Archive for the ‘Carpentry’ Category
Career Switch Boosts Electrical and Plumbing Training
As the recession lingers on and more job cuts are announced in areas such as in financial services because they can be done at one-tenth the cost on the other side of the world, the construction trade continues to hold firm. UK housebuilder, Persimmon has just this week announced an improvement in trading, with sales up by 7% so far this year.
The work of a plumber, electrician or gas fitter has a clearly defined purpose which always requires their physical presence to actually carry out the installation, repair or maintenance. Practical skills cannot be electronically farmed out overseas even though the onward march of technology has enabled an ever widening array of services to become possible to accomplish over the internet!
Trade skills personnel are hands-on and in control of the entire process from start to finish!
For many in certain types of employment, instead of controlling an entire process, they are trained to do ever tinier slivers of work, which then become part of a much larger process. To be able to make your small contribution, you are required by employers to become a member of a team and if you lose your place in the process or the team, your existence is meaningless unless part of the whole.
In stark contrast, training to be an electrician, for example, means you learn to be self sufficient, and entirely reliant on your own training, experience and skill to analyse and solve a problem. An electrician or a plumber are always in demand, in person!
Even in the current economic climate, a recently conducted survey by Manpower Recruitment of employers around the world found that there was still a lack of skilled manual trades such as electricians, plumbers bricklayers, carpenters, tilers…etc.
In addition, job satisfaction and personal fulfilment always rank high with the construction trade industries. It is work with a discernible product or result that can be actually measured and see working in the real world!
Plumbing Training – the people’s choice!
With so much gloomy economic news recently, it’s always reassuring to hear that the Construction trade skills are solid as a rock, as we would expect them to be! Despite the economic downturn, the news is that training centres and colleges are still experiencing strong demand from students wanting to train to be a plumber, learn electrician skills, or enroll on a plastering course.
The truth is that there always has – and will always be - a shortage of properly skilled and qualified plumbers! Even when cheap East European labour was at its highest in the UK up to fairly recently. Just prior to the onset of the credit crunch, demand was estimated to be running over 32,000!
According to recent reports, plumbing is still the most popular choice, with a quarter of trainees choosing to enroll on the City & Guilds 6129 Plumbing course level 2 – a technical certificate that enables you to carry on to the full NVQ Level 3 course.
An established, approved Skills Training centre always represents a vital career opening for many looking to enter the trade construction industry as Colleges do not have the capacity to train the yearly requirement of new plumbers, which typically has always been known to stand at around 3,000 trainee vacancies per annum.
Unlike some institutions or non-accreditated trainers, AbleSkills is a specifically dedicated centre with an engineered course development structure, which can take an entry level student through all required subject knowledge in order to gain the approved and verified standard at each stage of the process to becoming a fully qualified plumber, electrician or another skilled trade.
The first key learning schedule is gaining awareness and understanding of the basic principles and a popular method that students opt for is to undertake the Plumbing 6129 home study course. This means learning in your own time and at your own pace, ably assisted by comprehensive self assessment for each module, in order to prepare yourself for final assessment. Practical workshop training begins once the theory learning has been satisfactorily verified at the required standard.
Offering flexible course times and durations – including weekend plumbing courses – for different certifications and qualifications is as varied and student friendly, if not more so, than many of the traditional educational establishments.
First Enquiry With A Trade Skills Trainer Gives First Clue!
Finding a quality approved and accredited trade skills trainer can be a bit of minefield as there are now so many organisations offering a confusing number of courses. Which course is best for you and are you going to get the correct training and qualifications to really allow you to make real progress in your career path?
The key is always to do your homework! By spending time carrying out prior research you will be armed with the right knowledge in order to make a sensible decision. Visit their website first and really look carefully at all the pages and ask yourself the really important questions as you look through, e.g. how long have they been in existence, are they really approved for the right type of courses, how many experienced, trained and qualified teachers and verifiers on the staff?
It should go without saying that you should not be dazzled by cut price, bargain basement course selling, which claims to offer instant industry working status. Remember - experience and expertise takes time to build, and is not achieved in a matter of days or weeks.
Most importantly, and dependent on the individual course level, where exactly will you be training – at their premises or elsewhere?
