Image Credit: Martin V Morris, Flickr, Creative Commons Licensed

There was good news for people who are looking to complete plumbing courses and electrical courses after a new study showed that there has been increased demand for construction workers.

Research by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG revealed that demand for construction workers increased over the past month with more people being placed in temporary and permanent jobs within the industry.

The REC figures for January showed that the number of placements for permanent construction and engineering employees grew to 57.7 while the temporary jobs index was slightly higher at 58.

These numbers are positive news for the construction industry as any figures over 50 represents growth and this indicates some resilience in the face of an uncertain economy and the threat of a double dip recession.

Bernard Brown, KPMG’s head of business services, said: “There are signs within some industries that things are looking up. Amongst the engineering, construction and IT sectors demand for permanent staff has increased since the turn of the year.”

Competition for places within the construction industry is tough so job candidates must ensure that they have up-to-date qualifications which will enable them to work in different areas within the sector.

Able Skills is proud to help the next generation of construction industry employees by delivering qualifications in every subject we cover right up to NVQ level 3.

A new study has shown that people who take plumbing courses will experience great demand for their skills.

Research by Yell revealed that there are 823,000 Google searches for the phrase ‘plumbers’ nationwide each month, which goes to show that people will always need plumbing services no matter what the state of the economy is.

The capital is the place to be for those who have the appropriate plumbing qualifications with 40,500 monthly searches for London plumbers while Manchester plumbers generates 8,100 searchers per month and Glasgow plumbers gets 6,600.

Able Skills are located in Kent but can help anyone achieve qualifications so that they can become a plumber in the area of their choosing as we own three properties to accommodate the growing numbers of people travelling from distance.

With approximately 120,000 registered plumbers currently working in the UK, there is competition for customers but those with the most up-to-date qualifications and skills will have the edge.

Able Skills has dedicated training centres for both existing and new plumbers and we encourage anyone who is looking to improve their skills to come pay us a visit at their own convenience.

Electricians that need to demonstrate their awareness of the latest building wiring regulations should take 17^th edition electrical courses with Able Skills.

Our 17^th edition courses, which take three days to complete, have been designed to teach students about the layout, content and application of the BS 7671 (2008) 17th Regulations Edition.

The whole course is classroom-based and students are assessed through a multiple choice examination with successful candidates achieving the Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671:2008.

One of our old students was so pleased with his level of training that he decided to post a review on the trusted resource Electrician’s Forum.

Stevie 2011 said:

“Able Skills is good, I just did 17th edition courses there, and the spark tutors know what they’re on about. I’m not for all these getting the main qualification (level 3) quick, but for improvers working in the industry its a good way to get the shorter courses out the way, they wanted £400 for the 17th, which is cheaper than the ECA.

“Done it in 3 days, it was excellent. Going to get the AM2 done there too because it was cheaper and more convenient than the college I done my level 3 at, they aren’t bound by term times.”

If you would like to book a course, please call us on 01322 280202 or feel free to come along and view our facilities, have an informal chat with one of our instructors and meet existing students.

With a growing number of people being made redundant, taking the opportunity to learn a trade is becoming more attractive.

Research into the British labour market has revealed that unemployment has increased to 2.69 million while the number of young people without a paid job has surged past the one million mark.

Vocational learning through training on plumbing courses is being encouraged by employment experts who feel that more needs to be done to promote the benefits of having a trade.

Evidence suggests that more employers think that learning a trade is preferable to further education learning because the university system is failing to equip students with the necessary skills required to become successful in business.

Completing the appropriate training courses can help people become a qualified plumber with the potential to earn in excess of £50,000 once they are self-employed or have their own business.

Able Skills are proud to be one of the most flexible private training providers in the UK and this is demonstrated by out committed to delivering courses with times and payment plans that suit our students.

Feel free to come and visit our facilities unannounced to talk over the possibility of taking training courses. We are open seven days a week and there is no need to make an appointment.

