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If you have not done so already, then it is time to catch the trend. Downloadable computer games are a great way to find fun PC games for every member of your family. You can shop from the comfort of your own home, and you do not have to settle for less. You can find exactly what you are looking for, and there are so many different features that you can find a rich experience right on your computer.

While many people still prefer to buy separate game consoles, because of the advanced state of technology, you can do almost as much with a computer as you could with a separate came system. It is no surprise that people are turning to PC games, because usually you do not need to purchase anything on top of your computer that you already own. No matter the types of PC games that you enjoy, you are sure to find something to suit your interests.

Many diverse genres of games are on the Internet, so you can find something that fits. There are epic war games, or learning games for children, but you are sure to find anything in between.

If you are looking for downloadable games that will not be difficult, then there are plenty such simple PC games like solitaire. A large portion of downloadable games are very easy to learn, so you can get started today. On the other end of the spectrum, difficult downloadable games are to be had for the more experienced computer gamers.

If you are hesitant about downloadable games because you think that they are hard to download, leave your worries at the door. PC games are exceptionally easy to download, and usually you can accomplish it in fewer than five clicks of your mouse. You can download them to your desktop or to a folder of your choice, and in order to play, you simply open up the program. If price is an issue, then you should try them out online before buying any downloadable games.

When you find the game you want online, there is usually a large button to start the download. Clicking this button will typically open a new download window, which will walk you through the steps. You can choose where to download the game, and you can usually play right away without having to restart your computer. If you are concerned over the price of downloadable games, rest assured that you can usually try them out before purchasing them.Usually you can even find games you already love and enjoy through board games on the computer. Start your search online and see what great downloadable games you can find today.

If you want the best dowloadable games the internet has to offer, drop by our website anytime. We have PC games of all types that you will surely enjoy.

The salaries of Plumbers are often highlighted in the national press. 30-70k p.a. is often talked about because of the lack of Plumbers. Is this really a fib – or is this in fact accurate? Certainly this level of payment is both possible and achievable for the correctly qualified Plumber. 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.

To be fair being with a regular employer often results in working from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm as standard. Normal remuneration such as holiday pay and sickness allowance, along with wages of between 15k and 30K p.a., are usual from UK companies in this area. The self-employed person can generally achieve higher incomes than those available from the traditional approach, but would need to consider working ‘out of hours’ – and probably longer than the typical 9am-6pm Mon-Fri model. This is more noticeable when the self employed plumber chooses to work in the domestic market, as result often requiring many evening and weekend visits to suit their clients.

There is also the issue of self-employment itself – which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. Finally there is good ‘business sense’, such as getting the hourly rate correct, advertising and marketing budgets spot on which are all important. There are additional charges levied to people who work for themselves including legal and accountancy fees as well as those relating to materials and transport. Although it is expected that these can be relatively small in relation to the earnings overall they can mount up, but then so can the benefits. Added to that, the positives virtually always outstrip the negatives!

From the outset it’s the double offer of teaching them from experience and covering most of their working needs that Student Entrants are looking for in employment. Equally the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of qualifications within a reasonable time frame. Having said that, we should bear in mind that the majority of self-employed workers tend to migrate towards the narrower ‘domestic’ market, rather than the commercial sector. (Not all, just the majority!)

With reference to education in Plumbing, there is a likeness needed by each part of the industry in relation to the certification elements. It is when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) is considered that a considerable discrepancy becomes clear.

To begin with, the Student Entrant appears to rely more heavily on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will often call upon a wider range of certifications right from the outset; in order to satisfy their perceived client’s requirements. To satisfy their typical household-based client base many self-employed persons will need to quickly focus on the relative domestic skill sets. 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.

It is the required financial rewards that drive the urgency of clear careers discussions, whether they are overall study or certification requirements. It is often the issue of 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work, alongside going back to college that many adults having to look after their family and with say 20kp.a requirements find difficult. Furthermore, many Student Entrants have their studies paid for them whereas the self-employed students fund the variety of course themselves. It is often the course structure and the level of certification that can run into costs of around 3k-10k+.

The study process is often split with Student Entrants studying at recognised further-education colleges whereas the mature Self Employed Entrants going for a wider range of private run technical schools. It is the lead into familiar skill-sets and qualifications that commercially fixed plumbing course companies offer as part of their training paths. 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. From this it makes sense to gather as much detail as you can especially with so many training options available. We’ve provided links and a book mark to this page (CTRL-D) so you can come back whenever you wish and review the adverts and options available to you.

