‘The construction industry stands ready to start creating the thousands of new homes the country needs, and building the hundreds of modern schools and colleges in which our children can be equipped with the skills they’ll need to succeed in a post-pandemic economy’ – Steeve Beechy, Wates public sector director

We are entering an exciting, productive, and affluent time for the construction industry. It’s continually surprising, given the circumstances, that the construction sector is experiencing what many are already calling a ‘boom’ which is seeing levels of productivity reach and surpass pre-pandemic levels. 

In November, the value of all construction work put together reached an incredible £14.01 billion, only a hair’s breadth from last year’s peak of £14.05 billion in January 2020, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Growth in the industry, led by the infrastructure sector, jumped by a massive 10% in October.

‘Growth has extended to a seven-month streak and total construction output has powered back past its pre-pandemic level for the first time.’ – Gareth Belsham, Director of Property Consultancy Naismiths.

Also in November, we saw the infrastructure sector earn a whopping £2 billion worth of work, the highest amount on record for the infrastructure market. Despite the UK economy shrinking by 2.6% overall in November, the construction industry entered its sixth consecutive month of growth since April, and this continued into December. If anything will get the country out of an economic slump, it’s the construction industry, and construction workers – and that could mean you too. 

What’s most promising about these developments, is that the upward trend of growth is so consistent, so solid. December was a similarly positive month of growth for construction work, which is evidence of increasing long-term demand for construction workers. Predictions are being made that the construction industry could very well be a massive help in helping the country out of a dark economic hole. 

In accordance with the government’s announcement of massive long-term financial investment into the construction industry, it’s looking likely that, whatever happens, the next five years will be a prosperous one for those working within trade. Prepare for the construction industry to ‘level-up’, as the government plans to spend the following: 

• £27.5 billion on English roads until 2025

• £7.1 billion on a National Home Building Fund

• £23 billion extra funding for HS2 until 2025

• £4 billion for a ‘levelling-up’ fund, allowing areas to bid for up to £20 billion to directly fund local projects.

This adds up to an eye-watering £61.6 billion pounds of investment, at the very least. If that’s not a sign of how great a priority this industry is for our future development as a country, then I don’t know what is.

The construction industry has been able to perform incredibly well in relation to other sectors in the UK, thanks to an abundance of work, and sanctions from the government which allowed construction work to continue under lockdown. 

It has provided work for thousands, crucially important services for tens of thousands, and a solid future of employment and stability for even more. It is yours to join, to contribute to, to be a part of – all you have to do is become qualified and start looking in the right places. We can give you all of this – just give us a call.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

2020 was a year of unprecedented ups and downs. Life presented us with more challenges than ever, and people across the world had to adapt to many new obstacles. But one thing didn’t change: we still needed to call the plumber. 

A new survey conducted by Rated People and Vanarama asked 1000 people questions relating to their reliance on tradespeople over the past year, to find out the kind of impact that lockdowns and restrictions had on our tendency to call out a tradesperson. As it turns out, not a big impact at all.

On the contrary, the survey revealed that 64% of those questioned called on a tradesperson at some point in 2020. Of all the tradespeople that were called out to homes last year, plumbers were in highest demand, with 23% of all calls being made for plumbing-related issues. In second place were the electricians, with 11% of all calls made for them. 

"Lockdowns have not diminished peoples reliance on the service of tradespeople"

One glimpse of how much people spent on tradespeople in 2020 is enough to confirm the notion that tradespeople are still able to rake it in, despite the threat of lockdowns and restrictions. 20% of respondents to the survey said that they’d spent over £1000 on tradespeople in 2020. And to top that, 10% said that they’d spent over £5000! 

The highest proportion of costs reflected how most tradespeople thrived off a number of lower-paid odd jobs and quick fixes, as over 50% of people spent between £10-100 on domestic trade work. But keeping busy is the key factor to success as a tradespeople, and any opportunity to produce high-quality work, and to make a customer happy, is an opportunity to secure even more work. And this fact is particularly worth remembering: the survey also said that a whopping 70% of customers choose their tradespeople not according to how much they charge, but rely instead upon positive word of mouth.

