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The salaries of Plumbers are often talked about in the national press. Within the UK, the figures of 30-70k p.a. are typical of Plumbers, mainly down to their low numbers. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? For an experienced Plumber, this amount of salary is both realistic and feasible. Those taking the more conventional ways to work will find it hard to reach the incomes of 70-100k p.a. that are sometimes achieved by the self-employed.

If you enter the traditional work environment, primarily working for an established employer, then working hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm are standard. Furthermore from a UK employer, the usual perks are holiday pay and sickness allowance, as well as salaries of between 15k and 30k p.a. Whilst the ability to earn more than through normal means exists, the self-employed plumber usually has to consider working longer hours. This is clear when self employed plumbers have to work evenings and weekends, where their domestic clients are working during the day.

On a personal level remains the issue self-employment, something that does not become everybody. Finally there is good ‘business sense’, such as getting the hourly rate correct, advertising and marketing budgets spot on which are all important. Likewise self-employed people need to consider the implications of costs relating to materials and transport as well as legal and accountancy fees etc. Whilst it is expected that the benefits will be high, the costs can mount up though they should always remain a small part of the income overall. Certainly the downsides are virtually always beaten by the income!

Often customary work from employers attracts Student Entrants especially if it meets their needs training in working knowledge and experience. On the other hand, the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list plumbing credentials as soon as possible. That said the vast majority of self-employed plumbers appear to favour the ‘domestic’ instead of the commercial market. (Not all of them, but the main do!)

Furthermore, each route into Plumbing has a necessity on the certification process overall. Without a doubt the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) raises a constant concern as to the way forward.

At first, the Student Entrant does appear to depend much more on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. In trying to meet their client’s needs many Self Employed Entrants will employ a wider range of qualifications. Certainly, the self-employed person needs to rapidly gain the key domestic-centred qualifications that will satisfy their typical household-based clients. The Student Entrant will often carry on their studies in the workplace under an apprenticeship where the NVQ element can be assessed. Due to the cost effectiveness of this study the Student Entrant can make strong savings from the outset. However, in relation to the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster and therefore achieve substantial financial gains in the long term.

This clearly demonstrates the need for talk about careers, covering the certification and study required along with the expected financial rewards. It would generate serious hardship, for example, for an adult requiring 20k p.a. (to provide for their family,) to go back to college and spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. Furthermore, many Student Entrants have their studies paid for them whereas the self-employed students fund the variety of course themselves. For self-employed people these costs are set by the course structure and the level of certification sought and can end up between 3k-10k+.

For the most part, Student Entrants will study at recognised further-education colleges, whereas the Self Employed Entrant has the option to consider the wider range of private commercial schools. It is through well known educational paths that many commercial training companies can offer routes into correct qualifications and skill-set requirements. One of the main advantages of this method is the opportunity for evening, part-time, and self-study classes – allowing Self Employed Entrants to train whilst continuing with their existing job, thus maintaining their financial situation. With so many colleges at hand, the key is to secure as many with technical data sources and gather them. Having provided an option for you to come back and review the links and adverts from several sites, why not book mark this page (CTRL-D).

Many plumbing students will go on to consider additional courses to increase their ‘marketability’. Key certificates in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical training can be provided by these courses. Gas training has always been a route for Plumbers to consider, as this forms part of the common domestic and commercial heating system.

It is with its main subjects, alongside added NVQ’s, that result in Gas Training being viewed as a technical program. It also features many options for on-going training, especially for those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at some extra skills to add to their stable. From this idea the mature student works better with a fusion offered by Gas/Plumbing training. The path of focussing on the core subjects and at the same time dropping the NVQ’s seems to favour the Mature Student.

From this, the self-employed professional appears to suit the variable training schemes. To earn money whilst at the same time as gaining a wider range of perceived skills becomes a desirable prospect. This further enhances their commercial offering, instead of sub-contracting key skills to a third party. Of equal concern is the lowering of customer value as they have to wait for essentials to be handled by others and the reduction of the overall earning potential that ensues from sub-contraction. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.

It is by working at their broader range of certifications alongside business skills that Self Employed Entrants can achieve much higher income streams that their Student Entrant counterparts. Note: This information deals with industry requirements and policies for the UK market alone.

(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Try Plumbing Apprenticeships or CLICK HERE.

The CompTIA A+ course has four specialist sections – you need to pass exams in 2 different areas to reach the level of competent in A+. For this reason, most training providers simply provide 2 of the training options. We consider that this isn’t enough – certainly you’ll have the qualification, but knowing about the others will give you a distinct advantage in the workplace, where you’ll need to know about all of them. So that’s why you deserve training in all four areas.

When you embark on the A+ computer training course you will develop an understanding of how to build computers and fix them, and work in antistatic conditions. You’ll also cover fault-finding and diagnostic techniques, both remotely and via direct access.

If you aspire to maintaining networks, add the very comprehensive CompTIA Network+ to your A+ course. Including Network+ will prepare you to apply for more interesting jobs. Other ones that might be interesting to you are the networking qualifications from Microsoft, i.e. MCP, MCSA MCSE.

Students will sometimes miss checking on something that can make a profound difference to their results – the way the company divides up the courseware sections, and into how many bits.

Training companies will normally offer some sort of program spread over 1-3 years, and send out each piece as you complete each section or exam. Sounds reasonable? Well consider these facts:

How would they react if you didn’t complete each and every module within the time limits imposed? And maybe you’ll find their order of completion doesn’t come as naturally as another different route may.

