College open evening - question suggestions?

[BikerBen]

Hi All,

I'm off to Derby College this week to check out some evening courses that I may or may not be interested in parting with some of the hard earnt to study on. What I'd like to know is are there any sensible questions that people on here think I should ask as whilst I would ask the obvious ones like 'what will this qualify me to do?' or 'what will I need to study next' there is a chance I could leave out something that would have been handy to find out.

Also it has been suggested to me that I aim to work in commercial catering (gas) to begin with and then go on from there in 1 or 2yrs time when I have been able to prove myself as a worthy person for an employer to invest in - whats peoples thoughts on this avenue? Never heard of it myself but I'm always keen to learn new things that could help me out.

Just to answer the £60k per year in plumbing quip before it raises its ugly head I currently earn £28.5k and my friend who works for a large supermarket for their own maintenance subsiduary earns £32k but works longer days. I'm not looking to earn any more / less money (in the long term) but instead would like a 'trade' to my name that enables me to earn money and get my hands dirty (awaits jokes).

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

you earn what you work so longer days equals more pay, late night call outs and weekend work gets some good pennies but then you sacrifice time to your self. A lot of your questions need to be fired at the finance side, what are you getting for your money, ask about the compwtency of the tutor/s as well

 

[BikerBen]

Cheers - good point, ask how qualified / time served staff are.

 

[fuzzy]

Hi All,

I'm off to Derby College this week to check out some evening courses that I may or may not be interested in parting with some of the hard earnt to study on. What I'd like to know is are there any sensible questions that people on here think I should ask as whilst I would ask the obvious ones like 'what will this qualify me to do?' or 'what will I need to study next' there is a chance I could leave out something that would have been handy to find out.

Also it has been suggested to me that I aim to work in commercial catering (gas) to begin with and then go on from there in 1 or 2yrs time when I have been able to prove myself as a worthy person for an employer to invest in - whats peoples thoughts on this avenue? Never heard of it myself but I'm always keen to learn new things that could help me out.

Just to answer the £60k per year in plumbing quip before it raises its ugly head I currently earn £28.5k and my friend who works for a large supermarket for their own maintenance subsiduary earns £32k but works longer days. I'm not looking to earn any more / less money (in the long term) but instead would like a 'trade' to my name that enables me to earn money and get my hands dirty (awaits jokes).

Thanks,

Ben

1 - What is the exact qual i will gain (dont say plumbing!), what is the name of it, what level is it, what is the qualification number? (then post answers here)
2 - Do i need to be employed?
3 - Will you find me employment?
4 - do you have a progromme information sheet or link to C&G's so i can check it out

Let us know the answers

 

[consupportline]

2 - Do i need to be employed?
3 - Will you find me employment?

Very important

 

[BikerBen]

The link to the course is here;

View course

Q2 I'd imagine that this would be required
Q3 Wont hold my breath on this one as colleges dont often do this and the course is part-time

 

[fuzzy]

thats not a plumbing course. its just a bpec gas foundation course, no funding for it so itll be full cost

its not an nvq or anything like that

 

[BikerBen]

Sorry I thought that would enable me to get into gas (commercial catering) and then later on move across to gain the required plumbing NVQ's (shortly to become QCF I believe).

I understand that I will have to pay for the course silly I have a job! If I was a work shy slacker I'd get it for nowt

 

[fuzzy]

bikerben,

this is a full cost course so unless theres some local funding it will not be funded for anyone
NVQ will not become QCF, the NQF will become QCF and run NVQs under it as the NQf did

 

[BikerBen]

Thats odd beacuse the cost is listed at approx £750 so I'd assumed that I'd simply pay and join the course.

I do know from work that you can no longer get into plumbing / gas just via college and now must do an apprenticeship as its now required by the 'trade' to have a combination of quals and experience. This is the main reason I've been watching the British Gas website like a hawk.

 

[fuzzy]

yes you can simply pay, because the gas foundation is simply that, a foundation course. you will not be able to work in the industry with it. you would then have to go and get experience with an employer as an apprentice/mate and build up evidence, either to an NVQ Gas or to go straight in and do your ACS

 

[BikerBen]

Cool - thats what I wanted to hear! My friend is a gas engineer who will allow me to shadow him during evenings and weekends over a long period of time.

