With a new year on the horizon, many people throughout the UK will soon be thinking about how they could change their lives for the better in 2016. January is always a very busy time for us here at Access Training - it seems that 'learn a new trade' is the top priority on many a list of New Year's resolutions!
 
However, if you don't want to wait until January to take the first step towards a rewarding new career, we'd like to give you an incentive to beat the rush. We are having a Boxing Day sale, with up to 50% reductions on all of our training programmes - whether you're interested in plumbing, gas, electrical work, or another of the trades we cover, now is the time to book your training course and get the best possible price!
 
All offers will end on Monday the 28th of December, so don't delay - book your place today! This is your opportunity to beat the New Year rush, guarantee your spot for 2016, and save a packet in the process.
 
Call 0800 345 7492 now to take advantage of our Boxing Day offers!
electrical services

In an age where we order food, meet our partners and find local services all via the convenience mobile apps, it's hardly surprising that people are already exploring the ways in which these innovations can be used to benefit the home services industry. 

US Electrical entrepreneur Sean Murphy is doing just that, having developed and app that aims to connect home-owners with service providers, such as plumbers and electricians. Much like the highly popular taxi hailing service Uber, the app would allow people in need of services to find local professionals, who would then contact them to discuss the job. 

Super Handy (formerly Super) is still in the very early stages, with only around 400 users and 500 professionals using it so far, however, it is still very interesting to consider how this or similar apps could affect the way the industry operates in the future. Not only could this mean a greater demand for services, thanks to the ease and simplicity of contacting a trades person and setting up the job, but it could also lead to an 'instant feedback', review-based approach to hiring a professional. 

Although Murphy himself admits that when he set up his family electrical business, much of the trade he gained was through word-of-mouth, apps like his could revolutionize our approach to seeking out and employing the services of industry workers. While he admits that the process is far from being streamlined yet, the rapid contact and review method of similar apps is something that could, if well-executed, hugely benefit both well-established businesses and new trades people.

While technology is often criticised for robbing jobs as opposed to creating them, evidence often shows that technology does more to create new opportunities that it does to reduce them. It is clear that the door to success is open to almost anyone who is willing to take advantage of the opportunities given to them, whether this means using your professional knowledge to start your own business, or simply having enough confidence in your abilities to promote yourself online. 

Whether you have ambitions to start your own business, or simply want to ensure that you have the best training possible to secure positive feedback in an increasingly demanding society, then why not consider one of our fantastic training courses? Like Murphy, you could train to become an electrician, with a view to starting your own business, or simply take up one of the many much-needed skilled trades that are hugely in-demand, particularly in the current climate.

For more information about our courses and changing your career, feel free to get in touch today, or follow us on Twitter for more industry news and updates about Access Training.
Did you catch the Apprentice final on Sunday? If so, you'll already know that the winning candidate was Joseph Valente from Peterborough; he saw off fierce competition from runner-up Vana Koutsomitis to become the programme's eleventh winner, and the fifth to receive a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar.
 
So what was Joseph's big idea? A plumbing business! Impra-Gas offer a range of plumbing and gas services to customers across the UK, and the company will no doubt benefit massively from the £250k cash injection (not to mention all the publicity!)
 
While both finalists would have made worthy winners, we must admit that it was somewhat heartening to see a gas/plumbing company triumph over Vana's more futuristic business proposal (an app called DatePlay that combines online dating with mobile gaming to find your perfect match). More impressive still is the story of Joseph Valente's success - here's how he told it in an interview with BBC News yesterday:
 
"I was expelled from school when I was around 15 and it looked pretty grim at the time. But I always knew I was going to be very, very successful...I created an opportunity in plumbing and I went to work with a local plumber for a year. He put me through college when I was 16...I owe a lot to the plumbing industry."
 

We at Access Training have helped countless people to earn their gas/plumbing qualifications and join the industry. Many of our students are people who have been working in offices for years and need a change of scenery, but we also help young people who find themselves in the same situation as Mr Valente: young people who have left school and aren't sure what to do next. University isn't the only option - in fact, it often isn't an option at all - and our courses allow those seeking an alternative route to learn a new trade from scratch and turn it into a lucrative career.

 
Joseph Valente's plumbing business was reportedly turning over £370,000 per year even before he appeared on The Apprentice. Figures like that aren't uncommon in the plumbing industry; this country is still pretty short on qualified tradespeople, and this skills gap often allows our students to make far more as plumbers and gas engineers than they ever would have made working at desks. If the Apprentice final has inspired you to learn a trade and start your own business, then please get in touch with Access Training today!

Click here to view our plumbing courses

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Click here to view our gas training packages

Over two thirds of building companies in Britain have had to turn down work because there is a huge shortage of skilled trade people, a survey conducted by the federation of Master Builders has found.
 
