It cannot be stated enough that there are many so-called training providers who tarnish the industry by offering unsatisfactory – or non-existent – courses and worthless certificates. They are likely to be not accredited or approved by statutory training bodies and may operate from barely acceptable premises without qualified ‘staff’.

The problem has been made worse by the recession forcing many individuals to look for alternative means of employment and find themselves signing up to bogus courses offering instant ‘work’ once completed. In 2009, Citizens Advice reported a rise of nearly a third in the numbers of general complaints to well over 2,000, where some of the unscrupulous training offered, claimed to get you qualified and registered, in as little as 2 weeks.

In some worse case scenarios, the provider simply does not exist or goes bust, and paid-for materials and certificates fail to appear. Very quickly it is realised that there is no tutorial support, and when arriving at the “training centre, the “instructor” knows very little about the subject being offered.

It must be emphasised that the recognised and industry approved qualification for training to be an electrician is the City & Guilds Electrical 2330 level 2. It requires students to attend a formally structured course, full time, at an approved and accredited training provider in fully equipped classrooms by experienced and qualified trainer verifiers.

The Electrical 2330 level 2 provides the necessary foundation knowledge which can allow, upon passing assessment, students to progress to NVQ level 3 and then further develop both working knowledge and experience to become a ‘competent’ person.

The Electricity at Work Regulations state the following regarding training to be a ‘competent’ person:

“No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or, where appropriate, injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work.”

Competent persons schemes were introduced by the Government to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector.

Known as ‘Part P’, these rules mean that all ‘notifiable’ electrical work must meet the safety standards for electrical wiring. The rules state that to ensure that these standards are met, all work must either be carried out by certified electricians or the work must be tested to the satisfaction of the local Building Control Department.

These rules do apply to DIY activities, and anyone carrying out DIY changes which are notifiable have to submit a building notice to the local authority before starting work and pay the fee to have the work inspected and tested. All other work must either be carried out by certified individuals/companies or notified to the local Building Control before work begins.

The construction industry continues to ride out the recession! Nearly every day, the government or a local authority announces a new development scheme, providing both contract work and long term employment for trained and qualified skills trades from electricians, plumbers and bricklayers to tilers, plasterers and joiners.

At this time of economic upheaval, many may be looking around for a new start or career change whilst needing to retain their current method of earning income. Plumbing has long been a proven and solid industry – “plumbers are always in demand”. But for many who want to study, there is a real worry that it may take up too much time which you just haven’t got!

The good news is that now there is a way to do both – the time to retrain and stay in work ! AbleSkills recently introduced their very successful At Distance Theory Study Manual for the City & Guilds Technical Certificate Plumbing 6129 Level 2.

The AbleSkills Staff Tutors have compiled a complete all-in-one Course Manual specifically for the theory and principles of plumbing for those who are either working full time or cannot commit to a full time plumbing training course. It provides a major solution and means students now have total freedom to study and learn in their own time – and at their own pace.

The Home Study course covers all you will need to know to pass the City and Guilds Plumbing 6129 NVQ Level 2 Technical Certificate and quickly get you into the practical training workshops, where once again you have training flexibility. Every manual comes complete with individual Self Assessment questions at the end of each of the included knowledge units, allowing you endless opportunities to test your knowledge. Once you feel confident that you have memorised and understood the theory sections, you can be assessed for eligibility to commence the practical skills required at AbleSkills own dedicated Plumbing classroom workshops.

To get a really good idea of what it’s like to be actually training on the plumbing course, take a look at the AbleSkills Plumbing YouTube video!

Despite the ongoing recession, employers still have a difficulty in finding trained, skilled plumbers with the expertise and flexibility to install different systems – especially green energy heating - the knowledge to understand how and why different systems work, and the ability and initiative to problem solve.

AbleSkills students are nurtured throughout their course development to go on to NVQ Level 3 and further skills training courses,  to ultimately qualify as a highly competent plumber, ready to confidently undertake the necessary tasks required in today’s construction industry.