Another important revelation that this survey has brought up, is that lockdowns did not diminish people’s reliance upon the services of tradespeople. In fact, it could be argued that they even increased people’s likelihood of calling out for a tradesperson, as 54% stated that more time spent in the house under lockdown meant that they noticed more issues that needed fixing. That’s right: lockdowns actually increased the chances of people getting the plumber in. 

"Working in the construction industry is a safe bet for guaranteed work, no matter what future pandemics throw at us. People will always need their boilers fixed, their homes powered, and their lives moving forward. Tradespeople play a massive role in making sure that this happens."

Not only that, but more time spent at home meant that people had the time to attempt fixing things themselves. Of course, untrained hands are going to make mistakes, and there’s a reason why becoming a qualified tradesperson takes training and commitment. 20% of respondents admitted that they were forced to call out a tradesperson to fix a DIY issue that they’d caused themselves. It just goes to show – we need tradespeople more than we think. 

The most uplifting statistic produced by this survey for those working in the construction industry, was that 68% of respondents felt comfortable having tradespeople enter their homes, even during lockdowns. It’s testimony to the fact that tradespeople undergo incredibly important work, and without them, people would be living in discomfort, or even in danger. Without power, energy, heating, particularly at a time in which our homes become our constant places of refuge, where would any of us be? 

This pandemic has shown us how truly indebted we are to our tradespeople, and how they continue to be in high demand. Working in the construction industry is a safe bet for guaranteed work, no matter what future pandemics throw at us. People will always need their boilers fixed, their homes powered, and their lives moving forward. Tradespeople play a massive role in making sure that this happens. 

Access Training can give you that certainty: a future of fulfilling work, security, and professional purpose.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

With the arrival of a new year comes the beginning of a new era; a chance to reflect on what has been, and speculate on what is to come. 

We can now see with some clarity how the construction industry fared under two lockdowns, heavy restrictions, and an unprecedented global crisis. Most importantly, we can see where it might be heading next. And judging by the promising words of industry leaders and new statistics, it did pretty well considering the circumstances.

The take-home message is that 2021 will be a year of ‘gradual and sustained recovery’ for the construction industry, according to industry experts. And this growth is not limited to 2021, but at least to the next two years beyond that. In other words, the next three years will be a time of high productivity, high employment, and general positivity for the construction industry. But how did construction get so lucky?

The critical factor undoubtedly lies in the ability of construction workers, industry leaders, and organisations, to open up their sites quicker than expected when restrictions were loosened in the summer of 2020. By the time the second lockdown came about in November, it became clear that the construction industry did not need to shut down entirely. Sites could still operate safely, following social distancing measures, and so Boris Johnson officially gave permission for sites to remain open under a lockdown.

But things could have been so different. In the second quarter of 2020, following the pandemic, construction productivity fell by 36%. We avoided a full construction closure only because the industry is so important to the country’s economy; in 2016 it accounted for 9% of the entire economy, adding £138 billion to its value. We just can’t do without it.

And that’s why industry leaders are fighting to ensure that, even in such dire circumstances as we still face at the beginning of 2021, the construction industry remains open and functioning. So much depends upon it, that the new Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, wrote an open letter to make the case for the construction industry remaining open again: 

‘It is vital that construction continues through these unsettling times, and I want to reassure you that the government values the crucial contribution your sector is making. [...] I want to make it clear that where it is essential to travel or to stay in accommodation, whether to get to work or for the purposes of carrying out your work, those in the [construction] industry are able to do so’.

This ringing endorsement of the construction industry just goes to show that, if the prospect of becoming an electrician, gas engineer, carpenter, plumber, or any role within construction appeals to you – then you will have the government’s support and the freedom to work at a time when thousands of people are out of a job. 

The proof is truly in the numbers. A survey conducted by the CHAS found that 56% of construction businesses they questioned have all their staff now back in work, and of the 44% that don’t, 43% said staff are on furlough. 

The security of construction jobs comes as no surprise when you look at the industry’s performance in the second half of 2020. Output grew by 41.7% in September, the biggest quarterly growth since records began in 1997. Work on new housing grew by 88.7%, driven by a 102.9% growth in public housing. Private housing and infrastructure grew above their pre-pandemic levels in February 2020. 

