Access Training News

If you’re thinking about changing to a career in the electrical industry or are already working as an electrician and are looking for to gain further qualifications to move your career forward, Access Training Academies are here to help! If you are part of the former, you may have already had a think about how to kick-start your career as an electrician and what is the best option for you. We understand that this can get fairly complicated with a variety of roles of pathways available to you, but it doesn’t have to be with our range of fast-track Electrician Courses.

The demand for electricians

A recently carried out report showed that electricians and other skilled trade experts are among the most difficult professionals to employ through a lack of workforce numbers, above and over sales, management and executives. Figures issued by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the electrical industry is in anguish as a result of a lack of resources, largely due to an ageing workforce. As a result of apprenticeships or meaningful training routes not being available over the years, there has been a decreased number of new entrants into the field. This doesn’t have to be an issue, however, with Access Training Academies Electrical Courses.

Becoming an electrician

The main role of a typical electrician is to install, test and maintain electrical equipment, wiring, fittings and appliances in a variety of commercial and residential settings. Traditionally, the way in which an individual would enter the electrical industry would be to first complete an industry-recognised Level 3 qualification such as an NVQ while working or subsequently enrol onto an apprenticeship which combines studies with on-the-job training. These, however, can take many years to complete. Something you do not have to worry about with Access Training.

Access Training Electrical Courses

As mentioned, whether you are just starting out in your electrical career or are looking to increase your number of professional qualifications, Access Training provides a number of high-quality programmes that guarantee you achieve all necessary qualifications while gaining valuable work experience. Our New Career Courses focus on providing all of the basic and essential electrician qualifications, regardless of prior experience, whereas our range of Trade Professional Courses are centred around providing experienced electricians with further qualifications and training in order to meet current regulations and further their existing abilities. All of our Electrical Courses can be viewed below.

View our Electrical Courses >

If you have any questions or require further information regarding our Electrical Courses, please do not hesitate to contact us today by calling 0800 345 7492 or emailing info@accesstraininguk.co.uk.

Choosing to change careers is ultimately YOUR decision. But if you're unsure, you should spend some time evaluating your current situation in order to establish whether or not a career move is the right step to take.

Are you happy in your current job?

Perhaps you're considering a career change because you're feeling unhappy in your current job. If that's the case, ensure you aren't making a drastic decision based on one bad day at work, or a temporary problem that will likely be resolved before long. Take some time to write down exactly what it is about your current situation that is making you unhappy.

Having the negatives of your current job written down in front of you will help you to get a handle on how you really feel. As a bonus, you'll also have a list of attributes to steer clear of when searching for your new career!

Are you moving sideways? Or looking for a whole new career?

Before you go any further, ask yourself whether you're craving a mere change of scenery, or a new line of work entirely. If you have lots of experience in your current industry, you might be tempted to take the easy route and simply 'move sideways' - that is, get a similar job with a different employer, perhaps in a different city or a less familiar working environment.

This is fine if you're simply sick of your current manager or looking for a larger salary, but if you're genuinely dissatisfied with your current career, you shouldn't be afraid to try something completely new. Either way, make sure you know what sort of change you're after before you go after it.

Brainstorm some ideas

If a complete career change does seem like the right choice for you, the next step is to decide which new career you'd like to pursue. You've already prepared a list of things you dislike about your current profession - now you need to think about what positives you're looking for in your work.

A good way of doing this is to explore your current interests. If you pursue a profession that's relevant to your own passions, then the difficulties that always come with starting a new job will feel a little less daunting.

If you have no idea what you'd like to do next, why not speak to your family and friends - or even a professional career adviser - to establish where your strengths lie, what your core values are, and which line of work they would suit best.

Do you need any new qualifications / education?

Once you know roughly what type of career you'd like to pursue, you may find that you need some new skills and/or qualifications before you can proceed.

It's likely - if you're completely changing careers - that your current CV won't carry all that much weight in your new industry. So look for classes, college courses, and work experience opportunities that will serve as an introduction to your new profession and give you the tools you'll need to forge a new career path.

Here at Access Training, we offer career change course packages with no prior experience required. Select a training option to find out more:

Electrician Courses   Plumbing Courses   Gas Courses

Whether you’re thinking about starting a career in plumbing or you’re curious about where you can progress from your current plumbing position, there are a few different routes that someone in the plumbing profession can take.