Currently, pressure is mounting on the Government to curtail future public spending in order to reduce the enormous UK debt as a result of the recession. This has led to the announcement that Further Education colleges across England are preparing to axe courses such as plumbing, electrical bricklaying and joinery after budgets were slashed because of a £200m funding crisis.

Although the Government insists that cash for further education has significantly increased over the last 13 years, with £3.5bn being invested in 2010/11, ministers are calling for £340m-worth of savings next year as part of cut backs across the public sector.

It is claimed that as many as 7,000 teachers face losing their jobs in further education colleges, and the cost cutting will affect many skills-based courses for over-19s in areas that include the key construction trade skills of electrical installation and plumbing. With fewer course places available, hundreds of students will be rejected plus the many experienced trade workers who need to retrain and reskill throughout their working lives.

As a result, the important role currently played by independent construction skills training centres, like AbleSkills, to provide the industry with highly competent and qualified trade skill personnel will be significantly increased and may be the only real training opportunity for the many who seek to gain training qualifications to work as a plumber or learn electrical installation.

As the government continues to unveil both domestic and commercial building developments around the UK that highlight their commitment to reducing the country’s carbon footprint and which works towards sustainable energy efficient heating and lighting systems, forward thinking training providers are already offering the required green energy courses, in Solar PV or Ground Source Heating.

As the inevitable public spending cuts continue to be made for the foreseeable future, only a self financing and truly independent private provider like AbleSkills will be able to stand firm and continue to confidently provide the essential career development training necessary to meet the growing demand for a qualified, industry-ready workforce.

In the last few months alone, there have already been casualties in the skills training provider sector as a result of funding and Able Skills has been supportive of those individual course students left stranded mid-course.

It now must be borne in mind that as a result of the severe College cut backs, the demand now for places at an independent training centre will only increase for the key NVQ training courses such as the Electrical 2330 and Plumbing 6129.

They are both the recognised and essential City & Guilds entry level career training required to step onto the industry ladder for all newcomers without previous knowledge or experience by introducing  the core subject principles and practical abilities needed to qualify as a competent plumber or electrician.

The single biggest issue for householders and business owners alike – energy efficiency! Reducing emissions, effective cost savings and regulation compliance are key considerations for the installation and running of heating and lighting systems. Increasingly, the knowledge required to be learned when training to be a plumber is now focusing on also being responsible for energy assessment of an efficiently operating water system.

At AbleSkills, there is unique opportunity for all plumbing students to undertake training in key green energy renewables, in a natural course progression, commencing at entry level on the City & Guilds 6129 Level 2 Certificate through to NVQ Level 3 and onto specialising in specific knowledge areas such as Unvented Hot Water Systems or Part P.

Trainees, whether just starting their careers, or industry-experienced can learn the necessary practical skills and knowledge required for the safe and approved installation of latest green technology appliances, such as Solar PV or ground source heat pumps. AbleSkills have created purpose-built fully equipped plumbing workshops and classrooms for individual pupil training in specific green energy categories.

Ground Source Heat Pumps, which takes heat from the ground and converts it into energy to heat buildings, are looking increasingly likely to become the householder’s water heating system of choice in the UK.

Ground source heat pump extracts radiation from the sun in the form of heat stored in the earth and pumps it into a building to provide hot water. For every unit of electricity used to power the heat pump system, approximately 3-4 units of heat are captured and distributed, and thus, 300-400% efficient in terms of its use of electricity and means less carbon dioxide emissions than for a gas boiler heating system

A Ground Source Heat Pump system (GSHP), invented more than 50 years ago and already familiar in the US and Europe, is about the same size as a large fridge and comprises three basic elements – a ground loop, the heat pump itself, and a heat distribution system. Some domestic systems are able to heat domestic hot water via a modern high efficiency indirect water cylinder, whilst reverse-cycle heat pumps can deliver both heating and cooling.

