Archive for June, 2010
Training To Be A Plumber For Long Term Prospects
Construction trade skills, like plumbing, always tend to come top of surveys for traditional careers with long term, solid prospects. As Britain continues to climb out of recent recession, and faced with economic cost cutting ahead, many are taking opportunity to reconsider their career prospects or have been forced to do so as a result of company downsizing.
Many of the UK’s most reputable training centres like AbleSkills have, since the downturn, been on the receiving end of the demand for retraining by all those looking to get a first rung on the industry ladder by enrolling on the popular NVQ 6129 level 2 course in plumbing.
The recent slowdown in construction, which meant a large drop in the number of newly qualified trade skills, has recovered and it is estimated that the country will need at least 4,500 additional plumbers to train each year in the years leading up to and beyond the 2012 Olympics in order to cope with the growing demand for their skills.
Obviously this means that at the present time there is quite a shortage of qualified professionals – and an even bigger shortage of ‘green’ plumbers who can work on the new generation of low emission, energy systems, such as the ground source heat pumps and solar heating. High redundancy levels and the significant drops in recruitment has meant workers from all walks of life are now retraining to become a qualified plumber.
A recent City and Guilds survey found that even during the recession, over 80% of plumbers were financially better off than they were in the same period in the previous year, partly due to many of the existing tradesmen retiring earlier than normal to leave a serious skills gap to fill.
Plumbers are always going to be needed, especially now as the global demand for renewable energy technology gains momentum to be urgently rolled out, the specialist trade skillset is obviously, set to remain as one of the most stable and secure of all important trade services.
AbleSkills, as an officially approved and accredited training centre, run a number of flexible, introductory courses and intensive plumbing courses, including Theory Distance Learning, to immediately assist with course timings and schedules for those interested to begin learning without interrupting current employment schedules.
From Barbecues And Bathrooms To Building A New Career!
It’s barbecue season again – and currently, the hot weather is holding up long enough to be reason enough for getting in the charcoal briquettes. Of course, it can also mean a chance for the DIY handyman to have a go at building his own brick barbecue, which is great for using when family and friends are round for an impromptu outdoors get together.
But it’s also an opportunity to see just how good your practical skills are. For many right now, this could be a good project to get your teeth into if you’re thinking about an alternative means of work or career switching to train to become a bricklayer, or looking to enter the building industry, generally.
It helps if you do have some extensive DIY experience or have been handling building materials, a short bricklaying course would be ideal to get further involved with plenty of other course opportunities to do plastering, and tiling, at City and Guilds NVQ level.
Many men and women take a short trade skills course because they want to undertake their own home project, say tiling a bathroom, to save money and to see if they ‘can do it’. Most students are surprised just how quickly they pick the basics up, gain confidence in practical abilities they either didn’t know they had or were convinced they could not do!
They also discover that one skill so easily leads into another, especially as most jobs require you to do some additional plastering, plumbing or electrical work. The good news is you can take a bathroom installation course, which shows you all the different skills and knowledge you need to complete the task.
For those who are already considering a serious course of training in the construction trades, then you will already be aware that City & Guilds NVQ training is the first step to getting on the career ladder. Ableskills offers a wide range of accredited and approved courses to suit different requirements, especially if you can only train at certain times or periods in the week.
Remember - building your own barbecue, like all skills required in construction trade projects, requires planning before you start! The first move is to simply get in touch to speak to one of the training team! You will be able to find out what’s the best course of action to take and arrange to visit the training centre – they are always keen to help and you’ll be glad you made that first telephone call!
Summer Heatwaves - Extra Work For Builders!
It doesn’t take much to cause damage to brick walls. A few days of heatwave can be enough to bring about the unravelling of brickwork, especially if a property is close to a large tree with long deep roots spreading out beneath the foundations, especially if the property is situated on a steep incline.
The tree’s roots draw up all available moisture leading to the soil drying out, contraction and slippage and those tell tale cracks appearing on the walls. For builders, this could only mean the one course of action, ‘Underpinning’, will deal sufficiently with the problem. One or more walls may need to be knitted back together with infill brickwork or perhaps rebuilt and resurfaced.
To learn to be a bricklayer requires training by starting on a City & Guilds Bricklaying NVQ level 2 course in order to competently undertake many domestic and commercial building tasks.
More commonly though, jobs requiring plastering work to be done mostly involve built extensions or as a result of ‘knocking through’ from one room to another or dividing a living space into two by studwall and plasterboard. Sometimes a wall may need a ’skim’, i.e. a thin layer of plaster after the removal of old wallpaper reveals a deteriorated, unstable surface that is either uneven, crumbling, flaking or worse !