If you are serious about entering a trade profession, then the likelihood is that you should already have found out that to begin a career as an electrician, you are required to undertake a series of courses that will take you through a structure of required knowledge learning and skillsets, beginning with the City & Guilds 2330 level 2.
Likewise, plumbing training requires a body of knowledge and practical training to be fully understood and practiced as you progress through several levels, but once again, you will need to start with City & Guilds Plumbing 6129 level 2.
Be aware that short centre certificate courses are mostly primers, and aimed for DIY or one set skill learning, giving you insight into the requirements to carry out the basic task the course claims to provide. It does not instantly transform you into a fully fledged tradesperson in that field!
An established and recognised training centre will also offer short, advanced courses for the experienced trade, such as electricians, plumbers, gas fitters, tilers, plasterers, bricklayers and builders to learn specific skills and update their knowledge, which can be added to their range of customer services.
First enquiry will give you a first clue! Listen to the their telephone style. Friendly, yes, but do they sound knowledgeable and can explain in detail about the course you have in mind? Are they approved by City & Guilds and the major trade body examiners and verifiers, most importantly in electrical and plumbing? Do they offer you the opportunity to visit their centre so they can spend time showing you around?
Find out just comprehensive their courses are, availability and if subscribed? What course teaching aids are available and are you offered flexibility with regards when you can train, how long it will take and are there staggered schedules for some types of courses?
There are sure to be other questions you will need to ask with regards your own specific requirements and once again, focus on how keen the response and desire to genuinely help. The next important step will be the visit to the training centre itself!
What To Do When Returning To A Flooded Home
Once again, torrential weather and severe flooding is in the news with many homes subject to catastrophic water damage. Returning home to deal with the big clear up still has many hidden dangers that have to be thought out before entering the house. Think logically through a check list that draws on both some basic common sense plumbing and electrical procedures.
Check the house exterior by doing a visual walk around of your home to see if there are any downed power lines, or electrical connections that may be in contact with the water. Smell for any gas in the air as often there may be a gas leak and if you find either of these problems, call the correct utility company. If water is still around the house, check to see if the outside walls have cracked or giving way because of the water pressure being exerted on them. If there’s water still around, don’t enter the home, There’s always a chance that the walls could give way and the house could collapse around you. Be cautious around porches and overhangs. These areas may have weakened during a flood and could give way or collapse.
Disconnect the electrical and gas supplies to lessen the chance of fire, explosion or electrocution. Even if the power is out or the power supply has been disconnected from the power pole by the utility company, your electrical fuse or breaker panel’s main fuse or breaker may still be on. In this case, at any time during the day, the utility company could come back and turn the power on to your home. You may not be aware that they’ve turned the power back on and your panel is now live, subjecting you to potential shock hazards.
If the only way to disconnect the gas and power is inside the home and there’s water where you have to shut them off, don’t enter the home to do so until you can safely enter the home and the water has been removed.
Before you enter a home that has been flooded, be sure to have the proper clothing, footwear, and safety items that may be needed.
Boots : wear waterproof rubber boots or waders with hard soles. If you’re walking in muddy, water-coated floors and basements, there are likely sharp objects that you could step on.
Dust Mask : wear a mask over your mouth and nose to protect your lungs from pollutants and disease.
Gloves: wear preferably rubber gloves to handle anything in flooded areas. Materials may be a health hazard due to sewage, chemicals, and oil in the water.
Hard Hats and Protective Clothing: Loose and crumbling ceilings, falling debris, and trapped water are potential hazards to your head and body when entering a flooded home.
You are will need a First Aid Kit, Flashlight, A Dry Wooden stick ( to turn off electrical breakers, unplug cords) and cleaning supplies.
After flood waters have receded and there’s no water pressure on the walls, you can slowly pump the water, being careful not to pump it out too fast. Remember, the ground is still saturated with water and removing the internal resistant pressure on the walls may cause them to give way. Lower the water level over a period of a few days, reducing it a few feet at a time. With the power off, carefully spray the house down with water to remove a majority of the mud and muck from your home. Use disinfectant cleaners to wash walls and floors down.
Sump pump pits often fill up with mud and debris and must be cleaned up from time to time, especially following a flood.