Almost all new houses in the UK are designed to meet or exceed the 2006 Building Regulations for conserving fuel, reducing heat losses and ensuring greater energy efficiency. This means perfect compliancy for the installation of a ground source heat pump system, which is specifically designed to run on a standard UK single phase supply and is thus smaller, needing reduced ground loops and therefore less expensive.

There are no hazardous gas emissions, flammable oil, LPG or gas pipes, flue or chimney and no unsightly fuel tanks. GSHP systems have absolutely no site emissions.

A fully trained and qualified plumber who possess the correct and approved GSHP knowledge will be fully able to connect the heat pump unit to a current heating system.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has announced £19.6 million to fund two key projects which will provide unique job opportunities, including qualified contractor employment – traditionally drawn from construction trades such as electrical installers – which are predicted to be generated by the 2012 Olympic Games, especially in the five host boroughs.

The 2012 Olympics is expected to create around 173,000 work opportunities – including contractor jobs – which leave a positive labour market legacy in London by ensuring that those who get Olympic jobs stay in work once the games are finished.

The two projects are:

- Five Borough Skills and Employment project: £15 million from the London Development Agency (LDA) and £12.8 million additional funding from the boroughs.

- 2012 Employment Legacy project: £4.6 million from the London Development Agency (LDA) focused on employment opportunities during the Games whilst also providing the support needed to find sustainable employment after the games have finished.

Despite signs cautiously showing that London has turned the corner out of recession, there is obviously much to do in order to sustain the upward drive and this is yet another example of the many industry initiatives being created to help the UK recover.

Trained and qualified personnel are set to benefit the most from construction trade opportunities that are being set up around the country. Foremost, is always the demand for properly trained electricians and plumbers with recognised qualifications and experience.

To take good advantage of the economic upturn means making preparations now! The established route for individuals who have committed themselves to taking up a career as an electrician without any prior knowledge and experience, is the City & Guilds Electrical NVQ 2330 Level 2. Essentially, an introduction to the basic principles of theory and practical knowledge, a student can within weeks, quickly move forward to the NVQ Level 3 ( 2336)

There are also, key supplementary electrical courses, invaluable for enabling a student electrician to undertake many additional and often, very necessary tasks, like inspection electrical testing.

Under the careful guidance of AbleSkills tutors, within purpose built, fully equipped classroom workshops, a student is made ‘industry-ready’ as a competent, qualified electrician to undertake many of the commercial and domestic electrical work that will be encountered.

The need to acquire solid training and approved qualifications is key to employment and career success in today’s construction industry. Many of the students choose Ableskills as an established construction training provider because from the moment they land at the website then speak to a friendly and helpful voice on the telephone, they know they have come to the right place!

All prospective candidates are invited to visit the training centre to see for themselves the extensive and fully equipped two storey workshop facilities dedicated to each individual trade skill course. This now includes the latest ‘renewable’ green energy technical training and installations classrooms, also in their own state-of-the-art space. Foremost, amongst the exciting new green technology courses being offered is Solar PV, which looks to be now the in-demand energy efficient installation.

Many students you can speak to at the centre, openly express just how impressed they are, not only with a great set of course options and tariffs to cater for most requirements – including weekend courses – but bowled over with the high quality of tuition and training facilities.

Which is not surprising when you consider that AbleSkills are an approved and accredited provider with the time-honoured City and Guilds, IAB, Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), EAL (EMTA Awards Ltd) the UK’s leading awarding body for engineering National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), Construction Awards Alliance, Building Engineering Services and many more recognised and respected Standards organisations.

The key entry level training for most students will be either be the City & Guilds Electrical NVQ 2330 or the City & Guilds NVQ Technical Plumbing 6129. Once begun, AbleSkills take great duty of care to carefully guide each student so if they wish, they can naturally progress along their career path training and up the skills qualifications ladder to NVQ 3 and other equally important NVQ course skillsets.

Some students may have originally enquired at a different training centre, but it immediately became apparent that there was a lack of interest, inability to speak with anybody or any follow-up. At AbleSkills, an immediate invitation is always extended to ‘come down and take a look around the centre’. Other students are immediately impressed with every question being fully and logically answered with full explanations for all the courses and their practical benefits.

