help needed: working abroad

[PAULD69G@HOTMAIL.CO.UK]

Hi to all; i have been working as a plumber for a little under 5 years for a small ltd company(4 employees), i am 27 and don't have any dependants or depts. I have progressed well in this time and without blowing my own trumpet feel i am a good tradesman and would be a good asset to future employers. i get on great with my colleagues and the builders i work for, and am lucky enough to be respected and asked for regarding future projects. i have spoken to my boss(and friend) at length about my future, he would like me to stay with him  and eventually take over the reigns, but he understands that i would like to stretch my wings to working abroad whilst i have no children or commitments. i would love to work in canada but would consider anywhere. one drawback i have is how i got into the trade. i worked around my previous employment(rotational shiftwork) unpaid for over a year with him, whilst also doing city and guild level 1 at college. after completing this i took an initial 5500 pay drop to change to full time plumbing, and this is where my qualifications stopped. although i install complete domestic systems(boiler under supervision), have worked with oil, gas, underfloor, pressurised systems/cylinders and listed property's, aswell as many other areas we all come across, my path into our trade now leaves me concerned for my oppertunitys to work abroad. references from my employer and respectable builders, although beneficial, would probably not be sufficient to get me employed. I feel a fresh face just out of colledge with no real experience or developed tradecraft would unfortunatley be seen in a better light. Any advice on this would be great. going back to college on day release for two years to get nvq 2 isnt appealing to me.