It is important to open up the bottom of flooded walls and remove all wet material from them. Turn on fans and dehumidifiers as soon as possible to dry the home. Deadly mold can form quickly in warm and moist areas in the home. Get wet carpeting and padding out of the home as soon as possible. Get garbage, effected clothing, etc. out of the home and clear the floor space in rooms and closets. Open the windows to let the house breath. By getting the home dried out quickly, you’ll be on your way to cleaning and repairing it.
By using a pump sprayer and bleach water, you can effectively clean your home and make it sterile. The recommended mixture of water to bleach is ten to one. The water will soak into the wood and any mould will come out to the surface of the wood to be killed by the bleach.
How Do You Know If A Skills Training Centre Is Any Good?
Skills training centres seem to be popping up everywhere these days! Government encouragement of training initiatives for huge construction programmes like the 2012 Olympics - have been a catalyst for new building training centres appearing around the country. Five minutes on the internet and you can come up with a long list of training providers, all appearing to offer the same courses in obtaining trade skill qualifications, i.e. plumbing, electrical, gas, carpentry, etc.
But judging by the feedback on trade forums, the experience for many applicants has been negative and accusations of ‘ripoff’ fly around with alarming frequency!
So how do you work out the industry’s genuine, high quality training providers from the rest?
You have to do your homework! You must be prepared to spend time to conduct research by first finding out all about the course/s you wish to take then ask the right questions and see what answers you get! Ask if you can go and take look at the training facilities and speak with as many people as possible, including the tutors and especially the students currently on the course – find out directly what their experience has been!
The very first thing you can do is check their website!
- Many offer their own certificated diplomas but do they run approved City & Guilds NVQ qualification training as well?
- Check for accreditation from recognised national trade bodies in the relevant skills sectors.
- Are the site pics genuine, or are they poor quality, low res and look as though they have been taken from elsewhere?
- Generally, is the website trying to be open and transparent, offering as much information as possible about each course?
- How many training staff and are their pics and biographies available to check for approved training status?
- Do they have a feedback forum, and blog ? When was the last posting?
- How up-to-date is all the content? Does the site look regularly attended?
In other words, do you think they have proper training facilities?
You must give them a telephone call to fully satisfy yourself with regards the following:
• How long have they been around ? How do they reply to this and how much information do they tell you and how are their claims backed up?
• Is there dedicated space and equipment for each of the training subjects?
• Do the training staff possess genuine approved, recognised and accredited qualifications and credentials ? Have they substantial industry working experience ? Both the training provider as a company and all of its instructors and trainers must be fully certificated from established regulated bodies.
• How open and flexible do they appear to be ? Can you train both at home and at their premises? Is there an extensive choice of options that allow you to study and train in your own time and at your own pace? In addition to tuition, what other training aids do you get, to help with thoroughly understanding what needs to be learnt ?
• Can they offer you proper career progression through a schedule of approved City & Guilds training programmes?
• Are there Green Energy training courses in the new renewable technologies?
Even if you are just seeking to take a course, say in kitchen fitting, you need to know that the quality of training will be identical. The key is the final authorised assessments and examinations that are set in place for you to be sure you are properly trained to confidently do the work. You must ask if they are a fully accredited NVQ Assessment centre with approval to deliver qualification training from the City & Guilds, Construction Awards Alliance.
At the end of the day - you need to know what you are getting for the money? And can you be provided with options for a flexible payment plan ? Can they offer funding to help pay for the courses?
Asbestos - a killer still in hiding!
Asbestos is still considered the UK’s biggest workplace killer and despite decades advertising this message, it seems a new generation of workers is at risk.
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.
Across the UK, more than 35,000 people died from the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma between 1977 and 2007 – and the numbers dying are increasing. Latest annual figures show that 2,156 people died from the disease in 2007 alone, up 5% on the previous year.
HSE has launched a £1.2 million campaign throughout November, and will send out more than 500,000 information packs as well as targeted press and radio adverts, to warn Britain’s 1.8 million tradesmen about the dangers they face. The campaign is being backed by the TUC, trade unions, trade associations, training organisations, charities and victim support groups.
The HSE reports that the one thing they hear time and again from older workers is that they were never told about the risks of working with asbestos! Research shows that tradesmen, in particular, think that asbestos is a historical problem and they are not at risk. But it is a real risk facing plumbers, joiners, electricians, painters and decorators and many other maintenance workers every day. 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.