Or perhaps removing old ‘textured’ wall / ceiling rendering and replacing with a smooth plaster surface prior to painting. The above jobs are typical for a professional plasterer working in domestic dwellings and are always in demand as homeowners seek to increase the value of their property by making alterations and increasing habitable space.
The ability to produce absolutely flat, glass smooth surfaces is a challenging discipline requiring expert tuition on how to master the art of the trowel, correct application, good controlled arm movement and a watchful eye! To train to be a plasterer these days requires undertaking an approved and accredited Plastering NVQ level course.
If you show flair for the craft, and can ‘lay up’ at the required standard of workmanship and at a good pace, then opportunities abound on commercial and industrial build or renovation projects.
For all those just interested to find out about learning a few techniques to accomplish small scale DIY jobs around the house, a short bricklaying DIY course or plastering DIY course is well worth the time and is money well spent! You can even do this on weekend courses if you are unable to find time during the week and in today’s economic climate, every additional, practical skill learnt could lead to possible job openings and career changing opportunities.
Beware The VAT Avoidance Cowboys !
Dire warnings have been issued by organisations like the Federation of Master Builders, predicting that the coalition Government’s budget raise of VAT to 20 per cent will mean an increase in cowboy tradesman willing to work for ‘cash in hand’.
No doubt many houseowners or small businesses cutting back on expenditure will be tempted, despite knowing full well the terrible dangers involved when it comes to getting plumbing or electrical work ‘done on the cheap’ by unqualified tradesmen with little to no qualified knowledge or training, just to avoid the extra few pounds that paying VAT would entail.
They seem to be prepared to take the risk, which all too often leads to horror stories reported in the press when a terrible injury or loss of life occurs because of illegal renovation work being carried out by cowboy gas fitters, electricians or plumbers.
When it come to electrical installation or repairs, all work must be carried out 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.
In order to fully qualify at level 3 and demonstrate full competency to properly and safely carry out electrical installation, repairs and maintenance, a student electrician must first undertake the entry level City & Guilds NVQ 2330 level 2 qualification and be assessed and verified in order to progress onto the next necessary stage. In addition - and equally as important - is the number of years of working experience a practising electrician gains after qualifying, beginning with an apprenticeship.
The construction trades industry will no doubt be on full alert to evidence of basic DIY handymen or other tradesmen who think they can do electrical work and decide to take advantage of the VAT increase to offer cash in hand jobs. On the most simplest level of understanding, it’s not just about connecting a few wires and using whatever they have to hand ( or in the back of the van!) and they ‘think’ will work. Load calculations, wire size, proper devices, safe and secure connections are just a few of the vital key items that a trained and qualified electrician has to consider when evaluating a job.
Gas Safety Trust New Brand Identity
Earlier this month, a new brand identity for the Gas Safety Trust was first unveiled on its new website.
Intended to raise the profile of the Trust’s new identity and create a central destination where information can be easily accessed about gas safety remit, it is aimed at the many different audiences involved with gas safety, and the information on the website is clear and easy to navigate and understand.
Research into gas safety with a particular focus on carbon monoxide is a key priority for the Trust and therefore, is a main focus on the website. Future plans for the site will include news about the many exciting initiatives currently being developed to further the scope of carbon monoxide incidents in the UK, as well as other primary areas of activity such as education and Gas training.
In April 2009, CORGI was replaced by Gas Safe Register as the official gas safety body for Great Britain, designed to protect consumers from unsafe gas work by reporting of notifiable gas work, managing inspection and enforcement and providing technical support and standards updates to registered engineers.
Only Gas Safe registered engineers are legally allowed to carry out any work on gas appliances and ACS, NVQ and SVQ qualifications are still valid, For engineers with current and valid qualifications, there will be no requirement to retrain or re-sit examinations. If you have experience in the gas industry or related fields you may be able to follow the Nationally Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) route to registration. This will allow you to gain certificates of competence that are accepted by Gas Safe Register.
Many students who have completed their Plumbing qualification training will often progress to undertake gas training as a key additional skillset. Able Skills is an approved CITB training provider for those seriously wishing to gain entry to the Gas Industry, with Gas courses available for New Entrants, Initial Assessment, Re-Assessment and even over the Weekend.
Changing Times and Changing Careers!
Recognising that the next few years will be challenging for many as the coalition Government implements very necessary economic changes, now may be the right time to seriously think about ringing your own changes to your present career path.
