Late last week, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that the government would drop a Tony Blair-era target of 50% of young people going to university.

In a speech that stressed the need for more vocational training, Williamson said that Britain's education system was guilty of ignoring the "forgotten 50% who choose another path", referring to those who didn't go to university.

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He also described the need for a major overhaul of this country's approach to training, including courses in the trades and construction where skills shortages continue to occur. The UK is currently in desperate need of plumbers, electricians, gas engineers and carpenters, and many people would prefer to learn these useful skills than go to university for a degree they may not even use.

"Education can open the door to better prospects and transform lives," said Williamson.

With reference to those who felt passed over, the Education Secretary said: "I don't accept this absurd mantra, that if you are not part of the 50% of young people who go to university that you've somehow come up short. You have become one of the forgotten 50% who choose another path."

If you are one of those who was forgotten during the past 20 years, we at Access Training are here to help you get the professional qualifications and training you deserve, for the career you've always wanted. Talk to us about our courses that, even during this difficult period, have produced thousands of qualified tradespeople - despite the prevailing narrative that university education is the only route to a successful ​career. This way of thinking is plainly wrong, as evidenced by all the success stories our training courses have produced.

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Mr Williamson continued: "It exasperates me that there is still an in-built snobbishness about 'higher' being somehow better than 'further', when really they are just different paths to fulfilling and skilled employment."

This university target was described as being a target for the sake of a target, not one with any special purpose. Training should always focus on working towards high-quality qualifications and meeting the requirements set by employers. This is what Access Training Academies have successfully been providing for adult students for the past 13 years.

Adult career changers need a high-quality set of choices, with a clear line of sight to the career they want, at any stage of life should they want to pursue it.

"University should never have been regarded as the silver bullet for everyone and everything," said Williamson. We at Access Training wholeheartedly agree. There are so many opportunities for adult learners to get into the trades; they just need the right bespoke course to help them achieve this.

In short, there is a need for a revolution, and change is long overdue. Education's purpose is to unlock an individual's potential so that they can get the job they want. "If it fails to do that, then education itself has let them down," said Williamson. "Today, I have laid down a marker for change. A commitment to stand for the forgotten 50%."

If you didn't go to university, or if your choices for a new career seem limited, contact Access Training and we will help you to find a pathway to a successful career within the trade of your choosing.

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"A new programme to give hundreds of thousands of young people, in every region and nation of Britain, the best possible chance of getting on and getting a job." - Rishi Sunak

Photo by Chris McAndrew (Wikimedia Commons)

Last Wednesday's mini-budget saw the Chancellor put jobs at the heart of his £2 billion scheme to prevent a surge in unemployment.

Rishi Sunak will unveil a plan designed to keep up to 300,000 young people off the dole as the COVID-19 recession bites.

Under the Kickstart Scheme, the Treasury will pay the wages of thousands of youngsters if firms agree to hire them for six months.

Mr Sunak went on to say:

"We cannot lose this generation, so today, I am announcing the Kickstart Scheme - a new programme to give hundreds of thousands of young people, in every region and nation of Britain, the best possible chance of getting on and getting a job.

"These will be new jobs - with the funding conditional on the firm proving these jobs are additional. These will be decent jobs with a minimum of 25 hours per week, and new hires will be paid at least the National Minimum Wage."

"A very hopeful message for the trades industry"

Training providers are now getting ready for the thousands of new students who will be looking​ to get qualified in order to take advantage of the new jobs being offered.

One construction training specialist said:

"We are expecting a huge demand for training in the last 5 months of 2020. This is a very hopeful message for the trades industry.

"The educational norm has changed to incorporate online training and the flexibility that offers students, so there is now no reason why anyone can't take advantage of the government's Kickstart Scheme."

If you're looking to learn a trade and pursue a new career, Access Training Academies can help - call 0800 345 7492 now to speak to a course advisor.

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Are you being left behind by government initiatives aimed at those aged 16 to 24?

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government have set out to provide paid job opportunities for unemployed people aged 16 to 24. This is, of course a much-needed show of support for young people who may be struggling to find work right now. But where does this leave everyone else?

What options are available for unemployed 25-year-olds and others who are too old to benefit from these government initiatives?

It's never too late to learn a trade!

It is widely accepted that careers in the construction, electrical, and plumbing and heating trades are some of the most stable positions available in the current UK climate; these career paths also provide job satisfaction with the option to be your own boss.

