Access Training News | Trade & Training Blog

DIY is something of a sticky situation for both tradespeople and homeowners, but when it comes to electrical safety, mistakes or mistrust from either party could prove to be fatal. According to a news article published by Electrical Times a few days ago, electricians are the trade most often called out to rescue DIY jobs gone wrong, and half of severe electrical shocks are caused by failed or misguided DIY attempts. No puns about 'shocking statistics' here, but it is worrying to see such a widespread disregard and ignorance of electrical safety. We've all heard the warnings about not sticking utensils into toasters, but it seems that on the whole, the average citizen and even some professionals are not giving electrical safety the attention it deserves.

According to Electrical Times and the charity Electrical Safety First, young people have become more at risk due to the growing popularity of online tutorials, which can sometimes cause inexperienced individuals to carry out work that they are unfit to complete. Hand in hand with the skills crisis we're seeing in the professional sector, people under 35 are losing the ability to perform what would have once been described as 'basic skills', and are picking up their knowledge from untrustworthy resources on the web. Electrical Safety First has demonstrated the risks of such overly-ambitious and dangerous undertakings as part of their 'Don't Die for DIY' campaign, in a series of videos which can be viewed here. This demonstrates the risks that come from following unregulated advice, and the threat posed by undertaking electrical work without the proper training or experience.

While it is possible to understand why homeowners would want to carry out electrical jobs themselves, with money being tight in many households and 'rouge traders' becoming a growing concern due to media exposure, the fact remains that these kind of undertakings often pose serious health and safety risks to everyone involved. In terms of the average homeowner, there needs to be an improved awareness of the knowledge and experience needed to carry out these dangerous projects, and in relation to the professional sector, there has to be a greater emphasis placed on keeping your skills up to date, and continuing to abide by the rules set out by regulatory bodies.

If You're a DIY Enthusiast:

Don't be swayed by the financial allure of saving money by performing a DIY job! If things go wrong, which they very often do, you will eventually end up spending money on calling out an electrician to put things right. This could even cost you more than the original fee due to factors such as emergency call-out rates, and the increased attention required to rectify a botched job.
Know the risks - Qualified electricians have spent a long time training and gaining experience in their field; something which can't simply be supplemented with 'quick fix' options. Saving some money is not worth putting yourself and others at risk of receiving a fatal injury, so keep that in mind before starting your job.
Train Properly - If you are serious about performing DIY jobs yourself, then why not invest in your abilities and take one of our electrician courses? While our courses are intended to help people make electrical work their career, we can tailor our programmes to suit any individual's needs, making them more than suitable for someone who simply wants to undertake domestic work in their own home. Most importantly, you'll be taught by professional, accredited teaching staff with years of experience.

If You're a Professional:

In order to build a bond of trust with your clients, it is important that you always strive to provide them with an honest and courteous service. If people feel that they are being overcharged or inconvenienced in any way, it is highly unlikely that they will choose to hire your services (or those of another professional for that matter) in the future. Make sure that you display professionalism at all times, to instil confidence in your services and those of the sector as a whole.
Don't become overly confident, careless or take things for granted! As humans, our brains are constantly looking for ways to make things easier for ourselves, but when it comes to electrical safety and performing dangerous work at a professional level, this is a risk that simply cannot be taken. This goes for business owners and managers as well, who should always ensure that their employees are fully trained, and are following health and safety guidelines.
As well as new career courses, we also provide electrician courses for experienced professionals who need to refresh their skills or add additional knowledge to their portfolio. From Portable Appliance Testing to Combined Inspection and Testing, we have a range of courses to expand your professional knowledge and improve your ability to work safely.

For more information about any of our courses, get in touch with us today!

11Feb2016

Carry Out Electrical Maintenance Safely With Our Electrician Courses

Ian electrical

A new book recently released entitled “My Mummy is a plumber” encourages young children to start thinking about a career in plumbing. This book published by butterfly books, in collaboration with the UK’s accreditation scheme for plumbers – watersafe. Not only does it aim to reduce the current skill gap by encouraging young people to learn a trade, it also encourages girls to consider a career in trade.

Even though these books are a brilliant idea and we really think that they will help get children interested in trade work in the future, these books are aimed at children who are between the ages of 3 and 7. So, unfortunately, they do not help the close the skill gap that we are presently experiencing.

Not only does a career in plumbing need to be encouraged to young children to ensure that the skills are not lost to an ageing population, a career in plumbing, its benefits and how people can enrol onto plumbing courses through training centres, needs to be promoted to people who are aged 18 and above, so that the present skills gap can be decreased.

