Archive for December, 2009
AbleSkills Training - Moving Forward in 2010!
Despite slow progress by the UK to climb out of recession, AbleSkills has been pushing steadily forward with the continual development of their technical facilities in order to provide the best possible standard of industry training to their course students.
In response to the growing demand throughout 2008-2009, brand new workshops and teaching facilities, individually dedicated to both electrical and plumbing technical training, were rolled out across the AbleSkills campus, allowing for the obvious increasing student intake over recent years.
In addition, preparations are being made for the changes on the way which will be seeing the transformation of the City & Guilds Electrical 2330 NVQ, the Electrical 2356 NVQ plus the Plumbing 6129 NVQ to a single qualification. This to be called the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF 2357).
The changes are not due to come into operation until late in 2010 and will not fundamentally alter the level of knowledge and training requirements, as they are intended to greatly improve learning capability by making the course units easier to understand, more flexible and allow for interchangeable skillsets.
In addition, the new qualifications will also not affect the ability of AbleSkills to take you through a structured course development, in order to train you through the required levels to be fully ready and industry compliant within your chosen occupation.
You will still be able to commence at entry level and train through to obtain the necessary qualifications - and this also applies if you are in a mid career change. Your choice of training can be structured to learn ‘domestic-through-to-commercial’ electrical, plumbing, gas installation, tiling or associated building trades.
As before, training schedules are customised to be flexible to accommodate all types of availability, offering all time periods and durations from weekends, to short two day or five day courses through to three, six week training and more.
In addition, Able Skills offers the opportunity for those candidates interested to take the Plumbing 6129 NVQ, to study the Plumbing Theory at home, in their own time and own pace. Students can make their own decision as to when they feel ready to be assessed on each learning unit, before moving onto the practical hands-on workshop training.
Renewable -or - Green Energy, is going to play an increasingly vital and urgent role in trade skills training and both plumbers, electricians and gas installers will need to thoroughly understand their role in being a source of information – energy assessment – and working with the new technologies, such as Solar PV systems, air source or ground source heat pumps.
AbleSkills will be supporting the Government ‘green’ initiatives and financial incentives for domestic householders in its ongoing programme of dedicated ‘green energy’ training space development in 2010.
This means that all serious students who are seeking to enter the industry - either at entry level, mid career – or those currently in the industry who wish to update their present skills, can rest assured they will be receiving the best of the latest knowledge, training and expertise available anywhere in the UK.
Looking further forward to 2012 - much feverish national building and recruitment programmes are already underway. As an approved City & Guild Training Centre, Able Skills is undoubtedly, the premier industry trainer for London and The South East, and will continue to uphold their long standing tradition for serving the industry with the highest quality of trade skills training, for many decades to come.
We look forward to hearing from all our loyal and regular readers once again in 2010!
Electrical Safety Over Xmas !
The likelihood is that there will be even more digital/electrical goods being given as Xmas presents this year – and everyone wanting to try them out immediately! This could put a temporary strain on domestic circuits, especially if there are hidden faults waiting to be exposed!
The first sign of any trouble is likely to be an electrical appliance that appears to be dead! Incorrect 3-pin power plug wiring must always be suspected and checked - bare wires touching cause shorts, or worse! If a plug fuse has blown, it’s not always obvious, so replace with identical rated and known working fuse( pre checked in another appliance or with a circuit tester).
Always check the fuse box /electrical panel to see if any circuit breakers are tripped or fuses blown.
When lights go out in domestic household, it is invariably a problem of ‘loose’ or lack of connection or a temporary circuit overload due to plugging in a device that draws more supply than the ring circuit is rated to supply.
Use a circuit tester to see if the outlet that the lights are plugged into is hot. If not and the circuit is on, turn the circuit off, remove the outlet, and check the connections to the outlet.
Of more concern is if the lights suddenly go out! The first weakness will show up with the Christmas Tree lights and you will need to check individual light bulbs. Often the cause of the problem may simply be that one or more bulbs are loose in their sockets, a bulb could have fallen out completely or a bulb wire bent to the side so it isn’t making contact.