Construction training providers across the UK are now seeing increased demand for training and an increase in demand for tradespeople. Trade courses are seen as a viable solution for those struggling or wanting to change career.

Electrician

Electricians are the highest earners of all trades and play a crucial role in modern everyday life. Key areas of the job include

• Planning, writing and understanding diagrams and floor plans
• Repairing damaged wiring and equipment
• Using a range of power and hand tools
• Planning and installing electrical wiring and fixtures based on job specs and local codes

Plumber

Plumbing is a challenging but rewarding career. The role pays well, too. As an apprentice plumber, you should expect to earn anywhere from £15,000 which will quickly increase to a salary of up to £40,000 with experience.

No two days in the life of a plumber are the same but some common plumbing jobs include:

• Stopping leaks and drips
• Unclogging drains
• Improving water pressure
• Installing new pipework
• Fitting bathrooms

Construction worker

Construction is an extremely rewarding trade. There's also plenty of scope for progression! You could become a supervisor, project manager, or even a construction manager. 

The average construction worker can earn £47,00 a year in the UK which is higher than the average UK salary!

As a construction worker, an average day could include tasks such as:

• Physical labour - lifting heavy materials, operating machinery, etc.
• Site preparation - clearing debris, setting up temporary structures, etc.
• Safety and quality control - following safety protocols and regulations

Call Access Training on 0800 345 7492 or contact us online to learn more about our wide range of trade training programmes for people of all ages.

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The UK's economic recovery has 'Build, Build, Build' as its new mantra - so the future looks bright for skilled tradespeople in the construction industry.

"We will build, build, build. Build back better, build back greener, build back faster, and do that at the pace that this moment requires," said Boris Johnson as he focused on trade skills to get the country back up and running.

This is a positive message for anyone considering a long-term career in the trades. The Prime Minister has promised a massive building programme to put jobs and infrastructure at the centre of his economic growth strategy.

New skilled trade job opportunities were promised, and the Prime Minister also highlighted the need to prioritise education. He said he wanted to end the current injustice, which he called "such a waste of human talent", and announced that his new plan would create "thousands of high-paid, high-skilled jobs", acknowledging that many jobs lost since January would not come back.

That's where Access Training Academies can help you. We can give you the trade skills you'll need to be part of this new initiative.

The government's £5 billion investment program is based around infrastructure projects that are designed to stimulate the UK economy and get people working in skilled trade jobs. This new initiative will only serve to encourage ​those considering a career change to become part of one of the only sectors that's likely to move forward quickly as the country comes out of lockdown.

The new construction-focused spending package includes:

• £1.5 billion this year in hospital spending
• Over £1 billion for a school rebuilding programme
• £560 million for repairs and upgrades to schools and further education colleges
• Millions of pounds to upgrade courts and prisons
• £900 million for local projects
• £96 million for town centres and funding to accelerate infrastructure projects in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

All of these projects will require electricians, plumbers, gas engineers and carpenters. So now is a fantastic time to learn a trade and join the construction industry - especially if the coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted your current line of work.

Boris Johnson's announcement was based on funding that offers many people great new opportunities. "That is how it is meant to sound and to be, because that is what the times demand," he added.

The future for skilled tradespeople has never been brighter. Call Access Training on 0800 345 7492 to discuss your new career options.

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According to a survey recently carried out by the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), there is a recruitment crisis that's really starting to escalate as we move into 2020. 

In the last quarter of 2019, a record-breaking number of British firms reported that they were having issues finding skilled worker, with a net amount of 52% reporting supply issues. This is the highest this statistic has been in nearly five years!

Contractors are calling for government intervention in the hope for better training programs and more qualified workers to fill the skills gap. The Chief Executive of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Alisdair Reisner expressed his concerns that;

"The pipeline of planned investment in the infrastructure sector is of a sufficient scale to be transformative to the whole UK economy, but unless the workforce is sufficiently skilled in all part of the UK, our members will be unable to deliver the work to its full potential".

Reisner believes that only co-operation between the industry and the government will lead to the creation of a comprehensive skills plan, a plan that's desperately needed if it's going to be possible to upskill the existing workforce and entice new workers to the trade. An 'infrastructure revolution' is what's required to protect the fate of the British economy in the coming years. 

How can you help to fill the skills shortage gap?

Civil engineering is only one of the many areas lacking in skilled workers in the UK today, there are so many different professions crying out for newly qualified workers - could that be you?

