A Few Job Ideas - Please Read =)
Discussion
Hello fellow PHers 
I've got a couple of years left at school now and i have been thinking about what i would like to do jobwise when i leave school. I like the idea of been a self employed plumber. My dad works at the weekends drawing plans for house extensions so he could recommend me to his clients. I have a few questions for any of you that can answer them:
Is there room in the plumbing sector of the trade for another self employed one?
Will i be working 5 days a week, because how many people have an emergancy that requires a plumber, or need a job doing that requires a plumber?
Another job i quite fancy doing is being a landscaper. I'm good with Google SketchUp so i could do 3D models which could attract more business. I also have a few questions, again, for any of you that can answer them:
I know it would take longer to landscape a garden than it would to fit a bathroom or fix a boiler, so i would be garenteed work for a while until i finished the job, but a lot of people tend to take on gardening themselves so would i get much business?
How much could i expect to earn after a year of work?
I've got a couple of years left at school now and i have been thinking about what i would like to do jobwise when i leave school. I like the idea of been a self employed plumber. My dad works at the weekends drawing plans for house extensions so he could recommend me to his clients. I have a few questions for any of you that can answer them:
Is there room in the plumbing sector of the trade for another self employed one?
Will i be working 5 days a week, because how many people have an emergancy that requires a plumber, or need a job doing that requires a plumber?
Another job i quite fancy doing is being a landscaper. I'm good with Google SketchUp so i could do 3D models which could attract more business. I also have a few questions, again, for any of you that can answer them:
I know it would take longer to landscape a garden than it would to fit a bathroom or fix a boiler, so i would be garenteed work for a while until i finished the job, but a lot of people tend to take on gardening themselves so would i get much business?
How much could i expect to earn after a year of work?
squarepants said:
Hello fellow PHers
I've got a couple of years left at school now and i have been thinking about what i would like to do jobwise when i leave school. I like the idea of been a self employed plumber.
I would suggest you work for someone for a few years to get an idea of how a business worksI've got a couple of years left at school now and i have been thinking about what i would like to do jobwise when i leave school. I like the idea of been a self employed plumber.
have a look here for income
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q...
Hello Luke, has your Dad bought another 911 yet!?
I met you a few times at the old pub meets when you used to come along with him.
RE Landscaping - My father is a self employed landscape gardener/designer (in your area actually!)
He has done this for about 8 years (ish) I think after being a teacher. He studied a diploma in Garden Design at a College near York (not too far from you I dont think?), and was previously a design+technology teacher.
One thing to note is that there are loads of 'tradesmen' who call them selves landscapers/gardeners. These are usually people who just put patios down and do a bit of block paving - this is far removed from being a proper Garden designer.
To really work at a higher level you need to understand a lot about horticulture aswell as design.
As a sole trader he does everything from meeting clients design work, and drawing up plans and quotations in his office, buying and selecting plants, materials, etc etc right through to doing the manual work of actually doing the build, heavy lifting, woodwork, laying slabs+grass, planting etc etc.
If you are interested in CAD then it could be quite interesting to get into. If you were able to produce high quality 3d plans etc then that would certainly be a good selling tool.
One thing to remember is that it is a very seasonal thing (more so than plumbing/other trades I guess) as all the work comes in through the spring+summer.
THE best thing you could do at the moment is look through your local papers and try and find some companies who will let you do a week or two's work experience - this will give you a good idea of what is involved in different jobs and over the summer holidays is an ideal time to do it, as they might need a spare set of hands for odd-jobbing/gophering.
Learning a specifc trade or skill is something very valuable IMO, and something I sometimes wish I had done instead of being punted off to University.
RE 3D design - this is another thing you could look into, and speak to careers advisors about. Learning Computer Aided Design is a very worthwhile skill used in all sorts of area, from the construction trade, to engineering, manufacturing, town planning, road building etc (I work as a lighting designer and use 2D and 3D sfotware to design and plan lighting installations). CAD covers a really broad range but there are basics which are shared between a lot of different jobs etc.
if you have the chance to start learning any of this at school or if you go to college, then its an in-demand set of skills that can be very useful.
Speak to the teachers in the Design+Technology department at your school and see if they can tell you a little more about it.
Hope this help a little!
I met you a few times at the old pub meets when you used to come along with him.
RE Landscaping - My father is a self employed landscape gardener/designer (in your area actually!)