To help bridge the gap, we offer a wide range of plumbing courses for people who are over the age of 18. Access Training’s plumbing courses are so popular because they have been specially developed for students who have no prior experience or knowledge about plumbing and work with them so they can gain relevant, and industry recognised qualifications, such as City & Guilds awards and NVQ diplomas.

In our state-of-the-art training centres we aim to emulate real life situations, so our students leave our courses confident that they can tackle any domestic plumbing issue presented to them. Because our students leave our courses fully competent plumbers it is easy for them to find jobs working for an already established plumbing firm, or set themselves up as a self-employed plumber.

So if you fancy a new challenge and always fancied a trade career, enrolling onto one of plumbing courses couldn’t be easier. Simply get in touch with us either by phoning us on 0800 345 7492 or fill out our contact form, and a member of our team will get back to you.

10Feb2016

Book Encourages Children To Consider a Career as a Plumber

dwadmin plumbing

Everyday electricians are called out to commercial and domestic properties to help fix and minor issues, test their electrical equipment or to complete a full installation or re-wire. However, just like plumbers and gas engineers, electricians are struggling to keep up with the increasing demand for their skills.

In 2010 the amount of electrical wiring firms and employees was at an all-time high, there were roughly 37,000 wiring firms with 198,000 employed electricians. Now over the last few years we have seen the number of employed electricians decrease to levels lower than before the onset of the economic downfall.

During the economic downfall, many skilled traders left their industry; either took an early retirement or retrained in a new industry. Like many skilled trade industries, the ageing demographics of electricians also meant that many electricians have retired and have not since been replaced by new industry entrants.

Because of the increase demand in electricians this means that there are a lot of jobs and opportunities out there for new electricians, helping their new business or firm to quickly become established. So if you are thinking about starting a new career, or thinking about retraining to become an electrician there has never been a better time.

Access training offers a wide variety of electrician courses, from specially designed courses for people who have little to no experience with electrical work through to professional electrician courses – aimed at people who are just looking to expand their skill set and increase their service offering.

Essential Electrical Course

If you would like to learn the basics of electrical work them this specialist electrician’s course would be perfect for you. The Electrical Essential course is ideal for the complete beginner or people who are looking to add electrical knowledge to their existing skill set.

Upon completion of this course you will have an intricate understanding of installation and maintenance of lighting, sockets, cooker circuits and consumer units. You will also learn how to certify domestic installations such as full house re-wires.

You will also complete your C&G 17th edition Electrical Regs proving that you have a good working knowledge on the current wiring regulations.

Professional Electrical Course

If you are looking to acquire a deeper level of understanding of electrical work, our bespoke professional electrical course will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of electrical installations. This course covers a wide range of circuits and will introduce you to the theory of electrical work.

Completion of our professional electrical course will provide you with 5 sort after qualifications including Part P domestic installer, 17th edition, C&G PAT testing and, C&G 2392 & 2395.

For more information about our professional electrician’s course, click here.

Premier Electrical Course

Finally our Premier electrician’s course will guide you from being a complete beginner to electrical work through to having an advanced understanding of electrical installations and how they work. This course consists of 6 vital industry qualifications and upon completion of the course you will be able to complete domestic and commercial electrical work to an extremely high standard.

To read more about our premier Electrical Course, click here.

To find out more about access trainings specialist electrician courses, click here. Alternatively, you can contact us by using our contact form, or telephoning 0800 345 7492

09Feb2016

Fill the Skills Gap and Enrol on an Electrician Course

dwadmin

Recently, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors reported a shortage in the amount of trained plumbers in the UK, signalling an obvious opening for a fresh group of ambitious candidates who are keen to train in this field. In order to keep up with the demand for skilled professionals in the workplace, and to cater to the various needs of our candidates, we have devised a range of plumbing courses to suit a variety of abilities and requirements.

Essential Plumbing Course

Of all our plumbing courses, this is the option that best suits absolute beginners! Designed for individuals with little to no experience in the field, our Essential Plumbing Course is a fantastic way to gain a foundational understanding of plumbing work, upon which to build a prosperous new career. From fitting radiators to installing hot/cold water storage tanks, this course will give you an understanding of the essential aspects of plumbing work, allowing you to achieve a City and Guilds qualification as evidence of your achievements. Most importantly, you will learn how to perform all of these tasks safely, making it a great starting point for further training.

Professional Plumbing Course

If you're looking to cover a more comprehensive range of plumbing skills, then our Professional Plumbing Course is ideal. Like all of our plumbing courses, it is designed to suit the needs of individuals with no previous experience whatsoever, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and candidates with some previous knowledge of plumbing. Allowing you to train on a full or part-time basis, this course is both efficient and flexible to the needs of the individual. By the end of your training, you will have achieved four accredited qualifications, putting you on track to begin your new career as a professional plumber.