Trainees who complete solar photovoltaic electrical courses will be best placed to take advantage of opportunities in the renewable energy industry.

Research by Puragen revealed that 15 per cent of homeowners are wary of having solar panels installed on their property because they are concerned about employing cowboy fitters who do not have the appropriate knowledge and expertise.

Electrical engineers that can demonstrate their competence with solar photovoltaic qualifications accredited by national organisations such as the NICEIC, BPEC and City & Guilds will be able to allay any fears over their ability to install panels.

Fully qualified engineers will have the knowledge to help educate consumers about the benefits of solar panels and dispel myths like you need bright sunshine to generate enough energy to power a house.

There is clear demand for renewable technology among British homeowners as the study also found that 65 per cent of people believe that it is important to work towards reducing their carbon footprint.

Jeremy Malindine from Puragen, comments: “As energy bills continue to rise, renewables provide an attractive alternative for hard-pressed homeowners looking to generate savings on their energy bills over the longer term.”

Able Skills provide accredited solar pv courses through City & Guilds, BPEC, and NICEIC which are a requirement in order to become Microgeneration Certification Scheme registered.

The recent prosecution of a self-employed plumber has demonstrated the need for all engineers to be fully qualified and Gas Safe registered.

Luton Magistrates’ Court fined Mr Tara Rayat £1,000 and ordered him to pay court costs after he was judged to have approved gas installations under a false registration as well as signing off work for a plumber who was unregistered and unqualified.

The Health & Safety Executive had been made aware of Mr Rayat after complaints were made regarding his installation of a gas boiler and he was subsequently served notices to desist working on gas appliances.

Stephen Manley, HSE Inspector, said: “Not only are unregistered engineers working illegally they are putting peoples’ lives at risk and taking work away from qualified and law abiding professionals in the industry.”

Able Skills is an approved CITB training and assessment centre and we provide comprehensive, step by step programmes in order for you to access or continue work in the gas industry as a Gas Safe registered engineer.

We provide a full range of gas training and plumbing courses and trainees can even work for out sister company Ontime Trades where they can demonstrate on-the-job skills for the purposes of portfolio completion.

Able Skills recently opened our new gas training and assessment centre in Bradford in partnership with Vokera, which can be found at:

Able Skills / Vokèra Ltd, Stubs Beck Lane, Cleckheaton, Bradford, BD19 4TT

Training times are 08.30 – 16.30 and Training days are Saturday – Wednesday

In news that will interest those looking to take solar pv electrical courses, the Court of Appeal has today ruled that the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) acted unlawfully over planned cuts to the feed-in tariff (FIT).

This decision means that solar pv systems installed since December 12^th last year and before March 3^rd 2012 will receive the higher FIT rates, of 43.3p per kilowatt-hour generated, for the full 25 years.

Solar pv systems that are registered on or after March 3rd will qualify for the current higher rate until April 1st when the FIT rates will drop to 21p, as part of government cost-cutting measures which was announced in October.

There is likely to be a period of frantic activity and installations as people try to take advantage of the higher FIT rate and those engineers with accredited solar pv qualifications will be best placed to benefit from this.

Able Skills is able to provide a wide range of solar installation qualification courses for those engineers looking to enter the renewable power industry at our cutting-edge Renewable Training Centre.

The Renewable Energy Association is calling on the government to resolve the instability surrounding the future of the FIT scheme and to start supporting the solar power industry.

Able Skills is committed to delivering training at times to suit our students and as such we are the most flexible centre in the country.

We understand that retraining to begin a new career can be difficult if you cannot afford to leave your current professional commitments, which is why Able Skills provide many of our qualification courses on evenings and weekends.

Our facilities in Dartford, Kent are open every day of the week so we are in the unique position to be able to structure our courses to meet the requirements of our students.

If you think that you live to far away to be able to commute, then we also have nearby accommodation which is reasonable priced at £20 per night for any student who needs a place to stay during their training.

