Career change

Ken C.

Many people in the plumbing and heating trade are there because they're following in their father's footsteps. Others, like myself, got into the trades as a career change later in life. Sometimes the career change is a radical one. I was 33 when I got into the plumbing/heating business about four years ago. Prior to that, I was a journalist with a college degree, but realized that my future options were limited. I'd always enjoyed working with my hands (I swapped the engine in my car when I was a teenager) and couldn't see myself behind a desk. I wanted a career with a potential for a good future (both income and job security), plus the chance to help people. I've been plumbing almost four years now, and have no regrets at the career change. I'm close to going for my journeyman's license, but my next goal is to learn as much as I can about the heating side of the business, and The Wall is a great place to learn. Has anyone else here made a radical career change into the plumbing/heating trade?

Just Stand

Chef

Went from an Executive Chef in 5 star hotels to working as a "account Executive " for a major Plumbing wholesaler. I used to feed the likes of Presidents Kings & Stars. Now I design high end heating systems. for some of the same folks that ate my food. 6 years ago I was looking to stop the madness of 70 hour weeks with night holidays and weekends away from my kids and wife. I got hired to drive a truck delivering toilets and pipe. Someone got the bright idea that if I could manage a fully staffed kitchen maybe I could handle sales and Viola here I am.

lchmb

Eight year's ago I made a slight change. At that time I was working as a full time police officer in a small city in NH. Do to a slight issue with losing my hearing I now work as a tech for a commercial company repairing what the plumber's put in. (no not a dig at plumber's) I have approximately 70 percent of my hearing now with aid's and find that I truly like this line of work..:)

steve_38

I'm 28 years old

and i've been an Oil burner heating mechanic since i was 22
and i love it. My Father is a Commercial Mechanic and works for a well known bank that has branches all over N.Y.
I didn't know at first what i wanted to do. My friend set me up with an interview for an Alarm tech. Luckly I ended up on the otherside of the building which was were they did heating and airconditioning. Someone came up to me and asked me if I needed help. I said i'm here for an interview for the Alarm tech. He asked if i'de be interested in a job as a heating tech's helper and i said definitley. And thats how I got in the heating business. I don't install sinks, toilets bowls, tubs, i just install and service Oil heating systems, I feel by sticking to one trade i can become more and more knowledgable about that specific trade like a specialist. although lots of plumbers do get into the heating business, but you'll notice the difference between a Heating Mechanics boiler Installation compare to A Plumbers Boiler installation, but i'm not nock'n a plumber
eversince i've been doing this line of work, i've just believed in sticking to one trade and being really good at it. but there are excellent versitile techs. out there!
Good Luck To You...

Dan_12

changed

at age 35 and have loved it for the past 4 years, I do mostly Res. service plumbing and heating.

DifferentDan

I was a.........

Stage Manager in Opera. I worked several regional opera companies in California, Colorado, Ohio, New York, etc. I got REALLY tired of living in hotels and eating in restaurants. I wanted a 9-5 job with evenings, weekends, and holidays off. Well, that didn't work out for me very well. I've been a oil burner tech. for almost 9 years now and I don't remember the last Christmas that I wasn't on call at least part of the day.

I remember my first day on the job at the first service call. The guy training me in started to explain a simple (now) res. hydronic system to me and I was hooked. I still listen to a lot of opera, but I'll probably be doing this for a long time.

BTW, great site. I wish I could post more, but you guys are way out of my league. I don't get any education at work, so I hang out at sites like this to learn about stuff my boss won't let me do.

Bill F

A sailor I was

imagin if you will seeing a south pacific sunset, letting wild piguins eat out of your hand and finding out they are a lot of feathers first hand in antarctica, or high tailing it away from a polar bear who's after the fresh fish you just cuaght. Riding out a storm in the north sea or basking in the mediterranian. I lived aboard various ships for eighteen years and deck hand on some nice yachts for a couple of years. participated in two world cup races, and spent some time as a craber in the bearing sea. but alas it was time for me to settle down, I met the misses and had accepted a nice offer to become a dock master in the pacific northwest. during the move, we had swung through to visit my parents on the way over to my new job, when my dad talk us into giving the area a try (especially since i was not looking forward to managment type job) so I went down to the job shop and while looking at the listing I found a job calling for a sevice Tech, I needed some teachings but since then I have been playing with boilers, steam and hot water in large residential and small commercials, I am now a licensed boiler man and currently in school for my mechanical engineer licensed.

Al_3

Steve's Challenge

Hey steve, was just wondering, if you were challenging me to some kind of workmanship photo shootout? A 34 year old PLUMBING, & hvac man who started when he was 12yrs old handing tools to his dad was just curious?--AL

Josh M.

Well I changed from plumbing to heating because I wanted to be a real boiler man!

Wayco Wayne_2

I started out

as an elementary school teacher. I loved the kids but hated the administration and the poltics. It was very stressful. I had worked Summers during college for a small HVAC firm. I returned to them to make money until I decided what to do next. Before I knew it I had gone through trade school and gotten my Masters. It was a blessing that I fell into this line of work, since I had a natural ability for it and I love to help people. I still teach at night for the local ACCA chapter at a nearby community college. The best way to learn something is to teach it. WW

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Ken C.

What did you do before?

Ken_8

I performed a full frontal

labotomy on myself while in med school and as a result of the operation, became a heating contractor.

Kidding.

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Mark Hunt

That is TOO FUNNY!


Good one Ken!

Mark H

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Leo

My Change was drastic

After 22 years as a police officer at the age of 43 I became an oil burner tech. This has grown to all areas of heating and AC. My police career hit a dead end and some personal issues at home it was time for a change, one that I haven't regretted.

Leo

Riles_3

Didn't know what a 1/2\" copper 90 was

8 years ago. I got into the wholesale side of this business at age 34.

Left College Athletics, where I was an Assistant Athletic Director for George Mason University in Fairfax VA. Great job I had just served as the Tournament Manager for the 1st and 2nd round games of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at the then USAir Arena (formerly the Capital Centre, now a parking lot). Fun stuff, at the scorer's table next to great coaches like Bobby Knight, Dean Smith, John Chaney, Jim O'Brien, Kelvin Sampson, as I was incharge of all the logistics. Holding meetings with these great coaches and schools with Terry Holland, the NCAA Tourney planning starts three years prior. Nothing athletically more exciting than MARCH MADNESS.

Apparently, my mom dropped me too many times, why else would I have left golfing all spring and running everyday at lunch. Heck just before getting into this business I ran the Marine Corp Marathon.

Then I started working for a living and I can barely run around my house thanks to frequent gout attacks.

Joining this industry has been the best thing I ever did.

Great people.

Jeff "Riles" Riley
Thos. Somerville Co.