Access Training News | Trade & Training Blog

One of the great advantages that comes from training as a plumber, is the flexibility and availability of the work on offer, a benefit that has been enjoyed by many of the individuals who have previously completed our range of plumbing courses. If you're considering a career in plumbing, or if you're thinking about leaving your current job for a new profession, you'll want to gain a thorough understanding of the options available to you before you commit to a training path. To help you gain an understanding of the level of training we offer, we've included some testimonials from our previous students, which highlight the opportunities they have managed to secure since completing their training with us:

My plumbing business is going from strength to strength. I've had a dramatic change in fortune since leaving the Post Office!

Lee Taylor

As you can see from the statement above, it is possible to begin your career as a plumber from a completely unrelated starting point, which means that there is no call for previous experience before starting the course. It also gives you the chance to work in an industry with countless opportunities to work on a self-employed basis, as well as to start your own business. This goes to show that our training courses do not simply take you from one job to another, but are able to completely transform your work life for the better.

I had no previous experience of plumbing before, but the course simulates real life situations and the tutors are so helpful that I feel totally confident in my work. Being a self employed plumber is the best job I've ever done.

Steven Walker

Perhaps one of the greatest advantages that comes from completing our courses, is the style and quality of the teaching on offer, which allows you to gain industry required qualifications as well a thorough understanding of the practical requirements of the job. As Stephen notes, the guidance he received whilst completing his course allowed him to have total confidence in his abilities when he went on to peruse his professional career, so much so that he was eventually able to start his own business:

I simply wouldn't have been able to start my business without Access Training. I can't praise the company enough, my plumbing business is growing, it's been going for 18 months now and I've employed two people from Access Training who did the same course as me!

Steven Walker

Stephen's second statement also highlights another advantage of completing our courses, which is the fact that it allows you to make useful contacts in your fellow candidates. Whether you go on to seek employment with an existing company or with a view to starting your own business, it is always incredibly useful to have trustworthy contacts who can help you find employment, and support you on the road to success.

To read more testimonials from our plumbing courses, or one of the many other areas we cover here at Access Training, click here.

07Mar2016

Plumbing Courses: Our Success Stories

dwadmin testimonials

If you're thinking of putting your time and effort into completing a training course, you'll want to do some through research before you begin, to make sure that your investment is worthwhile. Before committing to a new career, it's important that you consider whether or not the industry is right for you, by looking into the hours you could be expected to work, job availability, and of course, the financial aspects.

Last week, we wrote a piece about electricians being happy workers, but what about their earnings? Well, if you're considering becoming an electrician, you'll be pleased to find out that they are, on average, the highest paid of all tradespeople in the UK. In fact, in 2015 the average wage of an electrician rose to over £30k, making it the fastest growing pay-increase of any trade. Even newly qualified electricians can expect to earn £20k as a starting salary, making it an extremely attractive prospect for those looking to start out in the industry.

If you're thinking of becoming an Electrician, here are a few encouraging facts about the progress routes and earning opportunities presented by the trade:

You Have The Opportunity To Be Your Own Boss

Once you've completed your training and gained enough experience in the industry, there are a wealth of opportunities to go it alone and become your own boss, particularly if you've built a strong relationship with your customers. Electricians who are self employed tend to earn much more than those employed by others, although it's important to consider the costs that go with this, such as tool hire and insurance.

The More You Learn, The More You Earn

One of the main advantages of becoming an electrician, is that you will be able to improve your salary by adding new skills to your portfolio. Once you've completed your training or have been in the profession for a few years, it's worth your while to train in new areas so that you can complete a wider range of work. Gaining advanced inspection and testing skills can prove to be a huge advantage in this trade, and can even allow you to move up another pay grade. Qualifications like The City and Guilds 2394 and 2395, which we offer here at Access Training, can make a huge difference to your range of opportunities and your value as a skilled tradesperson, allowing you to take your career to the next level. After this, you could also move on to a more advanced course such as the 2396 Electrical Design Course, which allows you to become qualified in the planning aspects of electrical installation, making you a suitable candidate for management roles in the future.

