With most people now working well into their 60s (if not later), it's important to choose a career that you're likely to enjoy. As those who have taken an Access Training electrical course will know, electricians make good money, often get to choose their own hours, and are in very high demand in the UK right now. But is being an electrician fun? Is it a job that people genuinely enjoy, or just another way to pay the bills?

The answer mostly depends on what you personally enjoy doing. We find that most of our graduates very much enjoy their new line of work, but it's good to find out if it’s something you’ll like before you start your electrical training.

With that in mind, here are few things to consider:

Do you find fixing things rewarding?

One of the things electricians most enjoy about their job is the satisfaction of fixing things. Having to work out what’s wrong and then correct the problem takes a lot of knowledge – if you like problem solving, you’ll probably find being an electrician fun!

Do you like being active?

You may not realise what an active life electricians lead. A typical day can include climbing up and down stairs, scaffolding and ladders many times. You may also have to crawl into small places. Either way, you'll need to be in relatively good shape. It’s far from an office job, so if you don’t like getting up and about then you may not find the job too fun.

Do you want a job with variety?

Being an electrician gives you the freedom to explore new work every day. You aren’t confined to one place and this means you’ll have lots of different experiences and meet lots of different people. Many electricians love that they constantly get to switch up their daily routine, finding a lot of fun in the diversity of the job.

For more information on what it’s like to be an electrician, feel free to contact us today. Alternatively, click here to view our electrical training packages.

If you go via the 'traditional' routes, it can take years to learn a new trade like plumbing and get the qualifications you need to start work. It used to be the case that the only way to become a professional plumber was to study in college, which typically takes two years, then take on an apprenticeship for an additional two to five years. This was to ensure that each plumber had the necessary skills and experience to work confidently and competently.

Here at Access Training, we aim to get you qualified in a much shorter timeframe. Of course, we also want our plumbing students to be confident and competent, so the exact length of our plumbing courses depends on the capabilities of the student in question.

Our plumbing courses

We offer three different plumbing course packages for new learners - regardless of what level you're aiming to achieve, we have the right course to get you where you need to be.

• Essential Plumbing Course
• Professional Plumbing Course
• Premier Plumbing Course

We also allow students to train around their current commitments, and some choose to do the training part-time. This ultimately takes longer but means students can continue working whilst they train and still end up as a skilled, fully-qualified plumber. The flexibility of our courses allows people to complete the course at their own speed.

Each student will need to build up a successful portfolio to demonstrate their competence at plumbing. If you have previous experience then this will inevitably be a quicker process, but complete beginners are welcome to Access Training too. We aim to get everyone to the same level, no matter how long it takes.

Our advisors are always happy to give advice, so if you have any further questions about our plumbing courses or how long it will take to become a plumber, please get in touch with us today!

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Being an electrician is a very rewarding occupation: the skills are in high demand, the salary is upwards of £30,000 per annum, and you have the opportunity to be your own boss. Of course, like most good things, becoming an electrician requires work.

You may be wondering what the quickest way to become an electrician is, but the answer to that question depends on the person. Traditionally, electricians have to study in college for years and take on a lengthy apprenticeship in order to become qualified.

Here at Access Training, however, we aim to help you become a qualified electrician in a much shorter timeframe with our Intensive Electrical Courses.

What qualification(s) do I need?

Before you can start working as an electrician, you will need to gain a Level 3 qualification to prove that you are competent enough to work as an electrician, ensuring your safety as well as that of others. Our Professional Electrical Course allows you to acquire a number of Level 3 electrical qualifications in a much shorter timeframe than traditional methods. How long this will take will depend on the student, but a fast track course is still one of the quickest ways to become an electrician.

Click here to view more electrical courses >

Anyone can be an electrician!

Our courses are designed to suit every level of experience and to fit in with a range of lifestyles. For instance, some students choose to complete their course on a part-time basis so as to accommodate other commitments, like work and family. The more experience you have, the quicker you will complete the course, but we welcome beginners too and it is still possible to get qualified quickly if you work hard.

The courses are flexible so that you can complete them at your own pace, and no matter how long it takes, we aim to help all of our students to achieve their goals. By the time you complete your course and receive your qualifications, you will be competent enough to take on work as an electrician.

To find out more about how long it will take for you to become an electrician, or for advice about any of our courses, please feel free to get in touch. We look forward to helping you become an electrician!

