Can i go into a level 3 course straight away

[Ben15stoke]

Can i do a level 3 apprenticeship or do i have to do a level 2 then go to 3 after

 

[Simon F]

as I understand it level 2 is a requirement for access to level 3, at least that's the case with my local college

 

[Ben15stoke]

Ahh okay cheers just looked at the college website and it says level 2 can progress to level 3 . I got mixed up as the level 3 course entry requiments say only 4 gsce to get in . Yes its level 2 first

 

[REDSAW]

whats the interest in cutting corners?.

 

[Ben15stoke]

To do just gas instead of plumbing

 

[GQuigley67]

that's like learning to run before you can walk

just do a proper apprenticeship from start to finish, doing gas without plumbing imho is stupid

 

[Simon F]

you can go straight into a gas course without doing plumbing, but I agree with GQuigley do the plumbing first as that's the easier subject, then progress to gas. you would be limited with gas work if you knew nothing about plumbing.

 

[fagsanbooz]

yeah, i wanna drive an articulated lorry but i dont wanna have to learn to drive first, too much hassle innit!!
Perhaps someone should point out that aprt from cookers and fires most boilers and water heaters contain water!! there yer go!! first year covered! move on!

 

[H2ODAN]

Save your money and go and get some proper experience from an apprentaship. All college want to do is steal your money

 

[armourer]

Sorry Lads I have to disagree with a lot of the above.
I came into this industry 10 years ago and straight into the Gas level 3 and ACS as I already have a degree in mechanical and manufacture engineering and a HNC in Aeronautical engineering.

I agree with you in the fact a knowledge of the wet side of heating systems are required but other than that, I am a heating engineer not a plumber as such (although I have done a fair bit).
I came into this industry to fit and repair various sorts of heating not to install toilets so why do you need plumbing first?

I know the traditional way into this industry is time served plumbers who then go on to get their Gas but it does not have to be like that.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

I remember a British Gas trailer on u-tube explaining how their apprentices do NVQ3 in one year.

Armourer's situation, offers a different angle, where he already had technical know how, and ability to self learn, inquire and work out technical information - so he already had a skill-set and could transfer this to plumbing. However, I would think he had many head-scratching moments in the early days.

The facts are that NVQs assess 'competency' against standards and provided you meet the assessment standard, this is good enough for the qualification - whether you consider qualifications to reflect 'real' competence at work is another matter.

Hence, you could argue to go straight into NVQ3, if the college refuses, then get legal aid and sue them. Or go to your MP and explain how the college system has excluded you from achieving you aims.

This said, I do not disagree with the comments made so far. When we talk of NVQs and getting a qualification, we are not really talking about being able to do the job in reality, which is concerned with 'competence' not 'competency' - for competence at work, you will need to be guided over several years in the work place, depending on your attitude, existing skill-set, and determination.

My advice would be to get any job, and steer well clear of this industry, which really has been exploited by the training providers and colleges, which claim to serve our communties.

 

[fuzzy]

Can i do a level 3 apprenticeship or do i have to do a level 2 then go to 3 after

yes you can do a direct L3, prob is you need ot do all L2 units anyway, so you may as well get a cert half way through

 

[fuzzy]

Sorry Lads I have to disagree with a lot of the above.
I came into this industry 10 years ago and straight into the Gas level 3 and ACS as I already have a degree in mechanical and manufacture engineering and a HNC in Aeronautical engineering.

I agree with you in the fact a knowledge of the wet side of heating systems are required but other than that, I am a heating engineer not a plumber as such (although I have done a fair bit).
I came into this industry to fit and repair various sorts of heating not to install toilets so why do you need plumbing first?

I know the traditional way into this industry is time served plumbers who then go on to get their Gas but it does not have to be like that.

you can seperate them completely, so you can do gas without plumb and vice versa, depends what you wanna be

 

[armourer]

As above, but along the way I have fitted my fair share of bathrooms, showers etc.

And Btw Clanger ...........for my sins (and the fact business was slow) I am now a BG engineer.

What you have to remember is to be a Gas engineer you must by law be qualified, but to be a Plumber you do not need any qualifications at all.

To be a good or competent Plumber however.............. you do.

 

[scotty plumber]

It would be funny if you got a joiner or a brickie etc that did a bit of gas on the side!

 

[armourer]

It would be funny if you got a joiner or a brickie etc that did a bit of gas on the side!

And the only thing that stops that is legislation.
Something the plumbing world is lacking.

 

[scotty plumber]

And the only thing that stops that is legislation.
Something the plumbing world is lacking.

what do you mean??

 

[armourer]

what do you mean??

By that I mean my Granny could get a van and advertise herself a Plumber.

Does not mean she could do the job but there is nothing anyone can do about it.

Where as Gas is legislated.

 

[scotty plumber]

aye i know but surely the like's of say a painter and decorator could become gas safe

 

[Deleted member 25704]

And the only thing that stops that is legislation.
Something the plumbing world is lacking.

Plumbing is not lacking legislation, its full of it e.g. gas safety regs, building regs, water regulations/ACT, etc.

I would be careful what you wish for with regard to 'licence to practice' for plumbers. There is no evidence that licence to practice leads to improved or better goods and services to the public. Hence it exist as a stealth tax, with a Government policy of 'demand-led' skills (Leitch 2006). What this actually means for us, is happenning in the gas world now, with us having to do a course to use a simple tool (CPA1). The courses and fragmetation of competencies will continue, until your business can no longer bear the cost and you will pack it in - but capitalism and the 'skills shortage' just keeps on coming to tempt further generations of would be plumbers into taking on ever increasing over-heads - read this as an example of how awarding bodies 'EAL' sell their products with implicit sales tacticts that there is always going to be work - Educating young people is vital to industry

So expect more and more people entering plumbing, when 'education' is sold as meaning something akin to 'training' people to believe that these courses communicate knowledge and test it accurately.

We are in deep, and licence to practice for plumbing is only a matter of time - perhaps in the next decade.

If we are to educate young people, then this is simple...help them to understand how they are being exploited by people in positions of trust!