It is an encouraging sign for both the recovering UK economy and the development of renewable energy, that the latest news of a heat pump system, installed to replace an out-dated coal fire in the North of England, looks like kickstarting the scheme operated by Community Energy Solutions (CES), in partnership with housing provider, Home Group.

It’s also gives tremendous encouragement to the plumbing industry as a whole, who are heavily investing in Green Energy, not least the major leading trade skills trainers, who have recognised the importance of the government stated intention to increase reduction in CO2 emissions over the next ten years.

Cockfield, in County Durham, is one of dozens of towns and villages across the UK which is still classified as an off-gas community, meaning it has no mains gas supply providing power to the surrounding homes. As a result housing providers and homeowners are forced to look for alternative ways of heating their properties.

CES, which operates primarily across the North East and Yorkshire, specialises in providing affordable energy solutions to single properties and entire communities which may not have access to methods such as gas or simply want to improve their energy efficiency. Together with Home Group, a new air to water heat pump (ASHP) system was specified, which would see an outdoor unit, indoor hydrobox and domestic hot water cylinder fitted to replace their old coal fire and solid fuel back boiler.

The system works virtually like a fridge in reverse, with the outdoor unit drawing in air and using a heat exchanger to transfer the ambient heat to water which is then pumped around the property as conventional central heating to radiators in each room. The system is designed to maintain a constant temperature in the home and removes the need to have the boiler constantly turning on and off, which increases comfort and reduces cost.

After the success of the installation, Home Group and CES now hope to continue their partnership to roll out the installations in properties across the region. CES also plan to install an additional 2,000 heat pumps across the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside throughout the next year.

Training to install heat pumps is set to become a key green plumbing requirement and students who first enrol on an entry level Plumbing NVQ 6129 course should certainly consider progressing onto approved green courses for heat pumps and solar heating, which will help with their future work prospects in the plumbing industry.

A landmark occasion was highlighted in the news this week as the 2012 Olympics reached the July 27th planned opening date, now exactly just two years away.

The construction industry in London continues to benefit from preparations for the 2012 Olympics. The £303 million Aquatics Centre and the £80 million Velopark are among the key stadium building projects to have started on site over the last year, while work has also commenced on the Olympic Village.

Recent trends within the construction industry as a whole, seem to show a continuing, if cautious improvement in the recovery from recession. Various news reports for the last quarterly show that renewal of work on building projects, temporarily halted in the last two years, have helped with improving work prospects across the industry trades.

This is encouraging news, especially for those currently in Electrical NVQ 2330 training or on a Plumbing 6129 level 2 course. The slowly returning confidence spells optimistic prospects for the many men and women thinking of entering the industry by enrolling on a training course at an approved skills learning centre.

Individuals searching for a new career and are thinking to train as a bricklayer or learn tiling, the prospects for employment in the private residential housing market have started to pick up during the second half of 2009, cutting the decline for the year to just 11%.

During the first five months of 2010, the sector continued its recovery, growing by almost 50% compared to the same period of 2009. Examples of residential housing projects set to begin early in 2011 around the capital, include a £9 million, 2 year construction of 157 flats and 2 Commercial Units at Bow Common Lane, East London and a £137 million regeneration scheme in the Borough of Brent to develop 1, 800 units across South Kilburn.

Electricians, plumbers, tilers, bricklayers and plasterers possessing formal City & Guilds NVQ qualifications could be elegible to participate in any number of identical projects mushroomimg around London and the South East, according to experience, employment and apprenticeship status.

Once again, the persistent problem of asbestos is being highlighted in the media. Although the manufacture and working with asbestos and its products have been banned for 30 years in the UK, as well as many other countries in the world, there are developing countries, such as Russia, India and China, who have become prominent in recent years for the increasing level of their asbestos exports.

Unfortunately, in the UK, still to this day, trade workers may be called to work in premises or environments containing hidden and dangerously deteriorating asbestos in the fabric of the building. The material is still considered the UK’s biggest killer in the workplace, especially schools and former premises where asbestos was used for producing building products such as insulating ceiling tiles.

