Set your sights higher man!

You sound like a very clued up and intelligent guy in general.
Trust me, you dont want to be a plumber in 2012 and beyond.By the time you've done an apprenticeship in plumbing and gasfitting you will be down $10,580 over four years to pay for your training,which is payable to which ever industry training organisation you register with, you will need...(well depends how full on you are)..maybe $5k-7k worth of gear to slowly buy out of your wage over the four years, if you want to also do drainlaying add on say another $3k for that apprenticeship,plus some more for some other tools. Once you have your national certificates after four years and countless trips to Wellington for practical assessments(more costs in gas) you will then have to apply to sit the plumbers gasfitters drainlayers boards exams to become fully licenced (qualified). The exams are $300 each, and if your lucky enough to pass as they often make errors in the papers that see people fail you will then have to pay around $408 per trade to be officially added to a register as a competent qualified person. Thats $408 PER trade.

But wait the fun doesnt stop there...you will be required to pay an annual disciplinary levy and offences fee to the plumbers gasfitters drainlayers board of about $265 a year non-negotiable. A licence fee for each of the three trades you wish to be working in is an additional $107 around about per year....but you still cant legitimately start your own business,or sign off on your own jobs that require a building consent,like a new home where you've done the plumbing and drainage, or a bathroom or kitchen addition or alteration, or even if you've installed a new gas appliance. You cant do any of that as only a certifying plumber,gasfitter or drainlayer can.

But wait theres more...after you have worked in the industry for 1 year as a qualified licensed practitioner you are no longer competent at your trades. Yes that is right...some well to do people in Wellington, the almighty PGDB have decided that you know f**k all because they said so. You will have to start attending the many so called "Upskilling courses" that the plumbers gasfitters drainlayers board (PGDB) has imposed on us all as they feel we are a danger to ourselves and a danger to the health and safety of the public. These courses may cost you up to $1000 per year and it will be going up just like the cost of petrol only my guess it will be faster.

So all in all you could be down a $25k deposit on a house by the time you've gone through all the layers of bulls*it, its really not worth it mate trust me!!! You could go on and after your second year as a licensed qualified tradesman, sit the PGDB's certifying exams, which will cost you $300 each again and on the rise same as before and $408 if you successfully pass to have your registration status changed from licensed(qualified) to certifier.

After all that you will not find an employer in the Manawatu-Wanganui area who will pay you what you are worth. You will then become disgruntled and think about going out on your own.I am a licensed plumber,gasfitter and drainlayer,experienced roofer/spouting installer also with 10 years experience and have a pass mark in certifying plumbing and certifying gasfitting exams (yet to pay the fees to become legit certifier) with $20k of my own tools and equipment,and was getting offers of $20-$23 an hour in Wanganui. And they provide a van and a phone...that is all...need safety boots @ $170 for a average pair??...for get about it. They pay for nothing.In Wanganui I know that for a fact, they know its illegal but they dont care.

If I were in your position and I knew what I know about these doomed trades I would avoid with a 20 ft barge pole, its also very very  labour intensive, you will be constantly dusty and dirty crawling under peoples houses and commercial buildings, you will dig a lot of holes and trenches, you will get other peoples shit on your clothes or face even, if your unlucky while unblocking there drains,crawling through hot as hell ceiling spaces getting very itchy skin from the glass fibers in the pink batts, or go full overalls and have sweat pouring off you to the point your wet down to your underwear.

Electrical looks like a good option, I have mates who have far superceded my career now and have done extra things also like shoot over to Auz for a tidy $80k + a year etc. Mining companies in Auz are always after electricians, not plumbers,gasfitters and drainlayers so much. Ratio might be 80:1 etc.

Well thats my experience being a trades person in your area anyway, its not what I expected it to be 10 years ago thats for sure. Oh and to top it all off if your not old as the hills looking, you will have some fu*kwits come up to you from time to time that dont know you from a bar of soap and accuse you of not knowing anything much as you are younger looking than they are. F*ckin Fantastic!!!

Living the dream!!

nick, go get a job at the freezing works or watties....i started my plumbing and gas fitting career in feilding many moons ago. and had mates who went and worked at the freezing works....less stress more money....and you get alife !  ... buy a old house on east street do it up and flick it off, then do another.do all the work your self that you can legally  , maybe grab a bargin on kimbolton road, gut it and convert it to a day care/kindy and lease it out

Haha! Cheers for the heads up guys. I'll think I'll stick with die-making. Cleanish and I work from 8 till 4.30 with no call outs.