He will also give me a 'reference' to help me get on the ladder when he deems me competant and safe

 

[PlumbBobBob]

thats good, just the sort of step up you need. good luck.

 

[BikerBen]

Cheers - I know it wont be easy or straight foward but its worth a shot!

Got an apprenticeship assesment booked for later on in June at Basford Hall with construction skills - I know its only an assesment but again its always worth checking these things out

 

[BikerBen]

Update:

Went along last night and had a chat with the (busy) tutor and this is what he told me;

2 nights per week
30-32 weeks
14 jobs to be completed outside college (list to be emailed to me)
Cost £840 inc exams

I asked what can I do at the end of this course? He said;

You can set yourself up as a gas engineer and earn lots of money!

Anyways I told him I was only looking for income security not to be a millionaire and he seemed to stop bs'ing me as much.

Later on he said to me that at the end of the basic BPEC course I would then do additional bolt-on units which sounded to me more like the truth - in other words do a basic qual and then bolt on specific areas of the trade afterwards. What I'd like to know though, is if I did this course + the required jobs how seriously would I be considered for work? I'm guessing not very.....

 

[fuzzy]

how did you go on?

 

[BikerBen]

Well they promised to send me information on what the 14 required jobs would be and then proceeded to send me info on everything else but what I asked for. I do have the contact details for the guy I saw at the open evening and I will call him and re-ask for the jobs list.

What I'm genuinely concerned about is,if I get through this course plus additional specific units what happens next? I wont be gas safe registered and wont have masses amounts of experience so wonder what the employement prospects will be.

My gas engineer friend keeps telling me to go into refridgeration....

 

[fuzzy]

did you ask about the building services diploma, that has refridegeration in it as well as plumbing

 

[BikerBen]

No - the chap wasnt massively helpful and the night was far too busy to sit around and chat.

The other issue being that I can get work experience in gas nothing else

 

[fuzzy]

you dont need any work experience to do the bs diploma

 

[BikerBen]

Weird my reply has gone awol??

Anyways I'm trying to find a course in Nottingham / Derby but havent had any joy as yet.....

 

[BikerBen]

Quick update: Never applied for course - been invited in for assesment test!

Still no list of required jobs for course completion from college so rang BPEC (also on same street as college!!) who could not provide me with said list = WTF

 

[fuzzy]

not sure anyone can tell you how many jobs as it isnt boiler installs as such but tightness tesing, installing pipe, purging etc etc

 

[BikerBen]

Finally picked up list of jobs when I went in for assessment test last Friday (11 on list 3 turned up!!).

There are approx 25 jobs to complete, some instals and some servicing - took to friend who said no problem!

He's going to hook me up with some visits to various National Grid sites to look at commercial kit as well as domestic stuff which will be good for more rounded experience.

College say I will need to do the following -> BPEC foundation course -> CCN1 course/test -> college register me with Gas Safe -> find job (hard part)

 

[fuzzy]

the college register you with gas safe?

 

[Gray0689]

the college register you with gas safe?

The college is paying for your gas safe registration??????

 

[BikerBen]

Yes I was dubious to say the least!

What they said is that you spend a year doing the BPEC course which in turn prepares you to then study on a week long CCN1 course, which if you then complete sucesfully Derby College enrol you with Gas Safe.

x2 courses to do and pay for

My friend has already said that he will add me to his certifcate as an employee to reduce the costs for me should I need to.

 

[fuzzy]

why would a college register you with gas safe? that isnt right, are you sure they dont mean enrol on the ACS?

 

[BikerBen]

Thats what the tutor said to me when I went into do my assesment test - I'm a novice at this and I was surprised to be honest

 

[fuzzy]

but the candidate must register him or herself with gas safe, the college cannot do it? im sure they mean register to get the qual that leads to gas safe, ie the ACS.

Rememebr gas safe is just a registration body, it is not a qual