Becoming a Plumber

With no prior experience in the plumbing industry, people might believe that plumbers have a somewhat limited career path, but that simply isn’t the case. From your first day of training to become a plumber you are presented with a variety of different areas that you could choose to specialise in, including:

• Ventilation systems
• Heating systems
• Air-conditioning systems
• Solar-powered systems

Will I always be doing the type of job?

Not necessarily. The role of a plumber can be very diverse, one day you might be carrying out a bathroom repair or boiler check, and the next day you might be working on a design for a new plumbing system in a home or commercial building. It really depends on your skill set and the type of company that you work for.

How can I progress in my plumbing career?

One of the easiest ways to progress in your plumbing career is to acquire new qualifications and skills that set you apart from other plumbers and set you up to carry out a range of duties.

Our Premier Plumbing Course enables you to work across the plumbing, electrical and gas industries. The training in this course covers aspects such as:

• Health and Safety
• Bathroom Installation
• Electrical Principles
• Gas Safety

Find out more about our Premier Plumbing Course >

Alternatively, you could also choose to pursue higher education. With a good amount of prior plumbing experience and a range of qualifications under your belt, you could work towards acquiring a university degree in engineering or a related subject.

Why not take a look at the Plumbing Training Courses available on Access Training Academies, to see how we can help you start, or progress further in your plumbing career?

Click Here to see all Plumbing Courses >

The decision to become self-employed is a difficult one. You may have been working as part of a company or organisation for a period of time or may be a young and enthusiastic individual with a great business idea, eager to venture out into the world of work on your own two feet. Either way, the sphere of self-employment is both exciting and risky. But nothing is without its dangers. Individuals choose not to go into the unknown of self-employment because of the perils associated, but because of the advantages and individual benefits that it can bring. Before taking the step into becoming self-employed, it may be a good idea to remind yourself of these advantages to give yourself the confidence to make the plunge.

1. Taking Control - Arguably the biggest motivating factor in becoming self-employed is the power and enjoyment that comes with being in control of all aspects of your business. Many people who have worked for a company as an employee may get tired of being told what to do, especially if they do not have a close working relationship with their superiors. When you’re your own boss, you decide what happens within your company, you choose the target audience, you pick the look, style and culture associated with the brand that you want to create. You also get to choose the location and hours that you work. Two huge factors when it comes to making the transition into self-employment.

2. Job Security – The risks associated with self-employment are far greater in the beginning, as they’re more likely to have an influence. As time goes on, however, and your business starts to grow bigger, so does your job security. Unlike traditional employment where your boss has the ability to let you go at any time when you work for yourself, you’ll never have to worry about getting sacked. The knowledge that you are in full control over your future can be a big motivator in running your own business.

3. Utilising Your Skills – One of the biggest and most rewarding benefits of being self-employed is the ability to showcase your best and most effective skills. As you are creating your business from scratch, you get to decide what the focus of your work is. You get to tailor your company around your passion and area of expertise. This is hugely inspiring for anyone thinking about leaving traditional work as many individuals find themselves limited to the parameters of their position, unable to utilise their best and most effective skills, which can make many people feel like they aren’t being used to their full potential.

4. Greater Earning Potential – In regular employment, you are stuck within your agreed salary. In most cases, this can get increased on an annual basis or involve yearly bonuses, but generally, there is a cap on your earning potential when working in a certain career. When working for yourself, you have a much higher chance of earning a greater amount of money. This may take time to achieve, but when your business reaches the point of profitability, your earning potential grows significantly. You may even reach a point where you have the ability the expand and upscale your business to help it grow further and increase your earning potential even more.

5. A Sense of Pride – The ultimate advantage of self-employment is the sense of pride that can be achieved. Seeing your business grow from a start-up to a potential national level organisation or franchise is a hugely satisfying feeling. Most of the time, however, you do not need to reach those sorts of levels to feel a sense of accomplishment. It’s the small milestones that mean the most. As your business starts to grow, you gain a greater feeling of being established and with continued success and more correct decisions, you have the ability to create a business that can involve members of your family or can be passed down to your children. A business that leaves a legacy is something that is worth more than anything.

