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Fade
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject: Career change |
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Hello, this is my first one so please go easy on me!
I'm looking to make a career change into painting and decorating, Ive seen a 6 week course which would give me City and Guilds 6217-03, looking around I see that most jobs require a CSCS card, I know I need an NVQ 2 for that which I can only get whilst in job, my question is how difficult am I going to find it, and what kind of company will take on a 30 year old who still needs training for NVQ? or would I be better starting out doing jobs for friends and family with the C+G qual and see how it goes?
any help would be greatly appreciated |
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hello23
Member
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 98
Location: ESSEX
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| Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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take small jobs on and do it part time to start. dont run before you can walk.
your confidence can go so quickly when you start, offer to do friends and family jobs in your spare time and build your confidence up.
business will be slow to start generally.
the reason i say do it this way is you may need more income than you can get been some firms apprentice.
good brushes & dushsheets should be your first buys after training. |
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54aardvark
Senior Member
Joined: 10 Jan 2008
Posts: 381
Location: MONTROSE
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| Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:55 am Post subject: |
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Hi Fade and welcome!
Good advice from H23, I certainly wouldn't leap in full time at the moment, even without the recession I think you'd be hard pressed to find a company to take you on. No offence, but if they were recruiting they'll be looking for someone who is up to speed and can tosh out a job fast, clean and unsupervised.
So my advice is the same, start doing small jobs alongside your full time job, it'll be a hard slog at first but you'll find out soon enough whether this is what you want to do full time!
There is a near vertical learning curve once you start doing your own work, particularly timing and budgeting - we've all been there, under-quoting and taking twice as long! Useful to keep a works diary and log what you've done, time taken and materials. Very handy when it comes to quoting for future jobs. you'll also be able to see your speed coming up.
Once your speed and confidence (and your order books) are looking good you could look at going full time self employed, I've been going nearly 5 years now and never regretted it but I have been extremely lucky with clients and rarely have any down-time.
Best of luck and remember we're always here for advice. |
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Have Brush Will Travel
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 584
Location: Wales
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| Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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Good advice there..
I wouldnt worry too much about the CSCS for now..its handy to have but you'll only need it on big sites..new build, hospitals, etc.
I shouldnt really say this but qualifications are the be all and end all in this trade,..ive only been asked for mine two or three times in thirty years in the trade.
Having said that, if two people are going for a job, both the same age experience etc then a qualification might tip the scales their way..
The most common question from a potential employer however is...how much a day do you want and when can you start.
Do the C&G qualification through..its a good one, and for some reason City and Guilds qualifications seem to be more highly regarded than NVQ's..which many emplyers still see as a 'course' as opposed to a qualification
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'''No one likes us...we dont care!''' |
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gixer750ws
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 22
Location: york
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| Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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| i've held a cscs card for nearly ten years now, retesting h&s after five i think and in that time only ever been asked for it once on site, even then it wasn't compulsory, so i wouldn't worry too much about that. |
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bobbie-dazzler
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 1533
Location: Greater london
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:08 am Post subject: |
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I agree with all of the above, start with domestic work, it works out better than working for the big boys.
I know of a few trades have been laid off round my way, infact one firm laid off 15, plus if you work on site as a dec, you will soon lose the will to live, ( I did) 
Stick to Mrs Smiths, and Mrs Jones, they are your bread and butter, a bit of jam is nice, but you will feel safer, less stress with the bread and butter jobs.
TBH, because I only do domestic work, I have never had it so good, and even in this 'credit crunch' climate I have never been so busy, I am inundated with work, I am booked up till next march now, and turning people away.
Never again, even on the threat of torture would I ever work on sites again. 
Start off small, do a good job, be clean and careful in thier home, be polite and friendly, and you wont look back. 
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When I first met my Mr Right, I didnt realise his first name was Always. |
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Fade
Junior Member
Joined: 03 Oct 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice everyone! I feel a lot more confident that i'm looking at the right way to go now, difficult as theres so many of these 're-training' courses out there which are a bit of a con.
Glad I found this site, should be invaluable once I get cracking, once again cheers! |
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hello23
Member
Joined: 09 Feb 2008
Posts: 98
Location: ESSEX
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| Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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go and look at the courses, i know my local college is better than the standard of one of the training centres near me.
i asked one of the pupils how thet were taught to paint a door on this course and his answer didnt fill me with confidence. |
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