plumbing certs

[tiling spread]

im thinking of going on a course with ableskills
its 12 week corse £5795.00pinc vat
full plumbing city&guilds (6129 level 2)
3 weeks of gas training (citb intermediate gas certificate)
energy efficiency
unvented hot water systems
water regulations
solar heating
(wras)
are the certs ok on this course to get a start in the plumbing trade????????

 

[SimonG]

Any thoughts what you will do after the 12 week course?

 

[tiling spread]

hope too go on with a plumber as a plumbers mate
mite even stay on and cover some more corses if theres any

I dont want too just go on a course then jump in feet first.
I want to lern about the trade pick up good skills take it slow i want too make it in the trade and be known as a good plumber
not a rip off know nout cowboy

 

[Gray0689]

I'm not being funny mate but that's a lot of money for not a lot

Price them courses individualy cost you less

 

[WaterTight]

that's about the going rate for such courses. you will find it useful, you'll learn a lot of theory, get a basic run-through of some practical. if going to college is not an option it's a damn lot better doing a fast-track course than doing no course. My one reservation would be how quick the course is. I did roughly the same over 20 weeks and that was fast enough.

 

[tiling spread]

come on peeps help me out here im lost what do i need to be a plumber and gsr help


i dont want too be robed on a course that sound good but in the long run its pants

 

[Hybrid]

Buy some books, fittings, some pipe, a cheap bathroom suite, a cylinder, circulating pump, zone valves etc. Practise in the garage.
Damn sight cheaper and you'll learn just as much.

Then worry about certs.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

you aint gonna get robbed at able ! Gary is the director he is top man ! get the plumbing out of you way and you will be dealing with the gas department Ian,Roy,Simon (he is new tutor I dont know him )

with Ian and Roy you will be ready to go out and learn the trade on the job with a gas fitter ! If you are round from London you have a greater chance of getting a job with some one to learn and get portfolio done !

 

[SafeGasInstall]

you will never look back ! once you have complete your training ! It's a lot to learn and lots of exam to past tbh

 

[tiling spread]

thank you mate yer im thinking of going to able it looks good

 

[SafeGasInstall]

but dont forget that ,once you are done there is more cost to face such as exam cost /van /tools/port folio cost /insurance/advertising/registration cost and many many more ! dont thing that you will come up fully prepared for work
there is lot to learn but stay on here on your free time and you will learn a LOT !!! if not more then college 🙂

 

[fuzzy]

6129 is out of date and not full qual

 

[PlumbersMate]

just had a look at able skills. they look genuinely good. SGI do you know if the 6 weeks of portfolio building is 6 weeks full time? As in 6 weeks off work to do it?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

they have long long list for waiting to get the portfolio with them , they have called me few times to get guys on to do there portfolio but I dont have that much work to complete them ! but managed to get friend of my done within 6 weeks and hi is sitting the exam from today at same place ! there genuine %100 did my domestic ACS and my commercial ACS there ! they all know me there 🙂

 

[PlumbersMate]

so am i right in thinking 6 weeks of work then? Or is it possible to do around your job/work? if that makes sense?

 

[cr0ft]

Buy some books, fittings, some pipe, a cheap bathroom suite, a cylinder, circulating pump, zone valves etc. Practise in the garage.
Damn sight cheaper and you'll learn just as much.

Then worry about certs.

Speaking as someone who shelled out £5,500 on the above courses when I retrained, I wish I had followed this advice. Make sure you do, then go self-employed. Only take on jobs you are happy doing and find another more experienced plumber to pass jobs you aren't happy doing on to. Then make sure you shadow them while they do said jobs.

I might be flamed by the other plumbers on here for saying this, but most of the qualifications in the plumbing industry (with the noticeable exception of ACS) aren't worth the paper they are written on. Take the unvented course I'm studying for at the moment. The exam is open book, and so only proves the candidate's ability to find a given subject in a book. Completely worthless imo. I'm doing it because someone says I have to before I can install an unvented cylinder - that's the only reason.

Save your £5,500 for a van.