It may be as simple as a fuse blowing within the light set itself. Located within the plug should be a couple of fuses. They are hidden behind a sliding door that is clearly marked. Simply unplug the lights and slide the cover to expose the fuses. Remove the fuses and check them with an ohm meter. If there is no resistance, they are good, but if there is infinite resistance, they are faulty and should be replaced.
IMPORTANT : Regulations are very strictly defined as to what you can and cannot do with electrics around the home, especially when it comes to house rewiring and installation. Short weekend courses are always available for all those who would like to find out more and for those who wish take their knowledge further, perhaps with an eye on their future, more fulltime NVQ electrical courses which can include the all-important Part P, can be undertaken to obtain City & Guilds qualifications.
Condensing Boilers for Green Energy Efficiency.
All plumbing trainees very quickly learn that installing a condensing boiler provides the most efficient energy saving option when considering the best form of ‘green energy’ domestic heating.
Condensing boilers have been widely used on the continent and in North America since the early eighties, but in the UK, condensing boilers still represent a small percentage of total boiler sales. Lack of awareness and the fear of new technology have been two key factors responsible for the delay, resulting in the British consumer paying more for winter gas supply than their European and North American counterparts.
Condensing boilers have also been seen as expensive, even though payback periods and lower running costs were favourable, yet the price difference has been just too great. However, with the recent announcement of the boiler scrappage scheme, which will pay to replace old boilers with new ones, the benefits of installing an A rated condensing boiler will be now within reach of some 125, 000 homes urgently requiring replacement of their inefficient G rated boiler.
It means a big challenge ahead for both experienced plumbers and those currently training to be a plumber in order to fully acquaint themselves with the necessary knowledge and practical training. Courses like the City & Guilds NVQ 6129 level 2 are a foundation course to prepare for NVQ 6129 level 3 and both involve green energy issues which can be followed on ‘renewable’ green energy courses.
Condensing boilers are suitable for replacing most existing boilers, either floor standing or wall-hung with extended flue options, if required.
Finding a location and installing a condensing boiler only differs from a conventional boiler in the requirement for a condensate drain, and consideration of pluming.
They are available as regular or combination boilers and are installed similarly to non- condensing boilers and is not necessary to install oversized radiators to give a worthwhile gain as the main efficiency benefit from a condensing boiler comes from having a larger heat exchanger, typically 13 percentage points greater than for non-condensing boilers.
Light Fixture Problems – What To Look Out For!
Christmas is nearly upon us and there is bound to be some niggling problem with your home lightbulbs that need fixing before the festivities begin. Homeowners often overlook light fixtures in the home when it comes to maintenance. We walk in the room and flip on the light switch, assuming it will always light the bulb. However, that isn’t always the case! Sometimes common electrical problems can cause the problem, or it may just be that a bulb burned out.
If you’re not familiar with electrics, then you should call the electrician. If you’re interested in electrical problems, then this may be an opportunity to test your abilities to become an electrician! There are introductory multiskills courses available, training at weekends and you may even decide to get yourself onto a fulltime City & Guilds NVQ 2330 course to get you up and running on the career ladder!
But here is a list of common lightbulb problems and some recommended repairs to keep the lights shining brightly in your home:
Ceiling Light Fixture- light bulb will not light up.
- Check the light bulb first to see if either burnt out or is loose in the socket.
- Check the socket tab in the centre of the socket by pulling up on it in order for it to make contact with the bulb.
- Check the connections at the switch and make sure that they are tight - ensure that the power is turned off to the circuit that you are working on!
- Check the connections at the light and the breaker panel to be sure they are all connected tightly.
Ceiling Light Fixture - light flickers.
If the bulb flickers on and off, it usually means that the switch contacts are deteriorating. Usually you’ll be able to hear a sizzling or crackling sound if the switch contacts are bad. In this case, replace the switch.
It also could be that the connections are loose, either on the switch, at the panel, or in the junction box of the light. There also is the possibility that the connections to the light socket could be loose. Check all of these points and tighten if necessary. If the socket connection is loose, replace the light socket.
Recessed Lights - light turns on and off by itself.
Check the size of the bulb in the socket. Make sure the wattage of the bulb doesn’t exceed the recommended wattage rating for the fixture. The maximum wattage will be listed on a tag on the fixture or socket.
