C&G 6128 or C&G 6129? Please help...

[fuzzy]

thought 6129 only made you a cat 3, nvq makes you a cat 2 and previous avs or acops a cAT 1

 

[applicator1]

Hi, this may not sit too well with you but most plumbers won't recognise either quliforcation as very respectable. There two ways that one can go. The first is to go for the level two (I would say the 6129) but you would also need to get level three to even stand a chance of getting a job. It doesn't matter how you get level two then. The other way is to go for level two and then get Water Regulations, Unvented Sysytems and Energy effiency certificates. This is a shorter route where you can also venture off on different tangents. You will find that you will learn far more in six by working in the trade than you will on any of the courses. For now go and help a plumber out part time for awhile or on weekends.

 

[fuzzy]

Hi, this may not sit too well with you but most plumbers won't recognise either quliforcation as very respectable. There two ways that one can go. The first is to go for the level two (I would say the 6129) but you would also need to get level three to even stand a chance of getting a job. It doesn't matter how you get level two then. The other way is to go for level two and then get Water Regulations, Unvented Sysytems and Energy effiency certificates. This is a shorter route where you can also venture off on different tangents. You will find that you will learn far more in six by working in the trade than you will on any of the courses. For now go and help a plumber out part time for awhile or on weekends.

or get them all?

 

[keylock000]

Category 2 applicants must provide evidence that they hold qualifications relevant to the
area of gas work they are seeking to obtain qualification in.

Examples of appropriate qualifications include:

1. Plumbing craft qualifications or N/SVQ (oil and/or solid fuel options) - suitable initially
for domestic or commercial central, water heating or pipe work installation

2. Pipe fitter/welder craft qualification or N/SVQ - suitable initially for commercial pipe
work, pipe work commissioning and meter installation

3. Heating and ventilation craft qualification or N/SVQ - suitable initially for commercial
pipe work and appliance installation

4. Refrigeration engineer / fitter craft qualification or N/SVQ - suitable initially for​

commercial appliance and pipe work installation.

regards keylock

 

[jonesy76]

People need to realise there is no quick way to become a plumber even if you do a fast track course then do ur level 2 nvq straight after that u still wont have enougth experience to carry out the jobs ur required to do. I did my 6129 last year and currently doing my nvq level 2 college dosent really prepare you for what you come up against in the work place save your money and goto college and then use your qualification toget a plumber to take you on to do ur nvq2

 

[Avatar]

You could have the whole lot:

lvl 2

lvl 3

nvq

acs

gas safe

And still no one will employ you - want to know why?

The first thing they will ask you is not how many quals you have, rather how many years on the tools you have . . .

If its only a couple you are still only going to be considered an apprentice, and the bottom line is that all your qualifications are balls, unless you have at least 6 years in the trade.

No one will employ you with less - and even when you have the experience, you still wont get a job cause there are loads of guys in the same boat!

I work as a troubleshooter on commercial properties, and in housing estates, sorting all their complicated plumbing problems, and systems built over 25 years ago.

Do you know what qualifications I have - 6129 only no NVQ . . .

You know what, no one gives a damn either, cause they know I can do the job and am experienced.

Thats the bottom line!

 

[fuzzy]

are you advising people only to do the 6129 even though its not a full qualification?

 

[Avatar]

Not really - I didn't really learn much from the 6129. It gave me a basic grounding in plumbing, but I am not sure that I could have got a lot of that from reading books . . .

I am saying - get experience!

The 6129 and others are useless without it. Ideally get an apprentiship (if you are young enough), or get out there and help someone really doing the job. You will learn more from a few months hands on, than the whole 6129 qualification.

A friend and collegue of mine, is 30 years in the trade and does not have any qualifications (bar gas safe), and he advised me that he didn't need nVQ's and the like to get work.

Get the 6129 from college - it is not worth the £5000 the private course provders are charging for it. Get some work experience while you do this. At least this way you keep your options open!

 

[fuzzy]

Not really - I didn't really learn much from the 6129. It gave me a basic grounding in plumbing, but I am not sure that I could have got a lot of that from reading books . . .

I am saying - get experience!

The 6129 and others are useless without it. Ideally get an apprentiship (if you are young enough), or get out there and help someone really doing the job. You will learn more from a few months hands on, than the whole 6129 qualification.

