Making the decision to start and study a training course is a big one, make no mistake about it. Often, there is either a huge financial commitment, time investment or both. Therefore, knowing what questions to ask before starting a training course is hugely important. You need to find out the essential details to ensure you’re going to be getting the most out of your time and money. Here, we listing some of the most important questions that you should ask your course provider that can help make your decision that little bit easier.

1.      How will you learn?

The way in which training courses are taught can vary between providers. Knowing exactly how you will be taught can be a huge factor in deciding to enrol onto a course as we all learn in different ways. Finding a course that teaches in a way that suits your needs can be the difference between finishing the programme with a qualification or not. Here are some of the ways that you could be taught on your training course:

• Classroom sessions
• Practicals
• Fieldwork
• Work experience
• Independent study

2.      How often will you submit work?

Just like being in school, there may be some work that you will have to complete at home along the way. Before enrolling on your course, you will need to ask how much of this work there will be and what kind of form it will take. If you’re a person who struggles to work independently, then a course that requires you to complete a lot of work at home may not be for you. The work rate requirements of this type of work could be too much for some people to handle, especially if studying part-time or on weekends when you have other commitments that take up the majority of your time.

3.      What feedback will you get?

Getting your work assessed and receiving feedback on the areas where you performed well and where you could improve is one of the best ways to learn. Knowing how much feedback a course will offer you can make or break a decision to study a course for some people. Having the knowledge and comfort that you will be receiving support throughout your studies can ease worries and stress, making the decision to enrol a much easier one.

4.      How will you be assessed?

There are a number of ways in which your work can be assessed and is often one of the main factors that influence a person’s decision to study. Just like learning, different people like to be tested in different ways, with feelings of comfort and confidence varying from one person to another. The different assessment options often included in training courses include:

• Written examinations
• Coursework
• Presentations
• Reports

Finding and choosing a course that suits the ways in which you like to be assessed is very important.

5.      What size groups will you be taught in?

Will you be studying in small classroom groups with a lot of personal and one-to-one interaction with the tutor? Or will you be one student in a lecture room with little to no interaction with the tutor? These are more important questions that you need to be asking yourself before starting a training course. The fewer people in the groups, the more the tutor will be focused on you. Another important thing to consider is whether you like being in large groups or prefer smaller ones. Some training courses take on hundreds of students whereas some others only a handful. Finding out how best you learn and interact with other people is an important part of studying and will need to be considered.

6.      What facilities are available?

Finding out how well your learning will be supported by the facilities that are available is crucial. Often, the better the facilities that are available, the easier and better the learning will be. Before enrolling onto a course, find out what facilities are on offer, how often you can use them and what is required to use them. Some of the most common learning facilities include:

• Libraries
• Lecture and classrooms
• Practical labs
• Computer & IT suites
• Subject-specific equipment and tools

7.      Who will teach you?

Finding out exactly who will be teaching you is another crucial question that needs to be asked before starting a training course. Receiving tuition from a qualified, experienced teacher is far more encouraging than being taught by a first-time teacher who is just starting out. You need to ensure that you’re going to be happy with the level and ability of the people who are going to be marking your work, providing you with feedback and help you to develop your skills.

8.      What do graduates go on to do after the course?

Ask the training provider about the employment rates and opportunities for students once their course has been completed. Having the confidence that upon completion of your course that you’ll gain a higher chance of securing a job or have the ability to go on to study further is great and allows you to relax and focus on your studies rather than worry about what comes after.

These are just some of the main questions that you will need to ask before starting a training course. Find the answers to these first and then decide whether the course you’re thinking about studying is, in fact, the right course for you. Here at Access Training Academies, we offer a range of quality, intense courses that are conducted at state-of-the-art facilities across several training centres in England and Wales, taught by experienced professionals. Whether you’re looking to start a completely new career, add a specific qualification to your CV or to refresh yourself on old skills, our range of trade course is just the thing you need.