This last period of recession has seen some industry sectors suffer very badly, and even though the UK is slowly recovering, traditional areas of work might not return to the same kind of levels for years to come. This means that looking for alternative means of work and income becomes a priority.
The construction industry has not been unaffected by the recent downturn but occupations like building, plumbing and electricals are traditionally one of the most resilient, and there is always demand for fundamental trade skills at any time.
The simple facts are that today, an individual may require to rethink and redirect their working life more than once as both trade economies and new technologies alter employment patterns and future expectations.
It is no different in the construction trade industry where new career paths are taken up in mid life as well as from leaving school.
As an established trainer, Ableskills sees many men - and women - make an early or mid-career switch! In addition, experienced trades personnel recognise that in today’s fast moving world, it is vitally important to constantly update knowledge, skills and learning about how to work with applications of emerging technologies. AbleSkills offers many advanced courses for experienced trade professionals looking to gain specific qualifications in a relevant skillset area.
Almost inevitably, the top trade skills always in demand are Electrical 2330 NVQ and 2356 NVQ plus Plumbing 6129 NVQ, and the interest in developing a steady career, either from scratch or updating new knowledge and working methods has always been considerable. To this end, AbleSkills has built extensive new workshops and teaching facilities, individually dedicated to both electrical and plumbing technical training, in order to satisfactorily allow for the increasing demand.
Of course, the key for many is to find the time to retrain! Too often it is heard that either, working or home circumstances have been seen as a barrier, but here at AbleSkills, many courses, all offering different durations, from weekends to fulltime, are available to accommodate most potential training schedules. For those who are interested in training to be a plumber, you can even learn the Plumbing 6129 Theory part at home and study at your own pace and in your own time.
AbleSkills have also opened a brand new green energy training space dedicated to key emerging renewables such as Solar PV systems and Ground Source Heat Pumps, considered to be an important part of the Government’s UK green initiative for supplying clean energy and cutting emissions in domestic households.
This will form an increasingly important part of energy trade skills training for the coming decade, and those thinking of starting or further developing their career in the industry will find that AbleSkills can not only lay the very important knowledge underpinning but also lead you through the necessary skills training qualification ladder that will help to ensure your future prospects are more firmly secured for career advancement.
A Variety of Work When You Train To Be An Electrician
In today’s world, a change of career is not unusual and when economies face difficult periods, as we do now, it’s often a good opportunity to look at your current work situation. It can often be the case that a career switch, at whatever point in your working life, can be a positive forward move.
All focus is on the energy industry as the drive towards meeting government renewable heating and lighting thresholds gains speed. When you train to be an electrician today, you will now need to know a whole new set of tasks in order to install green energy devices into domestic and commercial properties.
The variety of work challenges in everyday electrical work are sure to keep most skilled trades people interested and engaged in their career path.
The standard work is to be responsible for the testing, fitting and repairing of wiring and circuits, and the maintenance and installation of all types of electrical equipment. It is their task to ensure that wires and circuits are safe, repair faults in the electrics and install new circuits after building work is complete.
To be a fully qualified electrician it is necessary to train to qualify at City & Guilds Electrical NVQ level 3. In order to do so, a first course of training must be undertaken at NVQ Level 2, which provides a foundation of knowledge necessary to be learnt before proceeding to the next stage to obtaining the full electrician qualification.
For school leavers up to 19 years of age the traditional route to become an electrician is to train as an apprentice, which incorporates the relevant NVQ into the training. But for all those individuals over the age of 19, who wish to retrain, enrolling with an approved and accredited training provider is invariably the preferred option.
Being an electrician is now an even more technical and highly skilled job and in addition to being hard working and committed to the job, electricians need to possess or learn a variety of different abilities, including:
• Good practical skills
• Close attention to detail
• The ability to focus for long periods of time
• A methodical approach to work
• Problem solving abilities
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• The ability to work independently and as part of a small team
Absolutely crucial, of course, is the requirement for possessing normal colour vision as electricians need to be able to distinguish between the different coloured wires in a circuit!
In addition, with the rapid development of technology, an electrician must be prepared to keep himself up-to-date with knowledge of the electricity industry, latest devices and methods and a commitment to modifications in health and safety and other specific building regulations.
British Gas Green Jobs Recruitment Good News For Trained and Qualified Plumbers.
Good news for all those entering the skilled trades industry with trained qualifications in green energy installations as news is released of British Gas rapidly increasing its recruitment of trained and qualified plumbers competent to undertake new renewable energy installations. The energy supplier sees the new coalition government’s plan to help households finance renewable power generation and heating equipment as a key decision in the expansion of the market for renewable energy sources such as PV solar panels and heat pumps.