It’s mouth-watering stuff for those in the industry, and should be highly appealing for those outside it who are looking for job security. Now is your chance to get your foot in the door of construction and give yourself a career. If your job is looking increasingly like a lost cause, stopping and starting when rules allow, with redundancy a likely exit, then look no further. 

You can become anything you set your sights to, with a call and some commitment. We can take it from there.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

Here we are, in the first week of 2021, facing another national lockdown.

If there’s one thing that continuous lockdowns have done to us, it’s that it’s made us more aware than ever of the importance of our jobs and professions; how much we rely upon our work for the security of our future. Even the very language we use to describe our different occupations within society has changed: phrases like ‘front-line workers’, or ‘essential workers’, have made us reconsider what is ‘essential’, important, and most valued in our country. 

On top of this, different industries and sectors have faced different struggles; some have fared better than others, having been considered ‘essential’, or having the good fortune to be able to operate relatively unaffected by the pandemic. Some people have been better assured than others that their roles will still be around once the lockdown is over. It comes as no surprise, then, that an increasing number of people want to change their careers. Statistics released since August have shown that, with the country in and out of lockdown, many people are reconsidering their futures in their current roles, and are thinking about jumping ship.

It goes without saying that the one thing everybody wants during this time is what we might call ‘lockdown immunity’. That is, the ability to keep working, earning, and living as close to a normal life as possible, in absolute safety. To be professionals, to contribute a service to society. There are not many, if any, of these sorts of jobs around at the moment. But one place you will definitely find them is in the construction industry.

With Boris Johnson’s assurance in November that construction work is still possible under lockdown restrictions, this is a prime time to be working as a tradesman. Not only are people still able to become qualified, but they are able to go out and seek work, and complete that work. Construction companies are not only still opening their doors, but are actually improving on their 2019 performances. Take Barratt, for example, who ended 2020 with cash reserves of £1.11bn, up from £308.2mn in June the same year. They still managed to make a 9.2% increase on their house building rate in 2019. 

Would this have been possible if the construction industry was on its knees? If it was nonfunctional under a lockdown? Of course not. And the only response to that, from somebody desperate to get back to work, is surely a no-brainer. We have often stressed the importance of using lockdown time to your advantage; access online, virtual training courses to build your skillset and gain employment for when the time comes, and work opportunities restart. And one thing that recurring lockdowns have done is confirm that our advice was bang on.

Lockdowns, as is now very clear, are not going away any time soon. It is evident that the potential optimism brought upon us by the new year is now unfounded, as complications relating to new Covid strands arise, delayed vaccinations are likely, and case numbers soar. It’s safe to say that restrictions will remain with us for a while to come.

Despite Rishi Sunak’s continued promises of grants and further extensions of furlough, what you really need is security, stability, and assurance for what comes next. You need to be able to hit the ground running when normality returns, and not have to depend on government money. You want to ensure that there is a career waiting for you, an income to support you and your family, and some sense of freedom and security to rest upon. All of this meaning that you may need to start preparing yourself for a potential change of career.

Because if and when another lockdown potentially happens beyond this one, or if restrictions tighten up further on down the line, you don’t want to be left stranded and powerless. You want to be working, productive, still developing as a professional. You want to continue doing what you’re good at, do fulfilling work, and offer a valuable service. 

Access Training can and will give you this. It’s all in your hands – nobody will make the decision for you. All it takes is commitment, dedication, and a call.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

In this day and age, becoming a carpenter can be simpler and shorter than the more traditional routes, which usually involve long-winded apprenticeships, large classes, and gradual results. But this doesn’t have to be the case…

Private Training Academies are the efficient and effective way forward; the short story is that it gets you qualified, working, and earning, quicker than you could any other way. And here are a few reasons why:

• They offer shorter, more condensed courses. 
• This style of intensive training not only makes you learn quicker, but also gives you the same learning opportunities in a more efficient time frame. 
• By the time an apprentice is one-fifth of their way into their course, you can be onsite and gaining valuable experience and salary.
• They are more flexible. 
• Private centres are not like schools or colleges; if you need to, you can fit your training around your professional and personal life. 
• You can complete significant portions of your course online, and travel to the training centre only when it suits you. 
• You gain the qualifications at the pace which suits you best, from whichever location is most convenient.
• They offer high-quality training from industry professionals.
• The training you receive from private academies is guaranteed to be run by tutors who have worldly experience in the industry. 
• They have often spent decades in the field, and are used to working with all manner of tradespeople, on all kinds of jobs.
• To put it simply: you’ll be learning from the best.

