‘My First Job’ by Dave Breith

“I fitted central heating ... when the couple came back, their house was a swimming pool!”

Dave answers questions from the Sun, telling them about his first working experience.

First Job? Apprentice plumber in Chesham, Bucks. I was 16 and had just left school.

Job Description? General dogsbody. Everything from making tea to washing the van and trying to pick up some plumbing skills along the way.

First Pay Packet? £100 a week which was quite generous. I paid rent to my older brother, Ronnie, who I was living with.

When and why did you leave? I stayed there three years and left when I got offered a job working on pipelines around the UK. The money was six times better.

What was your greatest achievement? I worked hard and received two or three pay rises a year because the bosses were impressed with me.

Biggest mistake? I installed central heating into the home of some newlyweds. I didn’t seal the pipes properly and two weeks later when they came back from honeymoon they found their home was a swimming pool.

Did someone play an important role in your job? I was trained by the senior plumber. Barry Redding. He not only taught me about plumbing but also became a father figure and taught me a lot about life.

Best bit of advice? Stay away from negative people – they can bring you down very quickly.

Top tip for getting a job? Be presentable. No one likes a scruff. Smile, be pleasant and listen carefully to people giving you advice.

                              - The Sun, Page 64, Thursday 12th November 2009