I'm 3 years in to being self-employed and other than my engineering degree I've only got the C&G Level 2 to my name. About to do unvented hot water exam this Friday but I've never needed anything other than this yet. The ability to learn (on forums like this) and the desire to work to the highest standards are much more important. Everything (and I mean everything) you will learn on the 6129 course can be self-taught with online resources, a bundle of materials and some tools.

 

[fuzzy]

Croft I understand your reply but you dont have the full background to the quals you are taking.

First of all, and your not the first person, you say C&G level 2 , C&G is an awarding body, not a qual, is it the 6129 (not classed as a full qual) or the 6089 NVQ which is, as they are both C&G. Level 3 is the industry recognised/preferred standard, l2 is classed as basic plumber only.

The unvented is for experienced plumbers. It is not designed to create a pass or fail. It is there for experienced plumbers to build their knowledge on newer type systems, as you appreciate many plumbers qualified when unvented systems were still illegal in the UK! They are open book to help you improve your knowledge, if you dont know the answer find it. In plumbing you rarely remember all the standards so a key skill is to know where to look. its better to have a workforce who are not ignorant and will look for the info they need, we dont all need to memories everything do we?

read this link http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/plumbing-courses/19487-c-g-tech-cert-nvq-eal-facts-you.html

Its important for people training to know what they are doing, the value of them and what they are expected to be.

Often people think the ACS is rubbish as it doesnt teach them to fit a boiler, it is a safety test not a competence test. Horses for courses, know what they are designed to do

 

[SimonG]

Speaking as someone who shelled out £5,500 on the above courses when I retrained, I wish I had followed this advice. Make sure you do, then go self-employed. Only take on jobs you are happy doing and find another more experienced plumber to pass jobs you aren't happy doing on to. Then make sure you shadow them while they do said jobs.

I might be flamed by the other plumbers on here for saying this, but most of the qualifications in the plumbing industry (with the noticeable exception of ACS) aren't worth the paper they are written on. Take the unvented course I'm studying for at the moment. The exam is open book, and so only proves the candidate's ability to find a given subject in a book. Completely worthless imo. I'm doing it because someone says I have to before I can install an unvented cylinder - that's the only reason.

Save your £5,500 for a van.

I'm 3 years in to being self-employed and other than my engineering degree I've only got the C&G Level 2 to my name. About to do unvented hot water exam this Friday but I've never needed anything other than this yet. The ability to learn (on forums like this) and the desire to work to the highest standards are much more important. Everything (and I mean everything) you will learn on the 6129 course can be self-taught with online resources, a bundle of materials and some tools.

Croft, no intention to flame, pull you down etc. But open book to me equates to real life, it's not a competition to remember things in the real world. If not sure you would look it up. Seen many a clown with a photographic memory who can spout chapter and verse, but I wouldn't let them change a light bulb.

 

[cr0ft]

Hi folks. Didn't expect to get away without a couple of various opinions coming up so no hard feelings!! I don't really disagree with any of you, but (my albeit) limited experience of the plumbing industry has led me to believe that the standards are set too low for the majority of courses. I've seen first hand people passing 6129 courses who really should never be let loose in customers house. Whilst this is mainly the fault of training centres, it does devalue the qualification.

Fuzzy, I do take your point about the NVQ and C&G quals and the difference. I can see it from both sides of the fence. I've met people who are qualified to the max but not necesarily very good at what they do, which to me indicates that the current system doesn't work very well.

Maybe one to take to the arms!

 

[1Ben]

Very interesting reading all your opinions,all good in-put.I have to say I've nearly finished my first year full time at College doing my NVQ 1 and it was a fantastic course,I didn't want to jump straight into level 2.
I'm so glad I didn't,the standard at level 1 and portfolio work was very high and is a great foundation for my level 2 this year.
All I'd say is before forking out your money for the course,really think about that your ready to go straight into level 2 and you know your onions🙂
The key for the course for me was having a really good tutor who I had confidence in,and the rest is dedication.
Goodluck with your decision

 

[fuzzy]

what was you nvq1? there is no nvq 1 in plumbing?