In addition, British Gas is aiming to form a 1,100 strong home insulation division by the end of March 2011 as part of their overall drive to transform their services to now include those trained and qualified individuals with green skills who will be out there installing technology in households and businesses. This major development reflects the shift towards a an industry marketplace seeing substantial demand for skilled engineers in installing green energy.
British Gas has 10,000 engineers already in its domestic business and 1,000 have already been taken on as green engineers. The company is also accelerating its recruitment and retraining plans as it becomes more confident that demand will exist for these green skills in the near feature. The company has at least 100 of its engineers trained to install micro generation equipments like small wind turbines and solar panels.
Established trainers, AbleSkills have invested considerable resources into developing purpose built green energy workshop classrooms in order to provide top class course instruction taught by experienced industry professionals. Student plumbers have a tremendous opportunity to become involved with renewable technology once they have completed their initial required NVQ Plumbing 6129 training on an approved and accredited City and Guilds course.
Traditional Trade Apprenticeships Scheme Launch
There has been a lot of talk recently, especially from ministers within the new coalition Government, that boosting traditional trade apprenticeship schemes would be a constructive part of revamping the educational system to help deal with the economic challenges ahead.
This would mean that those individuals who feel they are more suited to pursuing a career in the practical trades such as training to be an electrician or learning to become a plumber, for example, are given much more support and opportunity to gain valuable experience, than at present. It would also encourage skills training routes to apprenticeships to continue to be an attractive proposition for students who wish to enter the construction trades industry.
Just this month, The National Trust has launched a new scheme to recruit apprentices in traditional trades across the country, due to start in September. Competition for places will be tough as the starting wage for apprentices will be double the amount a usual apprentice is paid.
Thousands of heritage buildings across the UK are going to need regular maintenance and renovation in the coming years. Without the apprenticeship scheme in place, many of the country’s treasured historical buildings would fall into poor states of repair.
The initiative has been taken now as, once again, it is feared that there will be significant shortages in the trade skilled work force, which has long been the situation, particularly in the electrical sector. The average work force age is over 50, so many retirements are expected within the next few years and properly trained and qualified electricians, plumbers, tilers, plasterers and builders will be in demand.
The established training route is to undertake the City & Guilds NVQ level 2 certificate, for example, the Plumbing 6129 or Electrical 2330 at an accredited and approved training provider, which kickstarts knowledge learning to prove ability and aptitude before progressing onto higher training levels and related subject areas, such as Gas training or Heat Pumps.
After course completion and qualifying, building up valuable experience is obligatory and the more apprenticeship schemes which can be offered by employers, the better it will be for students to obtain a smoother transition from training to workplace.
Heat Pumps at Historic House Highlight Green Energy Take Up
The new realities of efficient energy technology means that learning plumbing and electrician training will increasingly reflect the adaptation to renewable energy sources needed to meet government targets set over the coming decade.
Nearly every day, news of another major green build project hits the headlines, referring to the installation of latest heating technologies such as PV Solar or ground source heat pumps.
Just this week, it was announced that, as part of a major conservation programme, one of Britain’s finest historic houses, Castle Howard, near the city of York, installed two 100kW Dimplex ground source heat pumps, which has seen their energy costs reduced by nearly 90 percent.
The programme was introduced to help secure a more sustainable future for the leading visitor attraction. Key objectives were to drastically cut the annual £40,000 fuel bill, improve the carbon footprint and reduce overall expenditure to allow more investment in conservation.
Since the old heating and hot water systems were replaced by the heat pumps in October 2009, measurements taken over just three full winter months of operation, have shown the average fuel bills drop from around £4,690 per month to just £644, with a projected payback of the entire system in just six years.
The system provides hot water and heating for the main house, the estate office and four staff residential flats, generating four kilowatt hours of heat for every kilowatt hour of electricity the heat pump uses.
The drive towards energy efficient, cost saving heating is spreading across both the residential, domestic and commercial sectors. Private householder, business owners and large organisations are recognising the significant benefits of installing green energy.
This means that the demand for qualified plumbers, fully trained and competent to undertake precise and correct installation will rise significantly and increase as the take up multiplies. Training to be a plumber now is a good move to make for all those looking to secure their future in the construction industry, especially at a time when the UK economy is reviving after recession.
The standard route is to begin on the City & Guilds NVQ Plumbing 6129 level 2 course, progressing through to level 3 with options for gaining full knowledge learning on gas training and green energy courses.