See also: Level 3 Electrical Training

The UK's plumbing and heating industry have been struggling with a serious skills shortage for some time now. Plumbers and gas engineers are in exceedingly high demand; many have found themselves forced to turn down jobs because there's simply no room in their tightly-packed schedules.

So the country needs more gas engineers, and it needs them now. The problem is that nobody becomes a qualified engineer overnight - completing college courses takes several years, and the same goes for apprenticeships. However, our fast track courses allow you to become qualified in a matter of months. 

There are plenty of opportunities for Gas Safe engineers in Britain right now, but it takes a long time to properly prepare a person for those jobs via these 'traditional' training routes. Becoming a gas engineer this way can a minimum of six months! 

Is there a faster way to become a gas engineer?

Fortunately for budding gas engineers and British homeowners alike, apprenticeships are no longer the only way to become a qualified heating engineer. Over the last few years, intensive gas training courses have soared in popularity throughout the UK, with an increasing number of career changers opting for the fast-track route and attaining Gas Safe status in a matter of a few months.

Some programmes even allow students the flexibility to learn part-time so as to accommodate other commitments - great news for would-be tradespeople who need to stay in work and/or support a family during the training period.

Become a gas engineer through an intensive training course

As an example, let's look at the Professional Gas Engineer Course that we offer here at Access Training. This is a flexible course that's open to everyone - no prior gas or plumbing experience is required to enrol.

This intensive course is specifically designed to give you gas engineer qualifications and ready for work within the shortest possible timeframe. All the basics are covered (including gas safety legislation and standards), and the hands-on training programme ensures that students are able to do everything that's expected of a gas engineer, e.g. pipework, tightness tests, and repairing a variety of gas appliances.

The course culminates in the ACS gas assessment, which tests students on everything they've learned. Those who pass this assessment receive the ACS Certificate, which enables them to join the Gas Safe Register and conduct gas work legally.

We also offer a Premier Gas Engineer Course, which includes two electrical qualifications. Completion of this course allows you to conduct electrical as well as gas work, opening up a wider range of jobs to you.

 Browse Our Gas Engineer Courses >

For more information on how to become a gas engineer, our fast-track gas safe courses, the gas engineer qualifications that you'll receive or how long it will take to complete our course and become a gas safe engineer, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Access Training team today.

It’s normal to want to know everything about a career you're interested in - all the pros and all the cons - so that you can make an informed decision on what it is you want to do. One thing to consider before you take up a new trade (electrical work, for instance) is the physical effect that your new job might have on your body.

The good news is that being an electrician isn't too hard on your body - there are numerous jobs, including some trade jobs, that take a far harsher physical toll on those who do them.

View our electrician courses >

However, this doesn’t mean that being an electrician is always easy going. If you ask electricians who have been in the business a long time, they will probably tell you they have experienced some discomfort in their knees and back.

This isn’t too surprising, as being an electrician often means crouching, kneeling and bending to reach the electrical installations you're supposed to be working on. With that in mind, it is advised that you take the proper precautions to ensure that your body remains healthy: electricians should stretch often and consider investing in knee pads to wear while working. It's also good practice, as in any line of work, to take breaks and refrain from putting too much stress on your body outside of working hours.

Generally speaking, though, being an electrician doesn't come with any major risks to your long-term physical health (excluding the potential for electrical shocks, which you can read about here). In many ways, a relatively active job like electrical work is preferable to a job that has you parked in front of a computer all day - the dangers of sitting down for long periods of time are well-documented, and this isn't something you'll have to worry about too often when you're working as an electrician, zipping from one job to the next all day long.

You can train to become a professional electrician by completing one of our electrical courses. For more advice on which course best suits you, feel free to get in touch with the Access Training team.

Whether you are brand new to the trade industry, itching for a change of direction, or just looking to refresh your knowledge, Access Training's Plumbing and Electrical courses are just what you need! Our state-of-the-art training centres across the UK are the perfect place to start if you're looking to kick-start or advance your career as a plumber or electrician.

Our Plumbing and Electrical courses have helped countless people to gain the industry-recognised qualifications that enabled them to succeed as professional tradespeople. When you go the traditional training route, it can take years to gain the qualifications necessary to start work as a plumber or an electrician; however, each of our courses aims to get you fully qualified within a far shorter timeframe than traditional methods.

Our Plumbing and Electrical courses are also perfect for anyone already working in the industry who wants to refresh their training or add new skills to their portfolio.