The construction industry widely used asbestos in numerous building materials before 1980, because it was both a cheap material and possessed excellent insulating properties. Many manufacturers of fibreglass insulating tiles and ceiling tiles often knew of the hazards of asbestos exposure but did not inform their workforce. This is borne out by the HSE, who consistently hear from older workers that they were never told about the risks of working with asbestos!

Even today lack of awareness can have fatal consequences. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around 25% of the 4,000 who die from asbestos-related diseases each in Britain year – approx. 20 per week – are tradesmen such as joiners, electricians and plumbers.

Often, tradesmen in particular, think that asbestos is a problem belonging to the past but there is always present a real risk facing plumbers, joiners, electricians, painters and decorators and many other maintenance workers. Asbestos may be present in any building constructed or refurbished before the year 2000, and it is estimated that around 500,000 workplace premises could contain asbestos.

Sprayed coatings was probably the most lethal way in which asbestos was used. It was common for many sprayed asbestos products to contain up to 85% asbestos. Between 1935 and 1971, it was used extensively in public buildings for acoustic and thermal insulation and fire protection of structural steel work. It was commonly used in system-built council housing for boiler houses and ceilings, balconies and walkways.

If tradesmen are not sure whether there is asbestos present where they are working they should stop and check. If repair and maintenance work is not done safely it can lead to asbestos fibres being released into the air by drilling or cutting, and workers breathing them in.

Having an awareness of asbestos is still vital and forms an important part of Health & Safety knowledge within the trade industries.

Students beginning their skills training on the City & Guilds Plumbing NVQ 6129 Level 2 course will learn about the dangers of asbestos, gaining knowledge in identifying all the different types of asbestos material and where they may be found in variety of building constructions. In particular, how to correctly deal with an unexpected discovery of hidden asbestos and the immediate actions that must be taken for its immediate safe disposal by approved and certificated authorities.

City and Guilds have, this month, announced that the new QCF 2357 qualification, which was due to be phased in to replace NVQ 2330 from September 2010, is delayed until 2011. This means that all those who are currently thinking about taking the City & Guilds Electrical NVQ 2330 course can continue to do so.

When finally implemented in 2011, the new QCF course framework 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.

This applies whether you commence at entry level or if you are in a mid career change! You will still be able to train through to obtain the necessary qualifications, which can take you from ‘domestic-through-to-commercial’ electrical, plumbing, gas installation, tiling or in any of the other associated building trades.

Until the changeover finally takes place, the industry recognised City & Guilds entry qualification for electrician training remains the NVQ 2330 level 2, which is a full time 10 week course of intensive training – 50% of which is devoted to practical work.

At Level 2, all the necessary foundation knowledge is given so entrants can undertake electrical work within Domestic, Industrial and Commercial premises, and covers all the basic principles of electrical installation and understanding of Health & Safety requirements and knowledge of the organisation and structure of the electrical industry.

Many would-be students cannot find the time to train if they are working weekdays so an alternative option is to train at the weekends.

AbleSkills has a long established commitment to assist all students to build their knowledge and skills through set courses in order that they are both correctly trained and qualified to proceed in a fulltime career as an electrician. Upon completion of the City & Guilds 2330 level 2, the next step is the City & Guilds 2356 level 3 and is the natural progression from level 2 and is a requirement for moving forward to the next stage to becoming a fully qualified, ‘competent’ electrician.

All electrical course training facilities, workshops and classrooms are self contained in a dedicated new wing at the AbleSkills training centre, enabling each student to train in their own working unit with all the necessary tools and equipment required.

Last month, the newly elected Coalition Government reaffirmed that the urgent need to develop a low-carbon economy will remain a key issue in the years ahead, including the target to reduce central government carbon emissions by 10% within next 12 months and supporting an increase in the EU emission reduction target to 30% by 2020.

