Level 3 plumbing and gas courses...

[macka09]

Hi all I've recently completed my nvq level 2 (6189-21) in plumbing and heating. I have been working for less than minimum wage to gain experience and to prove my competence in the field. I would like to move on to level 3 or my gas qualifications as I have been working on boilers, fires and cookers. My boss isn't to keen due to maybe having to pay me more. I need a course in the Birmingham area that can be attended on the evenings or weekends? Any info people have to offer would be appreciated thanks.

 

[macka09]

??????

 

[chris watkins]

Speak to JTL they have a new training centre up that way & they also deal with colleges/training providers.
Do the Level 3 if you can as it includes un-vented water regs & lots lots more it is not at all like the level 2.
electrical apprenticeships | plumbing apprenticeships | JTL

 

[Robert Tyrrell]

You could also try this lot:
ERR limited
They've got a centre in Wolverhampton and they've just taken over the OLCI training group.

 

[macka09]

I'm still struggling for the level 3 course?? Ideally I would like evenings but I can't find anything. I'm surprised as I'm in the 2nd city!

 

[chris watkins]

I'm still struggling for the level 3 course?? Ideally I would like evenings but I can't find anything. I'm surprised as I'm in the 2nd city!

How did you get on with JTL ?

 

[macka09]

They only have level 2.

 

[chris watkins]

They only have level 2.

They will be doing Level 3 soon (possible next year) but still you need to speak to a training officer as JTL plumbing students sign up to complete level 3 not just 2. They will be using one of your local colleges or a training centre like us for the off site stuff.

We take student on who have completed the Level 2 at other places & they come to us just for the Level 3 often travelling across London but I guess we are a tad to far from you to come once a week.

 

[macka09]

They will be doing Level 3 soon (possible next year) but still you need to speak to a training officer as JTL plumbing students sign up to complete level 3 not just 2. They will be using one of your local colleges or a training centre like us for the off site stuff.

We take student on who have completed the Level 2 at other places & they come to us just for the Level 3 often travelling across London but I guess we are a tad to far from you to come once a week.

Just a bit far really lol. Ideally I would like to get cracking with the level 3 this year so that by the end of next year I'm gas safe. It's hard to find level 3 on a evening course.

 

[chris watkins]

Just a bit far really lol. Ideally I would like to get cracking with the level 3 this year so that by the end of next year I'm gas safe. It's hard to find level 3 on a evening course.

I would think it's near impossible to find a Level 3 that does the gas units let alone in the evenings. It would be at least two years long, possible two nights a week.

Most training colleges I know do not do the gas cos of the onsite evidence, they do something like the solar (& tag the gas on as an option after the end of the course).

 

[macka09]

The on site evidence isn't really an issue as I work for someone who does all the domestic stuff. Why 2 years do you think????

 

[chris watkins]

The on site evidence isn't really an issue as I work for someone who does all the domestic stuff. Why 2 years do you think????

I know you are working with gas but so many don't or at least not enough of the time.

With the gas option the 6189 is well over two year long, one 8 hour day per week.

We don't have half terms & just the four weeks in summer & we do the core & solar option in 18 months but its a lot to get through, I work 'em hard.
If you are only doing 3-4 hours in an evening it's going to take a while.

 

[newcastle phill]

Why bother with level 3. Not many gas engineers are.
Use your 6189 to upskill as a cat2 and spend the money you would have spent on the level 3 on the upskill course.

I did level 3. At the end you still aren't gas safe, as a cat2 upskill you will be

 

[chris watkins]

Why bother with level 3. Not many gas engineers are.
Use your 6189 to upskill as a cat2 and spend the money you would have spent on the level 3 on the upskill course.

I did level 3. At the end you still aren't gas safe, as a cat2 upskill you will be

You seem to be implying phill that to reach the status of gas engineer is the top of the tree ???
Not many gas engineers can correctly size a heat emitter either !!
What is level 3 if not an "upskill course" then ??

We use to call gas & pipe fitters "plumbers with half a brain" when I were younger !!!!!!

Pulls pin, throws it in & retires quickly out of reach :boxing_smiley:

 

[newcastle phill]

Because having a level 3 is not pre requisite to being a gas engineer.
But it would have limited advantages if one was to go into management or do a year at Uni and convert it into a degree.