Premier Plumbing Course

The most encompassing and advanced of all our plumbing courses, this training programme is ideal for candidates who wish to begin their career as a professional plumber and heating engineer. As part of our Premier Plumbing Course, you will gain gas and electrical qualifications as well as those in plumbing, enabling you to join the Gas Safe register and undertake a greater number of jobs. Despite the advanced nature of the course, it is still open and tailored to individuals with no experience in plumbing, as well as those who are simply looking to update their existing knowledge. On completion of the course, a successful candidate will have obtained six recognised qualifications, making it the perfect choice for those who wish to begin or resume their professional careers right away.

For more information about our plumbing courses, browse the selection here, or get in touch with us today.

08Feb2016

Explore our Plumbing Courses: Change Your Career Today!

kris plumbing

Last year the government announced that they are planning on building 1 million homes by the end of the current parliament in 2020. To reach this target 200,000 new homes will have to be built per year. This will be the biggest building level of house building seen in England since 1989. During the last financial year, there were only 124,520 new homes built in England - a serious shortcoming if the government wants to hit their ambitious target.

Sarah McMonagle, head of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders said: “there’s a growing consensus that the skills shortage within the construction sector is one of the greatest threats to the government’s ambition to build 1 million homes by 2020”… “More than 400,000 tradespeople left the industry during the prolonged economic downturn and that talent has not yet been replaced. The construction sector has been growing steadily for two or three years and as it grows, the skills gap continues to widen”

Research also found that “one in two SME construction firms are struggling to hire bricklayers and 52% are reporting difficulties finding carpenters and joiners.” Carpenters and joiners are core trades to house builders; with the current shortage it presents a real barrier to growth in the housing sector.

This is the worst skills shortage Britain has seen in 30 years, but if you are thinking about changing your career, or learning a trade, now is the best time! The skills shortage means that there are loads of opportunities for skilled carpenters and bricklayers, so you can be certain there will be a consistent work flow, and because of the scarcity of skills means that people who are willing to train and plug the gap will be heavily rewarded for their work.

At Access Training strongly believe that it is important to help reduce the skills gap that Britain is currently facing, and to prevent there being a skills shortage in the Britain in the future. This is one of the reasons why we dedicate our time to delivering some of the best, bespoke, trades training packages in the UK, from our state-of-the-art training centres around the UK.

For more information about our carpentry or bricklaying courses, get in touch and speak to one of our advisor's today!

05Feb2016

Sarah McMonagle: Skills Shortage a Threat to New Homes

dwadmin bricklaying, carpentry

On Tuesday 2nd February, the mayor of London announced The London Boiler Cash back scheme, as part of his commitment to help reduce London’s carbon emissions by 60 per cent in 2025. This is the first major boiler scrappage scheme in England since the launch of the campaign in 2010.

The London boiler cash back scheme will provide home owners with £400 cash back when they upgrade their old, inefficient boilers, with new A-rated gas, renewable or low carbon heating boiler. Currently this scheme will be open to home owners and private residential landlords with properties within the 33 London boroughs. However, it will increase the demand for gas engineers when people decide to upgrade their boilers. This is a great opportunity for a newly qualified gas engineer to increase their work load!

For the home owners to be eligible for the scheme, their boilers must have an energy efficiency rating of 70 per cent or less, and be using gas, oil, LPG or solid fuels. The boilers must also be in full working order, and it must be the homes main boiler, not just the boiler that they use to heat water. The boilers will be replaced with boilers that have a minimum energy efficiency of 90 per cent, and should be gas, Air or ground source heat pumps, solar thermal systems or a boiler with a passive flue heat recovery device.

All of the boiler replacements must be installed by fully qualified, gas safe registered installer. With the announcement of this scheme, it means that there has never been a better time to train and become a fully qualified Gas engineer!

Currently this scheme is only exclusive to London, and only available for 6,500 home owners, however, we are confident that this scheme will prove to be a success. There is a strong possibility that other larger cities, such as Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and Newcastle will follow and introduce similar schemes.

So, if you have been thinking about training to become a gas engineer – now is a very exciting time to do so! Click here to view the courses we offer here at Access Training. If you would like to talk to us about enrolment, please call us on (Freephone) 0800 345 7492 and a member of our team will be happy to help you!

04Feb2016

London Boiler Cash back Scheme.

dwadmin gas

Here at Access training we provide a number of plumbing courses in Kent that have been tailor-made for people who are looking to change their career. All of our courses are perfect for the absolute beginner, through to people who are industry professionals who are looking to expand their skill –set.

