Thinking of going to college to qualify...need advice/help please

Daniel Phillips · Jan 23, 2011

hi all,
i have decided my current job (Hgv driver) is not what i want to do and i am thinking of re-training as a plumber. I have been looking around at various courses offered by T4TS and the like but i think i would prefer to go to college to get my C&G 6129 level 2 followed by the NVQ level 2 C&G 6089. The two courses together will cost just under £4000 and take approx. 2 years. i don't see how you can properly learn a trade on these 15 day fast track courses.

My aim is to either gain employment at the end of these or become self employed.

just wanted to know if these would be decent/relevant qualifications to an employer and although it says i would be a qualified plumber at the end of these. from what i can gather i would have to have the equivalent level 3 courses(+ corgi etc) before messing with gas so therefore couldn't for example replace a boiler.....is that right ?

Does anyone want/need a volunteer one day a week ? 😀 (I live near stoke-on-trent)

fuzzy · Jan 23, 2011

Daniel Phillips said:
hi all,
i have decided my current job (Hgv driver) is not what i want to do and i am thinking of re-training as a plumber. I have been looking around at various courses offered by T4TS and the like but i think i would prefer to go to college to get my C&G 6129 level 2 followed by the NVQ level 2 C&G 6089. The two courses together will cost just under £4000 and take approx. 2 years. i don't see how you can properly learn a trade on these 15 day fast track courses.

My aim is to either gain employment at the end of these or become self employed.

just wanted to know if these would be decent/relevant qualifications to an employer and although it says i would be a qualified plumber at the end of these. from what i can gather i would have to have the equivalent level 3 courses(+ corgi etc) before messing with gas so therefore couldn't for example replace a boiler.....is that right ?

Does anyone want/need a volunteer one day a week ? 😀 (I live near stoke-on-trent)

the courses you state are closed for new entrants as of april this year, they are 2 years out of date in fact

target4998 · Jan 23, 2011

why are closed for new entrants as of april this year?

PlumbBobBob · Jan 23, 2011

because the 6129 is being discontinued and replaced by a diploma(i think)

REDSAW · Jan 23, 2011

daniel,
i have a cousin who works for stobbart, he earns around £450 per week. this is the average rate for a qualified employed plumber in the midlands.
just a point.

also, if i went to private training for hgv 1 and passed... in your professional opinion. what would the chances be in securing a job with say stobbart the next day and taking the wheel of one of their £70k rigs?.
i point this out because you may find it will be the same as plumbing. without the job or experience there is slim chance if at all. also, you cannot no longer get the nvq required without a job placement secured due to the new diploma coming into effect.
i think at this economic time the safest job at the moment is hgv driving imo. not that i am putting you off i hope.

target4998 · Jan 23, 2011

im in the same boat a Dan... trying to learn / break out into the trade. As a breathing apparatus engineer i know all to well how hard it is to get good, or recognized for your work.. Ive had plenty of kicks in the teeth so far, and i expect more.. but sometimes all we need is a break, just like i did with B.A. at the time i knew nothing... now 5 years on, ive worked with HSE and on RIDDOR investigations, and part of a team that investigate incidents regarding BA. Although i understand that experience speaks volumes sometimes a novice can grow to become just a good if not better when given time to grow / learn the job roll... my advice would be to not be discouraged but keep trying and trying and trying! persistence and willing will pay off!! good luck mate.

dan22 · Jan 23, 2011

Hi mate look at brookhouse training centre it bit more than £4000 but it qualify you in gas aswell plus they guarantee u a work placement to build up your portfolio in your local area plus its not a textbook course lol you actually touch materials and work on them the full course takes around 25 weeks most of it out on placement with a company learning hands on. Google brookhouse training centre it should come straight up .... Goodluck i suggest you go to a open day to fully understand how they work

Daniel Phillips · Jan 25, 2011

hi all,

THANKS FOR THE REPLYS!! I have spoken the tutor at the college now, he says that the course maybe changing from the C&G 6129 too C&G 6189 apparently it will just make the course more up to date with current technologies but if they don't officially change it soon (march/april) then all college's will have to run the current C&G 6129 course. The other thing with the new course is that it might be that you have GOT TOO be in a work placement to do it , just like the NVQ part.

if i went to private training for hgv 1 and passed... in your professional opinion. what would the chances be in securing a job with say stobbart the next day and taking the wheel of one of their £70k rigs?./QUOTE]

The answer is no : ) i know what you mean and i appreciate there is no qualification or course that can replace experience as i found when i passed my class 2 license and all company's STILL wanted 2 yrs. experience. £450 a week would suit me fine its only a bit more than what im on at the moment, but at least i would be doing something i would enjoy (Think i would enjoy lol)

anymore info/advice very much appreciated.

Thanks again.

fuzzy · Jan 27, 2011

target4998 said:
why are closed for new entrants as of april this year?

because the course is finishing. there will be no tech cert in plumbing, only a building services course for full time students. the nvq is being updated but this is for employed