Electrical Courses >         Gas Courses >    Plumbing Courses >         Construction Courses >

 If you would like to know more about our trade courses, our facilities, tutors or the opportunities available to you after studying with Access Training Academies, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today.

One of our fantastic students, Rob, is in the process of completing a variety of our training courses so he can start his own business. We've had the pleasure of catching up with Rob throughout his training and it's been great to see how much he's progressed. Today, we want to give you an overview of Rob's story to show you how we can help you steer your career in a new and exciting direction.

Rob's Background & Initial Training

For 35-40 years, Rob was working in IT and construction. This career took him all over the country and even abroad, but meant that he was often far away from his family, something that in later life, Rob wanted to rectify. When reflecting on his career, Rob decided that it was time to pursue a new avenue that would allow him to work for himself and spend more time at home. The courses we offer here at Access Training are fast-paced allowing Rob to gain the qualifications he needed for his new venture in no time at all.

Initially, Rob signed up for an Electrical Course, but later decided to take on a Plumbing and a Gas Course too! Having worked in the construction industry for most of his life, Rob knew that there was a significant skills gap in the sector. This presented itself as a great opportunity for Rob to pursue his own business, something that we were all too happy to help with. You can see our first interview with Rob in full below. 

Training for a Greener Future

We caught up with Rob a few months after our initial interview to see how he was getting on. Since we last spoke to him, Rob had completed a few more modules and had sat his assessment. If the assessment goes well, Rob will already be qualified to do the following:

• Domestic installations
• Commercial installations
• Initial verifications on electrical systems
• Periodic testing
• PAT testing 

With an already impressive set of skills under his belt and in the pipeline, Rob isn't planning on stopping there. He has signed up for our Level 4 Electrical Design Course and for one of our new specialist courses that will teach him how to install charging points for electric cars. His enthusiasm for learning and for creating a greener world is admirable, and his aspirations for the future are in-line with this. 

Building a Greener Future

The skills Rob is gaining through our Electrical, Plumbing and Gas courses are setting him up perfectly for a career in renewable technologies which is the field he'd ultimately like to work in. We don't currently offer courses that cover photovoltaic (solar panel) installation or rainwater harvesting, but Rob has enrolled on our Electric Vehicle Charger Installation Course to get the ball rolling.

Once Rob has gained a few more eco-friendly skills, he plans to work with clients who want to build low carbon & self-sufficient homes, something we can expect to see a lot more of in the coming years. In the meantime, Rob can use the qualifications he's gained at Access Training to carry out gas, plumbing and electric work. We can't wait to see what he does next and we wish him the best of luck on his eco-friendly endeavours! You can see our second interview with Rob in full here. 

If, like Rob, you want to take your career in a new direction and work towards a greener future, explore our range of courses now! If you'd like to speak to one of our advisors, give us a call on 0800 345 7492. We look forward to hearing from you.

Explore Our Courses >

Over the last few years, the popularity and demand in environmentally friendly living solutions have grown dramatically, none more so than electric cars and vehicles. With the biggest and best names in the automotive industry releasing flagship electric iterations of their most beloved models, as well as introducing entirely new ones, more and more homeowners are taking notice and investing in electric vehicles (EVs). But why the big fuss? Well, there are several reasons.

Benefits of electric vehicles

• Better for the environment – The main and most obvious reason behind the rise in popularity of electric cars and vehicles is the positive impact they have on the environment. By choosing to drive an EV, you are helping to decrease the harmful air pollution caused by exhaust emissions. Most EVs are also manufactured using eco-friendly production through recycled and bio-based materials.

• Health & safety improvements – As a result of reduced carbon emissions, air quality will improve and so will overall health. Due to electric vehicles being far less noisy than petrol and diesel vehicles, there will also be decreased levels of noise pollution. According to recent findings, several EV features can improve safety also. Due to a lower centre of gravity, they feel less likely to roll over as well as carrying less risk of major fires and explosions.

