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What really happens after you leave school with no qualifications?

In this episode, Joe from JK Electrical shares his journey from dropping out of school in Year 10 to becoming a successful self-employed electrician. We talk apprenticeships, agency work, going limited, pricing jobs properly, taking on apprentices, and why Google reviews and SEO have completely changed how trades get work.

Joe explains:

• Why school failed him and how the trade saved him
• The real cost of apprenticeships for small businesses
• Agency work vs self-employment
• Electrical regulations, EICRs, and certification explained simply
• Why Google reviews beat Facebook for getting better-paying clients
• How SEO brings in consistent electrical work
• Why trades won’t be replaced by AI
• Honest pricing, call-outs, and dealing with customers

If you’re an electrician, plumber, gas engineer, apprentice, or thinking about getting into the trades, this episode is packed with real-world advice and zero fluff.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

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Discover the next big shift in UK heating and the plumbing industry. In this episode, the Off The Job Podcast teams up with Luthmore co-founder and former Dyson engineer Craig Wilkinson, alongside Al Benton-Jones from Duck Plumbing, to break down a genuinely groundbreaking product: the Luthmore battery-powered electric combi boiler.

We cover everything installers, homeowners and developers need to know, including:

✔️ How the Luthmore electric boiler delivers 30kW hot water without a mains upgrade
✔️ Why integrated battery storage is the key to net-zero heating
✔️ Installation rules (PAS 63100), where it can and can’t be fitted
✔️ Real-world lifespan, servicing, monitoring and running costs
✔️ Modular battery design and future-proofing
✔️ Benefits for retrofit, flats, listed buildings & new builds under the Future Homes Standard
✔️ Insight into developing a boiler from scratch — funding, patents, manufacturing & scaling
✔️ The installer’s view: usability, reliability, training & customer expectations

Whether you're a heating engineer, developer, installer, or simply curious about the future of home heating, this episode gives an inside look at the technology set to reshape the post-gas era.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

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📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
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In this Off The Job: Overtime episode, Pete and Keiran give listeners a raw and hilarious glimpse into the everyday highs and lows of life as a working gas engineer. All supported with the use of Gas Certificate App!

Watch for more info on the upcoming Black Friday Sale for Gas Certificate App and Electrical Certificate App! Get the apps and streamline your paperwork by going digital!

From the chaos of paper diaries and toolbag meltdowns to dodgy breakfast stops and battling blocked condense pipes — it's all on the table.

Expect banter, questionable fashion choices, and a few too-honest confessions about admin, snacks, snoozing alarms, and winter call-outs.

🔥 Highlights in this episode:

• Features of Gas Certificate App
• Why Pete wants to burn all his toolbags 🧰
• Cold mornings, cold plunges, and the power of a proper bath 🚿
• Blocking condenses? Just cut it off 💨
• How Pete really handles quoting and invoicing on the app
• DIY van organisation ideas (and why someone should launch that as a service)
• Robbie’s jumper… a true fashion crime
• Condensate advice for customers during cold snaps ❄️
• Chaos, carbs, and questionable McDonald’s orders 🍔
• Throwback chat: The Mask, Terminator, and early 2000s dodgy mobile phones 📱

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

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In this episode of Off The Job: A Tradesman Podcast, we sit down with John from Testo UK and Chirag Panchal from CP Utility Solutions to break down one of the biggest changes hitting UK housing and the trades industry: Awaab’s Law.

From damp & mould regulations to how landlords, social housing providers and engineers will be affected — this episode dives deep into everything you need to know.

John brings 15+ years of technical expertise at Testo, explaining:

• The real cause behind damp, mould & condensation
• Why modern airtight homes increase moisture problems
• How Awaab’s Law works and its new legal timelines
• What landlords must do within 24 hours or 10 days
• How Testo’s new technology can help engineers identify mould risks early

Meanwhile, Chirag shares insight from years in social housing, including:

• Why mould is more common in rental & multi-occupancy homes
• The reality of tenant behaviour vs building issues
• Visiting the Testo factory and how their equipment is made
• Why engineers need to understand ventilation, humidity & moisture more than ever

We also cover:

• Thermal imaging cameras for mould detection
• Rising damp, cold bridging, ventilation & MVHR
• Gas leaks, CO risks & landlord responsibilities
• How landlords will need to adapt inspection processes
• Whether gas engineers should take on damp & mould checks
• Future training and who will be responsible for reporting hazards

Whether you're a gas engineer, electrician, landlord, surveyor, builder or letting agent - this episode is packed with insights that will impact your work in 2025 and beyond.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

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In this raw and honest episode of Off The Job: A Tradesman Podcast, we sit down with gas engineer and plumbing content creator Christopher Gomez (@c5gom_plumbing) to unpack his real-life journey into the trade.
From dropping out of college and failing his first apprenticeship to learning everything the hard way on-site, Chris opens up about the struggles, late nights, breakdowns (both mental and boiler-related), and the power of persistence. 