Many plumbing students will increase their ‘marketability’ through the use of further courses. These courses can provide a range of additional certifications in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical. A typically popular route for Plumbers is Gas training, especially as this forms part of the usual commercial and domestic heating system.

Gas Training, with subjects followed by a focus on NVQ’s is recognised as an accurate and exact training 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. It could be said that the blend of training covering Plumbing/Gas training is better matched to the mature student. Indeed, the path for the Mature Student seems to be to drop the NVQ elements and to focus on the core subjects.

It is from this mix of training methods that the self-employed professional appears to benefit. Without a doubt the appeal is to learn a greater range of skill-sets and at the same time earn money from them. It is by removing the reliability on third party sub-contraction that results in the increase of the industrial package. Whilst sub-contracting can reduce the earning of a particular job perhaps more important is the deterioration of the value in a customer’s eye as they have to wait for jobs to be handled by others before completion of the overall task. The more skilled a plumber is in their job role – the more that they have to offer their client base.

Whilst the Student Entrant has the chance to develop through an established employer a Self Employed Entrant can utilise their skill levels through business skills and develop a broader range of certifications to achieve a higher income stream. Note: This information reflects the needs and requirements for the industry and policies of the UK market alone.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Look at MatureStudentTraining.co.uk/mmatstr.html or Courses In Plumbing.

The figures explaining how much Plumbers can earn is often talked about in the papers. Within the UK, the figures of 30-70k p.a. are typical of Plumbers, mainly down to their low numbers. So, is this really the position or is this basically untrue? Without a doubt, a fully experienced Plumber can command salaries of such levels. Salaries of 70-100k p.a. are achievable, but these appear to be the area of the self-employed Plumbers rather than those who take the more familiar working methods.

It is fairly usual to expect working hours of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday with a reputable employer. 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. That said it is by working longer than typically 9am to 6pm, Mon to Fri that self employed people achieve higher incomes than those adopting a traditional approach. Without a doubt in the domestic market many clients require evening and weekend visits and self employed plumbers have to meet that need.

Around which is the question of self employment which appears to fit some people. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good ‘business’ sense. Furthermore, additional costs such as materials and transport, along with legal and accountancy fees will need to be paid. While these costs can mount up, so too do the benefits, however the costs should always remain a smaller part of the income generated. And the downsides are nearly always outweighed by the proceeds!

Without a doubt Student Entrants are looking for companies who can offer them regular employment and thereby teach them from experience. As quickly as possible the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of accreditations that they will rely upon. In fairness it is the ‘domestic’ market rather than the commercial sector that attracts the majority of the self-employed workers in the UK. (Not all of them, but the main do!)

Furthermore, each route into Plumbing has a necessity on the certification process overall. There does remain considerable question when the factor of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) is realised.

From the outset, it is clear that the Self Employed Entrant does not depend as much upon the NVQ’s as the Student Entrant. In order to meet their client’s expectations the Self Employed Entrant will often need to use a greater range of certifications. Certainly, it is the qualifications aimed at meeting the needs of the typical household-based client base that self-employed persons need to focus upon. In a similar way to an apprenticeship the Student Entrant will, once the core learning tools have been learned, enter the workplace and be able to carry on the NVQ element of their study. By using this cheaper form of study the Student Entrant can make sound financial savings from the outset. It is fair to say that long before the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant can gain financial benefits through establishing certifications faster and by being more commercially motivated.

This clearly demonstrates the need for talk about careers, covering the certification and study required along with the expected financial rewards. It is often the issue of spending time at college and then having to go back to an apprenticeship for up to 3 years that proves difficult to many adults especially those that have a family to look after. Equally, many self-employed students fund the courses themselves whereas the Student Entrants often have their studies paid for them as part of their overall apprenticeships. The level of certification sought by the student drives the course structure and can result in costs of between 3k through to 10k+.

Whilst the Self Employed Entrant can consider a wider range of education forms including private colleges the Student Entrant is limited to known further-education colleges. Commercially oriented plumbing course companies will provide an established path of training which ultimately leads into recognised skill-sets and qualifications. Of a key opportunity is the ability to train out of hours – evening, part time and self study classes that allows Self Employed Entrants to continue training whilst continuing with their job and maintaining their financial situation. Using the range of sources, it makes sense to gather as much detail as possible and through this be able to work out the training college that suits you best. We’ve provided links and adverts from several, so why not book-mark this page (CTRL-D) so you can come back later to review your options.