These are just a number of the many advantages of self-employment, all of which are achievable with the help of Access Training Academies. We have an extensive range of courses available, across a variety of industries that you are able to complete in order to get fully qualified and kick-start your journey into self-employment. Click below to view our full range of courses and gain both the experience and credentials you need to become your own boss.

If you have any questions regarding our courses or require further information about a specific course, please do not hesitate to contact us today!

Are you looking for an alternative to university? Or perhaps you're thinking of changing careers and you're keen to do something a bit more hands-on? Either way, our training courses are exactly what you're after!

Here at Access Training Academies, we offer a range of short and intensive training courses that are designed help you start your new job quickly, even if you've no prior trade experience to speak of. We can help you to get qualified in a number of different professions, including:

• Carpentry
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Plastering
• Gas

Our extensive course catalogue has something for everyone, and we tailor our training programmes to fit your needs and lifestyle. Whether you're looking for an intensive fast-track course or something that allows you to study alongside your present job, we can help you find the best way to learn. Our aim is to get you qualified as quickly as possible so that you can begin your new career and start earning right away.

If this sounds like the right choice for you and you'd like to get started on the road to your new job, please do not hesitate to contact our course advisers!

If you're looking to change career you may feel like you need to make this change as soon as possible. Short courses are designed to get you qualified in a shorter timeframe than traditional routes, which can be great for anyone who needs a new job quickly. If you're looking for short courses that lead to good jobs then you'll be keen to learn more about our intensive trade courses.

Learning a trade makes for an excellent new career, trade courses are some of the best courses for jobs in the UK because of the current skills shortage. Once you become qualified it isn't difficult to find employers or clients in need of your services. There are countless opportunities for Tradespeople currently, so there's really no better time to look into the short courses we have on offer. 

Why Learn a Trade?

The salary is a huge benefit of learning a trade, as you can see from the above image, even beginners do well in terms of starting a whole new career. Trades often pay more than the national average wage which is why more people are turning to these short courses so they can get on this career ladder and gain more experience as quickly as possible. Other benefits include:

• Job stability due to high demand
• Less student debt as you won't need to attend university
• Opportunity to be your own boss
• Opportunity to progress
• Every day is different
• Opportunity to work all around the UK

Best Short Courses for Jobs from Access Training

With Access Training Academies, you can choose to learn a trade through our intensive, flexible courses. These courses are designed to teach you all the relevant theory and practical knowledge required to become a qualified tradesperson. Although this traditionally would take years in college and a length apprenticeship, these courses teach you what you need to know in a matter of months. 

This allows you to start earning as quickly as possible and gain more experience whilst working on actual jobs. Click the links below to find out more about our courses and find the one that you feel most suited for. 

Plumbing Courses >

Gas Courses >

Electrician Courses >

Plastering Courses >

Carpentry Courses >

Kitchen Fitting Courses >

Our courses are built to suit you and your lifestyle. If you have family commitments or other work commitments you can talk to use and we can help you find which course best suits your circumstances. You have the option to study full time or part time depending on what works best. We also have a payment plan which helps make paying for the courses much easier as you study. 

If you want any more information about any of our courses or want advice from one of our expert advisors than we are more than happy to help. We want to help find the best course to suit you and your lifestyle so feel free to contact us today.

If you are considering becoming an electrician, you may be happy to know that electricians have the highest average salary out of all the trade jobs in 2018. 

According to multiple reports, electricians have enjoyed the best annual salary in a trade job for many years. This varies by experience, of course, but it is clear that becoming an electrician can be a lucrative career path. Not to mention, it can be a rewarding and challenging job that keeps you out of the office and out in the open most of the day. 

How much do electricians earn?

The national careers service reports that the average electrician salary sits somewhere between £18,000-£42,000 per year. That's based on 30-40 hours of work per week. While there is a large gap between the lower and upper end of the scale, this is largely dependent on experience. 

• Starter Electrician Salary - £18,000 - £23,000
• Experienced Electrician Salary - £25,000 - £35,000
• Highly Experienced Electrician Salary - Up to £42,000

According to the Office of National Statistics, the average electrician salary for 2018 is £30,784. This is an increase from the year before and shows that electricians salaries are increasing on a healthy incline year by year. In comparison, the average pay for a Plumber is £29,799 and £26,416 for a Carpenter in 2018. 

