start apprenticeship?

[jesse3.8]

Should i start an apprenticeship(plumbing) or continue with courier driving and get very very very familiar with couriering?

Obviously its always my decision but I am 21, have car repayments and will be el cheapo on apprenticeship wages. and as usual i'm look for other ways to answer my problems lol.
Is apreship worth it? Cheers.

EDIT: Now looking for a apprenticeship in perth or a apprenticeship in defence force

[kane88]

take the apprenticeship mate.
it's not often a 21 year old will be given the chance at an apprenticeship in favour of younger applicants..
if you hate it, you can always go back to courier driving, the apprenticeship isn't going to wait forever.

what would you rather be in 5 years time?

[walesy]

join the defence force... best thing i EVER done... my lifestyle has improved drastically in the last three years! plus the mates i have now couldnt imagine not being mates with them!

[VPplayer]

I say apprenticeship all the way.
Sure the wages will be tuff at first, but at the end it will be all worth it.

[walesy]

well im navy but the army does appreticeships and you will be on at least 55k a year after you finish recruits and initial training... much better than an apprenticeship in civi world where you'll get bout $300 a week for like 4 years

[jesse3.8]

interest, plumber's apprenticeship in the army could be an option due to lack of available apprenticeships and younger oposition, i wonder..

Whats it like being in the defence force? I sorta thought it takes over your life and 4 years is a while.
Can you tell me how it works? Cheers.

[kane88]

im going for a fitter armament spot, which is the equivalent of fitter and turner.
it's a 6 year initial minimum period of service, however 55k after 18 mths as opposed to civ apprenticeship where it's maybe 25/30 after 18 months.. plus allowances, rent assistance, job security and, you know, being in the army in general.

just gotta make it through pooks first..

[kane88]

just to be clear, have you been offered an apprenticeship, or are you thinking about looking for one?

[jesse3.8]

yea i am talking about looking for one

[jesse3.8]

wow 6 years hey, are you getting paid in the 18months also i know working in the mines is like 3weeks1week off how does army operate? obviously gonna be bigger stints then that im thinkin

EDIT: pooks?

[walesy]

pooks = kapooka... the army recruit school... the navy one is at hmas cerberus in melbourne, IMO recruits are soft anyway it was easy as... Kane88, my mates a fitter armamant and he loves it, he was a fitter and turner before he joined too... 55k is like the base wage... not too sure on the exact wage for army but i been in the navy almost 3 years and moved up a rank and im sittin on just over 65k a yr,

when u ask if it takes over your life it does to a certain point but not in a bad way... as they say in the ads its not just a job, its a way of life... jeez i sound like im in recruiting or something haha...

all i say is if you go down this path choose your job carefully because as much as they say if you dont like that branch you can always swap brance its nowhere near that easy.

if ya wanna know anythin else pm me or somethin.

Walesy

[Simonn]

im a second year plumber. You may find it abit hard to find an apprenticship at 21 nto to mention that as a 1st year you could be earning as low as 270pw which is jack shit to live on unless your still living at home ext. But an emplyer may see you as a benefic as being more mature than younger apprenices and he may pay your accordingly.

[jesse3.8]

thanks for your interest walesy.

And i do live at home also i believe second year rates will be paid for adult apprentices, i got to look into it a bit more.

[Zuicider]

BLUDGE!!!!! so relaxing :P at 21 u will also be under mature apprentice rates

[sv3800#055]

if you do an apprenticeship now, you'll be qualified in 4 years. if you continue being a courier... you'll still be just a courier in 4 years. im a qualified mech, im going back to tafe to do a cert4 in computer networking knowing i can always fall back on my trade if i have to

andrew

[kane88]

wow 6 years hey, are you getting paid in the 18months also i know working in the mines is like 3weeks1week off how does army operate? obviously gonna be bigger stints then that im thinkin

EDIT: pooks?

yes you are paid while you study, it's not 55k, more like 38, but still enough to get by, and a lot better than 270p/w. Plus rent assistance and all that aswell.

it is full time, no rotating weeks or anything like that, but most of the blokes at Darwin have told me it's essentially business hours, with an early knock off Thursdays (or Tuesdays ???) one of those, and weekends generally off.. There's always going to be excptions though..