The country will always need carpenters, and that’s why Access Training is committed to supplying the next generation of carpenters with the qualifications they need to get on the field, get working, and get earning. If you work well with your hands, can manage well in a team, and enjoy problem-solving – then a carpentry career is for you. 

Access Training offers every qualification necessary for getting started on a promising and successful career. Every type of course we offer covers the bases of carpentry: whether you want a few important, fundamental skills to get you started, or if you want to go all the way up to fitting kitchens and roofs – we have what you need. 

Take a look at our course types below to get an idea of what’s on offer:

• Essential

• Offering the essential skills and qualifications necessary to becoming a domestic carpenter; this course is the base layer requirement for getting you out and working in domestic environments.

• Professional

• For those serious about going far in a carpentry career, this course builds on the qualifications on offer; for wider career options, greater skill-set, and more work opportunities, choose this course.

• Premier

• This course will give you everything you could possibly need from a carpentry career; not only will you be a fully qualified and desirable employee, but you will also have the means to work for yourself, and be your own boss. 

How training works:

With the right mindset, all you need to do is pick the right course for you. Sign up, and our tutors will take care of the rest.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

The Covid-19 pandemic has threatened the jobs of millions of people across the UK. Since March, the UK has seen an unemployment crisis not seen in this country for decades, with 181,000 people having been made redundant, and counting. If recent forecasts have told us anything, it’s that the damage done to our economy as a result of the pandemic will be permanent. That we’re in it for the long haul.

The most up-to-date statistics, as given by the Office of National Statistics in September, puts the UK’s unemployment rate at 4.8%, having risen by 300,000 since last year. This indicates a current level of 1.62 million unemployed people. But predictions for the next year are much, much higher, with the number reaching 2.6 million by the middle of 2021. That accounts for 7.5% of the working population, a level of unemployment not seen since the aftermath of the financial crisis ten years ago. 

However, some predictions relating to the scale of UK unemployment are even higher. The Bank of England suggests that the unemployment rate will peak at around 7.7% between April-June 2021. And other sources predict that this percentage could even reach beyond 10%. Some factors, such as the government’s extension of furlough, might reduce these figures temporarily. But these varied predictions tell us one important thing: that although we know that times ahead will be tough, we simply don’t know just how bad things are going to get. Are we merely taming the inevitable storm which will, at some point, cause widespread and long-term unemployment? How can the working population of the UK possibly prepare for such a large-scale crisis?

Unfortunately, Rishi Sunak’s spending review in November gave us little cause for hope. In order to deal with the demands of the pandemic, the UK government has had to borrow £349bn – ‘the highest [amount] in peacetime history’, according to Sunak. He announces that the economy is expected to contract by 11.3% this year – ‘the largest fall in output for more than 300 years’, Sunak says. He does not expect to return to pre-Covid levels of economic growth until ‘the fourth quarter of 2022’. And, to top it all off, he describes the damage done to the economy as ‘lasting’.

It goes without saying that now, more than ever, we are all desperate to hear words of comfort, security and hope. And despite Mr. Sunak’s insistence that the government will ‘ensure nobody is left without hope’, hope is seeming increasingly difficult to find. With continuous reports of redundancies, thousands across the country are falling victim to what has repeatedly been described as the ‘Coronavirus jobs bloodbath’ of recent months. 

But our purpose is to offer just this: hope. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learnt during the months of the pandemic, it’s that our tutors, our students, and individuals and organisations across the construction industry, are highly resourceful, determined, and efficient workers. We have demonstrated our ability to keep operating, despite the restrictions of the pandemic, in a safe and efficient way; just notice how all construction work has been allowed to go ahead in the second wave of lockdowns and restrictions. 

