Train 4 Trade Skills

[bcharalambous]

Hi everyone - just out of interest can anyone on the trade 4 trade skills course tell me how long they had to wait for the call after requesting information?? put a request in for some information 2 weeks ago and heard nothing back - phoned them again and some lady told me that there was nothing more they could do! all i want is information about the cost and what qualification you actually get after you finish... anyone got any ideas??

 

[kes]

hi i was told you would be away for two weeks monday to friday

 

[Rumpel4skin]

They took a few weeks to get back to me - out of the blue phone call.
For £5570, you get what they call distance learning. Studying and all the books/dvd to do at home, submit your TMA`s and then book for when you feel your ready to do the practical of that TMA.

7hrs study per week = NVQ level 2 in 2yrs or
14hrs study per week = NVQ level 2 in 1yr is what I was told, as long as you pass etc.

For the £5570, you will get NVQ level 2 & 3, solar heating, part p and something else from what I can remember.

They took a few weeks to get back to me - out of the blue phone call.
For £5570, you get what they call distance learning. Studying and all the books/dvd to do at home, submit your TMA`s and then book for when you feel your ready to do the practical of that TMA.

7hrs study per week = NVQ level 2 in 2yrs or
14hrs study per week = NVQ level 2 in 1yr is what I was told, as long as you pass etc.

For the £5570, you will get NVQ level 2 & 3, solar heating, part p and something else from what I can remember.

hi i was told you would be away for two weeks monday to friday

That is the final 2 weeks to get your full qualification. You spend it in a house and have to do everything - central heating install, solar panels, boiler, bathroom etc

 

[bcharalambous]

They took a few weeks to get back to me - out of the blue phone call.
For £5570, you get what they call distance learning. Studying and all the books/dvd to do at home, submit your TMA`s and then book for when you feel your ready to do the practical of that TMA.

7hrs study per week = NVQ level 2 in 2yrs or
14hrs study per week = NVQ level 2 in 1yr is what I was told, as long as you pass etc.

For the £5570, you will get NVQ level 2 & 3, solar heating, part p and something else from what I can remember.


hi, did you do the course in the end?? cheers.

 

[Rumpel4skin]

It was recently someone came round.
Some thing`s just didn`t add up right, like the interest free loan.

I was very dubious when they said a place had become available and I had to let them know within a few days. The practical sessons run all the time on a bookable scheme.

Also, some of the modules in level 2, that I think are un-necessary. ie: web site, business banking, book keeping, defining sales, topics for expansion to name a few.

Don`t get me wrong, it`d look great on paper after getting qualified, but it`s not relevant for me.

 

[wyng56]

Hi all
Thanks for the advice especially Johnmess - very wise. I've looked into the train4trades & was a bit concerned to finde that they are run by the scheidegger group who are apparently being investigated by watchdog. Dunno much more but have asked about & found enough out to put me off.
Cheers all
wyng

 

[bcharalambous]

train 4 trade skills, whats the problem???

i signed up for the "full scope" train for trade skills course last saturday. i read all the comments on this site and was extremely weary about committing myself to the course. members on this site were saying things like "they pluck prices out of the air" and " i dont think these qualifications mean anything". i paid £4900 for the city and guilds 6129 technical certificate training, also city and guilds 6129 level 3, nvq 2 training and assesments and nvq 3 training and assesments, i also get electrical training (part p) and water regulations certificate and a few other certificates included in this price. along with all this i get 12 weeks practicle training in a city and guils approved centre. i have a tutor on the other end of the phone, and virtual reality training on the pc. the guy came round and had a folder with prices in it, he said it would be £5770 on finance or £4900 paid up front, it was a no-brainer for me as i had the money to pay. i dont see how this is a fast track way to becoming a plumber,you revise in your own time, it saves you waiting around for your one day of college a week, its the exact same qualifications as you get in colleges, the difference being you get adults on these courses who are 100% committed to learning as they pay thousands for it and at the end of it you get a plumber who is pretty much ready to go out and work. ill end with this, to companies that say they wont employ people who have been on these courses i am asking you why not?? surely its better than taking on an apprentice giving your money away for them doing nothing!! im sure it would be better to take someone on thats done these courses as they already have a lot of practical and thoretical knowledge that would benifit your company.. its going to take me 24-36 months to be nvq3 qualified, i am 23 years old at the moment so will be around 25 when fully qualified.