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.
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 the mandatory authorities.
Shiver your timbers – leaning about wood doesn’t have to go against the grain!
Much of a builder’s work is centred around handling wood, and if you’re building from scratch, then knowing what to look out for when buying lengths of wood from a timber merchant is important. At AbleSkills, many different types of course are on offer which have been put togther to cater for all types of requirements, from training over the weekends, 10 day carpentry courses or City & Guilds NVQs over an 8 week period, to the ever popular Kitchen Fitting course! And there are many other types of learning diploma courses which will help you get started.
Timber is the most sustainable building product available and is a naturally renewable resource. Over 97% of softwood timber purchased in the United Kingdom is sourced from Europe. Certification labels like PEFC - Programme for the Endorsement of Forest or FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) guarantee the renewable nature ofsoftwoods and hardwoods
There are many different purposes that timber can be used for and each purpose may call for specific characteristics. It is essential to know how strong timber is. Timber strength grading is needed to ensure timber has enough strength for a particular job, e.g. a floor joist or a roof truss. Knowing the strength of timber reduces costs by helping to avoid over-specification. Grading can be undertaken visually or by machine. Visual strength grading uses the grader’s experience across many diverse factors to estimate the load that a length of timber will be able to carry in service. Machine strength grading is best suited to high volumes of timber where the variety and cross section are not changed very often. When a piece of timber is sawn into smaller pieces, it has to be re-graded.
Machine grading is based on the link between strength and stiffness. The machine grades individual piece and stamps it with the relevant mark. The rules governing strength grading and structural uses of timber are detailed in British and European standards. A section of low grade timber cut from a strong species may be equivalent in strength to a high grade timber from a weaker tree variety. To make specifying easier, species and grades are grouped into strength categories of similar strength. Strength classes range from C14 to C50 for softwood and D30 to D70 for hardwoods. The higher the number, the stronger the timber. The most common grade for softwood carcassing is C16.
When calculating the size of a timber member is required for a particular span, the required strenth class can be identified by consulting span tables. These tables also specify what the greatest gap should be between each section or timber member.
Putty Training! Plumbers love it!
Plumbers possess many special tools to ply their trade. From Stillson wrenches to pipe cutters and benders, all indispensable, they couldn’t do the jobs without them!
If you’re looking to train to be a plumber, one item you are bound to already know about - as you will always find at least one example in a plumber’s tool bag - is the humble piece of putty! A permanent piece of handy kit for those training to be a builder or decorator too, has often got many a plumber out of trouble!
Plumber’s putty is a soft, pliable substance used to create watertight seals around taps and drains, often used when plumbing fixtures are replaced – and should not be confused with a type of plumber’s tape, which is used to seal threaded pipe joints!
In fact, on jobs when putty is not to be used, e.g. sealing pipes or fixtures that will be under pressure from water because the seal will not hold, then pipes should be sealed using plumber’s tape or a liquid pipe compound.
Different brands of plumber’s putty often contain different ingredients. Many products make use of some type of clay as a base ingredient. Linseed oil is also a common additive. Other formulas include limestone, a blend of fish oils, or talc.
Plumbing training courses are bound to show you how to properly – and sparingly - use this amazingly versatile ‘plumber’s mate’- when you are receiving practical training in the workshops. When working with it, you will notice that the putty remains soft and pliable for a relatively long period of time. This is especially useful for where a watertight, but reversible, seal is preferred.
Plumber’s putty is most often used for creating a seal for taps and drains, and is also sometimes applied in the installation of sinks, although it is not always recommended to use putty to seal a sink, as it does not provide a secure enough seal. In some cases, plumber’s putty can stain the material the sink is made from and silicon caulk may be a better option.
A line of putty is applied to the area surrounding the insert for the body of the sink and the excess wiped off. The lip of the sink rests on the edges of the insert after the sink is slipped into place. By adhering sinks with plumber’s putty, it is possible to create a tight bond between the counter top and the sink that will prevent any water seeping into the area directly under the counter.
If you are thinking of undertaking a bathroom or kitchen project - besides doing the sensible thing and taking a short DIY training course to learn to do it properly - don’t forget the plumber’s putty! Purchased at hardware stores, putty is relatively inexpensive and will enhance the quality of the plumbing work while cutting down on the potential for leaks.