The Green Deal aims to encourage UK householders and businesses to take up energy efficiency measures by introducing a ‘pay as you save’ scheme – efficiency measures, such as loft and cavity wall insulation, which will be repaid through a charge on a home’s energy meter offset by the savings made on fuel bills.

Home insulation will be bought through high street retailers and supermarkets and will require energy assessments and means a boost to the plumbing and heating industry, which is also good news for those looking to train to be a plumber or gain a Gas Fitting qualification .

Although the Green Deal focuses on key areas of insulation, it is hoped that the drive to install efficient green energy such as solar heating and ground source heat pumps, will be also encouraged.

Despite the success of the recent Boiler Scrappage scheme, it is estimated that there are still around four million inefficient Band G boilers still in operation, which could also be replaced alongside the insulation strategy.

Whilst almost all homes are currently powered by electricity, the majority of homes in the UK are still heated by traditional gas.

This means that those currently or wishing to begin a new career and learn a trade skill, will be able to take advantage of the new initiatives through the courses now available. From the initial NVQ Plumbing 6129 level 2 and 3 courses through to Gas training and Green Energy heating, a student can easily and quickly gain the required knowledge to qualify and be competent to meet the demands tasks now necessary within the UK plumbing industry.

Waterwise, the UK’s leading independent organisation on water efficiency and sustainable development, has just published its own White Paper, setting out proposals for the coalition government to help meet the challenges of climate change through wasting less water.

Within the document, the important issues affecting the plumbing industry and all those who are now thinking of training to be a plumber, relate to green energy retrofitting schemes, appliance replacement and water meter installation.

Strategic proposals cover climate change, adaptation and resource efficiency, the low carbon and green economy over the five years from 2010 to 2015.

The proposals pinpoint for the coalition government, the need to place water efficiency at the heart of measures it is already taking to rise to these challenges, such as energy retrofitting schemes for homes, to ensure their maximum impact.

Key proposals include :

-Provision of services such as water efficiency to its consumers on a large scale, rather than just water supply.
-Water efficiency included in the Green Deal energy efficiency retrofitting scheme.
-Showers to be included in social housing refurbishment and new build
-A toilet scrappage scheme to help householders trade in the one million toilets in England which flush at 13 litres for toilets
which use a third of that water.
-A water meter in every home by 2020 – supported by measures to protect vulnerable groups
-Community-scale water provision and joint retrofitting programmes for energy, water and waste.

The theme of the reports once more reinforces the important role a plumber will play in assessing green energy, specifying efficient solar water heating systems and heat pumps.

Students enrolling on the established Plumbing NVQ 6129 level 2 course will learn the underpinning principles – and can choose to study the plumbing theory at home, before beginning the practical training. Once assessed and verified, progress on to NVQ level 3 is the next step, and qualification which allows further knowledge learning, e.g. Gas training or the different green energy courses that are now being offered in major approved and accredited training centres like South East England’s AbleSkills.

Recent encouraging employment figures show that Britain is managing to hold the fragile recovery from recession. Coalition Government Budget concessions to private enterprise, although modest, are designed to help business start ups and SMEs to move forward, despite of cutbacks in other sectors.

The prospects for those workers currently looking to move out of their current employment situation or for self-employed skilled trades to extend their services, say, with offering green energy assessment and installation look more positive.

Skilled tradesmen are in demand, whatever the economy, and the electrical industry always has a shortage of trained and qualified electricians in both domestic and commercial sectors.

For a first time applicant, you can start training to be an electrician immediately and can be on your new career path within a few short months, even if you have no previous knowledge or practical experience in electricals.

The City and Guilds 2330 Certificate in Electrotechnology Level 2 is the recognised industry standard training course for immediate enrolment at an approved and recognised training centre like AbleSkills.

Once you have completed all the NVQ 2330 course units necessary to qualify as an electrician, you will have built a valuable knowledge foundation to help progress your career prospects further for being accepted on an employers apprentice scheme. This is crucial to developing experience towards future career development and possibly self employment.

