak to my current work about the role they have offered - if they are willing to fund me to finish my open uni degree (bachelors in engineering) then I will seriously consider staying. That way I would be gaining my degree, gaining experience in management, being trained to do some inspection and I will be financially comfortable. The current work has the added benefit of good working hours, relaxed environment and it only 15 minutes from home even in rush hour traffic. Hopefully they will agree. It won't cost them a lot, around a grand a year, and at the end they have a qualified engineer with in depth knowledge of the company. I could look at moving to their engineering department or something.