Play Your CSCS card right and you’ll be qualified to work on-site!
Health & Safety on site – irrespective of working in domestic or commercial premises, has come a long way in recent years. Whether you work on major building developments or in households, you must show proof that you have undergone awareness training of the issues that can make the difference between safe and dangerous working. Most large sites require you to undertake an ‘induction’ session as well, even before you are allowed to work.
It has become standard to alert and reassure the public that a building firm is part of a ‘Safe Construction’ scheme with large signs showing exactly who is and who is not allowed on site and the regulatory clothing/equipment necessary. At the very least this means: hard hat, steel-tipped boots and hi-vis vest.
Increasingly, Government legislation has been put into place to ensure that everyone working within the construction industry has received sufficient Health & Safety awareness training and can show proof of training by holding a ‘Construction Services Certification Scheme’ (CSCS) Card. The likelihood is that you will not be allowed access to most UK construction sites and this may affect your ability to generally work within the industry!
Obtaining your CSCS card will require you to sit an online multiple choice test, which are held at an approved skills training centre. This applies to everyone from an entrant with no formal construction qualifications right through to a Skilled worker card, once NVQ level 2 is achieved. You would need to ensure that your trade is covered by CSCS as each card will be colour coded accordingly :
Green (site operative) - No formal construction qualifications.
Red (trainee) - NVQ or Construction Award registered (but not yet qualified)
Blue (skilled) - NVQ Level 2 Experienced Worker ( minimum 1 year job experience) - temporary, non-renewable only.
- NVQ Level 2 Qualified ( Skilled worker) – permanent.
If you are not qualified in a specific subject, Able Skills has a dedicated Health and Safety advisor, IOSH & NEBOSH Certified, always available to provide you with the training to help you pass your Health and Safety examination. Remember - Terms of Employment even with a company mostly working within domestic dwellings are likely to be dependent on possessing a CSCS card!
Wherever you decide to take Health & Safety course, it is strongly advised to enquire as to the expertise and qualification of the health and safety trainer being provided. A qualified instructor will ensure that all areas of site health and safety are covered and all learning material relevant for the test for when you are working on site. Even if you are only looking to cover a variety of non-specific trade tasks, a 1 day training course will cover the necessary requirement to gain a Site Operative card.
Construction industry issues fresh reports of skills shortages.
Earlier this year it was widely reported that migrant building workers were returning to their own countries and this would have an immediate knock-on effect by increasing the UK skills shortage. Once again, it was being seen that there was an urgent requirement for properly trained and NVQ qualified plumbers, electricians, and other construction trade skills to undertake the many large scale projects around the UK.
Latest reports are now indicating that both the Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Development Agency will be investing up to £20 million on training people in order to meet the construction deadlines for the 2012 Olympics.
It appears that the issue of migrant workers returning home was only part of the problem. As timescales reduced and the industry looked to be seriously affected by the deepening recession, it was critical to not only address the problem in the short term but also look at the long term consequences by finding solutions to the skills shortage crisis. The investment will train British workers in skills which are most needed such as electrical work, and alongside this, a further 4, 000 people will be trained for specialist skills.
For those who wish to switch careers and train to enter the construction industry, there are various options which may not always be convenient or available to those wishing to take advantage of the opportunities opening up in the building sector. Able Skills training centre provides many different ways to train on courses, designed to suit all types of working lives and time availability. They are adapted especially for those whose route to fulltime training and employment chances are not necessarily going to be best fulfilled by applying to attend college or getting on to apprentice schemes.
Much mention has made in the press and elsewhere that for far too long, skills shortages in the UK construction industry were being relied upon to be filled by migrant workers. This has inevitably led to repeated reports about the lack of new homegrown trainees and young people entering the industry with the right training and qualifications to sufficiently high enough level. Everybody seems to be agreeing that for the industry to weather the duration of the recession, a great deal more effort is required to effectively solve the skilled manpower problem.
There is an abiding concern hovering over all concerned, to ensure that the 2012 Olympic village will be completed in time and thereby, averting spectacular humiliation on the world stage, because the number of skilled workers available to enable the completion of the project was not properly planned in advance!