All the students you can speak with are ‘enjoying it immensely’ citing the main reasons for enrolling at AbleSkills as a ‘relaxed atmosphere’, ‘great technical facilities’ and ‘good relationships’ with a friendly teaching staff who ‘take time to explain’ and ‘help you if you’re not sure’.

The course assessments give them all the feedback and prompting needed to progress and many are already deciding they will sign up at AbleSkills for the next level of training modules in their trade skill at the completion of the current course.

In the latest announcement by the Government, three planning rules have just been updated, which will grant nearly £10 million to improve green skills and back the second wave of eco-town construction.

Building with the aim of reducing carbon emissions and future climate change, the new policy statements give councils a “green planning rulebook” so new sustainable developments can be planned.

Proposals for the new climate change planning policy will ensure new developments are built in the right places, utilising sustainable sources of energy and encouraging the installation of electric car charging points. The latest targets are designed to ensure councils put combating climate change at the heart of future development and radically help people save money on their bills and reduce emissions.

For many who are currently thinking of starting, switching or further developing their career as an electrician or looking to become a plumber, learning to work with and install ‘green’ energy efficient appliances and systems will become an increasingly important part of energy trade skills training.

AbleSkills can not only provide the very important underpinning knowledge and practical skills required for students taking either the entry level Electrical 2330 or Plumbing 6129 courses, but can also lead you through a natural learning process to achieve the necessary highly competent skills training qualifications to ensure secure future prospects in a changing jobs marketplace. The opportunity is available to undertake courses at Level 3 as well as a number of combination courses for differing task requirements.

Training becoming available at AbleSkills in a brand new green energy training space, is dedicated to Solar PV systems, considered to be an important part of the Government’s UK green initiative for supplying clean energy and cutting emissions in domestic households. A further capability for students is to train to install another equally important renewable , the  highly energy efficient ground and air source heating systems.

The introduction of a Government pilot scheme aims to make Europe’s largest jobs database available by a ‘no fee’ mobile phone download app! Operating through JobCentre Plus, the app is designed to be a key tool for people looking for work, by making it easier to search by location, save preferences and job vacancy information finding.

Jobseekers will be able to enter their location, or select key areas where they are looking for work and see exactly where vacancies are with Google maps. Work seekers will be able to use GPS to spot jobs around them, whether from home or on the move. The app will also be developed to automatically notify people of new vacancies matching their preferences.

The scheme could be a valuable time saving tool for qualified personnel, who have completed a specific trade skills training to become an electrician or work as a plumber, and are looking to enter their particular chosen industry as quickly as possible. The construction industry is still short of many key skill workers around the country on both commercial developments and domestic projects.

At AbleSkills, great care is taken to ensure all students embark on the right course for them that fits in with their career goals and work schedules. The recognised and approved entry level for a trainee electrician, for example, is the City & Guilds Electrical 2330 Level 2, progressing onto the City & Guilds NVQ 2356 Level 3. Able Skills also offer a range of related electrician courses for key important knowledge areas an electrician should possess in order to develop valuable career and future service potential.

Over 30% of employers in the UK use Jobcentre Plus to advertise their jobs and almost 1 million people search for work through Jobcentre Plus every working day. In one month alone, recently, 60,000 people accessed the website from their mobile phones. The app is available to anyone who uses an iPhone, iPod touch or Google ‘Android’ phone. Once the app has opened, a keyword search for jobs in a specific area can be typed in or picked up by a GPS signal.

Under new plans announced by the Government this month, a ‘green’ transformation of Britain’s homes will take place over the next decade- designed to make them more comfortable, warmer and cheaper to run.

With around one quarter of UK emissions coming from energy used in homes the ‘Warm Homes, Greener Homes’ strategy is aimed at cutting emissions from the UK’s homes by 29% by 2020.