 

[REDSAW]

Re: train 4 trade skills, whats the problem???

rah! rah!
check out these in cost from high to low.

1, reactafast about £8,000+ = intensive with offers franchise etc

2, t4ts varies between £4,500 to £5,950 plumbing learning for 'dummies' = from
scratch ie no tool skills.

3, plumbing career academy, about £2,250 = theory training to nvq3 6128 gas route, pay as you need it workshop training inc weekends, plus support. good for diy'er.

all diferent, find someone who has actually done it and follow the same course as them for referal then you cant go to wrong.

 

[plumbster]

Re: train 4 trade skills, whats the problem???

hi there bcharalambous, I think the problem is that it seems alot of these people doing these fast track courses think that they can learn all there is to know about plumbing and these fast track plumbers think they can go land a job on full rate, alot of plumbers won't give people who have only done a course a chance because of there unrealistic expectations. Everyone in the game knows it takes years on the tools to be of a good standard, so the idea of these people thinking they know it all gets peoples backs up. I think that if you sent out cv's to plumbing firms and say your on a course but are willing to work as a plumbers mate to help kick start your plumbing carear you should stand a good chance of employment, over time you will progress from mate to improver to plumber, evan if you pass a course in twelve weeks you will still not be of standard to be classed as a plumber, you say it will take you a couple of years before you get qualified so it would be ideal to get related employment to run alongside it

 

[bcharalambous]

Re: train 4 trade skills, whats the problem???

Hi,

Kinda new to all this Forum stuff. Like a lot of you I would like to try something new and being pretty handy and practical I think that I would enjoy plumbing and be able to make a living at it. The big question , what course and who with ?

What decided you to go with T4TS as opposed to another outfit for example OLCI that I have tracked down ?

Is it financial, better course material or they are convenient for the training workshop or non of the above ?

Can you or anyone give me any pointers, OLCI have a workshop assessment centre on my doorstep but I do not think the course material looks as comprehensive as the T4TS. Then again that might just be presentation.

i went with t4ts for many reasons, the training centre for the practical is a 15 min drive away, the price was very good, it did not seem fast track like the others. the method of learning for the c and g 6129 seems a lot more thorough. i did not like the way the other companies took £5000 off you, take you on a 10 week training course and send you on your way. i would no way feel confident enough to go out and work after a 10 week course, therefore it would be a complete waste of money. by looking through the modules i have already i can see how much there is to learn. at the end of the day these companies are only open to make money, otherwise they would not bother, you have to respect that, its like any other buisiness's. like every other buisiness they offer a product or service in return for your money, you only hand your money over if you want that product or service. if you want to do plumbing i would advise you to go for it, whatever company you go with, these people would not be in buisiness if what they were offering was not as they advertise, trading standards would be on thier case like flies on dog sh**.

hi there bcharalambous, I think the problem is that it seems alot of these people doing these fast track courses think that they can learn all there is to know about plumbing and these fast track plumbers think they can go land a job on full rate, alot of plumbers won't give people who have only done a course a chance because of there unrealistic expectations. Everyone in the game knows it takes years on the tools to be of a good standard, so the idea of these people thinking they know it all gets peoples backs up. I think that if you sent out cv's to plumbing firms and say your on a course but are willing to work as a plumbers mate to help kick start your plumbing carear you should stand a good chance of employment, over time you will progress from mate to improver to plumber, evan if you pass a course in twelve weeks you will still not be of standard to be classed as a plumber, you say it will take you a couple of years before you get qualified so it would be ideal to get related employment to run alongside it

thanks for the advice plumbster,and i understand what you are saying. you would have to be a mug if you thought you would earn top dollar after doing a 10-12 week course. i just want the qualifications under my belt first, as much experience as possible and then i would be happy being employed or self employed earning between £18000 and £30000 after being time served (4-10 years). im realistic!!!!!