What qualifications do you need to become an electrician? 

Experience comes with time, but getting a head start with the right qualifications is the best step to take. The basic qualification needed to become an electrician is a Level 3 Electrical Qualification, which we provide here at Access Training. To enrol on one of our Level 3 electrical qualification courses, you do not need any previous qualifications as we will walk you through stage-by-stage. You'll learn everything you need to know to become an electrician in either our Essential Electrical Course, Professional Electrical Course and Premier Electrical Course. 

Furthermore, if you'd like to progress even further and earn a better electrician salary, you can gain further qualifications to become a specialist in your field. Here are just a few specialist electrician courses we provide:

• Part P Domestic Installer
• 17th Edition Electrical Regulations
• Portable Appliance Testing
• Inspection & Testing 

We are dedicated to providing quality courses here at Access Training. Find out more about our courses here. 

In an unpredictable Britain, vocational training could be your light at the end of the tunnel. Learning a highly sought-after skill through vocational training is dependable to way to ensure you maintain job stability in an ever-changing market.

Due to the recent bad weather, we've seen people across the UK struggling with major plumbing issues and even going without power in severe cases. As a society, we are so reliant on these basic necessities to get through the day, that the prospect of being without them is frightening! In fact, with a large percentage of UK workers spending 8 hours a day on a computer, when we lose our electricity supply - businesses grind to a halt. 

But who maintains and safeguards the installation of these basic needs? The skilled trade workers amongst us, that's who. As the world of technology increases so does the demand for those skilled in the trades. This is why we believe vocational training is just as, if not more so, important than a university degree. 

So, what are the benefits of vocational training?

1. No costly debt from University

Recently, the Prime Minister Theresa May announced that University Students in England face "one of the most expensive systems of university tuition in the world".

One of the main benefits of training to become a tradesperson is that you have no major debt looming over you once you finish your course. In fact, as soon as you receive your certificate, you can immediately start earning money from what you've learnt! Vocational training typically costs a mere fraction of university costs and it also provides more financial stability as trade skills are always in demand.

Many people go to university nowadays because they're unsure what they want to do in the future. Sure, this may seem like a good idea at the time, but is it really worth the debt? If you're not dedicated to the path you've chosen, it's not worth spending 3 years learning about something you won't pursue in the future.

As said by entrepreneur, Joseph Valente, who set up his own very successful plumbing business ImpraGas, 'If you're motivated by the business, that's going to drive you every day'. Joseph believes you shouldn't 'waste three years doing something that your hearts not in' and we agree. 

Vocational courses ensure you're on the right path straight away and can easily make your trade your passion. 

Please share this with someone who is debating whether to go to University🎓 pic.twitter.com/wKSBGLS2N1

— Joseph Valente (@MrJosephValente) 23 January 2018

2. Job stability

There will always be a need for plumbers, electricians and builders. As previously mentioned, it's difficult to imagine how we would live without these basic necessities provided for us. The skills learnt through a trade course will always be vital to a thriving society and will ensure you're in demand at all times.

After learning a skill that is needed in every part of the world, you'll find it even easier to pursue the right career for you. If you want to move abroad for work, go ahead! If you want to switch companies, there are ton's more which are desperate for your skill set. If you want to be your own boss - do it! 

The qualifications and skills gained from vocational courses provide you with the stability and freedom most people aspire to have. 

3. It takes far less time to become qualified

On average, training courses for vocational trades take months rather than years to complete. This is the ideal way to train for anyone who is looking to switch careers and has a job alongside their training course. 

Of course, many people gain their vocational training through apprenticeships rather than vocational training courses. Apprenticeships are good if you're just coming out of school and can afford the low pay. Perseverance and patience is key to apprenticeships - but if you have commitments, it may not be possible to dedicate yourself to a job that cannot pay your bills. When you reach adulthood, money is a necessity and low pay for a couple years could put your livelihood at risk. 

Many training courses are flexible to fit around you and so you can easily maintain your job whilst training for a new trade profession. 

4. You can start working sooner

Another benefit of vocational training is that it provides you with all the experience you need to start working right away. Many graduates coming out of university find that this is not the case with their degree and they still need to gain that all-important experience.

Learning a trade means you are skilled in this area as soon as you complete your course. You can start working for a company, work freelance or even strive to set up your own company.

