Plumbing Course 6189 nvq2

[finley]

Hi all, new to this site but have been reading posts for the ast few weeks.
Just want some thoughts on the plumbing courses and peoples views on them. Im paying nearly 6k to do the C&G 6189 nvq2. I have 18 months in which to do it.It involves alot of home study, 700 hours or so, and 5 weeks practical training, in which i have to travel over 100 miles to attend, and fund accomodation etc. I was sold the course as a course suitable for anyone looking to re skill,told there is a shortage of plumbers , and that i could be earning over 25k once qualified. I believed this, and paid the funds, then on research, have found this may not be quite the case. Im still going ahead with the course and see where it goes, but found my first practical week very full on, in at the deep end, and not much chance to take in what we were supposed to be learning before the end of the week came? Anyone know if this is common practise?

 

[GQuigley67]

5 weeks practical is not enough imho, there is no shortage of plumbers, 25k is more realistic imho than what some people are saying.

to put it into perspective when your an apprentice you don't get let lose on the tools on your own until your 2nd-3rd year after a year or 2 of obvserving and learning

 

[finley]

My aim is to do the course while shadowing a former student to get some hands on experience, and i guess you have to start somewhere. My concern was how I had been sold this course and then found the first week so full on and quick paced, and cannot see how you are expected to take it all in in such a short space of time?And wondered if this is normal practise for these types of course? Surely if you are paying 6k for a course to learn the trade basics, you should be TAUGHT the trade, not just rushed through?

 

[Davinder]

I wish you had signed up to the forum, before you paid your money.

How far into it are you? Perhaps you could get your money back?

If not then perhaps you could go to the admin department and see if you can reschedule the course your on, for another – say in 6 months or so. It least that will let you shadow the guy for longer, and hopefully have an easier time of it when you return. (they may charge a SMALL admin fee for this)

Bottom line: Try to get your money back (easier said than done).

 

[finley]

Thanks for that. Im in two minds what to do. You do hear some possitive stories of people coming out and managing to find work be it self employed or other. Ive only done my first weeks practical and now due to study for a few months , pass some exams, then return for week 2 practical. This happens 5 times. I have sent some feedback regards the course, and this is APPARENTLY being looked into, although they were not to keen on my feedback, so i am really in two minds on what the best course of action is to take.

 

[Davinder]

Chase them up inregards to the feedback.
Chase them up in regards to the feedback.
Chase them up in regards to the feedback.

Plus can I also direct your attention to this thread for a moment:
http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/p...-got-news-switchover-new-nvq-diploma-p-h.html

As it appears that the NVQ is changing somewhat.

It's called: FC0751 NVQ diploma in plumbing and heating L2. Page here:Plumbing NVQ Intermediate Diploma Level 2 (Sept '11)

Ask the people your doing the course with, how this affects you.

Are you doing this course in a training centre or a collage?

 

[finley]

Course is being done through a training centre. You study a section, do some exams at home that you send in, once you get 80% or more, you then attend your first week, then you are given another set to go home and study and do the exams, then again you go in, 5 times in total. Its 5,5oo for the c&g 6189 nvq2,. If you need to re take a weeks practical, you get another free then have to pay for the rest, and if you fail the exams at the centre, you have to pay to re sit as far as I know, then you have the costs of accomodation and travel etc to pay, which comes to around 1650 on top, so all in all, it aint cheap, and youd hope you would come out of it as they say at the sales pitch, qualified to some degree and able to get work, but its starting to sound not so straight forwards. I have had one of the heads of the training centre call me about my feedback, and he basically said he found it hard to believe as the tutors are the best apparently, and that he was going to investigate. Still waiting. As for the change in NVQ (thanks for that) i have emailed the guy that sold me the course asking how this will effect things for us?

 

[fuzzy]

how are you doing the emplloyed part of the 6189?

 

[finley]

how are you doing the emplloyed part of the 6189?

I was just enrolled on the course, knowing that I was not in the trade as yet, and then told at the end, would need to find work to get the assessment/?

 

[Davinder]

I thought you had the employment part sorted when you said:-

My aim is to do the course while shadowing a former student to get some hands on experience

 

[finley]

No, that has come about since i did my first week at the training centre, i met up with a guy who di the 6129 i think it is, at the same place i now am, and he has said i can jump in when he has any work and get a feel for it. Not sure how much work he is getting though

 

[finley]

no, i took the course on, did my first week practical, and then met a guy i know who did the 6129, has his own small buisness eves and weekends, and said i can shadow him when he has work coming in

 

[northstar]

where are you based and where you doing the course at ?

 

[fuzzy]

I was just enrolled on the course, knowing that I was not in the trade as yet, and then told at the end, would need to find work to get the assessment/?

iim surprised people are taking on courses they are unlikely too achieve

 

[finley]

no, i have found someone SINCE doing my first week who said i could shadow him when he gets work in

 

[finley]

Have chased up the feedback response I sent in, and the head of, who was going to LOOK INTO my feedback is now off sick, and has passed findings on to someone else, so i await response. ho hum

 

[finley]

where are you based and where you doing the course at ?

im based in norfolk, and doing my training through one of the training centres 140 miles away

 

[Dumplumb]

Hi finley, I am doing a course at the minute exactly like that with a company called new career skills. I wish I had really looked into it more though before I started it. They told me I would be fully qualified but have since found out that it is only the 6128 that I will be receiving which isn't even a proper plumbing qualification and they don't give you a work placement which you NEED to achieve the full qualification. It has also cost me £5500. I'm thinking of taking legal action. If it's not too late you should go with a reputable company that get you a work placement. A friend of mine did that for his gas. He was totally new to the whole trade, but they found him a work placement with Carillion and Then Carillion gave him a full time job. I wish i'd have done that.

 

[finley]

Hi Dumbplumb. I darent say who i enrolled with, but i paid a big deposit and am set to pay them money each month for several years which will cover the rest. APPARENTLY i will be earning not long after i finish, and will then be A FULLY QUALIFIED PLUMBER. Sales guy told me I can then go self employed, thing is, you can go self employed even without the qualification (although you wouldnt want to). So yes,i too was led up the garden path, and because what i was told was so great, i signed up. I have heard of quite a few people looking to take action against a company called new career skills? it came up on google when i was looking for a good company to go with. what is the 6128? I find it a real shame that when people are looking, in the current climate, to pay vast amounts of money to learn new skills, that people are using this to their advantage and taking their money and leaving them with false hopes and beliefs. Why is more not done about this?

 

[Dumplumb]

Hi finley. You sound like you're doing exactly the same course as me, apart from you're on the right track with the qualifications you'll be getting. I think the 6128 is more along the lines of a heating engineer than a plumber, i'm confused myself to be honest. All I know is, when you train to become a plumber, the 6128 is not part of it and it is not what I signed up for. Like you said, it is a shame that companies like these are taking advantage of people who are just wanting to better themselves and train for a new career. It's an expensive lesson learned, I just hope I can use this qualification. Keep at it mate, that's all you can do. Getting somebody to give you a chance I think is the hardest part, and if you've got someone to shadow then you're halfway there. I hope it works out for you pal.