• More cost-effective – One of the biggest reasons why people are choosing to go electric for their cars and vehicles is down to the huge long-term savings they will make. Firstly, electric vehicles offer much lower running costs with the electricity needed to charge an EV working out at around a third as much per kilometre as buying petrol for the same vehicle. Secondly, EVs are cheaper to maintain as a result of fewer moving parts than conventional petrol or diesel vehicles. There is relatively little servicing and no expensive parts that need to be replaced often.

So, why is all of this important? As more and more people begin to turn to a greener way of driving, the need for electric chargers to be installed in convenient locations such as homes is going to rise – great news for professionals that are able to provide this service. Access Training Academies have taken notice of this demand and as a result, now offer a choice of two brand-new electrical courses that allows both novices and professionals in the electrical industry to become competent and qualified in installing EV chargers.

Our courses for electric car charging at home

The first of our two courses is the Eco Electrical Course, perfect for anyone looking to pursue a career within the electrical industry. Candidates who enrol onto this course will learn the following:

• The fundamentals of domestic electrical work
• Testing electrical installations at an industry level
• How to install electric vehicle charging points

This course aims to provide an all-encompassing introduction into the electrical trade with the addition of green electrical training. You can learn more and enquire about this course below.

Eco Electrical Course >

The second of our two courses is our Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course. Ideal for experienced electricians that have worked in the industry for many years, looking to add electric vehicle charger installation to their repertoire of skills. Candidates who enrol onto this two-day course will learn the following:

• How to install vehicle charging points
• EV charging point commissioning
• How to inspect and test your installations

On completion of this course, candidates will be able to register on the Rolec approved installers scheme, which can result in job referrals and grants of up to £500 per installation. You can learn more and enquire about this course below.

Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course >

For more information on our range of courses that allow you to install electric car chargers at home, be sure to get in touch with a member of the Access Training Academies team today. Also, don’t forget to browse our full range of electric courses suited to individuals with a mix of experience and abilities.

In recent years, there has been a huge push towards more eco-friendly power sources, vehicles, shopping habits... (the list goes on). As political pressure grows, many of us are starting to re-evaluate our lives to make sure we're not having a detrimental impact on the planet. People have swapped from disposable coffee cups to reusable, from plastic toothbrushes to bamboo and from fuel-powered cars to electric. 

According to Statisa.com, "In the third quarter of 2018, the number of grant eligible plug-in cars registered in the UK surpassed 15 thousand"  that's almost 15 times more than there were at the beginning of the same year, and electric car sales are only going to rise as we move into the new decade.

So, as the general public focus their attentions on their own eco-friendly efforts, we urge you to consider training for an eco-friendly career in 2020. Skills such as; being able to fit solar panels, install a car charger, and set up a self-sufficient water collection system are only going to increase in demand. With that in mind, there's no better time to start filling a relatively large skills gap and pursue an eco-friendly career!

How can Access Training Help Me?

As it stands, we offer two brand new eco-friendly training courses here at Access Training, both of which will provide you with the skills, qualifications and experience you need to begin your career in the eco-friendly sector. Let's take a look at each course to give you an idea of what's on offer. 

Eco-Electrical Course

As the name suggests, this is an eco-friendly electrical course that's designed to equip beginners with the electrical and eco-electrical knowledge they need to start their eco-friendly career. The main things you will learn on this course include:

• The fundamentals of electrical work in the home
• How to safely test electrical installations
• How to install charging points for electrical vehicles

Learn more >

Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course

If you've already got electrical qualifications and experience behind you, this 2-day course will help you take your career down an environmentally friendly path. With your electrical knowledge as a basis, we're sure you'll pick up the following skills in no time:

• How to safely install car charging points
• EV charging point commissioning
• How to check our installations are safe

Learn more >

If you're ready to take the first steps towards a greener career, don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We'll help you get started and arrange a start date for your eco-friendly training that suits you.