The approved and accredited City & Guilds training schedule at AbleSkills is a progressive structure that offers to take you through all the necessary knowledge and practical training modules, starting at Level 2 and onto NVQ level 3. You also have the opportunity to train at other mandatory ability areas , e.g. Part P and additional knowledge upgrading, such as the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations.

At AbleSkills, Level 2 of the City and Guilds 2330 course is conducted in its own dedicated classroom complex with each student fully equipped with all the necessary equipment in their own training areas.

Subject areas covered will include health and safety, basic electrical principles such as resistance, relativity, and Ohms law, a.c. theory, polyphase systems, short circuits, earthing, installation techniques, specifications, and regulations.

Advancing to NVQ 2330 Level 3, each topic is examined in more depth, some subjects being tested separately, and a written examination on inspections and testing, along with a practical assessment.

Obtaining City and Guilds 2330 levels 2 and 3 electrical qualifications ensures that both theory and the practical hands-on knowledge gained during your course training means you are competent and gives you a solid springboard to confidently enter the electrical industry.

From December 2010 the existing 6217 qualifications will be phased out and replaced with the new 6218 qualification.

The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is the new government framework which sets out how all regulated vocational qualifications are structured, titled and quality assured.

It is replacing the existing National Qualifications Framework across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – which is set to close for registrations at the end of 2010.

The QCF is already up and running. All current qualifications will be reviewed and redeveloped for the QCF.

The qualification titles are as follows:

6218-01 Entry level 3 award in basic construction skills (8 credits)

6218-02 Level 1 award in basic construction skills (8 credits)

6218-03 Level 1 certificate in basic construction skills (13 credits)

6218-04 Level 1 diploma in basic construction skills (37 credits)

6218-01

To gain a 6218-01 Entry level 3 award in basic construction skills you must achieve a total of 8 credits.

To achieve 8 credits you have two possible routes.

Route  1: You must complete four entry level 3 units (worth 2 credits each)

Route  2: You must complete two entry level 3 units (worth 2 credits each) plus one level 1 unit (worth 4 credits).

Choice of entry level 3 units (each worth 2 credits) are as follows:

Unit 001 introducing site carpentry
Unit 002 introducing bench joinery skills
Unit 003 Introducing cabinet making skills
Unit 004 Introducing rainwater goods
Unit 005 Introducing finishing skills
Unit 006 Introducing levelling in construction
Unit 007 Introducing pipework skills
Unit 008 Introducing paint finishing skills
Unit 009  Introducing brickwork skills

Choice of level 1 units (each worth 4 credits) are as follows:

Unit 101 Developing site carpentry skills
Unit 102 Developing bench joinery skills
Unit 103 Developing cabinet making skills
Unit 104 Developing flooring skills
Unit 105 Developing partitioning skills
Unit 106 Developing hand tool maintenance skills
Unit 107 Developing hand plane skills
Unit 108 Developing pipework skills
Unit 109 Developing skills in fitted interiors
Unit 110  Developing brickwork skills
Unit 111 Developing quoin skills
Unit 112 Developing paint finishing skills
Unit 113 Developing surface preparation skills
Unit 114 Developing papering skills
Unit 115 Developing hardwood finishing skills
Unit 116 Developing blockwork skills
Unit 117 Developing rendering skills
Unit 118 Developing plastering skills
Unit 119 Developing tiling skills

Choice of level 2 units (each worth 1 credit) each are as follows:

Unit 201 Expanding site carpentry skills
Unit 202 Expanding bench joinery skills
Unit 203 Expanding cabinet making skills
Unit 204 Expanding pipework skills
Unit 205 Expanding brickwork skills
Unit 206 Expanding paint finishing skills

6218-02

To gain a 6218-02 Level 1 award in basic construction skills you must achieve a total of 8 credits.

To achieve 8 credits you have two possible routes.

Route  1: You must complete two entry level 3 units (worth 2 credits each) plus one level 1 unit (worth 4 credits).

Route  2: You must complete two level 1 units (worth 4 credits).

6218-03

To gain a 6218-03 Level 1 certificate in basic construction skills you must achieve a total of 13 credits.