 

[Waxer]

Yeah you get some really crap ones like the fast track course's.

I spoke to a T4T rep this morning and he made the course sound fantastic until he wanted me to sign the enrolement forms today and when I said I wanted to think about it he gave me the hardsell 'well there's extremely limited space on the course', 'we strictly vett applicants and if I don't think you'll finish the course I won't put you on it', 'I would do the course myself but I'm not good with my hands'.

Put me right off. I think T4T is very much a fast track course (but the best of a bad bunch), 9mths for NVQ Lv 2 (which is normally 2 years at college) and two years for the whole course..

I'm going to let him down unfortunately, he'll have to earn commission off someone else..

 

[REDSAW]

not actually on the train4trde course myself but my brother in law has just started @ £5750.
to be fair the watchdog report only refers to the it courses,
take a look here.

BBC - Watchdog: Computers and communication Archives - Blog

 

[PlumbBob]

Hi all!

I am a bit shocked to discover no accomodation is provided when you visit a training centre... you would think there would be when you pay that much for the course!
On their website the video speciffically states "the training centre will make the accomodation booking for you, so you don't even have to worry about those logistical details!" Naive of me, maybe, but I thought that would mean it was included in the cost of your course.
From T4TS's website they say " A new centre is soon to be opened in Luton to complement the existing facilities in Southampton Guildford and Leeds."
I'm in the midlands and that's a long way to travel Also how long will you be away for- anyone know?
You may have guessed I haven't signed up for it yet and can't wait for the rep to come (see what price they quote me as so many different ones are quoted on this site)!
Out of curiosity can everyone who has signed up tell me how much they have paid as we may be in for a bit of a surprise.
Cheers all!

The rep has come and apparently they now give vouchers for your accomodation (£30 per night) so you can stay where ever you like.
The price differences people are quoting is because you can choose to do level two on its own (around £4000) or up to Level 3 (£5575 I think).
They do train in NVQ and will help you get a place if you need it with a company (to do the NVQ bit that is- not guaranteed a perm job).
She seemed fair and honest enough. Got the usual sales pitch when I said needed to think about it (she said she is not in the area after tomorrow and that it may be a few more months before I can get on the course if I don't let them know by then).
To be fair I would have signed up but can't afford it right now. Having looked into this really hard T4TS would be the one I would go with out of all of them- maybe in the future.
Good luck anyone who is on the course!

 

[monstermash]

I am currently half way through my course with Train 4 Trade skills having recently completed my first two weeks practical training and i have to say i am very disapointed. Allow me to apologise for the length of this thread but trust me its worth a read if your already qualified, thinking of doing one of these courses or fingers crossed you work for City and Guilds.

Firstly allow me to address the main point that is coming from who i assume are experianced plumbers who learnt the old fashioned way. Your quite right you cant learn to be a plumber in what is a very short time, but if like me you know nothing of the trade and you need to change career as you have a family to feed and your current career (Financial Services) is in steep decline then someone telling you in your own home that completion of this course will make you a qualified plumber earning X amount your more than happy to believe them. In fact the high cost of these courses gives the sale pitch more gravity.

I have now realised through research and talking to people (yes i know i should have done this before signing up) that firstly the qualification i will get C & G 6128 is pretty much useless as according to the Governments careers website this qualification doenst build towards the NVQ. Which is a minor point because as far as i was concerned i was going to become a fully qualified plumber. So i'm in the process of trying to get my money back having been missold.

