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.

Browse Our Electrical Courses >

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.

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

Benefits of electric vehicles

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

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

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

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

Our courses for electric car charging at home

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

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

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

Eco Electrical Course >

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

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

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

Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course >

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

How Much Does It Cost to Become Gas Safe Registered?

Some of you thinking about applying for a course with us at Access Training might consider education to be something of a distant memory and find the thought of examinations an unpleasant ordeal.

The very word exam might bring back traumatic memories of awful school exams, which you’d rather forget about. 

However, Access Training exams bear no resemblance to those terrible tests of the past - they are all multiple choice and involve no writing whatsoever.

If you are dreading the prospect of having to sit exams after not having done so for a number of years though, here is a brief guide explaining the simple techniques that you can use to get yourself back into the swing of things:

Distributed Practice

Studies undertaken by University College London have found that splitting your revision into regular, digestible chunks is far more effective than cramming long hours of learning into one go. That is, by studying for between half an hour to an hour at a time, you retain more information than you would should you read for 3 hours continuously.

Rather than pushing your brain to its maximum capacity, you might find more success by putting some music on, making a cup of tea or taking a walk and then coming back to it later.

Self-Testing

Self-testing has been proven to be an effective way of obtaining information; that is, regularly testing yourself instead of simply reading over your notes repeatedly.

It is of great use to write out questions that you’ve devised based on the notes you’ve made and try answering them using the information in your notes. This way, you are learning and understanding, rather than simply reading and memorising, which is far more beneficial in the long run and makes it far easier to hold on to what you’ve learnt.

Taking Breaks

Your brain needs time to allow the information you are learning to sink in. Without having short, consistent breaks, your memory can become clogged and less information will be allowed in. A short break is well recommended in order to avoid tiring your brain.

Buffet Studying

Contrary to popular belief, it is far more efficient to study a variety of different subjects in one go, rather than to focus on one theme for a long period of time.

Research done by UCL advises learners to think of studying like ‘taking from a buffet, rather than eating a set dinner’. This means that it is far more effective to learn in smaller, more digestible chunks, as opposed to biting off more than you can chew..excuse the pun!

Story Telling

Associating phrases and principles with elaborate stories is an excellent way of sealing the memory. One successful method, as proven by researchers at UCL, is creating a ‘memory palace’, in which you try to link words with objects in a room.

In fact, this technique is so effective, it helped a 16th century Jesuit priest named Matteo Ricci to pass China’s highest civil servant exams, which required him to remember reams and reams of classical poetry. If it worked for him, it might work for you too.

Whichever way you decide to learn, we can say with confidence that nobody who is considering applying for our course ought to worry about the course examinations. Our tutors are very experienced and are well-accustomed to the exam curriculum we offer, so they know exactly what to teach and how to teach it.

If you're thinking about a change of career or looking to start a career with exciting prospects, enquire today about a course at Access Training by clicking below or call us on 0800 345 7492.

Course Enquiry >

Are you looking to gain the skills and knowledge needed to be able to improve your outdoor living space with a self-built deck? Access Training can help! With our range of Carpentry Courses, you can gain the essential competencies required to become a professional carpenter and build your very own deck area. Whether it's for your own property or for others, we provide intensive and thorough training courses that enable you to become fully qualified in the carpentry industry and pursue a range of career goals. Click the button below to browse all of the Carpentry Courses that we currently offer here at Access Training.

Browse Carpentry Courses >

Why Learn to Build Your Own Deck?

So, why would you want to build your own deck? Let's take a look at some of the benefits you can experience by gaining the appropriate building skills! 

• Cost - Probably the biggest factor to enrolling onto one of our courses to gain professional building and carpentry skills is the amount of money you can potentially save by completing the work required to build the deck yourself, rather than outsourcing the labour to another builder! The cost involved with gaining professional carpentry qualifications can quickly turn itself into an investment when you realise that you are able to do the most important and skilled elements of the job yourself. 