Britain faces a shortage of tens of thousands painters and decorators, which is having a knock on effect on George Osbourne’s plan on building one million new homes over the next 5 years. A report from KPMG an accountancy firm highlighted that there is a deficit of 33,000 painters and decorators in the London and South East Area alone.
 
It has come to light that during the recent recession here in the UK, house building projects dropped by nearly a half, meaning that many skilled tradespeople left their industry to either train in a different skill or simply retired. Britain is slowly recovering from the recent economic downfall and demand for new housing on the rise, there is a significant lack of skilled tradespeople to complete jobs as companies cannot start new projects if they don’t have the labour available. The painting and decorating industry is currently recruiting heavily to ensure that companies can meet the growing demand and meet the planned increases in housing supply. This means that there has not been a better time to train or re-train as a Painter or decorator. 
 
It has been reported that young people are not training to become skilled tradespeople because they believe that the work does not pay well enough. However, due to the skills shortage, current skill traders are bumping up their prices to deal with growing demand.  A painter and decorator can be expecting to earn on average £23,000pa, bricklayers and plumbers can be expecting to earn £25,000 - £52,000. This is well above the current national average. 
 
The painting and decorating trade is not the only trade affected by shortage. Britain currently has a well-documented skills shortage, falling short with Plumbing, Electrical and gas engineers.  A spokesperson from the home builder’s federation stated that the shortage was “the biggest issue currently facing house builders”
 
Here at Access Training we offer a large range of courses which provide our students with the foundations to build a truly lucrative career. Whether you are looking to begin a new career in the New Year or currently working in the industry and are looking to build on your current skill set we are confident that we have the ideal course for you. 
 
We offer painting and decorating courses that are open to candidates of all skill sets and provide an in-depth introduction to a range of painting and decorating techniques, designed with beginners in mind our course will qualify you to seek paid work after course completion. 
 
At Access Training we don't only offer painting and decorating City & Guilds courses. We also offer a large range of Plumbing courses, Electrical courses and Gas Engineer courses all designer for people who have no experience or who are looking change their career in 2016 or to build on their current skill sets. 
 
If you would like more information regarding our range of courses you can contact us here or call us on 0800 345 7492 to discuss your training options. 
 

Constant advancements in heating technology mean that it's crucial for plumbers and gas engineers to ensure that their skills are always up to date with the latest changes and developments. Plumbing professionals must ensure that they are qualified to work on a variety of systems, in order to guarantee a safe and efficient service for themselves and their customers.

These days, most new properties have unvented hot water storage systems, which are far more complicated and have more parts than older, open-vented systems. Even if you have a wealth of experience with other types of hot water systems, a lack of knowledge in this particular area could soon cause you to come unstuck if you attempt to work on an unvented system without the proper training.

How to get qualified

Here at Access Training, we deliver an accredited Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems course for plumbers and heating engineers.

This training package will equip you with all the relevant skills and knowledge needed to install and maintain modern hot water systems. It will also familiarise you with the G3 Building Regulations, which you will need to follow when working on hot water storage systems. At the end of the course, you'll gain a qualification that allows you to work on unvented systems (as well as solar thermal hot water installations).

Unlike some of our other plumbing courses, this course is specifically designed to suit experienced plumbers and heating engineers who wish to expand and update their skill set. When you successfully complete the course, you will be supplied with an ID card that identifies you as being qualified to deal with this type of work, providing peace of mind for your customers.

Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems Course - Book Your Place Now >

To see our full range of plumbing training packages, please visit our Plumbing Courses page. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about any of our courses.


With 2016 fast approaching, now is the perfect time to consider a career change or think about learning some new skills. If you're looking for an area of industry that offers a steady stream of work and income, then why not train to become a plumber?

At Access Training, we offer a range of plumbing courses, to suit both beginners as well as experienced plumbers:

  • Our Essential Plumbing Course is great for people who want to learn the basics of the trade, setting a foundation on which to build a portfolio of plumbing skills in order to go on to further training. 
  • For a combination of practical and technical plumbing knowledge, our Professional Plumbing Course will equip you with all the skills you need to become a professional plumber. By the end of the course, you will have achieved the qualifications necessary to start your career in plumbing. While this course is designed with beginners in mind, it would also suit experienced candidates looking to update their skills.
  • Candidates who are looking to become professional plumbers/heating engineers should consider our Premier Plumbing Course, which will allow you to also gain multiple gas and electrical qualifications, enabling you to join the Gas Safe Register and take on a wider variety of jobs.
If you're interested in enrolling on one of our courses or finding out more information, please feel free to get in touch with us today.

For regular updates about Access Training, you can follow us on Twitter.