Plumbers ‘marketability’ is often increased through the use of additional courses. Key certificates in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical training can be provided by these courses. One of the most popular routes for Plumbers has always been Gas training, as this forms part of the typical domestic and commercial heating system.

Gas training in itself is a specific and rigorous training regime, with core subjects followed by an emphasis on NVQ’s. The opportunity for on-going training is for those who trained first as a plumber and are now seeking to add some extra skills to their repertoire. In review it is often felt that the mature student responds well to the blend of Gas/Plumbing training. It is by centring on these core elements and dropping the NVQ elements that the Mature Student appears to settle.

It is this blend of training that would appear to satisfy the needs of the self-employed professional. To earn money whilst at the same time as gaining a wider range of perceived skills becomes a desirable prospect. The removal of any reliance of sub-contracting key skills of third parties definitely enhances the commercial package. Sub-contraction needs to be handled carefully as the erosion of customer satisfaction by having to wait for key work to be completed by third parties can result in a serious reduction in potential earnings. The higher the skill level of a Plumber the more that they can offer their client base.

Finally, whilst the Student Entrant breaks into the industry more quickly the Self Employed Entrant has the opportunity for higher potential earnings, but to do so they need to develop a broader range of certifications and a higher level of business skill sets. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.

Author: Scott Edwards. Browse around Plumber Apprenticeships or FindingANewCareer.co.uk/hfaneca.html.

The fact is that a career within the electrical sphere is a frequent alternative for many people. Often (and more correctly) referred to as ‘Electro-Mechanical Engineering’, we’ll simply refer to it as the Electrical Industry for the sake of simplicity here. Also, due to a wide variety of qualifications and standards throughout the world, we’ll focus on those that fit the UK domestic and commercial market. Because of the vast number of options available for a career within the electrical industry, we’ll start by concentrating on the main topics, and come back to the ‘add-ons’ later.

Basically there are two clear ways to gain admission into the electrical market. Initially there’s the more traditional apprenticeship approach, but equally there is now an alternative, suited to those who are keen to enter later in their life. We have to reference individuals so we will plainly do so by ‘Junior’ and ‘Mature’ entrants.

People who do not want to pay any extra salaries, but want to enter the industry with the focus of being self employed are who we refer to as Mature Entrants. By contrast, Junior entrants would seek to work with an established electrical firm and build their skill-sets as they train. This could be a young apprentice’s first position since leaving school, so it will be necessary to pick up supplementary working skills.

Clearly these two options have both differing training styles and methods of entry. NVQ’s are the key factor for all junior entrants. An NVQ qualification would need to be obtained as part of the training program. Often, this means that students have to gain an apprenticeship in order to be able to realise the course work and testing requirements of the job.

Mature Entrants do not appear to seek the NVQ element but instead they go after the most commercially suitable qualifications. In the main the person will aim to gain the best from their investment costs against the return for that training. Whilst this may seem to reduce the overall qualification set, this meets the trade requirements for the areas involved, and thus provides a quicker and more direct commercial route to the market.

In terms of typical earnings, we have two clear routes – those relating to employment and those for self-employment. Obviously, with self-employment, there is the added issue of whether the Entrant is part-time (working around another job) or full-time; we will concentrate on full-time. Salary options are often affected both by the know- how and the knack for doing things as well as any perceived formal levels of understanding.

With the right level of experience, ‘Junior Entrants’ salaries can rise considerably from twelve to thirty thousand pounds per annum. Mature Entrants are more difficult to assess, and incomes up to and above 70k are regularly reported within the UK Press. It should be remembered however that a self employed person must often bear additional costs for items such as vehicles, tools and clothing. In addition to this they will also have to allow for items such as accountancy and personal/professional insurance. In the UK there is a lot of work for electrical professions due to a short fall of current skilled people. Certainly, working a full week is a realistic possibility for those who want to. It should be noted that figures of 70-100k p.a. advertised are not necessarily easy to come by and would require some long working hours to obtain them.

Firstly, it is worth pointing out that the working week between the Junior and Mature electricians can vary enormously. ‘Junior Entrants’ would normally be required to work Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. While on the other hand, the opportunities in the domestic market (where mature entrants often work) can be heavily dependent upon when the clients get home. There are however lots of opportunities for self-employed electricians to do work on small business systems during normal office hours.

