Gas Safe training centres

[Agile]

Some people are very concerned about accents!

You are also probably taking avery narrow definition of the word!

http://englishpronunciationcourse.com/accent-versus-clarity-in-english/

 

[adlplumbing]

yer i don`t trust anyone with cockney accent

 

[Agile]

What about the light Irish accent used by didicoys?

 

[adlplumbing]

and don` forget scouse
or manc
in fact only accent i trust is lancastrain

 

[dcawkwell]

Is it worth investing in a course at these local training centres for gas safe? Or would i be better of working alongside an experienced tradesman?

As someone who did the 6 month course at met UK in rotherham.
I would say.

1. The courses are very expensive around £6k mark. I was lucky in that there was a grant for people in Yorkshire so that came down to £3k that made it much more viable.
2. They will promise you work placements but I have to say the placements given to me were poor. Where you get your experience
and portfolio worked out to pass the assessments.
3. I found the instructors there really knew their stuff.
4. I found working with other plumbers a case of the blind leading the blind. I have experience in engineering and electronics so that gave me a big advantage to someone who perhaps knows nothing about these things.

It's still a learning process for me but that is the same with most things.

 

[gasbanni]

I can second that I used to get letters and phone calls every week asking to come and work with me to build up a portfolio, now I dont get any...............dont think its me but something must have changed ! but I dont know what.

I know what the change is in plumbing NVQ 2.

About five years ago the exam authorities decided to tighten up on the assessment qualifications of those in colleges. They started to try external assessors who would visit students in their workplace. That all went wrong and the college staff were unhappy.

In my local the staff refused to assess but then they all applied when they advertised jobs for assessors.

They were so short of people that they put me throught the assessor's award course!

It seems they decided that it was not worth the hassle ( and extra costs ) and virtually all the colleges only offer the Technical Certificate which excludes assessment of extended practical work normally encountered outside the college. They do have a bathroom installation bar and a hot water cylinder installation bay.

Its not clear to me what they are doing for gas now. But I certainly dont get many requests for portfolio assistance. Although now I would refuse most of them.

Tony

Why would you refuse them?

The trade is oversubscribed now, why would anyone in their right mind train their future competition !
Having said that I have trained three people but they will never be my competition !

 

[HERTS P&D]

No, experience would be the least of my concerns. By definition few taking first ACS would have much experience. One I met once had more than 90% of experienced RGIs though.

Probably some of the following primarily :-

Attitude

Appearance

Accent

Education

Future business intentions

Intentions to steal my customers

Intentions to cheat/steal from me

I could probably add a few to that list later but those are what come to mind first.

Tony I thought you were meant to teach them Gas work not the above.

Andy

 

[Agile]

They will promise you work placements but I have to say the placements given to me were poor. Where you get your experience
and portfolio worked out to pass the assessments.

It's still a learning process for me but that is the same with most things.

They used to do training for ex-army people.

They called me once to discuss trainees but they did not follow it up even though I said I was very interested ( as I had heard suggestions they paid the placement firm ).

I have an ex-army friend/relative and I do have to say they do seem very reliable and keen learners.

For a short while I had a rasta neighbour who was on a gas course for the unemployed which was set up to train people to work for BG and I have to say he technically 100%. I could not find anything to ask him which he did not know.

A large part of the course was customer service, that was how to greet the customer, wipe feet before entering, asking permission to use the loo etc.

I was impressed by a cable TV guy at a friends house who asked permission to sit down so he could write out his report. Its a common complaint that some tradesmen dont respect customers property.

I do teach trainees these aspects as its an important part of how the job is done. Includes leaving the toilet as you found it!

 

[ChrisOxford]

Includes leaving the toilet as you found it!

One of the reasons became interested in plumbing was because my mum now refuses to hire "profesional" plumbers... thanks to a bad experience circa 1990 when one "gentleman" left her downstairs loo floor absolutely flooded with urine (circa 1990)

 

[Whitespirit66]

Any centre assessors will say that a very high proportion taking gas ACS dont properly understand the basic concepts. When so many dont even have science "A" levels thats probably not surprising.

Tony

Does that mean that ACS should be degree level, like nursing is now? How many gas engineers have A levels?

 

[Whitespirit66]

thanks to a bad experience circa 1990 when one "gentleman" left her downstairs loo floor absolutely flooded with urine

Probably missed the basin.

 

[dcawkwell]

Any centre assessors will say that a very high proportion taking gas ACS dont properly understand the basic concepts. When so many dont even have science "A" levels thats probably not surprising.

Tony

Does that mean that ACS should be degree level, like nursing is now? How many gas engineers have A levels?

Actually this isn't a bad idea.
I would say a minimum entry requirement to be a gas engineer
would be GCSE Maths, GCSE English, GCSE Physics
without these you should not be allowed to become a gas engineer.

 

[Agile]

GCSE maths and english are required for virtually all jobs nowadays.

I would say that A level physics and chemistry should be expected for anyone learning about repairing boilers plus what is not taught at school to any expect which is electronics. Its so relevant to almost everything in the world that it always surprises me that its not a basic subject at school.

It always surprises me that BG pay their engineers so well without requiring them to have degrees. Most graduates earn less except if they are lawyers or some doctors.

Tony

 

[adlplumbing]

GCSE maths and english are required for virtually all jobs nowadays.

I would say that A level physics and chemistry should be expected for anyone learning about repairing boilers plus what is not taught at school to any expect which is electronics. Its so relevant to almost everything in the world that it always surprises me that its not a basic subject at school.

It always surprises me that BG pay their engineers so well without requiring them to have degrees. Most graduates earn less except if they are lawyers or some doctors.

Tony

no english not required no one ever ask me anyway

 

[pipshady]

The new training of gas at colleges is alot tougher than it used to be QCF 6014 (which has taken over from the older 6012/6013 quals) incorporates alot more theory, and is nearly degree standard