Train 4 Trade Skills

[robdavis]

Ok.....having only NOW heard about this train for trade SCAM business i'm very worried...signed up (enrolled) yesterday...paid my £100 enrollment fee, signed up for the NVQ level 3 course at £5700..i'm REALLY concerned...WILL i get the qualification's i need? although i want to be able to get the practical experiance while doing this course, i know it's a lot of money but as a mum of young twins i can't afford the childcare fee's for college. SOMEONE MUST have something good to say about this? i'm getting very worried that i have made a big mistake. (saw them advertised on TV by the way)

Hi,

I know how you feel, I have two kids of my own and it was imprative that I made the right choices. I cannot take time off to go to college either and I signed up to this course.

It's not a scam. They really will get you qualified to the right level. I fouind the payments reasonable, I pay £80 a month, and no interest is added.

What people are complaining about mainly is that when you finish, employers may be dubious of your skills because you didn't do it the traditional way.

However! I personally think that if you work hard, learn the trade, practice as much as you can and pass your exams you would be as good as someone who went through an apprenticeship. (Plus I imagine you will be more passionate to succeed).

It's a combination of the lack of work out there and the smeared reputation of many 'fast track' courses out there which give people the willies.

It of course is up to you what you want to do.

I'm nearly ready for week 3 and 4 which is about half way through I guess. I'm really enjoying it. I can't complain: There's lots of competitions on where you can win substantial amounts of money, you get tool-kit vouchers (mine were worth £200 from Rothenberger) the practical training is well structured and intensive, the modules are well written and informative, tutors are available if you have any questions and you get to study at your own pace.

It's up to you what you do with it after you finish, if you are smart and get your name out there effectively, what is stoping you from succeeding?

I have found, after reading a lot of these forums and threads, that most people call 'scam' because they aren't really sure they want to be a plumber and then can't get their money back or because theres loads of time-served plumbers scaring everyone that the certificates aren't worth anything. (experience is most valuable)

I disagree that the certificates aren't worth anything. This course really is hard to get through and the exams are not easy. They make you learn properly. I have completed my water regs, and half of the level 2 cert exams and I really had to know my stuff to pass them. In fact, I almost feel ready to get out there now.

 

[Backboiler]

Well said Rob. I completed my 6129 last April and I was well impressed with everything from the theory to the practical. Look as it as a sound foundation to furthering your desire.

 

[plumbobjohnson]

I am glad I found this thread particularly because I first registered to reply to another thread on the forum from someone who says their name is joanna calling t4ts a scam. I have seen lots of similar postings on various boards and forums as the starter to new threads all using similar phrases. Most, I reckon are nothing more than spoof postings from people with an agenda, maybe even a bit of stirring from rival companies. My experiences with this company (got nvq2, into gas on nvq3) have been totally different from the impressions given by these posters. The stuff I read and the claims made are just idiotic. Take a look at some of them and ask yourselves "is that right or might they just be less bright than they thought they were or just looking for an excuse to back out because money got tighter?"
Check them out and make your own mind up on the validity but base it on the facts. The company responds to enquiries so someone must have requested details either from a flyer, tv advert, jobsearch site or jobcentre. I found them on totaljobs. Then they will have had a phone call to check if enquiry genuine and a few questions are asked before deciding if an appointment is needed to give details of course and to check if the person is suitable. At the interview stage I was asked all sorts of questions about my motivations and reasons to want to be a plumber, what i was doing, looking for workwise, what my plans were if i got the course and a good amount of detail to make sure i really wanted to change my direction in life by retraining. Then the guy explained how the studies were done so i could decide if the training methods suited me. I saw a dvd showing me the facilities and the 3d software. Then, when I said it looked right for me he explained prices and explained how the funding worked. I knew how much in total, at zero percent, how much a month and over how long. NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. When i agreed to go ahead (two days later after researching) I gave details for a credit search but since i was unemployed i couldnt expect a main bank to help so i was accepted by another provider who still took me on to help me even though my rating was fairly poor. Couldnt have done it otherwise and certainly not in one go. Paid my registration fee of £100 and got my course starter. Havent looked back, good support, easy way to get the same qualifications as college but to nvq3 which they dont do at a normal college. NO CON NO SCAM

 

[plumbobjohnson]

Did all the parts of 6129 but had to take my time over it because i got a job that made it difficult to get time off. I go to Southampton, so far its taken me just over a year but thats cos i had to take the job and recover some income for the family's sake. Not going to get into a long thread about the company, just so fed up seeing people knock it when it works well for me, and I know most of the whingers are probably just people struggling to do the theory looking for an excuse to get out of the finance. Its hard to do in parts but giving up and blaming or defaming others for their own failure just seems stupid. If it was dodgy why would Barclays be dealing with them? Aren't they ofsted inspected too? The cdf company who did my funding have to be registered with the fsa (I checked their registration) so as far as I am concerned it all seems to be exactly as I was told. The agent I saw told me everything I wanted to know and I even have his contact number and spoke to him twice with questions. Maybe the problem for others is seeing an agent who didnt explain things as well as my bloke did but I am happy with how its going. Everybody thinking of doing the course should maybe ask loads of questions like I did to make sure they understand everything first. Make your own minds up and look into the real reasons behind some of those complaints as most look a bit dubious and planted. That other thread looks that way.

Anyway thats me done, rant over. Whoever you go with good luck.

 

[truemanufan]

I am also with t4ts and think they have been amazin! No problems like all these old school people on here avin a good old whinge about it! I think I have learnt an awful lot at my own pace and able to learn practically at my own pace to! Doing all of this while holding down a full time job too so put the hours in and it will pay off!

 

[truemanufan]

Good luck to all doin courses like these ones!

 

[heinz57]

Good luck trying to find a job in this climate once you all finish ya 20 day training courses, try explaining to an employer while your better than a bloke who's done a 3 year hands on apprenticeship.

 

[truemanufan]

Cheers heinz it's hard enough to get on with it without people like u always putting downer on things! We can't all afford to retrain full time!

 

[plumbobjohnson]

Hey Heinz, is 57 your IQ?

Our training includes a comprehensive section of business training so we dont have to look for a job, or rely on others. The purpose is to get us starting our own business by being self employed. You obviously know nothing about the course or what it involves. Sorry, but your downer attitude is typical, maybe your life is negative but keep it to yourself eh?

To some the pint pot is half full, to some its half empty but negative people like you seem to just want to take away the pot from others.

 

[plumbobjohnson]

And Mr Neggy Heinz, the course is based over 11 weeks of full on practical after a very comprehensive theory training. WE learn how to avoid making mistakes by learning not just how to do it properly, but also by learning all of the potential mistakes and their consequences so we dont make them in the first place. Your 3 year hands on guys get 3 years of learning from their mistakes in the customers homes with most of the theory being given by the guys they work with, thats not necessarily a high standard of training; thats less than reassuring isnt it. That 3 years is mostly spent as slave labour anyway, doing the grunt work with very little real training except for the college nvq2 day release so its nothing to boast about. Very 1970's "good enough for my father and his father" attitude. New standards and new techniques seem to have left you behind somewhat but nevermind. If you dont properly understand it your opinion is not really worth considering in the greater scheme of things.