New member! Advise needed!! Which coarse??

[Dalejones]

Hi everyone! I am new to this forum and need help, I work full time for Tesco Maintenance and I want to get my plumbing qualifications, i am very familiar with plumbing and very interested in making it my future career, there are 2 options for me to work around my current job

1, access training based in Cardiff offer a 15 week weekend coarse which will get me level 2 c&g 6035 which I understand is a very basic qualification, that coarse Alone is over £4000 they then offer a further 2 week coarse for an extra £1500 to archive a NVQ level 2,

or 2, Trades gateway offer a 2 year coarse where you complete a number of modules at home in your spare time and for each year you have to attend the workshop for 5 weeks to do practical sections and tests, this coarse offers you a choice of C+G level 2 (6035) or NVQ level 2 (if you can get onsite experience) for year 1 and c+g level 3 or NVQ level 3 for year 2 along with lots of other qualification, for this whole coarse its £6700 which you pay monthly instalments of £160 for 4 years

a college coarse is not an option for me as I can't get on site experience as I work full time and I can't have days off work, just want some advise on which coarse to go for? I am more swayed towards the trades gateway option atm?

 

[Neil K]

Will Tesco not send you to college?

 

[Dalejones]

Not a chance I'm afraid, will have to do it off my own back

 

[Neil K]

Reason I asked is I was wondering whether Tesco were any use as an employer for training their employees for further advancement. That said, in fairness Tesco are not a mechanical or utilities company, they're a supermarket. I don't like the idea of paying for these courses (but that's just me). My advice is to search for apprenticeships with building companies or utility companies, main reason for this, college /training paid for. Or try and get an apprenticeship with a local plumbing and heating company.