Here at Access Training, we offer a large variety of electrical courses that equip each student with the skills necessary to embark on a new career as a fully qualified electrician. Our courses are developed for people who would like a new challenge and aspire to run their own businesses. But don’t take our word for it - have a look at what some of our past students had to say about their experience at Access Training:

"The training was very daunting to start with, but it all gets broken down into simple manageable tasks where I was very well supported by the tutor." - Peter Baxter

As the years go by, technology changes, and so the skills that are needed to become a fully qualified electrician are ever changing. When researching electrician courses, it's important to choose an academy that keeps up with the ever-changing electrical environment; here at Access Training, we constantly update our state-of-the-art facilities and endeavour to provide a realistic, hands-on learning experience for all of our students, so when you are working in the field, you are confident dealing with real life work.  

Gethyn Hudson had this to say about his experience at Access Training:

"A well run practical week, with real life problems. It allowed me to develop the skills from week one in a practical situation. The tutor gave me the space I needed but was always on hand when required. The facilities and training staff are very good." - Gethyn Hudson

Here at Access Training, we will provide you with the knowledge, qualifications and confidence to become self-employed. Former students Richard Gates and Scott Daily were not fully satisfied with their chosen careers, so they enrolled on an electrician course provided by Access Training and they are both now trading as self-employed electricians:

"This course has led to me becoming self-employed as an electrician and has led to me expanding my family's building and roofing business." - Scott Daly

"I'm the happiest I've ever been in my working life. I like being my own boss and having control over my working week. And I'm earning three times what I was at the BBC!" - Richard Gates 

If you are thinking about changing your career in 2016, our flexible courses will allow you complete your training about your current commitments, so if you have family commitments, or are currently employed you will not have to quit your job while training for your new  career. No matter your situation, we will always endeavour to accommodate you. 

So if you want to take the plunge and begin training to become your own boss in 2016, why not enquire about our electrician courses? Click here to view our full range of electrician courses; alternatively, you can contact us on 0800 245 7492 or e-mail info@accesstraininguk.co.uk.

Nominations are now open for Heating Installer of the Year 2016!

This is a brand new award that's been organised by Installer Magazine in partnership with Continental Underfloor. They're looking for the UK's best heating installers and engineers, and if you work in either capacity, you could be in the running!

If you'd like to be considered for the award, you'll need to visit the Heating Installer of the Year website and submit your details using the online entry form. If you'd like to nominate somebody else for the award, that's OK too - you'll need the following details to hand:
  • Name of the installer and their business
  • Gas Safe registration/MCS accreditation number (if applicable)
  • Their contact details
  • Images and details of the project they completed for you
  • A short testimonial from yoursefl
The deadline for entries is the 12th of February 2016. 11 regional winners will be chosen from the list of nominees; the best of those 11 will then receive the national prize at Installer2016 in May. The regions are as follows:
  • East of England
  • East Midlands
  • North East
  • North West
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland
  • South East
  • South West
  • Wales
  • West Midlands
  • Yorkshire and the Humber
If you think that your plumber/heating engineer could take home the top award, then be sure to nominate them! These tradesmen and women do great work every day throughout the UK, and their efforts deserve to be rewarded.

Of course, if you're thinking of becoming a heating installer, then that's something we at Access Training can help with. We offer a number of gas courses and plumbing courses for people of all skill levels, so whether you're an absolute beginner or an experienced candidate looking to turn your skills into industry-recognised qualifications, please get in touch today. Who knows? You could win Heating Installer of the Year in 2017! 

Here at Access Training, we offer a variety of gas training courses that will equip you with all the skills necessary to become a qualified gas engineer. This could allow you to begin an entirely new career in 2016, providing you with a steady income and stable career for years to come. 

If you're already a registered gas worker, the new year is a perfect time to update your existing qualifications in order to ensure that you are working safely and with the most up-to-date knowledge. From ACS reassessments to LPG training, we offer a range of options for gas workers who are looking to expand or refresh their skills.

If you're unsure about which of our gas training courses would suit you, this brief guide should help you to make an informed decision:

Best For Beginners

If you're a total beginner looking to learn more about gas work with a view to becoming a fully-qualified gas engineer in the future, then our Essential Gas Course is a great place to start. That said, if you're looking for a more advanced qualification, you may be more interested in our Professional Gas Course (which will equip you with everything you'll need to turn professional) or our Premier Gas Course (which includes two electrical qualifications, allowing you to work on a wider range of installations). All three of these training programmes are open to everyone, from absolute beginners to more experienced candidates who wish to brush up their skills and gain some industry-recognised qualifications.

Courses for Qualified Gas Engineers

To ensure that you are working safely, we offer ACS assessments and re-assessments for professional gas engineers, allowing you to join and remain a member of the Gas Safe Register. For engineers looking to transition from natural gas to liquid petroleum, we offer an LPG Training course which covers working with metres, installing pipework, and identifying unsafe situations.

To enquire about starting one of our accredited gas training courses in 2016, contact us today!

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