Can i also add what a joke the training is for example during the exams if you didnt know an answer dont worry one of the helpful instructors would pop up and tell you the answer. The scary thing about this is that many of the people on our course spoke little or very broken English and without having the answers told to them wouldnt have had a chance. Imagine that one of these people come to do work on your house. At one stage we confronted one of the trainers and said that we hadnt touched a shower ie installation, maintence, repair etc and we were told 'you fitted a tap, you can fit a shower'. Now i dont know much but i think a power shower or thermostatic shower are a little different from a tap. On our final day we had to finish up our paper work which involved ticking off a sheet saying we'd done all sorts of things we hadn't even talked about. I have a portfolio now, a complete tissue of lies yes i've done some of it but most of it we've not touched. I could go on and dont get me on to health and saftey or the complete lack of it we were never issued with any PPE no talk of fire exits despite a load of amatures using blow torches in flamable surroundings.

I feel sorry for those that have been sold the hope this course offers i feel sorry for decent qualifed plumbers whose qualifications are being erroded by a bunch of incompetants being released into the trade with the same qualifcations as you. i am going to fight trade for trade skills until i get what i want and hope more do the same. I have contacted trading standards who will look into it and was thinking i can imagine this making a good piece on watch dog.

 

[t4t_mike]

Monstermash

Two questions

One. what center did you go to?

and

Two. Was you on the foundation course with T4TS? becasue if you was, you won't get a 6129 after conpletion. The foundation course they do, dose state that the 6129 is not in with the course, its more on the basic side of plumbing

 

[REDSAW]

i think most people here are missing the point..........
you have to start some where, so makes your choice that suits you, stick with it and dont expect to get results for free.
then after getting your quals, choose your path into the industry and you will find what suits your ability. be it installing new boilers at rolls royce or changing a tap washer at your local retirement home as a maintenance guy.
being a plumber is knowing how to plumb 3 types of items, h/c water, waste, fuel, not take columbus into space.

 

[t4t_mike]

Tottaly agree with REDSAW34. You do have to start some where, Even though you won't get that much respect in the Industry because people like me chose a course like this, instead of going to college, or even doing a apprenticeship. I did apply to a college in my area at frist, But they turnt me away becasue i did'ent sit my GCSE. So i did alot of research and found that T4TS was the best for me. I can understand why these course get most plumber back's up. Because the people on them! They all got the wrong attitude, thinking they can earn 30K a year when they pass, I do find it unbelievable how people can actuary think like that, with not that much experience.

 

[Rumpel4skin]

'well there's extremely limited space on the course', 'we strictly vett applicants and if I don't think you'll finish the course I won't put you on it'

I had exactly the same.

 

[REDSAW]

train 4 trade skills scenario 4

hi,
has any one done the scenario 4 of the t4t dvd. yet?.

 

[buffy27]

Re: train 4 trade skills scenario 4

what type of dvd is this.where is its place in relation to training.

 

[Lead-Free]

T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hello all.

I am starting my T4TS practical tomorrow, and just want to know if anybody have done it and how it is.

Like what you do and how is the City&Guilds exams, is it multi choice or written out?

Any help or advice would be nice.

Kind regards.

 

[collier23]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hello all.

I am starting my T4TS practical tomorrow, and just want to know if anybody have done it and how it is.

Like what you do and how is the City&Guilds exams, is it multi choice or written out?

Any help or advice would be nice.

Kind regards.

Hope it goes well for you, i havent done practical yet still on water regs module

 

[Lead-Free]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hope it goes well for you, i havent done practical yet still on water regs module

Unlucky *******, i hated the regs module.

Day one was fun, got straight down to using tools, soldiering and bending.

 

[collier23]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Yeah i hate the regs module too lol, glad to hear your first days gone well and cant wait till i get to go myself.

 

[fuzzy]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

is it the TC or NVQ youve signed up for what do they costs?

 

[Lead-Free]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

is it the TC or NVQ youve signed up for what do they costs?

its the TC.

You can only get a NVQ once you start to work, you cant study for it!!!!
Once you have been in work and build up a profile then you will get checked out to see if you are competent to get your NVQ, dont ask me for prices, i payed a year ago so it`s not the same anymore.

 

[collier23]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

is it the TC or NVQ youve signed up for what do they costs?