Most importantly, though, there are many, many job opportunities available in the construction industry. Construction sites were among the first working environments to open in August, and construction sites have been allowed to remain open, even over lockdowns. Construction work is absolutely essential to the growth and recovery of the UK’s economy, not only in the months ahead, but in the years, decades to come. Hospitals, schools, roads, houses – all these things will continue to need building, rebuilding, repairing. Large infrastructural projects, like HS2, still need completing, and are all vital to our economy. 

And this is why we at Access Training have adapted our services as best we can, by creating an online portal to ensure that the theoretical aspects of our training can still be completed in spite of lockdowns, isolations, and anything a pandemic can throw at us. 

This is why we, and other independent companies across the UK, are taking the initiative and networking with other industry leaders to create a stronger job market, and supply the construction industry with the workforce it so desperately needs. 

This is why Access is dedicated to training the next generation of tradespeople in our centres; because we know that the opportunities are there for years to come. That having skilled, experienced tradespeople working in the UK, has never been more important.

The construction industry has been, and will continue to be, an absolutely essential element of the UK’s future development. Mr. Sunak’s hopes for economic recovery are highly dependent on a thriving construction industry.

The UK construction industry needs tradespeople – needs you – more than you can imagine. Take a leap of faith and join a fast growing industry, where you won’t have to find work – it will find you. 

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

According to PHAM News, plumbers pay has stabilised in 2020 with Hudson Contract reporting that plumber earnings are currently at £47,000 per year.

Self-employed plumbers have earned an average of £976 a week last month – the equivalent of a £47,000 annual salary – according to Hudson Contracts, the construction industry’s biggest payer of subcontractors. Plus they also said that earnings in October 2020 were above levels achieved between April and June this year.

The levels earned by plumbers contracting in Wales saw the strongest growth in October with an increase of 9.4%. Plumbers earnings in the north of England, namely Yorkshire and Humber, neared 12.5% and in the East Midlands earrings rose by 5.3%.  

 PHAM News quoted Ian Anfield, MD of Hudson, commenting on earnings for plumbers, 

“Our clients are telling us they have full order books and that demand for skilled trades continues to outstrip supply. Our clients say it will be business as usual up to Christmas…’

This is obviously good news given the gloomy scenario many are facing in other sectors right now as the economy falters in many areas. As a career changer with the possibility of becoming an independent contractor, the future could be bright if you choose plumbing as a career. At Access Training, we are always striving to provide you with the professional level of training, knowledge and skills needed to become a skilled plumber allowing you the opportunity to take advantage of this growth in earrings.

To find out how to become professionally certified in a trade such as plumbing or to simply discuss the career options available to you, call us today.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

First thing’s first: anybody can be an electrician, with previous experience or not. In reality, there are only a few important things you need:

• Theory and practical training preparing you for exams and career
• Industry recognised qualifications from an accredited awarding body (such as EAL or City & Guilds). 
• A good work ethic, and a commitment to working in the trade industry.

There are a couple of ways you can gain the training and qualifications to start your career as an electrician. You will need to choose the option that both suits your lifestyle and provides you the best outcome. The two most common are:

• Apprenticeship. 

• This takes 2-4 years to complete, typically involving large classes and infrequent training.
• Poor starting wage.
• Good experience gained working with professionals for a long period of time.

• Private training academy 

• Private academies involve professional tuition in small, focused groups.
• Amount of time training is the same as apprenticeship, but is condensed to full time or flexible courses so people can work at the same time as training.
• Courses last from 2 weeks to several months depending on the qualifications being obtained. 
• Experience needs to be gained quickly and confidently .
• Great starting wages as qualifications have already been earnt. 

Access Training is a private training company which offers the training courses necessary to become a qualified electrician. It gives you the necessary qualifications, and a leg-up into the electrical industry, providing you with essential experience, skill, and qualifications. Speak to our career support team today to explore all the options available.

READ MORE: How to Become an Electrician

Here’s a breakdown of what Access Training can offer anybody starting out on an electrical career, or already experienced in the field, wanting to add a string to your bow. Our courses range between the following:

• Essential - Offering the essential skills and qualifications necessary to becoming a domestic electrician; this course is the base layer requirement for getting you out and working in domestic environments.