• Trust - When it comes to working on your property, you want somebody that you can trust to a proper and professional job. The risk of hiring an external builder is that there is no guarantee that this will happen unless you know them of course. By gaining the skills and knowledge, you eliminate the risk of the project never being completed to the standard that you require.

• DIY Skills - By completing one of our carpentry courses, not only will you be competent in building your own deck, but you will gain the skills to complete a number of different jobs around your home such as installing doors and repairing floors! This again can be a huge cost-saving bonus and saves you the stress and hassle of finding a quality and trustworthy carpenter to complete the job.

• A New Career - One of the most rewarding benefits of gaining professional carpentry and building skills with Access Training is the potential that you gain in starting a totally new career! Simply by starting to learn the basic requirements needed to be able to build a deck, you can quickly gain a passion that can change your life. Become your own boss or start a team of other professional builders/carpenters with the help of Access Training today!

What Decking Should You Choose? 

Gaining the necessary skills and qualifications to be able to build your own deck is one thing, finding the right decking that is going to last is another. We now take a look at the options that you have and what is best for saving even more time, money and effort. 

When it comes to decking, there a whole host of choices that you can choose from, each one offering a different kind of benefit. Firstly, you have plastic. Plastic decking has been a hugely popular choice with homeowners in many countries due to its low-maintenance and cheap costs. However, it does come with its drawbacks. Most notably their complete synthetic makeup, which over time can cause them to bow or crack underfoot, meaning you have to then replace the damaged boards! Leading to more costs and time spent installing new boards.

Secondly, you have natural wood decking. This again has been a popular choice for many people when installing a deck in their home due to its natural wood look, but it also has its disadvantages. Over time, wood decking can begin to crack and splinter, as well as building up algae, causing the deck to become extremely slippery in wet conditions. These pose obvious safety hazards to you or anyone that walks on the deck, resulting in it having to be cared for and maintained on a regular basis. This again takes up much more of your time and money as you have to buy the necessary equipment and products.

Finally, there's the option of composite decking. Composite decking combines the natural wood appearance of wood decking with the low-maintenance properties of plastic decking. Eliminating the need for regular upkeep to retain its beautiful look or to keep it safe. Composite deck boards are created using a combination of natural hardwood and synthetic materials, creating a board that is the 'best of both worlds'. 

Just like our carpentry training courses, composite decking can be a real investment when it comes to building your deck. The initial costs involved with installing this premium decking option will soon pay itself back with its numerous benefits, such as never having to be stained, painted or sealed. Never cracking or producing splinters. Never fading or warping in hot and cold conditions and being slip-resistant when exposed to wet weather. All of these things combined with its organic, natural appearance makes composite decking the decking choice for any builders looking to build their own deck. 

Where to Purchase Composite Decking?

Composite decking can be bought from many known outdoor living and garden brands and companies such as Wickes and B&Q. However, we recommend that to achieve the best possible results for your deck and to use your newly learnt abilities fully, you buy composite deck boards from a specialist. One of the leading composite decking suppliers in the UK is DeckPlus - with showrooms in Cardiff, St Albans and Slough, DeckPlus have helped to transform outdoor living spaces all over the country. They offer a variety of deck boards, both capped and uncapped, in a range of colours and styles perfect for any design that you may have in mind.

DeckPlus Composite Decking >

It's important to remember, however, that in order to be able to properly install DeckPlus's composite decking boards, you will require all of the necessary building and carpentry skills. If you would like to be able to build your own deck, save money and time and gain the potential of starting a new career, enrol onto our Professional Carpentry Course today! 

Professional Carpentry Course >

For further information on our range of courses or if you have any general enquiries, then please do not hesitate to contact us today by calling 0800 345 7492 or emailing info@accesstraininguk.co.uk. 

Here at Access Training, we have traditionally provided our students with courses aimed at providing the required skills, knowledge and qualifications to succeed in a number 'trade' industries such as Plumbing, Gas Engineering, Carpentry etc. However, we are continuously striving to provide the best possible training courses we can, that reflect the current market and demand of our students. With that, we are proud to announce the introduction of IT Training Programmes, here at Access Training! 