Ideally, you want ALL the study materials up-front – so you’ll have them all for the future to come back to – at any time you choose. This allows a variation in the order that you complete your exams if another more intuitive route presents itself.

IT has become amongst the most stimulating and innovative industries that you can get into right now. To be working on the cutting-edge of technology is to be a part of the massive changes affecting everyone who lives in the 21st century.

Technology, computers and connections through the web will dramatically shape the way we live our lives in the near future; overwhelmingly so.

Wages in the IT sector aren’t to be ignored either – the income on average in the UK for the usual IT employee is much higher than in the rest of the economy. It’s a good bet that you’ll receive quite a bit more than you’d expect to earn doing other work.

Excitingly, there is no easing up for IT expansion in the United Kingdom. The market continues to develop hugely, and we don’t have anywhere near enough qualified skilled IT professionals to fill current job vacancies, so it’s not likely that things will be any different for quite some time to come.

Let’s admit it: There really is no such thing as individual job security anymore; there can only be industry and business security – as any company can drop any single member of staff whenever it fits the company’s trade needs.

Whereas a marketplace with high growth, where staff are in constant demand (as there is a growing shortage of fully trained people), creates the conditions for true job security.

The IT skills-gap across the United Kingdom clocks in at just over 26 percent, according to the 2006 e-Skills investigation. Meaning that for every four jobs that are available around computing, there are barely three qualified workers to do them.

Attaining in-depth commercial IT qualification is consequently a ‘Fast Track’ to realise a life-long and pleasing career.

As the Information Technology market is developing at such a rate, is there any other area of industry worth taking into account for your new career.

Some training providers will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance facility, designed to steer you into your first job. Because of the growing shortage of skills in Britain even when times are hard, there’s no need to make too much of this option though. It’s actually not as hard as some people make out to get your first job once you’re trained and certified.

Whatever you do, don’t wait till you have qualified before polishing up your CV. As soon as you start a course, mark down what you’re doing and place it on jobsites!

You may not have got to the stage where you’ve qualified when you will get your initial junior support role; but this can’t and won’t happen unless you’ve posted your CV on job sites.

The most reliable organisations to help you find a job are generally specialised and independent recruitment consultants. Because they only get paid when they place you, they have the necessary incentive to try that bit harder.

Please ensure you don’t spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, and then do nothing more and expect somebody else to sort out your employment. Get off your backside and get out there. Put as much resource into finding your new role as it took to get qualified.

Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Check out Graphic Design Portfolio or www.Alternative-Careers.co.uk/AltCarK.html.

If it weren’t for a constant influx of knowledgeable network and PC support personnel, business in the UK (and around the world) would surely grind to a halt. There is an ever growing requirement for people to support both the systems and the users themselves. Because we become massively more dependent on advanced technology, we simultaneously find ourselves increasingly dependent on the skilled and qualified networking professionals, who keep the systems going.

Proper support is incredibly important – look for a package offering 24×7 direct access to instructors, as anything else will annoy you and definitely hold up your pace and restrict your intake.

Always avoid certification programs which can only support trainees through a message system when it’s outside of usual working hours. Companies will try to talk you round from this line of reasoning. But, no matter how they put it – you need support when you need support – not when it’s convenient for them.

We recommend looking for training schools that incorporate three or four individual support centres active in different time-zones. Every one of them needs to be seamlessly combined to offer a simple interface and round-the-clock access, when it’s convenient for you, with no hassle.

If you accept anything less than support round-the-clock, you’ll end up kicking yourself. It may be that you don’t use it late at night, but you’re bound to use weekends, late evenings or early mornings.

Make sure you don’t get caught-up, as can often be the case, on the training process. You’re not training for the sake of training; this is about employment. You need to remain focused on where you want to go.

Avoid becoming part of the group who choose a training program that sounds really ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ – and end up with a certification for a career they’ll never really get any satisfaction from.

Be honest with yourself about how much you want to earn and how ambitious you are. Often, this changes what exams will be expected and what you can expect to give industry in return.

We’d recommend you seek advice from a professional advisor before making your final decision on some particular study program, so there’s little doubt that the specific package will give the skill-set required for your career choice.

Let’s face it: There really is pretty much no individual job security anywhere now; there’s only industry or business security – companies can just drop any single member of staff if it suits their business interests.

We can however hit upon security at market-level, by digging for high demand areas, tied with work-skill shortages.

Investigating the computing sector, a recent e-Skills study showed a 26 percent skills deficit. Accordingly, for each 4 job positions in existence across Information Technology (IT), organisations are only able to find certified professionals for 3 of them.

Accomplishing proper commercial computing certification is consequently a fast-track to achieve a life-long and rewarding living.

Because the IT sector is evolving at such a rate, there really isn’t any other sector worth investigating as a retraining vehicle.

Sometimes men and women assume that the state educational system is still the most effective. So why are commercially accredited qualifications beginning to overtake it?

With university education costs spiralling out of control, along with the industry’s growing opinion that vendor-based training often has more relevance in the commercial field, there has been a great increase in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA accredited training programmes that educate students at a much reduced cost in terms of money and time.

Obviously, a necessary amount of background information needs to be learned, but precise specialised knowledge in the required areas gives a vendor educated student a real head start.

Think about if you were the employer – and your company needed a person with some very particular skills. What’s the simplest way to find the right person: Wade your way through loads of academic qualifications from various applicants, struggling to grasp what they’ve learned and which workplace skills they have, or choose particular accreditations that exactly fulfil your criteria, and make your short-list from that. You can then focus on how someone will fit into the team at interview – rather than establishing whether they can do a specific task.

(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Browse around Flash Training or Web Design Training.