• Professional - For those serious about going far in an electrical career, this course builds on the qualifications on offer; for wider career options, greater skill-set, and more work opportunities, choose this course.

• Premier - This course will give you everything you could possibly need out of an electrical career; not only will you be a fully qualified and desirable employee, but you will also have the means to work for yourself, and be your own boss.

How training works:

With the right mindset, all you need to do is pick the right course for you, sign up, and our tutors will take care of the rest.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

So it's now turning cold and winter is beginning to set in after some mild and changeable weather. As a result professional plumbers are going to start getting those panicked calls from customers regarding frozen pipes leading to expensive floods and leaks, potentially ruining the house and its contents.

As any professional plumber will know, there are some obvious mistakes that people make when they are taking measures to protect their house to prevent these issues occuring, the most obvious being to turn your heating off if you go away as it makes sense when you’re going away to stay with family. The top tip we cover is:

Don’t turn the heating off and leave it on a low setting

This action in itself, could cause serious problems if the temperature drops too low as the pipes will freeze and could burst whilst you're away. 

• You should leave the house warming to a minimum of 14 degrees centigrade. The only time you should leave your heating off is if you're away for a longer period of time. 
• Consider turning the stop cock off or even draining the system altogether if away for long periods, but this needs to be carried out by a trained and qualified professional plumber or they could end up with further issues. 
• Many households will have a combi boiler heating both the hot water and heating elements of the home so the danger here is that the pipes will have condensation within and cause the boiler to stop working. And remember, all pipes can freeze.  

Pipes freeze whether they are plastic or copper

There are also stories abound that people with plastic pipes rate than the traditional copper pipes means that they won't freeze or burst. When it comes to this problem, the type of pipe is irrelevant, it depends how much the pipe has to expand when the water within freezes. 

• Insulation of pipes is key with all of this, so all pipes that are in areas where freezing is a risk suck loft spaces and garages. 
• It's also imperative that any dripping or leaking pipes are dealt with as possible as this will increase the likelihood of the pipes or drains freezing. 
• If in doubt turn the stop off and call professional plumber:

Turn the stop cock off and call a profesional plumber

If a pipe bursts or there appears to be a problem with a persistent drip or ‘weep’ then the stopcock should be turned off and any repairs should be completed by a qualified plumber.

• Alternatively a hairdryer, could be used to thaw out a frozen pipe but be careful not to use a high heat setting. 
• Don’t be tempted to use a naked flame such as a lighter or even a blowtorch to thaw the pipe.
• Homeowners should make sure they know where the stopcock is situated and they should regularly make sure that the tap itself is serviceable.

Using the services of a professional plumber

There is a danger also that some plumbing work can be carried out by homeowners rather than hiring a professional plumber. 

• The cost of hiring a plumber is an unwelcome expense to many but the mistakes made could mean they're paying a plumber more to fix a plumbing issue than was necessary than the first place, costing more time and money. 
• To make sure the job is done right the first time, it is easier to simply call out a qualified plumber to avoid any costly mistakes. 
• At Access Training our experts can offer you advice if you’re not sure about any training that may be required to carry out a task.

Advice from Access Training’s plumbing tutors

Our Tutors advice, thorough years of experience, is to: 

• Always use a qualified plumber to ensure the job is done safely and most importantly carried out to UK building regulations.
• Nobody should undertake a task that they were not trained to rectify as possibly dangerous scenarios can result from the most simplistic looking tasks. 
• A trained professional plumber, someone who has received the training, skill and knowledge and therefore holds professional plumbing qualifications, is the only way to deal with problems that arise. 

At Access Training, we are always striving to provide people of all ages, young and old, with the professional level of training, knowledge and skills needed to carry out basic and complex tasks, safely and efficiently. For those looking to become skilled and qualified as a plumber, we will teach you what you need to know, allowing you the opportunity to turn basic DIY jobs into earnings and a career.

How we train: 

To find out how to become professionally certified in a trade such as plumbing or to simply discuss the career options available to you, call us today.

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.