The limit switch turns the unit off when the temperature reaches an unsafe level. Over-sized bulbs will radiate an excessive amount of heat and could potentially cause a fire if the limit didn’t shut off the light
Water Meter Roll Out Begins!
The Government’s December Pre-Budget Report made mention of the recent calls for an increase in the use of water meters to help households cut their consumption and bills. Aiming to be completely rolled out within the next ten years, as many as 80% of British homes should have the meters installed by 2020. According to the Environment Agency, the average UK consumption is currently 148 litres (260 pints) a day, with reductions required to be 130 litres a day.
This would seem to indicate that if you are thinking of training to be a plumber or an electrician - once qualified - your services will be in demand more than ever with the meter changeover!
Current methods of charging for water are found to be inadequate. Water bills for around two-thirds of British homes are based on the rateable value (RV) of the property being served rather than the amount of water used, while 35% are on metered charging. The RV system is now considered out of date as it does not target efficiently those who need help, nor does it provide customers with an incentive to save water.
The Environment Agency review team recommended that the future charging system should generally be based on the volume of water used, and therefore should be a metered system. The report said, “It is the charging approach most likely to encourage customers to use water efficiently and will best support the development of a sustainable water supply”.
This falls in line with the implementation of efficient renewable ‘green energy’ policies that form an important part of both plumbing, gas installation and electrician training. At AbleSkills, new workshop courses are dedicated to energy assessment, an increasingly essential part of the process of evaluating for the installation of water, heating and lighting systems in both domestic and commercial properties.
Research carried out by The Environment Agency has shown that water meters were effective in bringing down water usage, with metered households using between 10% and 15% less water than those without. The UK is one of the few developed countries with a low level of water metering. Water resources are already under pressure in many parts of England, with some 25 million people living in areas where there is less available water per person than Spain or Morocco.
Pre-Budget Report Announces Scrappage Scheme for Home Boilers
A scrappage scheme that will pay people to replace old boilers with new ones has been announced in Chancellor Alistair Darling’s December 2009 pre-Budget report.
The construction industry campaign has been attempting for some time to persuade the government to introduce a boiler scrappage scheme – which had the support of all the main political parties as well as from UK industries - to help families heat their homes affordably in the coming winter months, and help cut carbon emissions. A quarter of all the country’s emissions come from households.
This will result in reduced fuel bills for the householder, extra work for small plumbing firms and plumbers, more business for UK manufacturing companies (most boilers are made in this country), create jobs and plumbing training opportunities and would also reduce our energy consumption and CO2 emissions to help tackle climate change.
Alistair Darling mentioned that, “Each inefficient boiler adds over £200 to household bills and one tonne of carbon to the atmosphere,” but from April 2010, some £200m would be added to help with energy efficiency to cut carbon emissions from homes”.
Mr Darling also announced plans to create ‘high-skilled, high-paid jobs’ in the ‘low-carbon sector’. Investment in a low-emissions future would be split between new technology and improvements to existing homes.
The boiler scrappage scheme will “help up to 125,000 homes replace the most inefficient boilers with new models”, Mr Darling said.
It is estimated that there are still 4.5 million old boilers that are rated at less than 70% efficient. By replacing a G rated boiler with a new A rated condensing boiler and better controls, household bills can be cut by up to a quarter. In a family home that could mean a saving of £235 a year. If everyone in the UK converted to high efficiency boilers, enough energy would be saved to heat 3.4 million homes, saving over 13 million tonnes of carbon.
For those looking to train to be a plumber or currently on a Plumbing NVQ 6129 course, the effect of the Boiler Scrappage Scheme will be to significantly boost immediate work opportunities. Creating increased public awareness of environmental issues relating directly to their own home and inefficicient energy use is now a priority. A plumbers responsibilities now involve training to provide energy assessments within domestic properties and knowing how to correctly and safely install the new energy efficient heating systems.
From April 2010, people with a home wind turbine or solar panels who plug their excess power into the national grid will receive on average £900 a year, tax free.
The latest measures are aimed to further extend the Warm Front scheme, which has already helped 235,000 people insulate their houses and heat them more efficiently. Energy efficiency in the home should also be aided by the roll-out of smart meters, which will be completed by 2020, and the £200m redirected towards energy efficiency projects would be topped up with discounts on energy bills to one million low-income households.