Browse our Plumbing and Electrical courses now

 Browse our Electrical Courses >

Browse our Plumbing Courses >

We design all of our courses to suit our students, which is why we offer three different options to suit all ambitions:

• Our Essentials courses give you the foundation knowledge needed to become qualified.
• The Professional courses go further, giving you a comprehensive preparation for your new life as a professional electrician or plumber.
• Our Premier courses go further still - these are our most advanced training programmes, and they include a range of additional qualifications that will really help you to stand out from your peers when you're looking for work.

All of these courses are designed for budding tradespeople with no prior knowledge of plumbing or electrical work, so even if you've never so much as changed a fuse or taken the lid off a toilet tank, we can help you to become accomplished and successful in your new trade.

If you have any questions about our Plumbing and Electrical courses, feel free to get in touch with the Access Training team!

Being an electrician sounds like an inviting job. The work is rewarding and well-paid, and you get to move around a lot, going from one job to the next instead of spending all day at a desk.

But is it easy being an electrician? You'll probably get a different answer to that question from each electrician you ask, but nevertheless, here are a few things to consider when deciding if you'd like to become an electrician. 

What do I need to be an electrician?

Nothing worth having comes easily, and of course that is true of a successful career. Electricians have to go through the appropriate training to learn the relevant skills and stay safe –after all, it's crucial to know what you're doing when you're working with electricity!

That is why there are certain qualifications that you MUST have before starting work as an electrician. These qualifications are included in our Essential Electrical Course which will provide you with:

• Part P Domestic Installer
• 17th Edition Electrical Regs
• Building Regulations for Electrical Installations in Dwellings 

Is training to be an electrician easy?

Here at Access Training, we offer a range of electrical courses (which you can browse here) that are suitable for learners of all ages and all experience levels. These courses allow you to gain industry-recognised qualifications and become a fully-certified electrician within a relatively short window of time. We wouldn't necessarily call our courses 'easy' - there's a lot of theory and technical skill involved in becoming a professional sparky - and students have to work hard in order to pass the course and earn the qualifications necessary to start work as an electrician.

However, our courses do allow you to become qualified in a quicker period of time than traditional methods. Whereas other electrician training takes years, Access Training allows you to gain qualifications within a much shorter time frame.

Is the job easy?

Once qualified, an electrician's job can vary greatly from day to day, which may mean that some days are easier than others. We find that most of our graduates enjoy this diverse selection of work and find the job fulfilling and satisfying. Of course - as with any job - the more experience you gain, the easier it will become.

When you work with electricity, there is obviously some danger that comes with the job - click here to read our blog post on this subject. The risks are very minimal once you know what you're doing, but no matter how long you've been an electrician for, it's always important to remain vigilant.

In general, with a healthy salary (more than £30,000 per annum on average) and a wide selection of work on offer, being an electrician is very worthwhile, and enjoyably challenging without being overwhelming.

If you are considering a career as an electrician, click the links below to find out what each of our electrician training courses entails:

• Essential Electrical Course 
• Professional Electrical Course
• Premier Electrical Course

For any advice on what being an electrician is like, or about any of our courses, feel free to get in touch with the Access Training team.

If you're looking into becoming a professional gas engineer, you may well have heard the term Gas Safe training. In order to work as a gas engineer in the UK, you must be on the Gas Safe Register, and this requires specific training / qualifications. You can think of the Gas Safe Register as an official list of every certified gas engineer who is legally allowed to work on gas appliances in the UK.

Previously known as CORGI, the Gas Safe Register is a nationwide scheme that was created to protect the public from unsafe gas work. To get onto the Gas Safe Register, you must provide evidence of your competence and training by presenting the relevant qualifications, which can be one of the following:

• A Nationally Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS) qualification
• A Scottish/National Vocational Qualification (S/NVQ), such as the 6012 City & Guilds range
• Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) certification

The training required to become Gas Safe registered is where Access Training Gas Courses can be of use. Whether you are starting as an absolute beginner or would just like to refresh your skills, our courses are designed to get you ready to work as a professional gas engineer. Our Professional Gas Course, for instance, allows you to gain your ACS certificate and join the Gas Safe Register (no experience required to enrol on this course).

Completing a Gas Safe training programme and joining the Register is the only way to be able to work legally in the UK as a gas engineer. Without this, you will not only be working illegally, you may also be putting yourself and the public in danger. Our courses allow you to train safely in state-of-the-art facilities.