Have a look on the defencejobs.gov.au site, or call the 13 19 01 number and talk to the guys from recruiting, they'll be able to answer your questions relating to the specific job path you're after.

Keep us posted eh

[garth]

dont be a apprentice in the defence force, all fair and good, they say it's a national recognized trade and training, yeah, that is true, but you spend all your time on one particluar type of machine or system. no variaty, not good if you wish to leave and secure a job on the outside.

as a trade outside of the defence force you earn more money, 55k a year as previously stated, i earned that within 5 months of the financial year. i earn double that figure each financial year,

at 21 you might find it hard, while people say bludge wait till yoru over 21, ill put it to you this way, and you will understand why now is the time to do it.

2 people go for the aprenticeship, im going to use qld apprentice wages for electricians as a comparison.

normal first year, 270 a week.
adult apprentice, 400 a week.
those figures based on wages 5 years ago
both do the same thing, both have the same experiance, both have the same amount of learning to do, both still have the same legal restrictions imposed on them regardless of age or maturity level. you will be extreamly lucky if you find a apprenticeship over 21, and i do mean extreamly lucky,

if you still want to do it, join the army or airforce, and never leave. dotn do a trade in the navy, that is a joke. (was in the navy, can vouch for the joke)

[groberr]

id say go for the app but depending on where you live you may find it hard to get one. i got laid off my sparky app here in melbourne after my 2nd year due to not enough work on and am struggling to find another one. also have a few mates that are plumbers that are in the same boat. so if you do get offerd one do not hesitate accept straight away as they are scarce these days with the economy and all

[jesse3.8]

appreciate all the advice guys

[CANYONERO]

i started an apprenticeship at 20. just finished and im glad i did it, now i have the piece of paper i can explore other channels with something to fall back on. im looking at maybe starting my own business ( not related in any way to my trade) for something different goodluck with whatever choice you make.

[holden boy]

do the aprentiship im not sure bout over there but in nz over half our plumbers are over 50 years old . they get paid very well but when half the work force retires in 15 years time or so then u will be making cash hand over foot !!
just do it make it work it all pays off in the end
my mates were all making $200 a week more when i started mine but they still earning that same amount and i make double what they do and they tell me they wish they had done one .
So if u can get one do it 4 sure and buy the way im a sparky by trade , my brothers a builder and we make about the same and the plumbers over here make more than us
so just get ur ass in to gear and go sell ur nice car get a crapper or try and get the work van
o yeah the work van free gas for ever , dam i use mine to tow my race car and do most stuff during the week my holden is just the wknd car does under 10,000 kms a year so will last for ever

[jesse3.8]

Oright now I'm looking to start an apprenticeship in perth or go defense force. I have a couple of Months to decide.

[JBoags]

Go for the apprenticeship bud. Its a career. Always good to have a trade behind ya. And if u did it i army they'd def look after ya. But if u got an apprentice outta the army u wouldnt b on $300 a week for 4 yrs. There is a thing called mature age apprenticeship where people 21 and over get a bigger salary. so i know 1st yr mature age is like $500 a week. How low does ur VY sit with SSL's?

[holden boy]

o and also not sure what its like over there but my mate just left the army here after doing his it trade and hes pretty fing good at it but the army didn't pay for the bits of paper to say hes microsoft certified etc so he still dosn't get reconised in the real world so not sure what it is like over there , but when i was doing my aprentiship i had to train some of the navy boys and they were poos and didn't get the bits of paper either so im very sort of anti trades in army unless they can make sure u get the civey quals for it.
As whats the point of doing the aprentiship and finishing it and not getting the actual bit of paper that makes u get paid well in the real world

[(CODEZ)]

plumbers get good money even as an apprentice (compared to other apprentices)

i reckon try get an apprenticeship in the defence force, a couple of people from the army came to my school last year and spoke about all the benefits and it sounded pretty good

also with the defence force you have job security and thats important in a time like this

good luck