To achieve 13 credits you have two possible routes.

Route  1: You must complete two entry level 3 units (worth 2 credits each), two level 1 units (worth 4 credits each) plus one level 2 unit (worth 1 credit)

Route  2: You must complete three level 1 units (worth 4 credits) plus one level 2 unit (worth 1 credit).

6218-04

To gain a 6218-04 Level 1 diploma in basic construction skills you must achieve a total of 37 credits.

To achieve 37 credits you have two possible routes.

Route  1: You must complete four entry level 3 units (worth 2 credits each), seven level 1 units (worth 4 credits each) plus one level 2 unit (worth 1 credit)

Route  2: You must complete nine level 1 units (worth 4 credits) plus one level 2 unit (worth 1 credit).

Progression:

City & Guilds/Cskills awards level 2 construction diploma (6314)

6314 level 2 painting and decorating
6314 level 2 plastering
6314 level 2 trowel occupations
6314 level 2 wood occupations

City & Guilds/Cskills awards level 3 construction diploma (6314)

6314 level 3 painting and decorating
6314 level 3 plastering
6314 level 3 trowel occupations
6314 level 3 wood occupations

There has never been a better time to become an accredited installer of renewable technology.

Britain is currently undergoing a renewable revolution as the market in energy efficient technologies is growing by approximately 75 per cent each year and more tradesmen are needed to meet this demand.

Government green initiatives such as the ‘Feed in Tariffs’ (FIT) for Solar PV and the forthcoming ‘Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme’ (RHI) will encourage more householders and business owners to invest in energy efficient appliances.

Builders are constructing more Carbon Neutral properties because of the Code for Sustainable Homes, while renewable heat generating technologies and water harvesting systems are becoming more important to the UK’s social housing strategy.

Able Skills are in the position to train people to become accredited installers, nationally qualified and Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) approved.

As Britain’s largest and best equipped private training provider, Able Skills offer accredited courses through City and Guilds, BPEC & NICEIC, which are required in order to become MCS registered.

The courses we offer are:

• Heat Pumps (Air to Air, Air to Water and GSHP)
• Heat Recovery Systems
• Under Floor Installer and Designer
• Biomass
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Grey Water Harvesting
• Solar Thermal Installer
• Solar PV Installer
• Renewable Energy Awareness Certificate
• MCS Awareness /Accreditation

MCS registration is not currently needed to fit these technologies but without it your customer will need building control approval prior to fitting and will not be entitled to the FIT or RHI benefits.

Able Skills can combine a number of courses to provide you with a tailored solution to meet your training needs and can also help you through the MCS process in a consultative role.

Able Skills are currently one of only two centres in the UK to have fully mobilised training rigs covering all renewable technology disciplines except biomass.

The mobile training rigs allow FE colleges and various organisations to learn about the benefits of nationally recognised qualifications in renewable technologies.

If you are interested in renewable technologies and are considering becoming an installer or engineer please call us NOW on 0808 1003242 to discuss your requirements.

For more specific information on our renewable technology courses please choose from the courses listed.

Able Skills are now able to offer renewable technology training across the UK after investing in a mobile centre.

Training centres and further education colleges can commission Able Skills’ complete suite of renewable technology rigs and receive onsite training and assessment to national standards and certification.

Able Skills are one of the first centres to offer renewable technology training to anywhere in Britain through this mobile solution.

The technologies covered by the mobile training centre include:

• Heat Pumps (Air to Air and Ground Source)
• Solar Thermal
• Solar PV
• Buffer Storage
• Under Floor Heating

The training rigs are all individual units which can be easily combined to demonstrate the complimentary use of the different energy sources. This allows students to learn through a practical and ‘hands on’ approach.

Training centres and further education colleges can provide their students with a direct experience of installing renewable technology while avoiding the large capital investment required to offer such training themselves.

The training suite has been supplied by Christiani who have spent years developing a ‘mobile’ training solution, which enables the delivery of renewable training to the highest standards.