The new strategy will help people make smarter use of energy in homes, making it easier to take action and reduce bills. Installing some technologies, such as solid wall insulation, could see energy bills cut by £380 a year (average between 2013 and 2020).

The new strategy will also help boost jobs, with up to 65,000 jobs required in the green homes industry as a result, for example installing and manufacturing energy saving measures or providing home energy advice.

The demand for trained and qualified industry personnel is also likely to increase, with the focus on those training to be an electrician or looking to work as a plumber. Energy efficient heating and lighting technology is now an urgent priority and it’s becoming clear that undertaking green energy course training in Solar PV installation or ground /air source heat pumps is going to directly benefit trade skills trainees.

Knowing how to make a green energy assessment and undertake the required installation will be of direct relevance to experienced electricians and plumbers, who wish to upgrade their service provision.

The Warm Homes, Greener Homes Strategy will be implemented in a three stage plan:

• Insulation of 6 million homes by the end of 2011
• Insulation of all practical lofts and cavity walls by 2015
• Up to 7 million eco upgrades offered by 2020- all homes to have smart meters

The first demand for electrical and plumbing services looks to be from social housing. Government aims to focus efforts to reduce bills and carbon emissions with council and housing association landlords linking up with energy companies to get efficiency work done.

For those who wish to make a new career in the electrical or plumbing sector, entry level training without any prior knowledge or experience, can be undertaken on a City & Guilds NVQ Level 2 course – Electrical 2330, or Plumbing 6129 – which provides foundation knowledge and introduction to the required practical skills before qualifying to progress onto Level 3.

It’s been just over six years since the new rules were incorporated into the Building Regulations which redined the installation and modification of electrical wiring.

Known as ‘Part P’, these rules specifically enforce all ‘notifiable’ electrical work to meet legal safety standards for electrical wiring. The rules state that to ensure these standards are met, all work must either be carried out by certified electricians or the work must be tested to the satisfaction of the local Building Control Department.

This is is particularly important to know for all those who wish to enter the industry and train to be a fully qualified electrician.
Not all electrical courses have Part P included in the training, and electricians not Part P registered will be restricted in their future working prospects by being prevented to undertake a number of key electrical tasks.

The City & Guilds Electrical NVQ 2330, is the standard entry course required before progressing onto the full NVQ 2356 Level 3. There are also different combinations of courses that can be undertaken to gain elegibility for Part P registration, from a 13 day beginner course  to a three week course.  Also,  fully qualified electricians who require Part P can enroll onto a short 2393 course.

Be aware that the Part P also applies to DIY activities, and anyone carrying out DIY changes which are notifiable have to submit a building notice to the local authority before starting work and pay the fee to have the work inspected and tested.

Failure to comply with these rules is a criminal offence which can lead to a fine of up to £5,000. Furthermore, problems may be encountered when trying to sell a property which has had notifiable electrical work carried out but for which the appropriate certificate cannot be produced.

Non-notifiable electrical work – which can be carried out by a non-certified individual without notification, but for which the individual does need to be competent, covers:

• Replacement of fittings such as sockets, switches and light fittings.
• Replacement of the cable for a single circuit where it has been damaged.
• Work that is not in the bathroom or kitchen and consists of:
- Adding additional lighting, light fittings and switches, to an existing circuit.
- Adding additional sockets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial main.
• Installing additional earth bonding.

All ‘non-notifiable electrical work’ is conditional upon the use of suitable cable and fittings for the application, that the circuit protective measures are unaffected and suitable for protecting the new circuit, and that all work complies with all other appropriate regulations.

Notifiable electrical work – which is all other work that must either be carried out by fully qualified, Part P certified individuals/companies or notified to the local Building Control before work begins, includes:

• All new or modifications to the electrical wiring within bathrooms or shower rooms.
• Installation or modification of electric underfloor or ceiling heating.
• Garden lighting or power installation.

Other specialist electrical installation, examples being, Photovoltaic Solar Systems and micro CHP (Combined Heat and Power) power systems.