Flexible Pay Options

Unlike certain professions, a career as an electrician offers a diverse range of pay options, from hourly/daily rates to opportunities for overtime. Hourly rates for an experienced electrician can range between £25 to £50, although it is often the case that a domestic installer will charge for work per day, with electricians usually earning between £200 and £300, with obvious increases in more prosperous areas. Due to the nature of the work, it's also common for projects to extend past their predicted lifespan, which means that opportunities for overtime should be available if you desire. Although the JIB discourages systematic overtime, it does not place restrictions in the case of breakdown and urgent repairs, providing you with opportunities to take on extra work as and when you want it.

To explore our full range of electrician courses and pave your way to a new, prosperous career, click here.

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04Mar2016

How Much Can I Make as an Electrician?

Mark

Since the 2015 General Election, Britain has seen many changes in the way that the UK is run, and this year is no different. Yes, we are talking about the hot topic of the moment – the EU Referendum.

The EU referendum has turned in a rather controversial issue, with people from every industry having their say on whether Britain should stay or leave. This is because an EU exit will have profound effects on how Britain will conduct future business – especially in the construction industry. Reassuringly, a survey conducted by Smith and Williamson found that only 15% of construction company executives favoured leaving the European Union.

One of the major issues that leaving the EU would present to the construction industry concerns access to labour. Presently, the UK is experiencing a huge skills shortage across the construction industry, which means that we are relying heavily on foreign workers to come over and help fill the gap.

One of the fundamental values of the EU is free movement, which makes immigration around EU counties relatively easy and stress-free. If Britain exits the EU then emigration into the UK will become more difficult, discouraging skilled workers from entering the country and focusing on countries still within the EU. On a positive note, there will be more jobs within the construction industry, but fewer people to fill them.

The EU is a trading union, which has helped break down barriers that make it difficult for companies to do business and invest in each other’s businesses. With the threat of a Brexit looming, multimillion-pound manufacturing giants have already expressed concerns about investing in an independent UK. One of the biggest advantages to being in the EU is that we are granted free trade between member nations. This makes it easier and cheaper for British companies to export their goods and - more importantly for the construction industry - building materials.

Even though the vast majority of construction companies are currently in favour of staying in the EU, it is important to look at the counter arguments of the 15% minority. For instance, the chairman of JCB plans to vote in favour of a Brexit because it “could cut the costs of bureaucracy so much that any additional costs of leaving the EU would be easily covered”. He also disagrees with the claims that it will make trade more difficult with other EU countries because “it is in everyone’s interests to trade openly and freely.”

It is hard to predict what knock-on effect a Brexit will have on the UK’s construction industry because no country has ever left the EU before. Over the coming months we are going to hear a lot of arguments to stay or leave, and possibly a lot of contradictory information about what will happen if we do decide to exit. At the end of the day, it is up to us as individuals to come to an educated decision as to whether we think it will be beneficial for the UK to stay or leave.

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03Mar2016

Brexit: How Will it Affect the UK Construction Industry?

Gareth construction

According to the latest figures, the UK's construction workforce has shrunk by 12.9% since 2008. This is particularly strange due to the abundance of work currently available to contractors, which would suggest that the industry in busier than ever, with workers often having to turn down work because they already have an existing contract or promise of work with another employer. In spite of the surge in demand, however, the amount of workers in the industry fell dramatically last year, with 16,000 less people in the profession between 2014 and 2015.

Industry experts have put this dramatic fall in numbers down to a shirking talent pool, with people previously trained in the profession either retiring, in work, or having moved to other industries during a low period of work after the recession in 2009. Since the recovery in 2012 and 2013, those who remained in the profession managed to regain regular employment straight away, but they were not joined by a high number of new or returning workers. This means that firms can no longer rely on a once-abundant pool of talent to recruit from, which prevents them from expanding and in turn, presents a barrier for overall industry growth.