He has done this for about 8 years (ish) I think after being a teacher. He studied a diploma in Garden Design at a College near York (not too far from you I dont think?), and was previously a design+technology teacher.
One thing to note is that there are loads of 'tradesmen' who call them selves landscapers/gardeners. These are usually people who just put patios down and do a bit of block paving - this is far removed from being a proper Garden designer.
To really work at a higher level you need to understand a lot about horticulture aswell as design.
As a sole trader he does everything from meeting clients design work, and drawing up plans and quotations in his office, buying and selecting plants, materials, etc etc right through to doing the manual work of actually doing the build, heavy lifting, woodwork, laying slabs+grass, planting etc etc.
If you are interested in CAD then it could be quite interesting to get into. If you were able to produce high quality 3d plans etc then that would certainly be a good selling tool.
One thing to remember is that it is a very seasonal thing (more so than plumbing/other trades I guess) as all the work comes in through the spring+summer.
THE best thing you could do at the moment is look through your local papers and try and find some companies who will let you do a week or two's work experience - this will give you a good idea of what is involved in different jobs and over the summer holidays is an ideal time to do it, as they might need a spare set of hands for odd-jobbing/gophering.
Learning a specifc trade or skill is something very valuable IMO, and something I sometimes wish I had done instead of being punted off to University.
RE 3D design - this is another thing you could look into, and speak to careers advisors about. Learning Computer Aided Design is a very worthwhile skill used in all sorts of area, from the construction trade, to engineering, manufacturing, town planning, road building etc (I work as a lighting designer and use 2D and 3D sfotware to design and plan lighting installations). CAD covers a really broad range but there are basics which are shared between a lot of different jobs etc.
if you have the chance to start learning any of this at school or if you go to college, then its an in-demand set of skills that can be very useful.
Speak to the teachers in the Design+Technology department at your school and see if they can tell you a little more about it.
Hope this help a little!
snotrag said:
Hello Luke, has your Dad bought another 911 yet!?
I met you a few times at the old pub meets when you used to come along with him.
RE Landscaping - My father is a self employed landscape gardener/designer (in your area actually!)
He has done this for about 8 years (ish) I think after being a teacher. He studied a diploma in Garden Design at a College near York (not too far from you I dont think?), and was previously a design+technology teacher.
One thing to note is that there are loads of 'tradesmen' who call them selves landscapers/gardeners. These are usually people who just put patios down and do a bit of block paving - this is far removed from being a proper Garden designer.
To really work at a higher level you need to understand a lot about horticulture aswell as design.
As a sole trader he does everything from meeting clients design work, and drawing up plans and quotations in his office, buying and selecting plants, materials, etc etc right through to doing the manual work of actually doing the build, heavy lifting, woodwork, laying slabs+grass, planting etc etc.
If you are interested in CAD then it could be quite interesting to get into. If you were able to produce high quality 3d plans etc then that would certainly be a good selling tool.
One thing to remember is that it is a very seasonal thing (more so than plumbing/other trades I guess) as all the work comes in through the spring+summer.
THE best thing you could do at the moment is look through your local papers and try and find some companies who will let you do a week or two's work experience - this will give you a good idea of what is involved in different jobs and over the summer holidays is an ideal time to do it, as they might need a spare set of hands for odd-jobbing/gophering.
Learning a specifc trade or skill is something very valuable IMO, and something I sometimes wish I had done instead of being punted off to University.
RE 3D design - this is another thing you could look into, and speak to careers advisors about. Learning Computer Aided Design is a very worthwhile skill used in all sorts of area, from the construction trade, to engineering, manufacturing, town planning, road building etc (I work as a lighting designer and use 2D and 3D sfotware to design and plan lighting installations). CAD covers a really broad range but there are basics which are shared between a lot of different jobs etc.
if you have the chance to start learning any of this at school or if you go to college, then its an in-demand set of skills that can be very useful.
Speak to the teachers in the Design+Technology department at your school and see if they can tell you a little more about it.
Hope this help a little!
Woah! Thats helped me a lot! Thanks a lot I met you a few times at the old pub meets when you used to come along with him.
RE Landscaping - My father is a self employed landscape gardener/designer (in your area actually!)
He has done this for about 8 years (ish) I think after being a teacher. He studied a diploma in Garden Design at a College near York (not too far from you I dont think?), and was previously a design+technology teacher.