Click here to learn more about our gas courses, or contact us today to find out how to enrol.

Thinking of changing careers? Wondering if you'd enjoy life as a professional electrician? Read on to find out just what this job has to offer.

Becoming an electrician can be a very tempting prospect, especially if your current job keeps you cooped up in an office all week. Electricians spend their working days out and about, travelling from one job to the next, fixing people's electrical problems and helping them to get their appliances up and running again.

If this sounds like a pretty rewarding way to make a living, well, it is! Here's a closer look at why electrical work may be a good career for you to pursue:

How much do electricians make?

According to the Office of National Statistics, the median salary for a UK electrician in 2016 was £30,765 per year. This was slightly higher than the figure for the previous year (which means that electricians' salaries are going up over time).

The same ONS survey found that electricians are the best-paid tradespeople of all, earning more on average than other professionals such as plumbers, carpenters, bricklayers and plasterers.

What hours do electricians work?

So how hard does an electrician have to work to earn upwards of £30k a year? Obviously, there's no set working week when you're a self-employed electrician - you can take on as many or as few jobs as you choose - but it goes without saying that the more work you do, the more money you'll make.

Depending on how much work you find (and how much of it you choose to take on at once), you may well find yourself doing 50-60hrs per week. However, it is more than possible to live comfortably as an electrician working significantly fewer hours than that.

How difficult is it to find work?

The UK is still suffering from something of a trade skills shortage, meaning that there simply aren't enough tradespeople available to do all the jobs that need doing around the country.

This means that electricians (as well as plumbers, bricklayers, etc.) are in very high demand right now, with many tradespeople finding that they're able to command a much higher price for their services than in the past. Interestingly, the result of last year's EU referendum seem to have exacerbated the skills shortage further, and UK electricians are sorely needed to replace the EU workers upon the trade industry relied until recently.

How do you become a qualified electrician?

If the perks of professional electrical work sounds too good to pass up, the next question you'll ask is probably 'what's the next step?'

View accredited electrician courses >

Electricity, of course, can be very dangerous, and so would-be electricians are required to hold a number of qualifications before carrying out any work. Here are the qualifications you MUST have:

• Part P Domestic Installer
• 17th Edition Electrical Regulations

These two certifications are included in our Essential Electrical Course. If you wish to learn more advanced skills and expand the range of jobs that you'll be able to undertake, you may wish to investigate our Professional Electrical Course and our Premier Electrical Course.

All of these training programmes are open to all, with no prior electrical knowledge or experience required. If you would like to train to become an electrician, please contact Access Training today!

For many young people today, it's easy to think of university as an automatic route - the default next step after leaving school. With fewer vacancies and greater competition, it can seem like there are not as many opportunities available nowadays as there used to be, and so going to university comes across as being the safest option.

But is the experience of university worth the enormous tuition fees and oppressive debts that come with it? Is university really the surest route to a successful career?

The answer is: no it isn't, at least not for everybody. Many other equally prosperous options are often overlooked by parents, teachers and students alike.

What does university cost?

In 2012, university tuition fees in England almost tripled, going from £3,375 per year to £9,000 per year. At the time, students were promised increased value for money, a far higher quality of university teaching, and far better future prospects - and if the higher fees actually were justified by a far higher quality of learning and a better future for students, then perhaps this could be seen as a fair deal. But with the number of students increasing each year, the value of a degree has if anything fallen since 2012.

And that's not the only problem. The latest report on student debt by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) revealed that graduate students are currently facing a lifetime of debt, averaging around £57,000. On top of tuition fees, which are continually increasing,  this extortionate lifetime bill is made even heftier when maintenance fees and general living costs are taken into account.

So unless a university education is undoubtedly, unquestionably what you want to pursue, why saddle yourself with such a huge backlog of debt?

Is it worth it?

Many students who started university courses after fees were increased have now completed their degrees, but a lot of them are not doing too well; according to The National Union of Students, nearly half of all students who attended university as undergraduates in 2012 are now back to living with their parents.

And the struggle to find employment is only going to become more difficult, according to Sharon Walpole (the Chief Executive of Not Going To Uni, an organisation devoted to spreading awareness of options other than university to help young people secure a strong future). Walpole warns that graduate intakes for large employers will be reduced when an apprenticeship levy is passed in 2017. This levy will include an investment of £2.5 billion into funding apprenticeship training, resulting in an influx of apprenticeship placements and less room for graduates.