What the construction industry now needs is an surge of new talent from young people entering the industry, as well as those from a non-construction background who have decided to change their career. Before expansion and increased job security is possible, there must be enough skilled tradespeople to meet the demands of the industry, and to ensure a high calibre work force. At Access Training, we've helped countless individuals to gain the skills so desperately needed in the industry, allowing them to access a new and fruitful career path. From total beginners to ex service men and women, we have helped a diverse pool of candidates to reach their full potential and begin a successful career in construction.

Some of the courses we offer include:

Bricklaying

Carpentry

Electrical Installation

and more!

Explore the rest of our site to see our full range of courses and lay the foundations for your future, as well that of the UK construction industry. For more information about our courses, get in touch with us today!

02Mar2016

UK Construction Workforce Shrinking! Could You Fill the Gap?

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It has been reported that unemployment in the UK has been steadily decreasing over the last few years, but looking closely at the numbers, in the UK there is currently around 1.71 million people who are unemployed, get the skilled trades industry needs at least 35,000 entrants to stand still.

With enough unemployed people to help close the trade skills gap - why are people not considering a career as an electrician, plumber, or gas engineer? We believe that there is a distinct lack of information provided by schools about the qualifications needed and the career opportunities available for young people within skilled trade industries.

Mark Beard, chief executive of regional contractor Beard, believes that “only a few young people see construction as a viable, well paid or exciting industry to work in because careers information at school is generally inadequate and out-dated”

The industry must also build better relationships with careers advisor's and teachers, said Beard, as well as ensuring that they have high-quality information and materials that provide accurate and informed advice.

He added: “By stepping into the classroom and sharing insights about apprenticeships, work placements and our own career paths, we can help young people make informed choices. We can also advise them on the skill-sets and qualifications they’ll need to succeed in the digital construction world of the future.”

In general we agree with the point raised by Mark Beard. If construction companies and trade industry experts took the time to deliver career talks or engaging educational days to children, we could motivate more people to aspire to become a plumber or an electrician.

Firstly, It is important that we work to dispel the myths about trade jobs. Many people still see trades jobs and low paid, unimportant, and physically demanding jobs which are more suited to men than women, which is simply not the case. By dispelling these myths from a young age, we may find that more women aspire to become a trades-woman. We need to start communicating to young people that learning a skilled trade is an important, exciting job, and there will always be plenty of well-paid, work available.

Secondly, we believe there is a lack of assistance for school leavers who wish to embark on a trade career instead of going to university. In many schools, the focus for many students is to carry on their education through 6^th form or college and onto university. As we know, university doesn't appeal to everyone, and the pressure to go to university that some school apply on their students, may leave many people feeling alienated and questioning what careers paths they can embark on instead of going onto further education. To help educate students about careers in trade, industry experts should be working closely with schools and colleges. Helping to open the discussion about trade jobs and providing up to date information on the qualifications needed to become a skilled trades person will help educate and inspire people from a young age.

UK companies need to become more engaged with the younger generation, and need to inform children about the importance to skilled trades, and the need for individuals with a specialist skill set and the type of career they can have. For many students, not having an extortionate amount of debt over their heads upon completion of their education could be very appealing!

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01Mar2016

Could Construction & Trade Be Better Represented in Classrooms?

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With Employee Motivation Day approaching on the 25th of February, Electrical Times decided to take a closer look at the job satisfaction of UK tradespeople. According to statistics, a third of tradespeople felt motivated to succeed in their career every day, while 70% said that they felt positive about work more than three days a week. This positive work life is also combined with a growth in demand within the construction industry, which is set to grow by 3% a year between 2015-2019, making this the perfect time for skilled professionals to be entering the profession or seeking work.

While job security and availability is no doubt a contributing factor when it comes to job satisfaction, statistics also show that this could come as a result of appealing to the specific personality traits that are possessed by many tradespeople. An example of this, is the 'Captain Questions' character, which refers to workers who enjoy exploring different approaches to work and problem solving. A fifth of workers place themselves in this category, which is why it's highly likely that a career as an electrician would appeal to these types of workers.

Requiring thorough attention, along with the ability to identify the best course of action, a career as an electrical engineer is an excellent choice for job satisfaction, due to the fact that it presents constant challenges and problem solving opportunities. It also provides individuals with a choice as to how they would like to work, granting them the opportunity to work independently in terms of residential operations, and also to work as part of a team in larger projects such as commercial developments.