One thing to note is that there are loads of 'tradesmen' who call them selves landscapers/gardeners. These are usually people who just put patios down and do a bit of block paving - this is far removed from being a proper Garden designer.
To really work at a higher level you need to understand a lot about horticulture aswell as design.
As a sole trader he does everything from meeting clients design work, and drawing up plans and quotations in his office, buying and selecting plants, materials, etc etc right through to doing the manual work of actually doing the build, heavy lifting, woodwork, laying slabs+grass, planting etc etc.
If you are interested in CAD then it could be quite interesting to get into. If you were able to produce high quality 3d plans etc then that would certainly be a good selling tool.
One thing to remember is that it is a very seasonal thing (more so than plumbing/other trades I guess) as all the work comes in through the spring+summer.
THE best thing you could do at the moment is look through your local papers and try and find some companies who will let you do a week or two's work experience - this will give you a good idea of what is involved in different jobs and over the summer holidays is an ideal time to do it, as they might need a spare set of hands for odd-jobbing/gophering.
Learning a specifc trade or skill is something very valuable IMO, and something I sometimes wish I had done instead of being punted off to University.
RE 3D design - this is another thing you could look into, and speak to careers advisors about. Learning Computer Aided Design is a very worthwhile skill used in all sorts of area, from the construction trade, to engineering, manufacturing, town planning, road building etc (I work as a lighting designer and use 2D and 3D sfotware to design and plan lighting installations). CAD covers a really broad range but there are basics which are shared between a lot of different jobs etc.
if you have the chance to start learning any of this at school or if you go to college, then its an in-demand set of skills that can be very useful.
Speak to the teachers in the Design+Technology department at your school and see if they can tell you a little more about it.
Hope this help a little!
And also, i think i do remember talking to you a few times a pub meets.Thanks again,
SP
Another little question:
I saw an electricians van today and it said 'domestic - commercial - industrial' on it. (i'll word this the best i can) I know that a domestic electrician is one that does electrical work in peoples houses. But what does the commercial and industrial bit mean? Is it doing work on a larger scale e.g. on a companies warehouse? Or a new office block?
SP.
I saw an electricians van today and it said 'domestic - commercial - industrial' on it. (i'll word this the best i can) I know that a domestic electrician is one that does electrical work in peoples houses. But what does the commercial and industrial bit mean? Is it doing work on a larger scale e.g. on a companies warehouse? Or a new office block?
SP.
squarepants said:
Also could anyone recommend me a different trade to go in to? Last night i thought about being a roofer. Would this be a good job or is the roofing trade quiet?
SP.
Why are you set on a building trade? What about the Uni route and then into a profession? You're English is pretty good, so you're clearly smarter than your typical 14 year old.SP.
It really sounds like you'd benefit from some proper careers advice - your school should be able to arrange that if you ask.
rhinochopig said:
squarepants said:
Also could anyone recommend me a different trade to go in to? Last night i thought about being a roofer. Would this be a good job or is the roofing trade quiet?
SP.
Why are you set on a building trade? What about the Uni route and then into a profession? You're English is pretty good, so you're clearly smarter than your typical 14 year old.SP.
It really sounds like you'd benefit from some proper careers advice - your school should be able to arrange that if you ask.
I wish to run my own company in the future by starting out with an apprenticship, going self employed then maybe building up a small business that may, in time, grow bigger and bigger.
If i moved away from the idea of going into the trade i would look into forensics, which is a job i've been researching for a while now e.g. salary, what you need to be good at etc. etc.
I want to go on to collage (have not yet decided about uni) and dont think any futher education, apart from maths, would help me along in the trade. Instead of been at collage, i could be doing an apprenticeship.
SP.
Edited by squarepants on Monday 2nd August 15:07
Forensic means 'of or related to the courts', it isn't a singular job area.
A friend of mine quit his job in his 30s, did a degree in landscaping (as in 'proper' stuff) and is now a successful gardener running his own company and winning the odd medal here and there. Really nice job although obviously he's put mountains of effort in. I see no reason why you couldn't start reading some basic books on horticulture now and seeing if you can come up with garden designs on a PC, nominate chosen quarries and plant suppliers and try doing someone's garden (or a patch of it) for cost price - maybe a friend of your parents or something?