Once a career in electrical work has been chosen, a Junior Electrician is often at the mercy of their employer when it comes to learning new skills and expertise. Whereas the mature entrant can gain knowledge from any trade source – even one outside of the core of electrical work. They can take on larger jobs and do all the work themselves then – which is a particularly great benefit to domestic clients.

An area that is relatively new to the industry overall, yet requires new expertise is that of ‘Green Engineering’. This could be an area of interest to both Junior and Mature Entrants, and with the expected growth and governmental (both UK & EEC) support, it could provide some highly lucrative employment and business opportunities.

Copyright 2009 Scott Edwards. Visit CLICK HERE or Electrician Training Courses.

Cisco training is fundamentally for those who wish to understand and work with routers and switches. Routers join up computer networks over the internet or lines dedicated for that purpose. We’d recommend that you should start with your CCNA. It’s not advisable to launch directly into your CCNP for it’s full of complexities – and you’ll need the CCNA and experience first to take on this level.

You must have a good understanding of computer networks and how they operate and function, because computer networks are joined to routers. If not, it’s likely you’ll run into difficulties. We’d recommend you find a course teaching the basics (maybe the CompTIA Network+, possibly with A+ as well) before getting going with CCNA. Some providers offer this as a career track.

Achieving CCNA is perfectly sufficient to start with; don’t be cajoled into attempting your CCNP. Once you’ve worked for a few years, you’ll know if it’s relevant for you to have this next level up. If so, you’ll have the experience you need to master your CCNP – because it’s far from a walk in the park – and ought not to be underestimated.

We can guess that you probably enjoy fairly practical work – the ‘hands-on’ individual. If you’re anything like us, the trial of reading reference books and manuals is something you’ll force on yourself if you absolutely have to, but it’s not really your thing. Check out video-based multimedia instruction if book-based learning really isn’t your style.

Research over recent years has constantly shown that getting into our studies physically, is much more conducive to long-term memory.

Programs are now found in disc format, where your computer becomes the centre of your learning. Using video-streaming, you can sit back and watch the teachers showing you precisely how it’s all done, with some practice time to follow – in a virtual lab environment.

It’s imperative to see courseware examples from any company that you may want to train through. It’s essential they incorporate instructor-led video demonstrations with virtual practice-lab’s.

Plump for CD and DVD ROM based physical training media where possible. You’re then protected from broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.

Any program that you’re going to undertake has to build towards a nationally (or globally) recognised certification at the end – not a useless ‘in-house’ diploma – fit only for filing away and forgetting.

Unless your qualification is issued by a company like Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco or Adobe, then you may discover it will be commercially useless – as it’ll be an unknown commodity.

Chat with almost any knowledgeable advisor and they’ll regale you with many worrying experiences of salespeople ripping-off unsuspecting students. Stick to an experienced industry professional that quizzes you to discover the most appropriate thing for you – not for their pay-packet! Dig until you find a starting-point that will suit you.

With some commercial experience or certification, your starting-point of learning is now at a different level to a new student.

Working through a foundation course first can be the best way to commence your computer program, but really depends on your level of familiarity with computers.

It’s so important to understand this key point: It’s essential to obtain proper 24×7 round-the-clock professional support from mentors and instructors. You will have so many problems later if you don’t heed this.

Email support is too slow, and so-called telephone support is normally just routed to a call-centre that will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor – who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you’re there), at a suitable time to them. This isn’t a lot of good if you’re lost and confused and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.

Be on the lookout for study programmes that use several support centres around the globe in several time-zones. All of them should be combined to provide a single interface together with 24 hours-a-day access, when it’s convenient for you, with the minimum of hassle.

Never settle for less than this. 24×7 support is the only way to go with technical study. Maybe burning the midnight-oil is not your thing; often though, we’re at work while the support is live.

(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Browse around NewCareerOptions.co.uk/nncarop.html or Interior Design Courses Online.

What might someone searching for Microsoft authorised training expect to find today? Clearly, training organisations ought to have a number of different options that cover the range of Microsoft certified training tracks.

You’ll want to consider all the options with a person who understands the requirements in the workplace, and will help you select the best kind of work to match your character.

Confirm that your training is personalised to your current skills and aptitude. The best companies will always guarantee that the training is designed for where you want to get to.

Ask almost any proficient consultant and they can normally tell you many horror stories of salespeople ripping-off unsuspecting students. Ensure you only ever work with a skilled advisor that digs deep to uncover the best thing for you – not for their pay-packet! Dig until you find the very best place to start for you.

