Train 4 Trade Skills

[simondjuk]

Well im not impressed with Train4 Trade

I completed Module 13 in late September and Id not heard anything by early January so I phoned them up to find out what was happening.

The woman on the phone said 'our system hasnt triggered so thats why you havent been put through to Practical Training' This is the third time that the 'not been triggered' escuse has been used. (First and Second were the next set of modules books)

Anyway to cut a long story short, ive now been told that the earliest Practical Training I can attend is in...May! Thats 8 months since I submitted Module 13. So basically im paying for 8 months of course that i cant progress any further on.

I think thats very unfair that their system hasnt 'triggered' but im still expected to carry on as normal.

Well, there will be a letter of complaint going to them in the next few days.

Just to add and if anyone knows, is there a Training Centre in Wakefield? - I was told there was and now im doubting that info.

 

[plumbitearth]

The training centre's are in Southampton and Leeds mate, not been to Leeds but i can say Southampton is excellent, the only problem is the travel !!!!!!

 

[andymc]

yeah the Leeds one is in Wakefield, done my first 2 weeks there, cant fault the training, surprised by how much stuff we got through, looking forward to my next 2 weeks.
I had to travel from Glasgow but got travel and accomodation money back.

 

[rfvpatlttp]

From Learnatrade.co.uk

Employment opportunities in the construction and building industry

Question.
What qualification do you need to work as a plumber in the UK?

Answer.
None!

If you want to be a plumber, get yourself a van, a bag of tools, contact your local tax office and register as a self employed person, (click the link for more information) take out a Public liability insurance policy, and you're a plumber.
The trouble is, there are a lot of cowboys out there who have done exactly that!
But you're not a cowboy, becase you've had training!

So, if you want to get plumbing work.... and assuming you have the basic practical skills after completing a year at college, there are two ways of going about it.
First way is to be an employee working for somebody. Go to the job centre - buy the local paper every day and look for plumbing jobs - ring around places looking for maintenence plumbers such as hospitals, local council, that kind of thing. DON'T TELL THEM YOU'RE A TRAINEE!! There are so many crap plumbers out there that with your training, you are an expert!!
September to May is the best time to get work in the plumbing industry.
Everything dies in the summer time - customers on holiday - nothing breaking down - it's a famine out there!! But when October comes, and the cold weather kicks in.... It's showtime!! This is especially so for the next section of this information.
The second approach is to do those things I've mentioned above about becoming a self employed plumber, then open up the yellow pages to 'Plumbers' - phone up the companies advertising there, tell them you're a plumber, and I can almost guarantee that you will soon get work - especially if you live in or around London. You will need a van of your own to do this kind of work. Plus, of course, you can do it at times to suit yourself. Just do weekends and evenings until you get the confidence to go for it full time.
That's the kind of work I did for years, and I loved every minute of it!
It's all working self employed. They get the work, which is all emergency call out repair work, you go and do it, and you split the labour charges 50/50. You might think that's a bit of a bummer if you're doing all the work while they sit in the office. But it's worth it. They will be paying a fortune in advertising, answering the telephones, dealing with the crap the customers throw up at them, and doing all the admin stuff.
Be warned though, like I said a little earlier, it's always quiet on the repair work in the summer months. Lots of sitting about in your van waiting for things to happen. And it's not a nine to five job either.. You may get called out at all hours of the day or night to deal with emergencies. The thing is with this kind of work, is that you're on your own. It's all down to you to carry out the repair with no back up! But.. and I don't want to sound cynical here. If you screw up, look upon it as good experience and learn from it.
The other good thing about this kind of work is that you can make absolute mega-bucks!

Taking a chance:

One of my students a few years ago, (David, mature student in his 50s) only did nine months of the first year at college and didn't get a qualification at that time.
What he did, was those things I mentioned above re: self employment, but instead of approaching yellow page plumbing companies he put an ad in the local paper.... When he first started I was getting a HELP ME! call off him every couple of days. Once he was up and running, he went back to college and finally did get a qualification. Now he's working his nuts off and employing people!
When you're looking to make such a massive change in your life, sometimes you have to get out there and hustle.
So there you go,​

 

[fuzzy]

All trades look to secure their respect and history of high skills by ensuring we keep up high standards and therefore the respect of clients and people paying money for the skills. Then a 'teacher' comes on here and advises people to set up as a plumber with little or no training????