A friend of mine quit his job in his 30s, did a degree in landscaping (as in 'proper' stuff) and is now a successful gardener running his own company and winning the odd medal here and there. Really nice job although obviously he's put mountains of effort in. I see no reason why you couldn't start reading some basic books on horticulture now and seeing if you can come up with garden designs on a PC, nominate chosen quarries and plant suppliers and try doing someone's garden (or a patch of it) for cost price - maybe a friend of your parents or something?
LongLiveTazio said:
Forensic means 'of or related to the courts', it isn't a singular job area.
A friend of mine quit his job in his 30s, did a degree in landscaping (as in 'proper' stuff) and is now a successful gardener running his own company and winning the odd medal here and there. Really nice job although obviously he's put mountains of effort in. I see no reason why you couldn't start reading some basic books on horticulture now and seeing if you can come up with garden designs on a PC, nominate chosen quarries and plant suppliers and try doing someone's garden (or a patch of it) for cost price - maybe a friend of your parents or something?
Does he have a website i could check out? And do you know if it pays well?A friend of mine quit his job in his 30s, did a degree in landscaping (as in 'proper' stuff) and is now a successful gardener running his own company and winning the odd medal here and there. Really nice job although obviously he's put mountains of effort in. I see no reason why you couldn't start reading some basic books on horticulture now and seeing if you can come up with garden designs on a PC, nominate chosen quarries and plant suppliers and try doing someone's garden (or a patch of it) for cost price - maybe a friend of your parents or something?
Unlike many 14 year old lads, i like a nice garden. I have a good idea (or atleast i think i do) of what looks good and what doesn't (garden wise). My parents pay me to cut the grass every week so i guess thats a start (i do stripes in the lawn aswell!). Sounds like a really fun job as your always outdoors and it doesnt seem like a stressfull job. If i was to design the gardens aswell, this would be making good use of my I.T skills. Also if the designs are good, it may attract more business. One of the things about landscaping is that you can practice when you're young. You cant re-wire a house or fit a central heating system at 14, but there's nothing to stop me doing a garden. If I do it regularly and start experimenting by doing more advanced things it could help me a lot in the future if I went on to be a landscaper.
I'm watching some old "The Secret Millionaire"s on Channel 4oD at the moment and im watching the Kevin Green one. He is a property tycoon and i thought about going into property ages ago and it seemed a good idea. But in this day, with the credit crunch, house prices rising, loads of redundancies, it doesnt seem like the best market to go into. It could work, it couldn't. Although it could be very profitable, it's a big gamble.
Thank you very much for the input, as with all the others, it's helped me and i keep reading back through all the replies.
Thanks again for the reply, hugely appreciated.
SP.
Edited by squarepants on Monday 2nd August 17:46
Good post S-P. My first thought when i saw this thread was that people will always need plumbers, even in a recession, but landscaping a garden is more of a luxury for the good times, and likely to be squeezed in recession.
However your idea of starting with mowing lawns then seeing if you can develop a business is great, at the very least you will get some transferable skills, for example experience of dealing with customers, and budgets for your business, if you take it seriously.
Whatever you try, best of luck!
However your idea of starting with mowing lawns then seeing if you can develop a business is great, at the very least you will get some transferable skills, for example experience of dealing with customers, and budgets for your business, if you take it seriously.
Whatever you try, best of luck!
My mate doesn't have a website, sorry. Sounds weird but if you watch Ground Force, Alan Titchmarsh always used to do a watercolour painting of what the garden will look like. You could do the same on a PC, I imagine, except it'd be much easier to change things.
Maybe start out by researching what is available in terms of materials at a single large garden centre near you and a single merchant's yard/quarry. Then draw up a rough list of what you could feasibly do. Lots of people nowadays like pretty gardens that are low maintenance with space for outdoor seating. Maybe knock up a few different designs taking inspiration from magazines and books and then cost it using the above sources, working out how you'd plant everything, how it'd be looked after, etc.
...
I should go into this myself!
Maybe start out by researching what is available in terms of materials at a single large garden centre near you and a single merchant's yard/quarry. Then draw up a rough list of what you could feasibly do. Lots of people nowadays like pretty gardens that are low maintenance with space for outdoor seating. Maybe knock up a few different designs taking inspiration from magazines and books and then cost it using the above sources, working out how you'd plant everything, how it'd be looked after, etc.
...
I should go into this myself!
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