Career Change Students Tell Why They Chose AbleSkills!
The message is clear! Recession has meant a rethink and taking stock for many who ultimately decide to take advantage of any changes currently happening in their workplace. This has meant a whole new direction and career switch in the bid to improve their future prospects in one of the most difficult economic climates.
Speaking to some of the current intake of trainees on the City & Guilds NVQ Technical Plumbing 6129 Course, in one of the extended two-storey workshop facilities dedicated to each individual trade skill course, the theme of qualifying for an ‘always in demand’ trade skill comes up repeatedly.
Abdul, 24, had been a Retail Manager at a leading UK High Street chain but decided it was time to be ‘hands-on’ and his own boss! Originally enquiring to embark on one of the plumbing courses at a different training centre, he was immediately put off by their lack of interest – unable to speak on the telephone immediately, they never did ‘get back to him’. Unlike at AbleSkills, where an immediate invitation was extended to ‘come down and take a look around the centre’. Which he did, and from the moment he stepped into their fully equipped workshop areas by Jim, the Plumbing course leader, Abdul knew he had come to the right place and is quick to endorse his first good impressions as “worth the money spent”.
Roheed, a former bricklayer – in his late twenties - was also seriously looking for a new career direction and already knew that AbleSkills was a recognised leader in the key plumbing, electrical and Gas trade skill training. Now on the course, he is ‘enjoying it immensely’ and lists his top reasons for enrolling at AbleSkills as ‘good relationships’ with the teaching staff, a ‘relaxed atmosphere’ and ‘great technical facilities’.
Career changing of course can happen at any age. Gary, a ‘mature’ student had been a lorry driver and knew someone who had taken an electrical course. A quick Google search led Gary to the AbleSkills site, which immediately impressed him with its’ full explanations of all the courses clearly and easily laid out, showing the learning process in its continuing stages. It is a key strength and an important component to training development at AbleSkills that they can take you at any level of experience and train you to be industry-ready at any level you wish to go.
Gary was seeking to learn ‘fitting radiators’ and ‘bathroom suites’ and seeing the exact course on the websites on a ‘fast track’ option he liked the look of, which offered both theory and practical training, he was also, once again, impressed with the open and inviting style of welcome to visit and inspect the course facilities.
The course assessments give him all the feedback and prompting he needs to progress and is now looking forward to signing up at AbleSkills for the Gas training modules at the completion of his current course.
Christopher had always been interested in plumbing and when he was made redundant from employment in diesel engine production, the time was felt to be right! Once again, landing at the AbleSkills site gave a great ‘eyecatching’ experience, unlike any of the other sites claiming to offer similar courses. Christopher especially loved the featured YouTube videos, exactly showing what it was like to be actually on a course! Responding to the invite to ‘come on down’, Christopher spoke with course staff, who answered all his questions and took the time to show him around the workshops areas. Now on an eight week intensive course, Christopher is full of praise for the great ‘set up’, and the friendly tutors who ‘take time to explain’ and ‘help you if you’re not sure’.
AbleSkills will shortly be unveiling their latest ‘renewable’ green energy technical training and installations classrooms in their own dedicated space.
Retraining as an electrician has never been more easier!
As Britain slowly recovers from recession, the competition for jobs is going to be tough! More than ever before, it is important to get yourself the skills and qualifications that will set you apart from everyone else who will be applying for the same job as you.
There are good reasons to now rethink your career path and retrain as an electrician. Despite of the severe economic downturn, there is still a shortage of skilled electricians in the UK, and demand is always there. Maybe the most important reason to train as an electrician is job security. Once you’re trained and qualified, it is one of the few remaining careers that can be considered ‘are for life’.
Due to the demand for trade skills in the UK, excellent training centres, like AbleSkills will fully train you to be an electrician to City & Guilds industry standards in their recent development of a newly purpose built centre, complete with the latest learning technology classrooms and industry staff.
Courses have different time lengths, from a series of weekend training, intensive full time , or over a set number of weeks. To become a fully qualified electrician the required course is the City & Guilds 2330 level 2 and City & Guilds 2356 – Electrical NVQ level 3 Technical Certificates.
