Should I Change My Career to become a Plumber?

bargainfinder on 12/11/2018 - 23:36
Last edited 12/11/2018 - 23:38

Hi all
I am a male, turning 30 next year. Have a stable job earning 70k/year working 5 days/week including weekend. I have been doing baking for the last 7 years but recently feel i want to do something different as baking was not my first choice, and i start to get bored of my current job. Anyway i am thinking of study and do an apprenticeship to become a plumber. What do you think? i picked Plumbing because of the hype people saying how high a plumber could earn, and also the flexibility of working for yourself (eventually). Plus i don't mind the hard work when you are working for yourself and you know it is rewarding.

What do you think? is it too late now to study? I will be around 37 by the time i am fully qualified and licensed.

Anyone here is a plumber? can you please shed some light? Where do i start? Can i still do my full time baking job and do a plumbing course 1 day/week, which is what tafe is offering. Or do i need to quit my job and start working for a license plumber while study?

Poll Options expired

  • 30
    Yes, do it for the future earning potential.
  • 5
    No, stick with your current stable job.
Education & Work

Comments

  • Hybroid on 12/11/2018 - 23:37
    +2

    Why not consider starting your own bakery?

    • bargainfinder on 12/11/2018 - 23:41

      Too much competition. Plus there is a lot of risks and headache when running a bakery( I have managed a bakery for this company and never enjoy it)

      • Masterpupil on 13/11/2018 - 12:09

        Are not the hours fairly demanding too? People I have spoken to have complained about the early hours and how that affects sleeping/normal life activities?

        • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:14

          Thats is correct for most bakery which could start as early as 12.00am. The one i am working for is not too bad as i start from 6.am onwards

  • follow on 12/11/2018 - 23:42
    +1

    8 years to do an apprenticeship?

    • bargainfinder on 12/11/2018 - 23:45

      Next enrollment intake at my local tafe is mid next year, i heard it take 7 years if doing gas as well

    • Shiny Mew on 18/11/2018 - 17:22

      Takes about that long in uni to pick up the multiple qualifications required to have even a small chance at landing a relevant FT job.

      • follow on 18/11/2018 - 17:33

        but it's 4 years for plumbing and gas

  • Scrooge McDuck on 12/11/2018 - 23:46
    +2

    Being paid to lay pipe sounds pretty good to me!

    • onetwothreefour on 13/11/2018 - 06:37
      +1

      I already get paid for doing that, only 15 minutes per day though.

  • altomic on 13/11/2018 - 00:05

    my brother in law is a plumber.

    earns decent money.

    plumbers are never out of work.

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:27

      Is he a sole trader with his own business or does he work for someone? What sort of monry is he getting say per year if you don't mind me asking?

  • Smashed Avo on 13/11/2018 - 00:10
    +1

    Doing a trade is something you pick up at 15-18 because by the time your body is shot from decades of manual labour at 45-50 you've made enough bank. Starting as an apprentice at 30 seems like a really bad idea.

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:31

      Thank you. I do take that into consideration as well and it is a hard call. I can enjoy my normal routine baking job and not have to worry too much, with average wages and hope to score a bargain property to have my own house. Or i need to work hard for 20 more years If plumber earn as good as people said.

  • pegaxs on 13/11/2018 - 00:22
    +2

    Do it. I went back to do locksmith as a trade after doing hospitality and automotive mechanic. I’m going to give electrician a crack next year if I can get in.

    I wouldn’t mind doing plumbing, but sticking my hand down sewer pipes is just off putting.

    • follow on 13/11/2018 - 01:15

      You'll be doing a full time apprenticeship? Do you work outside of it?

      • pegaxs on 13/11/2018 - 12:01

        Nope. I’m an adult and get paid adult wages. My employer was happy to put me on because he said all of the kids that applied for it were all useless and he would rather have someone more grounded and more likely to learn and actually turn up.

        Sure, I wasn’t getting as much as a full qualified tradie, but it wasn’t $8/h youth wage that an apprentice might get.

        • follow on 14/11/2018 - 14:18

          Since you've got two trades under your belt, do you do a shortened apprenticeship?

          • pegaxs on 14/11/2018 - 15:57

            @follow: 3 trades… and not really. I applied some RPL (recognition of prior learning) so I didn’t have to go to some classes. But it still had to wait until the course caught up to me.

            It doesn’t shorten the course, it just minimises the amount of bum on seat class time.

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:22

      Thats great that you can make that decision and achieved what you after. Honestly becoming a plumber or electrician was my initial pick,but lack of guidance and unable to enroll 10 years ago into Tafe as i was an international Student back then have lead me into hispitality( baking).

  • [Deactivated] on 13/11/2018 - 00:29
    +2

    Do it if you can survive financially while an apprentice.