A friend and collegue of mine, is 30 years in the trade and does not have any qualifications (bar gas safe), and he advised me that he didn't need nVQ's and the like to get work.

Get the 6129 from college - it is not worth the £5000 the private course provders are charging for it. Get some work experience while you do this. At least this way you keep your options open!

The 6129 is designed to give candidates an underpinning knowledge of plumbing. You agree it gave you that and therefore i would argue that you are proof that the qualification has worked.

Plumbing qualifications are like any other, they aim to provide the basic knowledge and skills to build upon, like driving, surveying, bricklaying, gardening etc etc

 

[MickySkinn]

Hi guys, I’m just reading through all this and I’m still none the wiser!

I passed my C&G 6129 Level 2 in 2007, and have been doing domestic jobs with knowledge gained from that course, but now I’m looking to progress. I’ve just been given a place at a college (not fast track) for HVAC Level 3, but now I’m wondering if I should be doing the C&G 6129 Level 3 as I wish to continue in domestic with a view to becoming Gas Safe registered in the future. Any advice which would be the best route to take?

Basically, I eventually want to become a self-employed Gas Safe Registered Plumber for domestic properties.

Thanks up front for any helpful comments!

PS Kingm1988: Where are you now after posting this thread in Feb 09?

 

[Mike-H]

i done me citys and guilds 6129 level 2&3 which took 3 years in college then got an apprenticeship with balfour beatty engineering services ( who are taking on apprentices in the northwest at the moment) which my work based training for me nvqs and gas took 3 years so all in all its took me 6 years if you start college with a company you will get your nvq2&3, water regs, un-vented, and your gas quals in 4 years. even though ive had 4 years experience now you still learn stuff everyday they dont teach you enough in college you need to be learning your trade day in day out in my opinion.

 

[tackleburger]

i done me citys and guilds 6129 level 2&3 which took 3 years in college then got an apprenticeship with balfour beatty engineering services ( who are taking on apprentices in the northwest at the moment) which my work based training for me nvqs and gas took 3 years so all in all its took me 6 years if you start college with a company you will get your nvq2&3, water regs, un-vented, and your gas quals in 4 years. even though ive had 4 years experience now you still learn stuff everyday they dont teach you enough in college you need to be learning your trade day in day out in my opinion.

6129 in three years you must have been rubbish that course is only a weeks not years. You must have struggled but good to see it worked out in the end even though you couldn't do it at first.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i agree even doing one or two evenings a week it shouldn't have taken three years.

 

[fuzzy]

6129 in three years you must have been rubbish that course is only a weeks not years. You must have struggled but good to see it worked out in the end even though you couldn't do it at first.

the 6129 i supposed to take 450 glh (from memory) if the centre hasnt delivered that amount of training then you havnt got from it what you could have

 

[Mike-H]

i left school at 16 and done full time college till i was 19 passed all me exams first time and me gas first time am fully qual commercial gas plumber am 23 years of age earned 43 grand last year cant be that rubbish ??

 

[MickySkinn]

Hello again people, does anyone have any advice as to my earlier quetstion? It's the last one on page 5 of this thread.Thanks.

 

[pobsdad]

Don't have a clue about all these modern qualifications,I did my time in the early 80's,when an apprenticeship was the ONLY way to go.And it lasted at least a thousand years (or was that a thousand backhanders?).I lost all my certs years ago,but have never once been asked for any proof,except GS.I have known qualified,working plumbers who I wouldn't trust to fix a puncture,and unquallified DIYers who can tie me in knots.We can all thread a nail (screw it) now and then,certs just say we shouldn't do it as often as someone with no proof of competence.You can read all the books you want,but they won't help you smell a gas leak.On the other hand,experience doesn't give you the maths,etc, you'll need in court!This industry needs love slaves!

 

[Heliguy]

Hiya all,
I`m about to quit my job of 5 yrs and go back to collage to train for my c+g 6129 over a 15 week period at the cost of £2300 :-(
I`m 33 yrs of age with a family and I`m a little concerend about what next!
After reading many posts/threads I believe I have to take the nvq2 which requires a work placement. I hear from all you guys that this can be near impossible these days.
I dont want to pay all this money and the outcome will end in a dead.

 

[fuzzy]

big risk mate, its up to you but its a big risk and a lot of money for just a tech cert

 

[Rossi46]

Fools gold is what these courses deliver, if you think otherwise you are a gullable, naive idiot.