With some commercial experience or qualifications, you may find that your starting point is very different to someone completely new.

If this is your first crack at studying to take an IT exam then it may be wise to practice with a user-skills course first.

A question; why is it better to gain commercially accredited qualifications as opposed to familiar academic qualifications taught at schools and Further Education colleges?

The IT sector now recognises that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, proper accreditation from the likes of Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA is closer to the mark commercially – saving time and money.

Obviously, a necessary degree of relevant additional detail needs to be learned, but core specifics in the particular job function gives a commercially educated student a distinct advantage.

If an employer knows what they’re looking for, then they simply need to advertise for someone with a specific qualification. Commercial syllabuses are set to exacting standards and don’t change between schools (as academic syllabuses often do).

One of the most important things to insist on has to be 24×7 round-the-clock support via professional mentors and instructors. So many companies we come across only provide support to you inside of office hours (typically 9am-6pm) and sometimes a little earlier or later (but not weekends usually).

Look for training with help available at any time of the day or night (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it’s always access directly to professional tutors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages – so you’re parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back at a convenient time for them.

The best training colleges offer a web-based 24×7 system pulling in several support offices throughout multiple time-zones. You’ll have a single, easy-to-use environment which accesses the most appropriate office irrespective of the time of day: Support when you need it.

Don’t ever make the mistake of taking second best when you’re looking for the right support service. The majority of students who drop-out or fail, would have had a different experience if they’d got the right support package in the first place.

Looking around, we find a glut of employment in the IT industry. Picking the right one in this uncertainty is a mammoth decision.

Since without any solid background in Information Technology, how should we possibly understand what a particular job actually consists of?

To attack this, we need to discuss a variety of definitive areas:

* Personality plays a significant part – what gets you ‘up and running’, and what are the activities that you really dislike.

* Why you’re looking at stepping into the IT industry – is it to triumph over a long-held goal like working from home for example.

* Your earning needs that are important to you?

* With many, many ways to train in the IT industry – it’s wise to gain a solid grounding on what separates them.

* Having a proper look at what commitment and time that you can put aside.

The bottom line is, your only chance of understanding everything necessary is through a good talk with an experienced advisor that understands the market well enough to lead you to the correct decision.

Copyright Scott Edwards. Hop over to Online Graphic Design Courses or CareerChangeJob.co.uk/mcachjo.html.

Lots of people choose a career within the electrical industry because it both appeals and motivates them. Often (and more correctly) referred to as ‘Electro-Mechanical Engineering’, we’ll simply refer to it as the Electrical Industry for the sake of simplicity here. Equally we’ll focus on those credentials that fit the UK domestic and commercial sector rather than those from around the world. By starting on the main subjects and checking the ‘add-ons’ later on we can review the centre of the electrical industry.

The electrical market has in our opinion two methods of entry. The primary route is the apprenticeship which is considered the more traditional and then we have the second phase for those who are joining at a later stage. We have to reference individuals so we will plainly do so by ‘Junior’ and ‘Mature’ entrants.

Primarily, those who join the industry later on, (the Mature Entrants,) generally do so with the aim of becoming self-employed at some point, or to work on their own building projects etc. without having to pay wages to external electricians. By contrast, Junior entrants would seek to work with an established electrical firm and build their skill-sets as they train. After they leave school a young apprentice will have many skills to learn during their first few years of working life.

The different ways into electrical work have two distinct types of training: It is the involvement with NVQ’s (or SVQ’s for Scotland), that differentiate the Junior Entrants. The training itself is similar to non NVQ training, but completion of the full programme means getting the actual qualifications. Often, this means that students have to gain an apprenticeship in order to be able to realise the course work and testing requirements of the job.

Instead of seeking a work-based training environment, the Mature Entrant often seems to focus on working as a self employed person where different qualifications to NVQ’s are preferred. For example by concentrating on those qualifications aimed at giving them the best return from their training costs. Whilst this may seem to reduce the overall qualification set, this meets the trade requirements for the areas involved, and thus provides a quicker and more direct commercial route to the market.

With regard to regular earning potential we have two clear paths – one for employees and the other for the self-employed. For the sake of this document we will assume that everyone involved in electrical employment is working full-time. Skill and knowledge levels can often determine salary levels, although this is equally via a proven ability or certification scheme.