Browse IT Training > 

With the world moving at a very fast pace into a 'digital' era, the need and demand for talented individuals in the IT sector continues to grow, something that we at Access Training have recognised and want to help with. As a result, we now offer a variety of IT training programmes across a number of different sectors in the IT industry - find out a little about each of these courses below!

IT Training Programmes

• Infrastructure Engineer - This is a very hands-on, demanding course where students will be required to manage an organisation's entire IT infrastructure. 
• Network Engineer - This course is centred all around problem-solving and analytical skills, where you will learn to identify and solve issues with IT networks.
• Cyber Security - This programme will teach you the essential abilities and knowledge needed to combat cyber attacks and online threats.

Our IT training programmes cover a wide range of areas within the IT industry, so no matter where your ambition or talents lay, we are sure you'll find the training course for you! So, whether you're looking to start a new career in the IT industry, or are hoping to gain recognised qualifications from reputable accreditors, our IT programmes are for you - Simply click above to learn more about each of our IT programmes and enquire today!

For further information regarding our training courses or if you would like to contact us to discuss anything else, please call us today on 0800 345 7492 or email us at info@accesstraininguk.co.uk. 

If you haven’t noticed already, we have a brand new website! Our friends over at Designer Websites, who helped us out with our last website re-design back in 2015, have once again proved their capabilities and professionalism to bring our current website up-to-date with a new, attractive look and feel!

All of the great, important features that we included in our last re-design, such as the ‘course finder’ function has remained – so there should be no worries about having any difficulties finding the information or course you need. In fact, with our new design, locating the essential information you want regarding our range of courses is now even easier, with simplified menus and website copy. Something which was high on our priority list for the new design. As well as having updated pages for all of our existing courses in the electrical, gas, plumbing and construction industry, we now offer fantastic courses in the IT sector! These can now be viewed and applied for today!

We hope you enjoy navigating and using our new website just as much as we do! If you have any questions or want to enquire about one of our courses, click below today!

Get in Touch >

If you’re thinking about changing to a career in the electrical industry or are already working as an electrician and are looking for to gain further qualifications to move your career forward, Access Training Academies are here to help! If you are part of the former, you may have already had a think about how to kick-start your career as an electrician and what is the best option for you. We understand that this can get fairly complicated with a variety of roles of pathways available to you, but it doesn’t have to be with our range of fast-track Electrician Courses.

The demand for electricians

A recently carried out report showed that electricians and other skilled trade experts are among the most difficult professionals to employ through a lack of workforce numbers, above and over sales, management and executives. Figures issued by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the electrical industry is in anguish as a result of a lack of resources, largely due to an ageing workforce. As a result of apprenticeships or meaningful training routes not being available over the years, there has been a decreased number of new entrants into the field. This doesn’t have to be an issue, however, with Access Training Academies Electrical Courses.

Becoming an electrician

The main role of a typical electrician is to install, test and maintain electrical equipment, wiring, fittings and appliances in a variety of commercial and residential settings. Traditionally, the way in which an individual would enter the electrical industry would be to first complete an industry-recognised Level 3 qualification such as an NVQ while working or subsequently enrol onto an apprenticeship which combines studies with on-the-job training. These, however, can take many years to complete. Something you do not have to worry about with Access Training.

Access Training Electrical Courses

As mentioned, whether you are just starting out in your electrical career or are looking to increase your number of professional qualifications, Access Training provides a number of high-quality programmes that guarantee you achieve all necessary qualifications while gaining valuable work experience. Our New Career Courses focus on providing all of the basic and essential electrician qualifications, regardless of prior experience, whereas our range of Trade Professional Courses are centred around providing experienced electricians with further qualifications and training in order to meet current regulations and further their existing abilities. All of our Electrical Courses can be viewed below.

View our Electrical Courses >

If you have any questions or require further information regarding our Electrical Courses, please do not hesitate to contact us today by calling 0800 345 7492 or emailing info@accesstraininguk.co.uk.