For 6k i get to do 6129 technical cert including part p and full water regs training and assesment. I would rather have done an apprentiship but my age at 27 proved to be a stumbling block so took the opportunity of going through t4ts as a path into the trade.

 

[Lead-Free]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

For 6k i get to do 6129 technical cert including part p and full water regs training and assesment. I would rather have done an apprentiship but my age at 27 proved to be a stumbling block so took the opportunity of going through t4ts as a path into the trade.

i do the same, and i payed £3950

 

[LUCIALIA]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

So Lead-free, how did your first week go & what did it entail, i ask as i think I'm due go be going in the not too distant future. Also which centre did you go to?

 

[Lead-Free]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

So Lead-free, how did your first week go & what did it entail, i ask as i think I'm due go be going in the not too distant future. Also which centre did you go to?

It is the place in near Leeds.

Week one: Soldier, Bending (spring and bender) Did a installation of CH circuit to rad and H and C water circuit to the bath, toilet, and basin.
one C&G exam and thew bits and bobs.

 

[LUCIALIA]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

did you enjoy it & learn much? when do you get your c&g results & was it multi choice?

 

[Bernie2]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hmm!

I'm an old guy just nosing around! When I was an apprentice Plumber we got £1.15p for a 45 hour week. Working Saturday morning was part of your normal week.

In those days it was all "Don't matter how long you take, just do a good job!".

It changed in the eighties to "When will you be finished?" "That job is taking a long time!" "Its costing a fortune!"

Today probably by an employer you will be told "Your next job is!" and you haven't even started the first one you had.

The customer will usually say "How much?" "How long will it take?" and "Will you be long?" regardless of whether your re washering a tap or plumbing the whole house out.

So get accustomed to it boys its part of the job.

As to the work?

Well new house work on a building site is probably one of the easiest in a way.

You are usually given a set of drawings to follow with everything worked out for you. The thing is you have to keep to the exact measurements for everything, to make all the houses look the same. That can be a bit of a pain when you first start.

Then the next thing on site work is speed!

Its usually bonus work and you have got to be fast. The slowest gets the sack first. But your work has also got to look good. Don't forget the customer probably may not know the technical difference between a good and a bad job, but they can tell one which is symmetrical and pleasing to the eye. Load your end feeds out, with solder runs everywhere and dirty great oxidised over heat marks and you'll get few points even if your job is technically brilliant. And no doing foreigners, by selling all the charcoal where your torch has been burning half the floor away. And flush your systems, no saying 3 months later "These combi's are always going wrong!" when you haven't followed the correct flushing procedures.

No putting millions of elbows on your CH runs, requiring a super booster pump to push the water around.

Oh! and yes! Never say your not sure to the customer. Just say "I'll let you know!" or "I'll do some tests!" and then go and look it up or test it.

If you say your not sure, they can loose confidence in you. A bit like a doctor saying to you "I am not sure what is wrong with you!"

So give them, reasonable cost, beauty and technical excellence all done very fast and neat and you will be the sort of plumber people will call back and give another job too.

 

[aever34]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hi
Did mine in february at ATL Southampton it was good fun the only thing i had problems with was the water reg test the time seem to go by so quick but if you don't get 80% the first time you get to try again (they will help you) as they want you to get a pass this is done on the first week so read up on the regs and also read the questions and do the ones you know first then go back to the rest you do get a hint as to were the answers are in the book and yes its a open book test all of the test you do on the first two weeks are
In the second week you get to fit a bathroom out this is fun when someone don't solder there jonts right and you get water everywhere
if you do go to ATL Southhampton the tutors are good the best one is Paul Brock
Anyway Good luck
Thanks

 

[Lead-Free]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

did you enjoy it & learn much? when do you get your c&g results & was it multi choice?

yea, it was fun, C&G is written out, you do learn and if you have trouble then they will show you again and again and again. the funniest bit is that every second word they say is a swear word, so dont take it the wrong way, it`s just the way they talk.

 

[LUCIALIA]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

sorry to be a pest, but what was the c&g exam about & did you receive your tool kit & if so whats it like?