ok lets take a step further, why didnt you study and achieve technician Level, too hard for you? if some guys get level 2 then work damn hard and learn tons by doing it to make a wee life for their families what are they doing wrong, a lot of jobs we do now dont require technician or advanced level, nothing gets fixed now all things just get binned and renewed like for like, and these days how many people are required to design a full install of 20 whbs and wc's over 4 levels
Yeah, tried, but firm said at time I had to do at least a minimum of 3 years post gaining my advanced (JIB grading stated you had to do 2 years after apprenticeship to be considered 'advanced') before they would consider 'technician' level as this was only for the ones identified as 'supervision material'.
About 6 or 7 from my class done it but hey were mostly council plumbers.
Not at all having a go at them but the attitude in the whole industry itself. This is not just confined to 'fast trackers' but others in trade as well. People should be encouraged by others in trade, good colleges and the government funding the courses properly.
Anyway, on the NVQ 3 front, spoke to couple of college lecturers friends of mine today and got this approximate info below about the current NVQ3 course.
Time on course 1 to 1.5 year this is going to college 1 day per week 9-5 etc.
40% is just 'Gas', content is the same as ccn1 and the appliances elements
25% is Central Heating and most of it is all domestic sealed and vented systems, Part L stuff, wiring s & y plans, boilers and so on.
15% is Unvented systems with quite a bit of practical
10-15% is water regs and cold and hot water
Only a small amount of soils, wastes and drains etc
10% is 'planning' but most of that was calculating rads, boilers, heating loads, expansion vessels, building regs, specifying controls to part L, pipe sizes etc
Seemed a really good course to me, with really up to date stuff, cannot think why some 'duck out' and apparently the new nvq will have gas and renewables as part of it.