We also dive into:
How social media helped him build a following (and criticism that came with it)
The difference between site work and domestic plumbing
Dealing with breakdowns, leaks, and near disasters
His thoughts on apprenticeships, working for free, and the importance of honest trade content

This one’s a must-watch for apprentices, new engineers, or anyone who’s ever questioned if they’re cut out for the tools. Chris doesn’t sugarcoat it — and that’s why this chat hits different.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

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In this episode of the Off The Job Podcast, Pete and Keiran sit down with Shane Raffaele — a heating engineer who’s just taken the leap (again) into self-employment after 14 months of working for a company.

Shane opens up about the reality of being self-employed in the trades, from managing finances and tax bills to finding the right work-life balance. He shares lessons from his first experience running his own business in his early 20s, the challenges of long hours and travel while employed, and how his wife’s success as a self-employed hairdresser inspired him to take the plunge once more.

The trio dive into:
 🔥 The pros and cons of going self-employed
 💷 Pricing jobs and overcoming “mate rates”
 📅 Managing workload, customers, and time
 📲 Using social media and Google reviews to grow a trade business
 💡 Why community and mindset matter more than ever in the trades

If you’re a plumber, heating engineer, or tradesperson thinking about going self-employed, this episode is packed with real-world advice, honest laughs, and lessons learned the hard way.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

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In this powerful episode of Off The Job: A Tradesman Podcast, Pete and Keiran sit down with Tony Smith — a former car mechanic and train signal engineer who rebuilt his life to become a Gas Safe engineer.

Tom shares his journey from working underground with TFL to starting a building firm, facing personal tragedy, and finding a second chance through the gas trade. His story covers:
 🔧 Changing careers after burnout and loss
 🚂 Life working on the trains & London Underground
 🏗️ Building a successful construction business from scratch
 💔 Losing his son and walking away from everything
 🔥 Starting again — completing his gas training, juggling shifts, and family life
 💬 Why loyalty, honesty, and hard work still matter in the trade

It’s a raw, honest, and inspiring look at resilience, self-belief, and rebuilding your career in the trades.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

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This Halloween, Off The Job Podcast Overtime gets spooky! Hosts Pete Withers and Keiran Yates swap their funniest and freakiest on-the-job horror stories — from near disasters and dodgy customers to hoarder houses, haunted bathrooms, and ghost sightings. Expect plenty of laughs, plumbing nightmares, and some serious trade talk mixed with classic British banter.

💬 Topics include:

• Real-life trade horror stories from plumbers and sparkies
• A near house fire during a job gone wrong
• Creepy customers and haunted job sites
• Cash vs card debate: “Are Turkish barbers keeping cash alive?”
• Ghosts, deja vu, and whether tradespeople believe in the afterlife

🎃 Don’t miss this Halloween special full of laughs, scares, and stories every tradesperson will relate to.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

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In this episode of Off The Tools Overtime Podcast, hosts Keiran and Pete welcome Tom from TCM Air Conditioning, their very first guest from the AC trade. Tom shares how he unexpectedly found himself in air conditioning after a false start in fashion photography and a career in BMX riding.

The discussion covers:

• How to get started in air conditioning and what F-gas certification really means
• The reality of going self-employed in the trade (including costly mistakes and lessons learned)
• Common air con faults and call-outs engineers face daily
• Pricing jobs, servicing systems, and whether the trade is as lucrative as some think
• The role of Instagram and online communities in finding work and building credibility
• Tom’s background as a sponsored BMX rider and how those experiences shaped his career

Whether you’re a plumber curious about air con, thinking of retraining, or just love hearing real stories from the tools, this episode delivers laughs, insights, and valuable trade advice.

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk

Send us a text

💬 This week’s Question of the Episode: “How could Digital IDs affect the trades?”

We’re back with another Overtime episode of Off The Job: A Tradesman Podcast — the unfiltered trade chat with Pete and Keiran.

This week, the lads talk about:

🔧 Trade shows & events — from Screwfix Live to ToolFair Sandown Park

💧 Power Tank partnerships and boosting water pressure

💰 £30 pulled-pork rolls (yes, really)

🧰 Breakdown season madness and why customers always wait until winter to get radiators done

🧠 Gas Certificate App tips — using automated reminders to get servicing booked early

🎤 Pete’s comedy gigs, new work routines, and “swings and roundabouts” on site

🐱 Plus: cat stories, weird house-share memories, and the team’s most chaotic trade tales yet

Drop your thoughts in the comments below — we’ll read them out next time!

📣 Sponsored by Flexigas – the flexible gas pipe specialists: https://flexigas.com/
💥 Powered by Ridgeline – seamless copper tubes built for the trade: https://ridgelinetubes.com/

🎁 EXCLUSIVE PODCAST OFFER
Get 30% OFF your Yearly Subscription to Gas Certificate App!
Use code: POD30 at checkout

📲 Download the Gas Certificate App now
https://onelink.to/hbv69u

⚠️ Warning: Contains adult humour and strong language. Tradesmen banter ahead.

🔗 Follow us on Socials
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@offthejobpodcastuk
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/offthejobpodcastuk