Here at Access Training Academies, we offer a range of courses that will set you up for a lucrative career in the construction industry! Select a trade below to see the courses we offer:

• Electrical Courses
• Gas Courses
• Plumbing Courses
• Construction Courses

To read more about this story, click here. If you'd like to contact us about learning a new trade, give us a call on 0800 345 7492.

No matter what trade you happen to work in, you’ll most definitely have a preferred set of tools that you use to get a job done. For electricians, there will be some tools that you will swear by, whilst others may believe they’re not that important. However, there are a number of tools that are absolutely essential for all electricians not only to get a job done safely but effectively and to an excellent standard.

Here we provide a list of some of the essential tools for electricians and what they are used for:

1. Multimeter

A multimeter measures a number of electrical properties such as voltage, current and resistance. They are available as analogue or digital devices with newer models featuring a host of sophisticated bells and whistles such as thermal imaging cameras and Bluetooth.

2. Voltage Tester

Working as an electrician, it’s crucial to know whether a wire or device is ‘live’ because if you do find yourself working on something that is live, there could well be some dangerous consequences. Used for a fast safety check to ensure there is no voltage in an electrical wire or device, voltage testers absolutely vital. If available, it’s recommended to use a non-contact voltage tester as these can detect electricity without ever touching the wire or outlet.

3. Wire Strippers

With a variety of holes to enable you to work with different size wires, strippers are used to cut and strip insulation from the wire. The handle of the strippers should always be comfortable to hold and easy to grip. Some wire stripper will even be made with cutting teeth so you can trim the wire ends at the same time.

4. Circuit Finder

Circuit directories are not always easy to find in some homes and at times, the service panel is very rarely matched with the complementary breaker. This is where a circuit finder comes in! Simply plug the transmitter into the outlet and detector will figure out where the matching directory is. Circuit finders are also a very handy piece of equipment to trace a circuit.

5. Specialised Screwdrivers and Nut Drivers

Even though they may not seem like trade-specific pieces of equipment and indeed, they’re not, as most people around the world are sure to have some form of screw or nut driver in their personal toolbox. However, there are some screw and nut drivers that have been manufactured specifically for electrical work.

Aside from specialised drivers, it’s important to make sure you always have Philips head and flathead screwdrivers with you at all times. Whether it’s removing and installing switches, outlets, cover plates or other devices, these tools will always come in handy. Be sure to have a variety of size options also, as this will keep you well-equipped for any task.

6. Pliers

A good, solid pair of pliers is a must-have for any and every electrician. Handles need to be comfortable and easy to grip, that open and close is a nice, smooth manner. Having several size options again would be ideal to suit a range of tasks. Besides the traditional pair of pliers, there are others that will most definitely come in handy for any sparky. These include:

• Side-cutting and diagonal-cutting – Used to cut wires to specific lengths
• Tongue and groove – Used to remove knockouts from metal electrical boxes and tighten clamps.
• Needle-nose or long nose – Made with thin, grasping ends, these pliers make it easier to reach small spaces.

7. Fish Tape

Also known as ‘draw wire’ or ‘electricians snake’, this handy tool is used to pull and push stranded or sold wire through a conduit or fishing cables across ceilings or down walls. It can be retracted and deployed when needed as it comes on a reel which always means it’s easy to grip.

8. Multi-Functional Tester

Without a doubt, one of the most essential tools for an electrician, the multi-functional tester or MFT is a requirement for any electrician to ensure that any installation is correctly installed and that all test readings meet the requirements as laid out in the IET regulations.

9. Battery Drill

Battery drills are used by electricians to drill holes in wood, walls or other tough surfaces and fixing screws and fasteners onto surfaces. The type of drill used will vary depending on the task-at-hand, for example, a lower-voltage cordless drill might be used when fastening work is required. Whereas for drilling into concrete, a hammer drill would be used as this provides increased impact and will drill holes at a faster rate.

10. Electrical Wall Chaser

A fantastic time-saving tool, electric wall chasers are used to cut narrow grooves and channels into walls in order to install cables or a conduit. The electric motor powers electric discs similar to those found in angle grinders and some even come with a vacuum cleaner connection, allowing for great dust-free working environments.

And there you have it, the best and most essential tools for electricians! For those of you just starting out your career in the electrical industry, we hope our list of top tools can help provide you with some quality additions to your toolbox to help make your electrical work safer and much more efficient. To those of you who are considering entering the electrical industry, we can also help with our range of electrician courses! All of which guarantee the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to embark on a successful career as an electrician.

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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.