With such promising career prospects and so many opportunities for personal development, now is the perfect time to enrol on one of our electrician courses. Equipping you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the field, our training will allow you to experience the satisfaction that comes from pursuing such a challenging and rewarding career, setting you up for years of career contentment.

To find out more about our electrician courses, get in touch today!

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22Feb2016

Electricians are Happy at Work! So What Makes Tradespeople Such Motivated Workers?

Ian

Professional Electrican and Installer recently reported the news of a terrible flat fire in Southampton, which was connected to the presence of a plastic consumer unit. Luckily, no one from the flat was injured on this occasion, but the damage caused by the fire was truly devastating and extensive.

The IET and BSI recently launched a new requirement for non-combustible consumer units, due to work with the London Fire Brigade which highlighted a rising number of house fires, which were caused by traditional consumer units. While this fire is evidence that these new requirements have yet to be fully employed in UK properties, it is further evidence for the need of steel consumer units and tighter electrical safety regulations.

While there are concerns that new building projects which began before the regulation was introduced will continue to use plastic consumer units, the IET are hopeful that increased awareness regarding the subject will eventually allow them to prevent domestic fires in the future.

Yet again, we are reminded of the importance of safe electrical installation, and what this means for UK electricians. As professional installers, electrical engineers have a responsibility to keep up to date on all the latest changes to safety regulations, and a duty to provide a safe installation for their customers.For this reason, we ensure that all of our electrician courses provide a through understanding of how to work safely and correctly, providing our candidates with all the knowledge required to become a first-class electrician. Taught by experienced teaching staff with a wealth of experience and knowledge, we ensure that each individual who completes our courses achieves the standard of training required to obtain their City and Guilds awards, and eventually start or resume their careers.

If you are looking to begin your career as an electrical engineer, you can enrol on one of our electrician courses today, to ensure that you go on to provide a safe and secure service to your future customers. If you are an experienced installer that needs to update their knowledge or expand their skills, you can get in touch with us today and find out about the trade professional electrician courses we offer.

For more electrical safety news and updates, follow us on Twitter!

16Feb2016

The Importance of Safe Electrical Installation in the Home

nathan electrical

Only last week we announced that apprentice winner Joseph Valente was looking to expand his business, by recruiting gas engineers for his company Impra Gas. Following suit, HomeServe have also announced a swathe of new positions in their company, as they recently revealed their plans to take on over a 160 gas, plumbing and drainage engineers.

Last year the company managed to create a network of 600 plumbing, heating and drainage engineers, and are now looking to expand the business even further to provide coverage throughout the UK. It is certainly heartening to see such a large number of jobs being created in the sector, a figure which should only continue to grow over the coming years as new eco technologies come to the fore, bringing with them new installation requirements.

This is a great opportunity for the lucky candidates who are successful in their applications, as HomeServe were recently named 'Best Employer in Business Services and Supplies' in an independent employee survey. Their workers were asked to rate their job satisfaction based on a number of different factors, including whether or not they would recommend their current employer to a prospective candidate. It's clear from the results that the company recognize the importance of creating a positive working environment to provide the best service to their customers, demonstrating the level of job satisfaction individuals are able to achieve from a career in gas and plumbing.

With opportunities coming up left right and centre, it really is the perfect time to enrol on one of our plumbing courses, to strike while the iron's hot. As with any area, employers are particularly keen to take on multi-skilled engineers, which is why a programme like our Premier Plumbing Course could put you at a distinct advantage. Allowing you enter the trade as a qualified plumber and heating engineer, this course is ideal for individuals who wish to distinguish themselves from their fellow candidates once they have completed the course, and are able to seek full time employment. It will allow you to gain a keen grasp of plumbing work, but will also allow you to achieve multiple electrical and gas qualifications to join the Gas Safe Register, an essential requirement for any reputable company.

