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One of the great advantages of learning a trade is how seamlessly you can transition into becoming your own boss. Once you have completed your electrical training and got some work experience under your belt, you might be thinking of striking out on your own as a self-employed electrician.

Starting your own business can be very exciting, but also daunting. We’ve created this guide to get you off on the right path.

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One of the great advantages of learning a trade is how seamlessly you can transition into becoming your own boss. Once you have completed your electrical training and got some work experience under your belt, you might be thinking of striking out on your own as a self-employed electrician.

Starting your own business can be very exciting, but also daunting. We’ve created this guide to get you off on the right path.

More...

Black Friday offer - free toolkit

This coming Friday (25th November 2022) is Black Friday, and we've got a very special offer for everyone who enrols on one of our trade courses this week.

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Rated People logo

We are pleased to announce that Access Training is now partnered with Rated People, the UK's top online marketplace for trustworthy tradespeople.

Anyone can post a job on the Rated People website - for example, if Joe Bloggs needs a plumber to fix his leaky sink, he can submit a request via Rated People and nearby tradespeople will be able to offer their services.

Once the job is done and dusted, Joe can post a review on the plumber's profile page to let others know whether that particular tradesman proved reliable.

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What to do if you mess up your A levels

So you’ve just received your A Level results and they’re not what you expected – don’t fret! Thousands of students each year find themselves in this position and although you may be feeling like these results will determine the rest of your life, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Ultimately, A Levels are a small hurdle in the grand scheme of life, and there are plenty of exciting opportunities and options to choose from – even if you didn’t get the grades you wanted!

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Training to become a plumber

If you want to become a plumber, there are several different pathways that can get you there. Options include:

  • Completing a college course or apprenticeship
  • Training 'on the job' while working as a plumber's mate
  • Learning your new trade at a training centre

The best option for you will depend on your personal circumstances and your career aspirations.

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Gas engineer in training

Gas-fuelled appliances can be very dangerous if they're not installed correctly. Because of this, gas appliances should ONLY be installed and serviced by competent, qualified gas engineers.

Here in the UK, gas fitters are legally required to join the Gas Safe Register before carrying out any gas work. The Gas Safe Register website makes it easy to...

  • Check whether your gas engineer is registered
  • Report illegal gas work

Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI in 2009, and since then, it has been the sole official gas registration body for the United Kingdom (as well as the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey).

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Apprentice electrician

An electrical apprenticeship is kind of like a cross between a university course and a full-time job. Electrical apprentices carry out real-life electrical work (under the supervision of an experienced electrician, of course) and get paid for it; but they also spend part of their time in the classroom, studying their new trade and the theory that underpins it. 

Electrical apprentices typically spend at least 20% of their working hours studying.

Some see the traditional apprenticeship route as a rite of passage for budding tradespeople. But an electrical apprenticeship is rarely the most efficient way to get qualified and start your career.

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Working as a carpenter

Am I too old to retrain as a carpenter?

This is a question commonly asked by people in their forties who are considering a change of career.

If you're around 40 years of age and wondering whether it's too late for you to become a carpenter, allow us to reassure you that it most certainly is not!

In this blog post, we'll take a look at the options available to you as an adult learner and how you can become a carpenter at 40 with the help of Access Training.

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Plumber doing a job

Thinking of becoming a plumber? Here's a preview of what an average working day might look like once you're qualified...

Plumbers tend to rise early in the morning, often completing the first job of the day before the nation's office workers have even switched on their computers. But while those office workers will be chained to their desks for the next eight hours, a professional plumber gets to spend the day travelling around, tackling a variety of tasks in all sorts of different workplaces.

 

What jobs do plumbers do?

The jobs that make up a plumber's average working day depend (to an extent) on whether that plumber is self employed or employed by someone else.

 

Self-employed plumbers

If you've decided to set up your own business and be your own boss, you're free to pick and choose what jobs you take on. In all likelihood, domestic plumbing repairs and installations will form the majority of the work you do.

Common jobs include:

  • Stopping leaks and drips
  • Unclogging drains
  • Improving water pressure
  • Installing new pipework
  • Fitting bathrooms
  • Repairing boilers*

*Note that plumbers must be Gas Safe registered in order to work on gas boilers.

 

Plumbers employed by somebody else

If you are employed by a commercial plumbing company, your typical working day will probably look a little different from that of a self-employed domestic plumber.

Yes, there will still be plenty of leaks to fix and drains to unblock, but you may also find yourself...

  • Installing plumbing systems in new buildings
  • Maintaining large-scale water supply / waste removal systems
  • Carrying out work on public water mains

If you're not keen on the idea of spending lots of time in the van, zipping from one job to the next, then you might prefer a 'static' job that allows you to do all your work in one place. Many large businesses employ resident plumbers to carry out regular inspections and maintenance on the company's premises.

 

What hours do plumbers work?

Some plumbers work a standard nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday week like everyone else. But there's a lot of extra money to be made if you're happy to work evenings and weekends. If your average customer is at work during the day, they'll probably want a plumber who is willing to pop by later on, when they're at home...or maybe on Saturday, when they've got the day off. And of course, some plumbing emergencies can't wait until the next weekday!

Self-employed plumbers have the freedom and the flexibility to choose their own timetable and work as many (or as few) hours as they wish. Plumbers in traditional employment usually - though not always - operate on a more rigid schedule. Both career paths have their benefits; once you've completed your training and got some professional plumbing qualifications under your belt, it will be up to you to decide which lifestyle suits you best.

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