OP I mean no disrespect here but as an apprentice you tend to not have a vast amount of experience. If this is going to be your bread and butter you gotta be good, can you take over a Castle panel one day, then work witha Pyronix / Visonic the next? Do you fully understand IP cctv and networking? Wiring locks and the diiferent access panels on the market?
I think the issue now is theres a lot of installers, all going for the same work but customers don't want to part with their cash. This is where you start seeing the Swann's and the Yales everywhere, that's killing local work.
I'm a one man band, 25, estate car, signed up, advertise online, flyer and word of mouth but I still don't have enough work for full time!
If you can make it work, do it. But it isnt easy, not by a long shot.