New Career Skills! - HELP!!

[Markss]

Hi All, first post here so please be gentle :smiley2:

i have been thinking for a while now about re-training,after having to turn down a plumbing apprenticeship 8yr ago due to having my first daughter i have always regretted it and wanted to "try" being a plumber.

i work full time and have a family to support so a full time course was never a real option for me and being 28 im too old for an apprenticeship,i rang my local college and they dont offer a part time plumbing course..

this is when i started to look online and came across the NCS website i read it all over and everything looked good booked an appointment with the advisor and signed on to the course yesterday. after he left i had a quick look around online at what sort of stuff i would be doing and upon googling NCS reviews (something i really should have done before jumping in feet first) it bought me to a thread on this forum and quie a few people saying they have been ripped off and never ended up with the qualifications promised!

i have signed up to do the City & Guilds Level 2 NVQ Plumbing and Heating 6189-11. the course is 12-18 month depending how fast you progress, but will i actually finish the course with a qualification that could take me in to a job? they said they cant promise to find me work but 80% of the student do leave with a job from working with a fully qualified plumber for work experience as par of the course.

its costing me £6499 and i really hope im not being ripped off as with a young family its alot of money!

please help/advise if you can.

thanks

 

[Markss]

33 views and no comment.... guess ill just quit as i dont want to get stung.

 

[Masood]

The biggest problem you'll have is finding a plumber to work with, to get your NVQ practical portfolio built up. There is some value in doing the course anyway (but you can do it a LOT cheaper) but you will only get the C&G tech cert without on-site experience. Are they guaranteeing you a placement? If not, think twice..

 

[Dotty]

Have a chat with one of our sponsors - OLCI - OLCI Plumbing Courses, Gas & Electrical Training Courses 0800 058 2848

Or talk to Alana, their rep on UKPF - View Profile: Alana Fox - Plumbing Forum | Plumbing Advice | Plumbers Forums | A forum for plumbers advice in the UK

 

[jam1979]

what is olci like croppie im gonna be doing my 6129 lv3 should I give these a go or go to colledge and do it

 

[gavinwilson]

College will be cheaper than any training centre Lvl 3 was about 1500 quid at Bolton ,you may be entitled to discount if you get working tax credit etc ,worth chatting with them .

 

[Markss]

The biggest problem you'll have is finding a plumber to work with, to get your NVQ practical portfolio built up. There is some value in doing the course anyway (but you can do it a LOT cheaper) but you will only get the C&G tech cert without on-site experience. Are they guaranteeing you a placement? If not, think twice..

thanks for the reply.

the advisor did say after doing a couple of weeks practical work in the training center they asses you on your work and finish and you then move on to work with one of the fully qualified plumbers that work along side the collage happy to take on students. so im guessing this is the NVQ part?

where could i do it cheaper? i didnt even know this forum existed till i searched the NCS reviews or i would have asked questions and done more research before signing on to a course. i have left a £500 deposit but i also get 14 days no questions asked period to cancel the course.

 

[Markss]

thanks for that croppie. would the OLCI be along the same lines as the NCS course? just checked the link you gave me and seems the same course/qualifications but i would rather use a recomended one and as they are a forum sponsor i take it they are all legit.

idealy i would like to take the college route but i have bills and a family to support so dont really have any other option but a home study course

 

[jam1979]

nice 1 gav im from Bolton as well

 

[SimonG]

For crying out loud. Do your homework. OLCI are a sponsor but don't get a very good press, but that's just the comments I see. Two hours, no replies and your going to chuck it, maybe not for you.

People are full of flash in the pan ideas. That's not the issue, the issue is how serious are you. Are you prepared to work for nothing to get experience? No, well that puts you behind the countless who post on here wanting experience for no pay.

If you want it, really really want it (and I'm not a Spice Girls fan) then do your research, work out the impact it will have on yourself and family and then decide.