Anne Milton, the Minister of State for Skills and Apprenticeships, recently said that apprenticeships and courses are "on-the-job training. What's not to like?". She also believes that "the default should not be University. No matter how bright you are, there are other options out there."

5. Vocational trades are well paid

On average, Plumbers earn around £31,000 per year. Electricians earn around £32,500 and builders earn around £37,500. Compared to the average starting salary for graduates hovering around £19,000-£22,000, it's fair to say that a vocational training course could work in your favour financially.

These wages can increase substantially in different areas and will progress over time. As with everything, it pays to have patience in an industry. However, if you embark on a vocational training course, rather than a university course, you will start your career in the industry sooner and progress in the salary department quicker. 

If these benefits of vocational training have convinced you to pursue this path, Access Training Academies are the largest provider of vocational courses in the UK. Take a look and find the right course for you today. 

In Britain alone, on average 3.8 people out of every 1,000 employees are made redundant. This includes those who have taken voluntary redundancy because they found their job role was no longer significant. Therefore, throughout your training career, you’re very likely to find yourself retraining someone who has recently lost their job.

Redundancy is often likened to the grieving process or bereavement as it is an incredibly difficult time in someone’s life. Especially if someone has been in their job for a number of decades, losing that responsibility can leave a person feeling completely lost and displaced.

Retraining someone who has been made redundant requires a different training approach to the usual student. Here are our main training tips to consider when retraining the recently redundant.

1) Assess the needs of your students

Before you start your training plan, it is important to fully grasp what they want to achieve through the training course. Do they want to go back into their old line of work? Do they want to develop skills in a new field?

If you’re in a class full of people who have recently been made redundant but want to improve their skills in their past industry, you should structure your training plan around them. It would be a wasted effort to go over information your students already know.

2) Ensure you provide office hours

Those who have recently been made redundant will appreciate the opportunity to talk to you on a one-to-one basis. Office hours are the best way to provide this support and will also help you understand your students on a personal basis.

The more you learn about your students, the easier it becomes to train them. For example, if someone worked for many years as a tradesperson prior to their redundancy, they will most likely have expert knowledge of that industry and have many transferable skills that will help them with their training.

3) Include Interactive Training techniques

This popular method of training is used in most classrooms and with good reason. Interactive training is the best way to motivate your students to stay engaged. While you may be tempted to plan your lessons around fitting in masses of information, it is important your students are actually paying attention.

The interactive training technique involves breaking sessions up with quizzes, demonstrations, case studies, group discussions and Q & A sessions. These short breaks help keep students involved in the lesson and will provide those with past experience the opportunity to share their knowledge. This technique works with all members of your class, including those who have been made redundant.

4) Use the Motivational Interviewing method

As you can imagine, redundancy can largely damage someone’s confidence. They may have taken up retraining to help them feel confident in their abilities again.
Motivational interviewing is a good method of evoking a positive and motivated response from your students. The steps to take when using this method are as follows:

• Engaging – establish a relationship based on trust and respect between yourself and your student.
• Focusing - using an ongoing process to maintain direction.
• Evoking – encourage confidence in your student by using their own goals and motivations to inspire your training.
• Planning – create a plan of action with the view to reach the students goals that you and your student commit to.
  
  

Motivational interviewing can be done in office hours or before lessons even start to help you fully understand what your student hopes to gain from this course. It’s one of the best ways to encourage your students by showing them you actually care. 

Always remember that anyone can be retrained but it takes a dedicated trainer to do an effective job.

Would you like to work with us here at Access Training? Get in touch today to see the jobs we have on offer! 

If the office 9-to-5 life isn't for you, you'll probably be looking for a career that offers you diversity and a chance to get out and try your hand at new tasks. For this reason, you may have decided that you would be well suited to a job in a trade industry. However, with so many to choose from you may be having a difficult time pinpointing which to specialise in. You may be set on going into the trade industry but be asking yourself, "what trade should I learn?".

In general, trade jobs are appealing, for the most part, they can result in good salaries, a chance to be your own boss, learn useful manual skills and a whole other range of opportunities. Of course, every job has pros and cons and your personal preferences will determine what trade you are best suited to learning. To help you make that decision, we've come up with a few key things you should consider before diving into a trade. 