An intensive electrician training course covers all aspects of installation electrician (domestic electrician) and condenses 2 years of apprenticeship content into a full time course. Please note that shorter training courses that provide an introduction and then lead onto undertaking NVQ Level 2 ‘underpinning’ knowledge training, are just the first step! Most trade requirements are for at least a NVQ at Level 2 ( preferably at Level 3) to be classed as a qualified electrician but NVQs take time to achieve using a combination of off-the-job training with a training provider and working with an employer in the sector.
At AbleSkills, there is no limit! You can take your career development as far as you like and significantly increase your knowledge skills to boost your employment and earning potential! Other courses highly recommended are :
City & Guilds (2391) Inspection, Testing and Certification of Installations.
City & Guilds In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (2377), often known as portable appliance testing (PAT).
It’s worth knowing that, once fully qualified, an electrician can start earning around £ 17 – 20k per year, going on to £ 30k or more with experience.
Installing Solar Heating - The Long Term Solution!
Training to be a plumber or gas fitter now carries responsibilities for implementing Government initiatives for implementing renewable ‘green energy’ for use in the home or workplace. Incorporated into a plumber’s work will be energy assessment and courses are available to learn this increasingly vital service. Solar PV systems are one of the renewable energy sources that you can have your property assessed for and have the panels easily and safely installed on your roof without the usual kind of local planning problems.
Training on a Solar heating course to understand the necessary theory and learn the practical knowledge for correct and safe installation is undoubtedly becoming an essential skillset for a plumber to undertake.
Solar systems are not new, and have been used around the world for many years. With over 40,000 systems installed in the UK alone, solar power is becoming the leading source of providing alternative energy. In the UK we receive sufficient sunshine to provide up to 70% of our annual domestic hot water needs from a well designed solar installation and this type of system will also reduce harmful emissions by up to 500 kg per square metre of panel per year.
Solar hot water and heating systems are becoming both more affordable and efficient, helped by government initiatives such as the reduction in VAT to 5% on both parts and labour for domestic installations which can demonstrate an improvement to energy efficiency.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a solar water heater is a long-term investment, representing real cost and energy saving and providing insurance against energy price increases.
Solar water heaters can operate in any climate, preferably with an unshaded, south-facing location (a roof, for example) on your property. Performance varies depending, in part, on how much solar energy is available and system operating efficiency is also dependent on the coldness of the in coming water.
Electric cowboys can give you a shock!
Time and time again, warnings are issued against the deadly dangers of getting electrical work ‘done on the cheap’ by unqualified tradesmen with little to no electrical knowledge or training. Yet time and time again, horror stories emerge in the press when the warnings are disregarded and a terrible injury or loss of life is reported because of illegal electrical work being carried out.
The temptation for some workmen to claim ‘they can do the job and save you a fortune’ is always there and it’s up to every householder or business owner to avoid the temptation. All electrical work carried out work must be by a fully qualified electrician - NICEIC Part P registered. They must have been properly trained at a fully approved and NICEIC accredited training school like Able Skills, in order to obtain all the statutory City & Guilds NVQ electrical qualifications - to at least Level 3 -knowledge and training in order to demonstrate full competency for properly and safely carrying out electrical installation, repairs and maintenance. In addition, and equally as important, is the number of years of working experience gained after qualifying.
The problem is that all too often handymen or other tradesmen think they can do electrical work because it seems that after simply watching an electrician install an outlet, switch or fixture, they think they are qualified to do the same.
There are too many contractors will tell a homeowner that one of their men ‘used to be an electrician’ so they can get to do your electrical work and you the homeowner, will save money. Most handymen say the same and will take on just about any job a homeowner requests. Usually, they will finish and somehow make it work and the homeowner thinks they just saved a lot of money and got the job done.
Unfortunately, when that same homeowner begins to plug things in and start using the electric, they find out they were mistaken. It’s not as simple as connecting a few wires. Load calculations, wire size, proper devices, safe and secure connections are just a few of the important things that a trained and qualified electrician has to consider when doing work in your home.
Most handymen and carpenters who attempt electrical work will use whatever they have or what they think will work. That usually means the homeowner will end up with incorrect and unsafe connections, junction boxes and circuit loading and a list of electrically unsafe conditions.