Of course if you are already a qualified gas engineer or electrician, we also offer a number of other plumbing courses, allowing to to add another skill to your portfolio and advance your career. For qualified plumbers looking to expand their skills within the sector, we also off a number of trade professional plumbing courses, which are ideal for individuals who are looking to offer the complete package in their services.

If you're interested in enrolling on one of our plumbing courses, or simply want to find out more, then get in touch with us today!

You can keep up with more industry news by following us on Twitter.

12Feb2016

HomeServe Creates New Jobs for Plumbing and Gas Engineers

Mark

DIY is something of a sticky situation for both tradespeople and homeowners, but when it comes to electrical safety, mistakes or mistrust from either party could prove to be fatal. According to a news article published by Electrical Times a few days ago, electricians are the trade most often called out to rescue DIY jobs gone wrong, and half of severe electrical shocks are caused by failed or misguided DIY attempts. No puns about 'shocking statistics' here, but it is worrying to see such a widespread disregard and ignorance of electrical safety. We've all heard the warnings about not sticking utensils into toasters, but it seems that on the whole, the average citizen and even some professionals are not giving electrical safety the attention it deserves.

According to Electrical Times and the charity Electrical Safety First, young people have become more at risk due to the growing popularity of online tutorials, which can sometimes cause inexperienced individuals to carry out work that they are unfit to complete. Hand in hand with the skills crisis we're seeing in the professional sector, people under 35 are losing the ability to perform what would have once been described as 'basic skills', and are picking up their knowledge from untrustworthy resources on the web. Electrical Safety First has demonstrated the risks of such overly-ambitious and dangerous undertakings as part of their 'Don't Die for DIY' campaign, in a series of videos which can be viewed here. This demonstrates the risks that come from following unregulated advice, and the threat posed by undertaking electrical work without the proper training or experience.

While it is possible to understand why homeowners would want to carry out electrical jobs themselves, with money being tight in many households and 'rouge traders' becoming a growing concern due to media exposure, the fact remains that these kind of undertakings often pose serious health and safety risks to everyone involved. In terms of the average homeowner, there needs to be an improved awareness of the knowledge and experience needed to carry out these dangerous projects, and in relation to the professional sector, there has to be a greater emphasis placed on keeping your skills up to date, and continuing to abide by the rules set out by regulatory bodies.

If You're a DIY Enthusiast:

Don't be swayed by the financial allure of saving money by performing a DIY job! If things go wrong, which they very often do, you will eventually end up spending money on calling out an electrician to put things right. This could even cost you more than the original fee due to factors such as emergency call-out rates, and the increased attention required to rectify a botched job.
Know the risks - Qualified electricians have spent a long time training and gaining experience in their field; something which can't simply be supplemented with 'quick fix' options. Saving some money is not worth putting yourself and others at risk of receiving a fatal injury, so keep that in mind before starting your job.
Train Properly - If you are serious about performing DIY jobs yourself, then why not invest in your abilities and take one of our electrician courses? While our courses are intended to help people make electrical work their career, we can tailor our programmes to suit any individual's needs, making them more than suitable for someone who simply wants to undertake domestic work in their own home. Most importantly, you'll be taught by professional, accredited teaching staff with years of experience.

If You're a Professional:

In order to build a bond of trust with your clients, it is important that you always strive to provide them with an honest and courteous service. If people feel that they are being overcharged or inconvenienced in any way, it is highly unlikely that they will choose to hire your services (or those of another professional for that matter) in the future. Make sure that you display professionalism at all times, to instil confidence in your services and those of the sector as a whole.
Don't become overly confident, careless or take things for granted! As humans, our brains are constantly looking for ways to make things easier for ourselves, but when it comes to electrical safety and performing dangerous work at a professional level, this is a risk that simply cannot be taken. This goes for business owners and managers as well, who should always ensure that their employees are fully trained, and are following health and safety guidelines.
As well as new career courses, we also provide electrician courses for experienced professionals who need to refresh their skills or add additional knowledge to their portfolio. From Portable Appliance Testing to Combined Inspection and Testing, we have a range of courses to expand your professional knowledge and improve your ability to work safely.

For more information about any of our courses, get in touch with us today!

11Feb2016