Whichever trade you decide to learn you will be able to find a course that suits you at Access Training, take a look:

To browse all of our courses you can click here

Are you more interested in building something or fixing something?

Manual work is great because it teaches you skills that you can use in your life as well as that of your client's. But some things may interest you more than others, perhaps you're a problem solver, who upon seeing a task is set on working it out and fixing the problem. On the other hand, you may not want to fix problems, you may be interested in creating things from scratch.

Building something: If you want the chance to create something then carpentry is a good move for you. From small projects to buildings, you'll be constantly creating with your ability to turn materials into something else entirely. 

Fixing something: Plumbers and Electricians are often called out when something goes wrong with someone's plumbing or electrical systems. It'll be your job to find out what is wrong and fix it. 

Do you prefer working on one project for a while or a new one each day?

If you like the stability of working in one place for an amount of time then you may be more interested in a job in carpentry and other jobs that are needed in construction work. If you are working on a building site these projects can last a varied amount of time and you are likely to see your creation grow over time. 

In comparison, Electricians, Plumbers and Gas Engineers often work on various jobs in one day. Moving from project to project offers you the opportunity to solve new problems in a short amount of time. Although you may be asked to work on bigger projects like wiring a house or constructing the plumbing system for a building. 

Would you rather spend time working indoors or outdoors?

This will depend on what kind of job you are carrying out, as most of the trades will have jobs that are outside or indoors, so hopefully, you don't mind either! Of course, there are some trades where you are more likely to work inside more than other, such as a Kitchen Fitter. However, locations for electricians, plumbers and gas engineers will depend if you're involved with domestic work or industrial work - but again, this will depend on the job!

If you prefer working outside then you may enjoy construction work. Construction workers are often working outside building houses or other buildings.   

Do you get claustrophobic working in tight places?

Some trade jobs will require working in tight spaces more than others. Electricians for instance often will have to crawl into tight areas such as ceiling spaces to access wires and other electrical systems. Plumbers are also sometimes required to work in confined spaces to access pipes and drains and other tighter work areas. 

If you know this isn't for you, then you are less likely to come across this when working in carpentry, plastering and kitchen fitting as you are often in larger areas. These trade jobs give you more opportunity to stretch your legs in general. However, you may then need to consider how you feel about working at heights and other factors. Our advisors are more than happy to discuss this with you further so contact us today. 

Are you colourblind?

If you are colourblind one trade you may want to rule out is a career as an electrician.  If you have trouble distinguishing colour then working with colour-coded wires will be a problem, and could be dangerous. Wiring mistakes can damage what you're working on or even lead to electrocution. 

Luckily, this is less of a problem with the other trades so you should still be able to find one that you'll love learning! 

 Here are links to some of the courses we offer:

• Electrical Courses
• Plumbing Courses
• Gas Courses
• Plastering Courses
• Carpentry Courses
• Kitchen Fitting Courses
• Construction Site Courses

DISCLAIMER: Of course, we've listed something you may want to consider when choosing a trade to learn, but your daily jobs will depend on the type of job you end up doing. If you are working on domestic or industrial projects for instance. Once you begin learning your trade you will learn more about how you can specialise and what these roles will involve. 

If you are still unsure about what the benefits of learning a trade are, you may be interested in our two helpful infographics "Should I learn a trade?" & "Should I learn plastering or carpentry". 

At Access Training we have plenty of courses and are sure to have something that suits your requirements if you are still unsure about which trade you are most suited for you can get in touch with one of our expert advisors. We pride ourselves on being able to help individuals find the career they love, so feel free to get in touch:

Contact Us >

Carpentry is a job that comes with a lot of perks, such as learning valuable skills that will help you with your own home and a good salary when taking out professional work. If you want to become a carpenter you'll first be wondering how do you become a carpenter? Do you need any special qualifications? Where can you study carpentry? 

How do you become a carpenter?

Traditionally, to become a carpenter you would have to become an apprentice for up to 3 years slowly learning the skills to carry out jobs independently. Now it is possible to learn the necessary skills required in a much shorter time frame. Our courses combine practical and classroom teaching to give you the experience you need to be able to carry our various carpentry jobs.