‘Junior Entrants’ can expect a basic salary of 12K at the beginning of their training. With application and experience this figure often more than doubles in time. However, with incomes of 70,000 or more a year, a ‘Mature Entrants’ salary can often be more difficult to judge. However, it should be borne in mind that a self-employed person must meet their own costs for tools, clothes and vehicles (including insurance and petrol.) Furthermore, professional items such as accountancy, tax and insurance need to be considered to make the business work properly. In the UK there is a lot of work for electrical professions due to a short fall of current skilled people. In light of the above, a full seven day week is available to most people should they want it. Whilst figures of seventy to a hundred thousand are often bandied around in the press, they do not often inform you of the long hours you would need to work to achieve this.

It should be noted that the working week for most electricians differs between the Junior and Mature Entrant markets. Most ‘Junior Entrants’ do not work at the weekends. Whereas the Mature market can be more dependent on the domestic market for some – i.e. weekend and evening work, when their clients are available and back from work. This alters quite a bit, with lots of self employed electricians gaining much of their income from small office work, which is predominantly Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

Once a career in electrical work has been chosen, a Junior Electrician is often at the mercy of their employer when it comes to learning new skills and expertise. Alternatively, the mature entrant can gain other training outside of their chosen field, such as gas and plumbing work. Within the domestic market this allows them to work under a range of headings without having to rely upon sub contract suppliers.

One fresh approach is that of the ‘Green Engineer’. The chance to win some big employment and business advantages within the governmental as well as the traditional growth sector means that this area could be attractive to both Junior and Mature Entrants alike.

(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Pop to Electrical Certificates or 2391 Courses.

The figures explaining how much Plumbers can earn is often talked about in the papers. It is this need for trained Plumbers that has led to salaries of 30-70k p.a. being advertised. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? Certainly this level of payment is both possible and achievable for the correctly qualified Plumber. 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.

It is fairly usual to expect working hours of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday with a reputable employer. 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. The self-employed person can generally achieve higher incomes than those available from the traditional approach, but would need to consider working ‘out of hours’ – and probably longer than the typical 9am-6pm Mon-Fri model. This is especially the case where self-employed plumbers have opted to work in the domestic market, where their clients are at work during the day – requiring evening and weekend visits.

On a personal level remains the issue self-employment, something that does not become everybody. This can involve factors such as getting the basics sorted out and the need to use good ‘business sense’ overall. Furthermore, additional costs such as materials and transport, along with legal and accountancy fees will need to be paid. While these can mount up, (although they should always be a very small proportion of your earnings,) so can the benefits received. And the positives virtually always beat the downsides!

Often customary work from employers attracts Student Entrants especially if it meets their needs training in working knowledge and experience. The Self Employed Entrant on the other hand will need to widen their list of plumbing accreditations and certifications as quickly as possible. Having said that, the majority of self-employed workers do not join the business sector but focus on the ‘domestic’ market. (At least most of them do)

In terms of plumbing education, there appears to be some similarity between the certification modules required by each path into the industry. There is considerable divergence though when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) comes into play.

From the outset, it is clear that the Self Employed Entrant does not depend as much upon the NVQ’s as the Student Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will regularly employ a range of certifications in order to meet the needs of their client’s requirements from the beginning. Certainly, it is the qualifications aimed at meeting the needs of the typical household-based client base that self-employed persons need to focus upon. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace – where the NVQ element can be assessed. Considering that it is a cheaper way to study then the Student can make practical savings from the start. It is fair to say that long before the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant can gain financial benefits through establishing certifications faster and by being more commercially motivated.

This shows the necessity of a clear careers discussion, covering the overall study and certification requirements alongside the required financial return. For adults with demands of say a 20kp.a and a family to look after, the prospect of going back to college and spending a further 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work can be very daunting. Equally, many self-employed students fund the courses themselves whereas the Student Entrants often have their studies paid for them as part of their overall apprenticeships. These costs (for self-employed status) can often end up around 3k-10k+, dependent upon the course structure and the level of certification sought.

Whilst the Self Employed Entrant can consider a wider range of education forms including private colleges the Student Entrant is limited to known further-education colleges. It is the lead into familiar skill-sets and qualifications that commercially fixed plumbing course companies offer as part of their training paths. In the current climate the ability of Self Employed Entrants to maintain their current financial situation and job, whilst at the same time as training in the evening, part-time or on self study classes remains one of the advantages of this system. From this it makes sense to gather as much detail as you can especially with so many training options available. Why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and then you can come back and review your options from the links and adverts we have provided for you.