Electricians Forums user Ubique used the website to praise Able Skills for our dedication to training.

He said: “Currently doing the 2330 level 2 electrical courses with Able Skills on a 2 weekend on – 2 off basis. They were the only company who were able to offer this flexibility. As I work Monday-Friday this is the only type of training I could attend.

The instructors are all seasoned professionals with oodles of experience. There are plenty of materials to practice on, which is just as well as I’ve needed them.

One of the guys stays overnight on the Sat and is happy with the price (£20 I think) and the standard of accommodation. Everyone has passed the first 2 exams with relative ease so that speaks for its self. Most have already signed up for level 3.”

Able Skills encourage anyone to come visit our facilities unannounced to discover more about the standard of training that we provide.

Able Skills are delighted to publish more feedback from a trainee who has enjoyed taking tiling courses with us.

Ralph took our eight week tiling package, which aims to prepare trainees for the tiling industry and progression onto NVQ, and was so impressed that he left positive feed back on the Tilers Forums website.

He said on August 2011:

“I would just like to say a few words about my eight week tiling NVQ training course at Able Skills, it’s brilliant!

I’ve had limited experience at tiling, but I’ve just completed my fourth week and I feel I have progressed leaps and bounds from when I started. Not only does this course help complete novices, like some I started with who have done very well, but people with some knowledge like me.

Just finished natural stone week, I really enjoyed it and feel I did a half decent job. As for this week and the three weeks before I can’t fault the tuition, Max and Terry are top notch as they both give enough guidance, advice, friendly banter and encouragement to keep you on the level.

As I live 100 miles away I’m staying in Able Skills’ accommodation which I cannot fault. It’s not the Ritz but what can you expect for £20 quid a night? It’s clean, tidy and includes all the amenities needed for a week away from home.

I am really looking forward to next week and the new knowledge that I pick up. I would recommend this course to anyone because it is money well spent.”

Tilers Forums is an excellent resource for those people keen on learning more about the trade such as which tiling courses are most suitable and Able Skills recommends that anyone who is interested in entering the industry should first visit the site.

Electrical courses trainee Paul Hawker has taken time to praise Able Skills on the Electricians Forums website.

Paul has recently finished the City & Guilds 2330 Level 3 qualification course and was happy to leave positive feedback on the Electricians Forums website midway through his training.

He said on December 12th 2011:

“I am currently training at Able Skills in Dartford (I’m about half way through my C&G 2330 Level 3).

I’ve started at the beginning; I’ve completed the C&G 2330 level 2, building regs, and 17th edition courses. I do one weekend on, one off.

This is my second time around career wise, I am a qualified mechanical engineer and have been to a few colleges and training centres in my time.

I am posting this as I feel that this training centre deserves some praise on this forum. I literally cannot fault them.

No problems with materials/stock as mentioned in a previous post, in fact quite the opposite; their stores always seem to be full. I have been to a few state colleges where you have one piece of equipment between four.

They supply you with your own set of tools, all decent stuff, CK mostly. They are yours to keep. All text books are supplied, except for the BS7671 17th Edition book.

My tutor, Richard Mannell seriously knows his stuff. I’ve been lucky enough to have been taught by him through all of the courses and I’m grateful for it. He teaches to a high level, but makes sure that he doesn’t leave anyone behind. And a nice bloke too!

Steve the technician is great, always around when you need him, friendly and quick to give advice and guidance if you ask for it.

Angela who basically runs the administrative side of the centre is also really helpful. She explains the course contents and timetables really clearly.

She seems to keep the place running smoothly, which is pretty impressive as there’s a lot going on. I would probably like her more if I didn’t have to hand her my debit card every other week (joke Angela, I promise!).

Bottom line is, retraining later in life is expensive. But there are worse places to hand your money over to if you want to train for a new career, I promise you. You won’t be disappointed.”

If you are interested in taking electrical courses and like the sound of Paul’s feedback, give Able Skills a call and we will be happy to help you.