advice (qualifications)

[alexmurchison]

Hello to all, this is my 1st post and hopefully i will get some helpful info. I am looking at a career change and have been looking on the net to become a plumber. There are so many companies that offer training and they are all so different, both in what they offer and the price !! I have gathered the first step is the technical certificate 6129, but then is the nvq level 2 - 6089 neccesary as not all companies mention it, they just say about the part P for electronics and all these other parts, will somebody please just tell me what is needed to become a plumber and be able to work legally, also if anyone knows of a good training body and location, that would be fantastico,

thanks all,

 

[jaguar66]

Hello Alex
im in the same position as you only im being forced into a change thro redundancy. I know the problem you are experiencing as the training companies vary greatly im in the north west and i have found a couple of good providers im not going to plug them unless asked to do so .I have looked into plumbing courses before and can only share what i think i know .I have extensive knowledge of plumbing as ive practised as an unqualified person for friends and family for years (not for profit ) i enjoy the work imensly only i now need to go down the qualification route . The technical 6129 is an entry qualification basic but it is a qualification then there is the 6089 nvq level 2 and once you have qualified for these or just the tec you can pursue either acs route as a gas engineer or nvq level 3 . I think you need to ask yourself what work you want to do domestic/commercial etc and then train accordingly for what you want specifically to do. I am looking at going the whole hog and becoming gas safe registered im confident that i can do the full training package in 6 months from start to finish. p.s. The expense is worth it

 

[alexmurchison]

Hi, thank you for the reply, i am located near to scunthorpe north lincolnshire, i have found 2 companies that offer some good courses, one based in leeds and the other has a centre near wakefield / pontefract. I would like to do everything, but as a start domestic would be fine, i was just unsure as to the nvq level 2 / 3 one company offered the NVQ 2 as part of the course the other it was an additional cost. The NVQ level 3 would make me a master plumber i believe ? When i add all the costs together i am coming up with a cost of around £8000 which include the tech certificate 6129, the nvq 2 6089, a gas course and then EAL + Part P domestic course. Does this sound about right or is there other courses which should be included, also with this course there are included water regulations certificate etc

 

[oldplumber]

Hi, thank you for the reply, i am located near to scunthorpe north lincolnshire, i have found 2 companies that offer some good courses, one based in leeds and the other has a centre near wakefield / pontefract. I would like to do everything, but as a start domestic would be fine, i was just unsure as to the nvq level 2 / 3 one company offered the NVQ 2 as part of the course the other it was an additional cost. The NVQ level 3 would make me a master plumber i believe ? When i add all the costs together i am coming up with a cost of around £8000 which include the tech certificate 6129, the nvq 2 6089, a gas course and then EAL + Part P domestic course. Does this sound about right or is there other courses which should be included, also with this course there are included water regulations certificate etc

I trhink youll find ciphe wants 10 years experience before you can call yourself a master plumber, its not just training and exam passes needed to get that title

 

[helpsy]

Hi
I did my C&G 6129 level 2 with OLCI in Bristol (they have about 12 nationwide centres), the centre set up and tutors were excellent (the clerical side up in London was not).
I paid £5621 back in July 2008, for that I got 6129 level 2, Unvented hot water systems, Part P electrical and NVQ 2. Students paid varying amounts and got different packages.
Beware of doing anything other than the 6129.
I think they quoted me an extra £2995 to go on and do the gas(as I was an existing student(whatever))!!!
I've got a lot to learn before I go onto the gas, thats for the future.
Good Luck.

 

[andyg0507]

as stated in previous posts there will no longer be a tech cert in september so be carefull what these company's are offering.

 

[jaguar66]

as stated in previous posts there will no longer be a tech cert in september so be carefull what these company's are offering.

emm this i have not heard of do you know whats replacing the 6129 and what the diffrencies are as i will be enrolling within the next month.
Anyhow i will be going ahead regardless surely the 6129 is still a valid qualification allthough the uk seems to be going nvq daft at the moment.

 

[andyg0507]

as yet no one knows exactly what will replace the tech cert, but its going to be along the lines of a plumbing diploma with an nvq module included.

who are you enrolled with??

if i were i would have a word with the people where your doing your course.

 

[jaguar66]

as yet no one knows exactly what will replace the tech cert, but its going to be along the lines of a plumbing diploma with an nvq module included.

who are you enrolled with??

if i were i would have a word with the people where your doing your course.

Hi ive just browsed thro some of the 6129 threads and see where you are coming from i have 3 possible c&g approved centers as soon as i get my date for redundancy i will book with either rf training that have 3 centers ,brookhouse training in yorkshire or ohl i am too tight to give my money away so as a mature student i will interview these centers accordingly and ask the questions. I know that the uk sees the nvq quals as the way forward but there are hundreds of practicing plumbers that dont even know what an nvq is and thats a fact . I have used the services of a plumber in the past for gas work he could not remember what day it was but he knew every trick in the book regards plumbing built up over years now thats what i call a real plumber experience cant be taught in a training center.

 

[Blackcatgas]

.............................
well reserved

 

[jaguar66]

ok i will re-phrase that in order not to offend there are plenty of cowboys that dont know what an nvq is . Any plumber that knows his trade knows what an nvq is sorry peeps.

Just another quick point the new plumbing qual to replace the 6129 is the 6189 (QCF) the 6129 is being phased out dec 2010

 

[fuzzy]

emm this i have not heard of do you know whats replacing the 6129 and what the diffrencies are as i will be enrolling within the next month.
Anyhow i will be going ahead regardless surely the 6129 is still a valid qualification allthough the uk seems to be going nvq daft at the moment.

All NVQ's are going, come Sep 2010 they will be no more. All quals have to be QCF based. They will be called diplomas although some people may still use the term NVQ