Plumbers ‘marketability’ is often increased through the use of additional courses. Key certificates in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical training can be provided by these courses. A popular route for Plumbers involves that of the normal domestic and commercial heating system training program of Gas Training.

With core subjects followed by NVQ’s, Gas Training is a thorough and exact training program. This considers ongoing development, especially for those who trained first as a plumber and are seeking extra skills. From this stance, the mature student is often more suited to a cross of Plumbing/Gas training. For the Mature Student the emphasis appears to be reducing the NVQ elements and focussing on the core subjects.

It is from this mix of training methods that the self-employed professional appears to benefit. To earn money whilst at the same time as gaining a wider range of perceived skills becomes a desirable prospect. It is by removing the reliability on third party sub-contraction that results in the increase of the industrial package. Sub-contraction needs to be handled carefully as the erosion of customer satisfaction by having to wait for key work to be completed by third parties can result in a serious reduction in potential earnings. To be fair the more talent a Plumber has in their own job then the more they have to offer their client base.

In consideration therefore the Self Employed Entrant has the chance to earn considerably more and at a realistically higher pace than the Student Entrants, to do so they do have to develop both the range of certifications that they hold and consider the business elements as well. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Visit Plumbing Colleges or Plumbing Training.

For many people, an interesting and varied choice often means a career within the electrical industry. Within this document we will not use the full term of Electro-Mechanical Engineering but use the term Electrical Industry instead. As there are a wide variety of global standards, we will focus on those from the UK and in particular those relating to the domestic and commercial markets. Since there is such a wide list of choices in the electrical industry, we’ll start by looking at the main themes first and then come back to any ‘add-ons’ later.

On consideration, we observe two forms of access into the electrical market. Along with apprenticeships for school leavers, students entering the field at a later phase in their life now have an alternative to more traditional amateur routes. Throughout this document we will simply refer to two types of people the ‘Junior’ and the ‘Mature’ entrants.

Principally, Mature Entrants join the electrical workplace later on, and focus on becoming self employed. This means working on their own and not having to pay salaries to anyone else. However, people who join as junior entrants like the fact that they can join a recognised firm to pick up the bulk of their practical and work based skills. Often a young apprentice will be in their first job since leaving school, and will therefore have a host of ancillary skills to learn during their first few years as a working adult.

The two different ways into the industry have two separate methods of preparation. Junior entrants go through NVQ training in England and Wales, and SVQ training in Scotland. As part of the training program an NVQ would be a requirement to attain. New employees gain the necessary course work and testing elements through an apprenticeship or some form of suitable work program.

Mature Entrants, with the possible aim of entering the market from a self-employed perspective, seem to focus on attaining the most commercially viable qualifications (without the need for the NVQ element.) i.e. Those certifications that will get them up and running with the best financial return from their training investment. This method may appear to reduce the levels of knowledge overall, but it does allow for an increase in the speed by which people enter and become more prevalent within the market.

Between self-employment and general employment we have two routes to consider in terms of typical income. Obviously, with self-employment, there is the added issue of whether the Entrant is part-time (working around another job) or full-time; we will concentrate on full-time. Income levels are also dictated by experience and knowledge gained – usually proven via an accredited proficiency or certification level.

Wages for ‘Junior Entrants’ can become as high as 30,000 or more per annum with the right experience, although starting salaries are around 12,000. Conversely, the UK newspapers often report experienced mature electricians can expect an income of anything up to 70.000. That aside, many added costs need to be remembered by self employed people in order to make their business work. Allocations for personal/professional insurance will also have to be catered for. Aside from that, the current skills shortage within the UK still means that there’s lots of high value work out there. If a student wanted to work every day of the week this would be possible in some areas. To achieve the high salaries of 70+ thousand then you will need to put in very long hours and commit yourself fully.

For the most part there is a strong difference between the Junior and Mature Entrants’ working week. ‘Junior Entrants’ would normally be required to work Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. While on the other hand, the opportunities in the domestic market (where mature entrants often work) can be heavily dependent upon when the clients get home. Again, this varies considerably, and many self-employed electricians make the mainstay of their income from office and small business installation, testing and inspection, which is Mon-Fri 9-5pm.

To be fair it’s often the boss of a company who states the type of specialist knowledge that Junior Entrants gain whilst in their employ. The mature entrant, on the other hand, may seek training outside of their core electrical field, possibly including plumbing and gas work. This gives them the chance to complete work for domestic clients without having to sub contract jobs out every time.

