Brookhouse Training Centre

[Raj]

Thinking of doing a plumbing/gas course. Any feedback on this training center will be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Gas Courses | Gas Training | Brookhouse is the UK's #1 Gas Training Centre. With a GUARANTEED WORK PLACEMENT! - Gas Courses Leeds

 

[Barry98]

centre is one of the better ones i did my part p down there

 

[Roller Shutter]

Did you ever go with these guys?

 

[ckyens]

From my experience of this 10 week multi skill course, there are no plumbing qualifications earned in the first 3 week plumbing course. The 3rd week you sit the BPEC water regulation exam which is no plumbing qualification and is pointless as you wouldnt get a job with it. I think its incorporated into the course by the staff to protect themselves should a student try and work as a plumber for customers and they bodge the job.

The 5 week gas course is hands on then you go on a work placement to complete a portfolio which enables you to qualify for the CITB gas certificates and come back and sit the final 2 week ACS gas safe assesment exam. If you fail its a £500 resit fee!!

The ACS has to be renewed every 5 yrs at £700 a time.
This course is all about money money money money and you find that that the majority of students are military or ex military only.

Brookhouse demand a a £500 non returnable deposit prior to starting the course and once you hand over your money your tied in to their contract.

Personally if i could have got a refund i would have, the course is way overpriced and for the money you'd get better value studying at college for a city and guilds level 3 in plumbing or hot water systems.

 

[Raj]

From my experience of this 10 week multi skill course, there are no plumbing qualifications earned in the first 3 week plumbing course. The 3rd week you sit the BPEC water regulation exam which is no plumbing qualification and is pointless as you wouldnt get a job with it. I think its incorporated into the course by the staff to protect themselves should a student try and work as a plumber for customers and they bodge the job.

The 5 week gas course is hands on then you go on a work placement to complete a portfolio which enables you to qualify for the CITB gas certificates and come back and sit the final 2 week ACS gas safe assesment exam. If you fail its a £500 resit fee!!

The ACS has to be renewed every 5 yrs at £700 a time.
This course is all about money money money money and you find that that the majority of students are military or ex military only.

Brookhouse demand a a £500 non returnable deposit prior to starting the course and once you hand over your money your tied in to their contract.

Personally if i could have got a refund i would have, the course is way overpriced and for the money you'd get better value studying at college for a city and guilds level 3 in plumbing or hot water systems.

Iv got an apprenticeship with British gas. Best thing I've done! Training is brilliant. If British gas are recruiting in your area get on to it mate!

 

[newcastle phill]

What BG centre is yours.
When I lived in Hull and had to go to my local centre on Canal Street, leeds.
Was funny as anything at 4pm watching the spotty apprenticis racing out the car park creating havoc....80 vans leaving all at the same time doing synchronised wheelspinning.
I imagine its the sane wherever lol

 

[Raj]

Yh mate canal street is my training centre. Still the same pal but the hotels are lush

 

[ckyens]

Raj:

Good on you, that's the best way to get a gas company to take you on at least you will earn your NVQ level 3 in domestic gas heating systems. Unlike the mickey mouse qualifications Brookhouse give out!

I tried that route early this year, passed the online tests etc and was told British Gas would contact me for the next step, I even was willing to move to Aberdeen as per their instruction for joining the apprenticeship scheme.................to date I've heard absolutely nothing from them!

British Gas are crafty and don't take anyone on their apprenticeship scheme on unless their willing to upsticks and move to Aberdeen to train and then with the 'promise of a position back in your home town' after a few years!

The domestic gas industry is difficult to get into as it is and I feel having paid Brookhouse nearly £7K to train me their fast track way will put employers off as all the experience I have is having worked for nothing for a gas employer for a couple of months to meet the port folio work criteria in order to satisfy the CITB board I am eligible to sit the final ACS exam.

If I can't get a job it's all been for nothing!!

A lot of trainees ACS qualified leaving Brookhouse do find themselves with no jobs and are forced to possibly start up on their own, which is NOT cheap.

Personally I think companies like Brookhouse should offer a 'pay as you go' training scheme. i.e you don't pay the full amount unless your confident of going through the whole learning program and you can opt out out at any time.

I know of one company that operates like that 'The CTS Brandon Group in Manchester', but they are not ELCAS approved, so ex / military wouldn't get part funding .

Anyone reading this thinking of handing over your hard earned savings to Brookhouse Training to do the multi skill gas plumbing course,,,,,, think again.