With more and more graduates achieving university degrees, things are only likely to become worse, with more competition, fewer opportunities, and less room for work. Read this article to find out how newly-graduated students are finding life after university, and how successful they have been in finding work

What else can your child do?

Leaving university owing £40,000+ is no way to enter the world of work, and a debt of that scale can be a huge financial and mental burden, not only for the students themselves but for the families who then have to support them. With far less priority now being made for graduate employees, finding work is becoming extremely difficult.

If you are thinking of attending university, and are not 100% certain about this choice, we implore you to consider all the available options. If academia is not your forte - if you are better with physical, hands-on work - then the trade industry might be just what you’re looking for, and Access Training is the best establishment in the UK to train and qualify aspiring tradespeople.

Please give us a call today on 0800 345 7492, and enquire about the courses we have on offer. Our course advisors will be happy to give you all the information you require.

Alternatively, select one of the following options to find out more:

• Electrical Courses
• Plumbing Courses
• Gas Engineer Training
• Bricklaying Courses

No one wants a job that makes them miserable. Feeling unfulfilled in a job can badly affect your quality of life and may lead you to consider a career change. Although a career change may sound like an incredibly daunting choice, it really doesn’t need to be that difficult! You no longer have to feel dissatisfied and stressed while earning a living, you can make the decision to retrain for your career change. To help you do this, widen your career prospects with one of our courses at Access Training.

Whether you are in a trade and would like more qualifications to progress onto more challenging work, a tradesman wanting to swap the trade you are in or are a beginner starting from scratch, Access Training has a career change course suitable for you. 

We offer a diverse range of exciting career change training courses and we want you to be able to complete qualifications that will allow you to get the most out of your new career. Browse through our extensive range of programmes below to discover your next exciting move.

Get Qualified in the Shortest Amount of Time 

All of our courses are designed to provide you with the qualifications you need within a very short timeframe; not the 2-3 years which is traditionally required when training for a new career. This means that you can start the process towards your career change as soon as possible without having to be out of work for a long period of time. We also offer courses which can fit around your current job, so that your career change has a smooth transition which provides you with the security to keep earning while you train. 

A career change can really change your life – just have a look at our testimonials and hear from our students who decided to make a change for the better. Choosing to expand your prospects is always a positive experience, so don’t be afraid to give yourself other options. Start your career change today by choosing from our career change training course options below:

Electrical Courses >

Gas Courses >

Plumbing Courses > 

IT Networking Courses > 

Cyber Security Courses >

Construction Courses > 

If you need some advice on your career change training course, or would just like to speak to one of our expert advisors about any of the courses we offer, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call us on 0800 345 7492 or email info@accesstraininguk.co.uk.

Throughout your school life, it may seem as though teachers, family, and peers are all encouraging you to take a certain path that you may not necessarily think is the best fit for you. If you are looking for an alternative to university, training courses from Access Training may be exactly what you are looking for.

Access Training allows you to become trained in a number of different professions, including electrical, plumbing, carpentry, IT professional skills and so much more. Our extensive range of courses means that there is something for everyone. To look through all our courses and find one that suits you, just click here. Our courses are perfect for beginners just starting out who are looking for an alternative to university, and we are here to help you every step of the way. 

Like university, we want to prepare you for your future career and our accredited courses produce qualifications that will allow you to start on the path towards that chosen career. 

Training Course to Fit Your Life

Rather than spending 3 to 4 years in university, our courses are an alternative which is designed to help you achieve the appropriate qualifications in a much shorter timeframe. Getting trained up in this short amount of time means that you will be able to start earning through your new trade as soon as possible. 

Courses That Fit Around Your Lifestyle

We know the price of going to university often puts off potential students, and the idea of living in debt is a daunting thing to face - particularly at 18 years old. This is why we allow you to relieve yourself of the financial pressure of a training course with a finance scheme. Our finance scheme means you can spread the cost of the course over a period of time that can be up to 60 months. Through this scheme, can rest assured that paying for your training will be a simple, stress-free process.

Our flexible courses can also be tailored around your availability as we understand that sometimes family, job and other life commitments can get in the way - but we won’t let this put you off gaining further education. If you have the motivation to be trained in a trade, we will find a way to let you complete a course.

If you would like to discuss your alternatives to university and what course would best suit your interests, do not hesitate to get in touch. Our expert team is here to help you get the most out of our courses, so call us on 0800 345 7492 to speak to one of our advisors today.