Whether you want to become a professional carpenter or just learn enough skills to carry out your own DIY, Access Training can help. We have designed a series of courses designed to suit a range of needs, from beginners to professionals you will be able to find a course that best helps you become the carpenter you want to be. To see our full list of carpentry courses you can follow the link below:

View Carpentry Courses >

If you want to become a competent carpenter you need to learn all of the practical skills needed to turn your hand to any job that comes up. Our beginner course will allow you to learn the foundations of carpentry, where the professional course will allow you to get the City & Guild Level 2 Diploma in Site Carpentry which enables you to move on to the NVQ Level 2 Certification for more experienced carpenters. These allow you to prove your skills to employers and clients alike.

If you're still wondering how to become a carpenter or how to start a career in the other trades we are more than happy to advise you. We will help you find a course that suits your needs and will help you start the career you want. Speak to our friendly team and discuss your aims and requirements. Contact us today.

How many women does it take to change a lightbulb?

One.

How many women does it take to install a state-of-the-art boiler system?

Still one, providing she’s had the appropriate training and gained the relevant qualifications.

Obviously.

The UK is currently undergoing a huge skills shortage, with too many jobs and too few workers (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.) who are actually qualified to do them. This is putting a massive amount of pressure on the entire country; it’s something we hear about on the news, and it’s something we face when a pipe bursts and we actually have to find a plumber with a free space in their busy schedule.

Britain is crying out for more people to learn these valuable skills. So why not women?

These industries have always been particularly male-dominated; when the words 'builder' and 'woman' are uttered in the same sentence, many people picture catcalls and wolf-whistles rather than a female bricklayer at work.

But why should this be case? Trade skills can lead to lucrative careers, and any determined, hardworking and intelligent person is more than capable of training up in one of these skills, regardless of their gender.

Lately, there has been an increase in the number of women entering these industries, hoping to benefit from all the same perks that tradesmen have been enjoying for years (e.g. good pay, rewarding work, choosing your own hours).

Gender equality within the trades won't change overnight - females currently make up just 6% of the workforce in certain trades, so it’s an uphill battle. However, the more women choose this path, the more women prove themselves just as capable as their male co-workers, and the more other women will feel encouraged to learn a trade themselves.

A fully-qualified woman is just as capable as a fully-qualified man, and therefore just as able to take advantage that this skills gap now provides.

Should women learn a trade?

If you enjoy working with your hands or don’t fancy a desk-based office job, then why not consider training up for a trade career and acquiring lifelong skills that will always be in demand? Being a woman should be no barrier, and there are lots of reasons why these industries make for desirable career paths, including:

• Great pay – experienced carpenters, electricians and plumbers can earn annual salaries of £30,000+.
  
  
• High demand – The current demand for people with these skills creates job stability as industries desperately try to fill vacancies.
  
  
• Be your own boss – Tradespeople often have the opportunity to become self-employed. This means you can pick your own jobs, hours and what you charge your clients.
  
  
• Less student debt – You don’t need a degree to learn a trade skill, and it no longer takes years to qualify. Training courses such as those available from Access Training Academies allow you to learn and get qualified quickly, so you can start earning as soon as possible.

How do I become qualified?

Training up to become a qualified tradesperson is much easier than it used to be. Traditionally, this career path would require years of studying in a college, with additional years working as an apprentice. Now training companies such as Access Training Academies allow you to study your chosen trade and learn the practical skills necessary on an intensive training course.

You can pick from several courses and several locations in the UK to study your trade. We take a range of people all coming from diverse backgrounds, some just entering the world of work, some recently made redundant and looking to retrain, or even those just looking to carry out some DIY tasks around the home.

That’s why we understand that a training course can’t be a 'one size fits all' solution. We do everything we can to help you find a course that best suits your circumstances. It’s this flexibility that appeals to so many of our students - the ability to learn at your own pace while honouring family and work commitments.

Whether you want a complete change of career, some useful new skills, or an opportunity to top up the knowledge you already have, we're sure to have a suitable course for you. Access Training can take you from beginner to qualified worker, giving you all the skills necessary to get hired. If you aren’t ready to give up your current career, you can complete the course part-time and work while you learn.

It doesn’t matter your age, gender, race or skill level – everyone on our courses is greeted with a warm welcome.

To learn more about the courses that we offer here at Access Training Academies, please click here.