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:24

      I can easily survive if keep staying single and don't buy a house as i have saving of 130k. However as said i will be struggling should house prices spike again

  • Gronk on 13/11/2018 - 06:13

    Not wanting to sound too negative but trades are a young mans game and you're going to be almost 40 by the time you're qualified. I've just spent the last 6 years studying and working full time, honestly couldnt imagine doing it on apprentice wages…

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:25

      I know it is a physical demanding job

    • altomic on 13/11/2018 - 23:10
      +1

      He's going to turn 40 anyway. Might as well have a qualification which will lead to good pay and no chance of unemployment. And still get 25 years out of it.

  • buckster on 13/11/2018 - 08:38
    +4

    How hairy is your bum crack? I think that's an important consideration

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:16

      Pretty hairy i guess as i haven't wax them :)

  • bobbified on 13/11/2018 - 08:55
    +2

    If you do go from being a baker to a plumber, try to remember not to knead any clumps you come across in the new job.

    • JIMB0 on 13/11/2018 - 09:51
      +3

      And stop licking your fingers at the end of the job.

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:32

      You will be suprise how much par-bake there is in a lot of big bakery nowaday

  • 2jzzzz on 13/11/2018 - 09:05
    +1

    Pick a trade that isn't so physically demanding. Sparky, locksmith etc

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:33

      Electrician was one of the trade on my list, however is the money worth it to switch career?

  • altomic on 13/11/2018 - 09:36
    +9

    I don't know…….being a baker is meant to be a good job as you can make a lot of dough.

    • blitz on 13/11/2018 - 11:40
      +1

      I really didn't knead that pun this morning.

      • buckster on 13/11/2018 - 18:18

        Someone had to rise to the occasion

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:34

      Unfortunately, nowaday lot of dough are frozeen ;)

  • Fiximol on 13/11/2018 - 10:32

    Is your name Mario? Cos you might have some nerd cred and competitive advantage.

  • tsunamisurfer on 13/11/2018 - 12:06

    Perth plumbers get cost $45 per 15 mins.

    This means they are getting paid more than a hooker, that is the definition of success.

    • bargainfinder on 13/11/2018 - 18:34

      Thats what i am talking about becoming a plumber

    • follow on 14/11/2018 - 10:36

      More palatable than saying $180 an hour haha

  • Hardlyworkin on 13/11/2018 - 19:04

    Do some more research into what area you want to specialise in. Sprinkler fitters are in high demand in the large capitals, you can be on close to 100k for that and not dealing with the literal shite of being a plumber.

    Adult apprentice plumbers can still earn a decent wage, it's just finding a company willing to invest in you.

    Maybe you can find someone you know to get some experience to see if it's for you or not.

  • Bargain4Days on 14/11/2018 - 06:23

    As someone who undergoing a electrical apprenticeship (first year) i get paid 12.32 as im a youth. You will be getting paid minimum wage, something like 18 or 19 an hour. All I can say is that being a apprentice sucks, you do all the manual and hard labour, although it gets better throughout the apprenticeship (hopefully)

  • Shiny Mew on 18/11/2018 - 17:20

    Lol @ people complaining about apprenticeship wages. You get PAID for working 40-50 hours a week. At uni, you PAY for the privilege of studying 30-80 hours a week (depending on the demands of the course and your willpower).

  • Euphemistic on 02/12/2018 - 07:15

    Sounds like you should consider a change, but don’t just change for the money. Make sure you know what the job will entail otherwise you might end up wanting another change.

    Plumbing can mean lots of digging, dealing with sewer, confined spaces under buildings etc. electrician can mean lots of crawling around in confined roof spaces in the heat etc. it isn’t all just switching taps or light switches at waist level.

  • sandman87 on 02/12/2018 - 20:58

    Have you considered the health implications of becoming a plumber? Not so much dealing with sewage, but if you are 29 and going to begin an apprenticeship which you think will have you fully qualified by the time your 37, will your body be up for the hard work?

    As im sure you can probably attest as a Baker, there are some days that you can get injured on the job. Muscle strains, burns, back ache, etc. If you start plumbing, you may only have about 15 years of hard work in you before you body may not be able to keep up with the heavy lifting, crawling in tight spaces, etc.

    Of course this is something only you can judge, but I bring it up because a close friend of mine left plumbing at around 27, because he didn't want to get to middle age and have a wrecked body. He retrained and is now doing something else.

  • greatlamp on 02/12/2018 - 20:58

    Would you rather be a 37 year old plumber or a 37 year old baker?

    Plumbing is hard work, but you would be used to that as a baker I would imagine.

    Also it isn't a daily grind. You do a job, drive to the next while sitting. People underestimate just how draining standing on your feet all day without a break is

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