'Your not a cowboy, youve been to college for a year' All those who have completed a traditional apprenticeship and/or trained for years gaining full advanced qualifications must feel so foolish

We wonder why the Goverment want to bring in competent person schemes? We wonder why clients complain and plumbers get a bad name?

This is one of the reasons that there wil be NO TECH CERT 6129 NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR - Only full NVQ's (under a new name)

 

[rfvpatlttp]

Not a teacher!

Quote from a teacher and supplier of GOLA examination training software.

If you had read the article you would of noticed the first line said:-

From Learnatrade.co.uk

Though I'd put the article on here for all thoughs saying they have had no work at all since doing the course, can't find a plumbing firm to employ them, been told they will never work in the industry and want to sue for their money back.

 

[fuzzy]

Not a teacher!

Quote from a teacher and supplier of GOLA examination training software.

If you had read the article you would of noticed the first line said:-

From Learnatrade.co.uk

Though I'd put the article on here for all thoughs saying they have had no work at all since doing the course, can't find a plumbing firm to employ them, been told they will never work in the industry and want to sue for their money back.

Oh sorry i thought this was your view, didnt pick up on it all being part of a quote. It appears we agree then

 

[rfvpatlttp]

Would that be fuzzy logic then? 297 Posts and fuzzy has not made any friends yet.

I think, if you can't get a plumbing firm to take you on, simply because:-

* You didn't go down the tea boy on day release at college route. In spite of the tech cert being the same theory work and portfolio content as required for nvq in both level 2 and 3.

* You funded your own studies instead of someone else getting a government grant
or financial incentive to take years to train you. (Anyone happen to know how long
the British Gas take to train their A level, 5 GCSE students at their own training center???????)

* You obtained your City&Guilds while working for a living, through dedicated home study and an industry recognised train centre, instead of a local college, with it's waiting lists, one day a week attendance, half terms, Summer and Christmas breaks, Easter holidays and all the spotty faced teenagers you can poke a stick at, that have little or no work ethic yet.

.....Then you will have to take your City&Guilds Technical Certificates level 2 and 3 in Plumbing, your portfolio of training, the Bpec WRAS water regulation Certificate, your part P acreditation your CSCS card and start advertising yourself as self employed.

* You should of started working on your own home while studying, moved on through friends and families homes, then the naighbours for extra experience in between the week long residential training session at the training centres.

* Building a website is one of the requirement of the course, I believe it comes in at section 18 but if you know how already do it anyway.

* Print some cards, flyers, put ads in the local shops and free papers, Thompson Local and yell.com.

* Because of the route you took, paying for your course, you must be working somewhere to pay for the monthly direct debits. Buy tools as you go, you will be surprised how quickly the need for a new one comes up.

* Register with the TAX, the WIAPS, IPHE, Building Regs, various competent person schemes and get that Public Liabilities Insurance mentioned by the tutor earlier. You don't want to be sued for accidently setting fire to a property with your blow lamp and end up losing you tools, your business, your house all because you were un-insured.

* Register with as many trade magazines as you can to keep up with all the latest Tech articles on solar or ground source heating and trade offers on bathroom suites, radiators, bathroom, kitchen and cloakroom taps and powerflush systems.

* While cash flow is low, get yourself trade accounts with your local branch of national suppliers; PTS, Plumbase, Plumb Center, Wickes, B&Q, Screwfix, Pulsar direct etc, etc, etc to name but a few. Pick up supplies, fit them, get paid. A month later get an invoice and pay the supplier, simple.

I'm sure, before you know it, because you put your training to good use and did a good job at every place you worked at, your plumbing jobs start coming in thick and fast and you may have to jack in that other job your doing that pays the finance for your course; if not, keep at it and plumb in the evenings and weekend only.

If your young it's an education, if your older it's an experience. Isn't that what everyone keeps telling you, you need to get on in the trade?

 

[fuzzy]

What friends? Would that be electronic ones or real ones you can see?
Errrr, youve lost me now, is this a quote or your thoughts? Bit longwinded, I got bored half way through, well first few lines if im honest. From what i gather your giving advice on how to get work when you train on Tec Certs only? Pity but that qual will be gone in a few months so its all pointless anyway

 

[rfvpatlttp]

......that qual will be gone in a few months so its all pointless anyway.

Can you qualify that statement please?