It's only a sure bet if you have friends in the gas business that could employ you once your ACS qualified.

 

[1stcallutilitie]

Hi all

Anyone thinking about doing courses with private training centres should realy think carefully, yes they are the faster option if you have some good understanding and experience, look at the money you got to lay out, then look at the possibilities of employment at the end of it.

College route is longer but you got to look at what you have been taught, how you been taught the prospects of being employed are higher.

All lads I work with all are college trained city and guilds level 3, we have had one who was trained by Brookhouse training centre what he paid and what he learned I felt sorry for him.

I wouldnt take anyone on from these training centres, due to the fact they are all inexperinced and lack the knowledge. id rather take on a apprentice from college atleast il know he was getting the correct training like i did.

Sorry again to all who are training via private training centres I know alot are well experienced and have managed to get through.

Id love to hear from private training centre their opinions on why they think they centres are worth anyones time and money.


1st Call Utilities

 

[ckyens]

1st Call Utilities

Your partly right, but with contradictions, a lot of young college students doing a NVQ3 in gas are inexperienced in life. The colleges structure their training the way they see fit to make sure the young trainee grow into the trade.

The private training companies do the same. Both outcomes are the students are ACS CCN1 qualified to work on domestic gas.

A lot of people who pay to do fast track gas courses are ex military personel!

You claim "you wouldn't take anyone on that's doing or been on one of these private training courses because they have no experience or knowledge".

Yet you mention you were working with a person from Brookhouse Training.

And then you claim "you know a lot of trainees are experienced and have got through".

My advice to you is if you want to find out the answer fo your final question, your better off directing it straight to one of these training centres, give them a call!

Personally from my experience working with young college students working on their NVQ3 gas course have been lazy, unenthusiastic, like to cut corners, dragging their heels, too busy smoking or on their mobile phones. I certainly would NOT employ some of these youngsters coming through.

However I would employ someone from Brookhouse Training or similar training background. As I mentioned the majority are mature ex military people who have served this country and are willing to invest big money on these courses to get back into work. And 90% of them succeed!!

 

[Allgoode]

Second the above about the ex-mil people.
If they have come from a tech background and been deployed as much as I was then you more often than not will have a solid performer who is willing and has the "can do" attitude to all jobs put before them.
Generally they have had the life experiences that you will never get in civvy street & appreciate hard graft & the opportunity to perform either as part of the bigger team or on there own.
What they initially lack in experience on the tools is generally compensated with other tech knowledge from there previous trade work if from that background.
The only thing they need is the opportunity to prove themselves within a company that appreciates loyalty, hard graft & dedication.

 

[1stcallutilitie]

Hi welcome to the debate Brook house Training (ckyens)

Yes private and college courses have the same outcome my argument is how they achieve end goal, college is more in-depth, students are more monitored from level 2, if tutors feel student is struggling in his studies, he will be hepled and if he still failing in key areas he want be allowed to progress to level 3 ACS CCN1 quals, same students always turn to private training providers for they ACS CCN1 quals.

Private courses are more, if your falling behind academically, students always seem to catch up with they course work with a little "helping hand", which in my opinion is not very helpful as student hasn’t learnt where hes failing but has passed the module never the less, and the fact student has paid a vast amount of money to be on the course and needs to be fully qualified in 18 weeks,

so no pressure on training provider.


Colleges publish yearly information on how many students have failed on courses and how many have passed, I haven’t seen any details on pass and failure rates for private training providers any where, (must be because of their 100% pass rate, they don’t need to broadcast it)

Coming to my previous claim about a trainee from Brook house Training, what he was expecting to be paid as a gas engineer and what he demonstrated what he knew about the work we expected from him were two totally different things he left because he was disappointed about his pay.
We have had lazy, unenthusiastic, like to cut corners, dragging their heels, too busy smoking or on their mobile phones students they the ones that never made it to level 3, because the support we get from tutors is invaluable, feedback we give back as employers is key to colleges determine which student will be able to complete level 3 and which ones are not worth taking back,
That’s the difference between private training centres and Colleges

 

[dexter1]

I found a different route in.

2 day refresher course then straight into ccn1,cookers fires, pipework.

passed at the end of the week and registered 2 weeks later.

 

[rpm]

I found a different route in.

2 day refresher course then straight into ccn1,cookers fires, pipework.

passed at the end of the week and registered 2 weeks later.

Welcome to the forum dexter1, what was your background prior to the 2 day refresher course and surely you are limited to what you actually can do.