We know that you are all living busy lives, and changing your career path, especially when you have no prior experience can be a scary prospect. Here, at access training, we aim to make the transition as smooth as possible; we work tirelessly with our students and teach them everything that they need to know to become a fully qualified plumber in the shortest time possible.

If you are living in Kent, or living near Kent, you can train to be a plumber at our state-of-the-art training centre located in Edenbridge, a quick 30 minutes’ drive from Tunbridge Wells.

If you are not currently living in the Kent area, we provide a range of appealing accommodation packages. It’s a good idea to stay near the training centre for the duration of your course as it is imperative that you arrive on time every day. Furthermore, some of our plumbing courses require you to read in the evenings and prepare for the next day. Straying away from your family and friends will minimise distractions allowing for you to complete your course quicker. Click here for more information about accommodation packages we offer in the Kent area.

Finally, all of our plumbing courses and training centres are accredited by City & Guilds, NVQ, and Logic. And our plumbing courses in our Kent training centre are no exception. So when you enrol on a plumbing course in our Kent training Centre, you can be confident that you will receive the highest training, and receive a nationally recognised qualification.

If you would like more information about the plumbing courses we offer in Kent, and all of our UK based training Centres. You can contact us by telephoning us on 0800 345 7492 or you can fill out an enquiry form here and a member of our team will get back to you.

03Feb2016

Plumbing Course In Kent: What Do We Provide?

dwadmin plumbing

You may remember that a few weeks ago we posted about the recent success of 2015 Apprentice candidate, Joseph Valente, who was rewarded with a £250k business investment from Lord Alan Sugar. It would seem that Valente, owner of plumbing business Impra-Gas, is already putting the money to good use; he recently announced via Twitter that the company is looking to recruit electricians and gas engineers in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and the Midlands.

It's fantastic to see that Lord Sugar's investment is already paying off, and that Valente is able to offer a number of candidates the opportunity to become a part of a successful, expanding business. This is also great news for qualified electricians and gas engineers, and proves how valuable and in-demand their skills are across the country. Valente, who admits that traditional education wasn't right for him, has managed to forge a pathway to success not only for himself, but also for other budding professionals in the industry, proving that highly determined tradespeople are just as worthwhile to the world of business as those in more glamorous professions.

Valente's journey from school drop-out to budding plumber and now businessman is highly inspirational, and is testament to the number of lucrative opportunities available to those who are willing to make the commitment and learn a new trade. Whether you see yourself as one of Valente's future employees or as the owner of your own business, you can be sure that the time and money you invest in completing your training as a gas engineer or electrician will prove to be invaluable in shaping your future career ambitions.

If you've been inspired by Valente's story, or if you're looking to begin your career in a particular trade and don't know where to start, we want to hear from you! We have carefully designed courses for budding plumbers, electricians and gas engineers, and we would be happy to direct you to the option most suitable for your needs and experience. Whether you're changing careers or starting from scratch, our professional, experienced staff can offer you a great insight into both the skills required and the industry itself, allowing you to step into your new career with knowledge and confidence.

If you would like to speak with one of our advisers about the range of courses on offer, get in touch with us today!

02Feb2016

Apprentice Winner Joseph Valente Seeks Electricians & Gas Engineers

kris

At Access Training we strive to deliver first class trade training courses. We have successfully trained hundreds of people who have no previous trade experience to become experts in their chosen fields and equip them with all the skills necessary to enter into the world of trade work. Many of our students aspire to become self-employed and we at access training can help.

Interested in enrolling on a course? Read the Access Training Reviews left by past students below:

Steven Walker – who completed a plumbing course with access training told us that he “had no previous experience of plumbing before” and that he found the course particularly helpful because “the course simulates real life situations” he also went on to say that “being a self-employed plumber is the best job he has ever had”

Students, who attend the courses provided by access training, come from all walks of life. Some or our students, like Anthony Blundell did not have any professional experience when he enrolled on one of our carpentry courses. We asked Anthony about his time spent with Access Training, Anthony replied by saying “I enjoyed the course because it was delivered at the right level” he also mentioned that he hasn't stopped working since he has finished his training course, and that he hasn't had to do any advertising because all of his opportunities are made by recommendation.

Scott Daily also didn't have any professional experience when he enrolled on one of our Electrician courses. After becoming a fully trained electrician he informed us that “[this] course has led to me becoming self-employed as an electrician.” He also added that with his new qualifications he was able to expand his families building and roofing business.

Before Alex Dyer enrolled with us on a gas engineering course, he was already working as a self- employed builder he later told us, “The qualifications I received have opened up new avenues if work for me”.

After reading these access Training reviews you feel that you want to know more about the training courses we have to offer, you can contact us by calling 0800 945 7492.

29Jan2016