A new trade example is that of the ‘Green Engineer’. This new service to the industry could fit into the overall skill-set of an electrician. With expected growth through new employment contracts and business options, this new entity is extremely attractive to many Junior and Mature Electricians, especially when considering the UK and EEC support overall.

Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Look at 2391 Courses or AdultRetrainingCourses.co.uk/kadreco.html.

We often read in the press of the salaries that the Plumbing trade is achieving. Salaries of 30-70k p.a. are often discussed, along with the lack of plumbers within the UK. The question now is – are we being lied to, or is this the truth? For the competent and correctly skilled person, this level of salary is realistic. In fact, earnings in excess of 70 – 100k p.a. are achievable – but that is solely for those who work within the self-employed market-place, rather than those who work within established employment routes.

If you are working for a traditional company within the UK, then the hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm are normal. Indeed salaries of between 15k and 30k p.a. form part of what is expected from employed status in this area, along with the added reward of holiday pay and sickness allowance. 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.

Then there is the matter of working for yourself, which agrees with some people more than others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good ‘business’ sense. Similarly, to cover additional elements such as legal and accountancy fees and materials and transport, will require the planning of most self-employed people. These charges should always remain a small proportion of the overall income so that any profits created always outweigh them. And the downsides are nearly always outweighed by the proceeds!

Firstly, it is the ordinary employer who covers most of the needs and teaching prospects that Student Entrants are interested in. Equally the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of qualifications within a reasonable time frame. Having said that, we should bear in mind that the majority of self-employed workers tend to migrate towards the narrower ‘domestic’ market, rather than the commercial sector. (Not all, just the majority!)

With reference to education in Plumbing, there is a likeness needed by each part of the industry in relation to the certification elements. The issue of NVQ’s (or SVQ’s in Scotland) nevertheless appears to cause some difference.

At first, the Student Entrant does appear to depend much more on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will often call upon a wider range of certifications right from the outset; in order to satisfy their perceived client’s requirements. In order to be able to meet the needs of the typical household, self-employed persons will need to rapidly gain key domestic-centred qualifications. 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. That said it is the ability to gain real financial rewards long before the Student Entrant that encourages many Self-Employed Entrants to gain certifications faster and be motivated by a stronger commercial attitude.

Clearly this illustrates the need for a careers discussion that covers certifications and study alongside those of financial returns. It is often the issue of spending time at college and then having to go back to an apprenticeship for up to 3 years that proves difficult to many adults especially those that have a family to look after. Normally, self-employed students to pay for their courses themselves whereas the younger Student Entrants have the majority of their courses paid for them as part of their apprenticeships. These courses can run between 3k through to 10k+, depending upon the course and level of certification required and that is something that people need to consider.

For the most part the private colleges are the domain of the Self Employed Entrant whereas the Student Entrant is required to study at recognised further-education colleges. Plumbing training companies can offer commercial routes in to reputable training paths that cover the necessary qualifications and skill-sets. The situation whereby Self Employed Entrants can continue with their current job and maintain their financial position remains one of the core advantages of training in evening, part-time or self study classes. With the high number of colleges it makes sense to gather as much technical data as you can. To review your options why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and you can come back and review the links and adverts we have provided for you.

It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their ‘marketability’. Courses in areas such as Gas, Electrical and Green Energy can provide added certifications. Gas training has always been a route for Plumbers to consider, as this forms part of the common domestic and commercial heating system.

Gas training in itself is a specific and rigorous training regime, with core subjects followed by an emphasis on NVQ’s. For those who trained as a plumber these schemes offer many options for further development and can clearly seen to add additional skills to the table. In review it is often felt that the mature student responds well to the blend of 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.

The self-employed professional appears to benefit from this distinct training mixture. The opportunity to learn a wider range of perceived skill-sets (whilst earning money from them) becomes the attraction. This adds to their overall package rather than having to rely on sub-contraction of key skills to third parties. Sub-contracting can not only reduce the earning potential of a job, but also erode the value in the customer’s eye, as they may have to wait for key stages to be handled by someone else before the final completion of the job. The more skilled a plumber is in their job role – the more that they have to offer their client base.

In conclusion, the Self Employed Entrant can enjoy a much higher (and more quickly achieved) income than a Student Entrant, but they would have to work at developing a broader range of certifications (and consider the business side of things too.) Note: This information deals with industry requirements and policies for the UK market alone.

(C) 2009 – S. Edwards. Browse around www.NewCareerOptions.co.uk/incarop.html or Part Time Plumbing Courses.