The OP intimated he wanted to work with gas ? I was merely pointing out that level 3 is neither the quickest nor cheapest route into it.
So many places give bad advise re training and courses..

Top of the tree hehee.
Yeh right up there

 

[Ermintrude]

Phil there is a whisper going round that your a mackem and drink bass shandy ? Quickest and easiest isn't always best. Bit like going doon bigg market on the pull.

 

[newcastle phill]

Cheapest ermy cheapest not easiest
Nowts easy

If I put myself in their shoes for a minute I imagine id feel rather more at ease to admitting that i rented my back door for fun than admitting to being a mackem.


For the record just to be clear on this as I feel im digging a hole here with my terminology. .

I am not and i do not.

 

[macka09]

Why bother with level 3. Not many gas engineers are.
Use your 6189 to upskill as a cat2 and spend the money you would have spent on the level 3 on the upskill course.

I did level 3. At the end you still aren't gas safe, as a cat2 upskill you will be

What is a cat 2 up skill? I only want the level 3 as I was advised this included the gas. Also the extra plumbing knowledge would be a great help. The company I currently work for does a variety of jobs including complete bathroom installations to combi swaps, which I enjoy. Unfortunately the boss wants me to earn £50 a day for the quite foreseeable future. I can't afford to work for that so I'm trying to find the right route to go down.

Any nay advice would be appreciated.

 

[newcastle phill]

Level 3 does not include full gas. If you are referring to the latest city and guilds 6035 level 3. I just spent nigh on 2 years doing it.
You touch on gas and cover all the principles such as purging, pipe sizing, flueing and ventilation, gas rates and heat input, ntcs, id, , part L etc, G3, vitiation gas controls and spillage testing etc. and the course in general is heavily theory based with no practical worth talking about. I sat 6 gas exam papers which are on file for whatever reason and passed them all. They are however worthless at this point.
They are identical to the ACS papers, and I know that because we had a gas safe lad on our course who was wanting to move into training and be needed his level 3 and teacher training, we picked his brains and he said they were identical.
Also they were adjudicated amongst others by 2 well known gas safe assessors in the north east who take the re-acs etc.
But you would still have to find a placement at the end with a gas engineer and all of the details regarding what aspects of practical gas work undertaken recorded and the final ACS week paid for in addition and sat at further expense (including exam papers)
We did ask what courses follow ours on and they said nothing that they do, just uni.
That was gateshead college.

Im my opinion I am pleased I did the level 3.
We were told, perhaps as you were we would be doing gas and we were led to believe we would be qualified at the end....but we are not qualified at the end lol.
But it depends on the individual, if you want to get into gas quick, then the level 3 is not the fastest route, if you dont mind spending a further 2 years plus studying as I have then thats fine too.
The advantage of the level 3 is that with a year at uni, what I might do at some point, I can convert it into a degree for building services etc.

Cat 2 upskill is for people who hold the full level 2 6189 who are generally wet plumber's. Google it.

 

[macka09]

So basically cat 2 upskill is a route into the ACS assessments based in the fact I'm NVQ 2 qualified??

 

[newcastle phill]

Yes. In essence.
If you have the full nvq 2 and access to a gas engineer. You can enter gas via cat 2.

 

[macka09]

Yes. In essence.
If you have the full nvq 2 and access to a gas engineer. You can enter gas via cat 2.

Yes that is what I have. I also work with a gas engineer bit he's reluctant to help cos he thinks I want top dollar straight away.

 

[newcastle phill]

You still need to learn all the basic foundation upon which the principles of gas operate tho.

Dont be under any illusion that it will be easy as you will have no structured training on the theory side.

Without that you will have great difficulty passing the papers.

They are not easy and some gas lads dont even pass on re-acs.

But providing you can, then cat 2 is an option

 

[macka09]

You still need to learn all the basic foundation upon which the principles of gas operate tho.

Dont be under any illusion that it will be easy as you will have no structured training on the theory side.

Without that you will have great difficulty passing the papers.

They are not easy and some gas lads dont even pass on re-acs.

But providing you can, then cat 2 is an option

I don't think it will be easy so I have already been reading my corgi book

 

[wetdrip]

email received from below: I asked if level 2 has to be completed prior.

Dear Paul

Thank you for contacting City & Guilds Customer Services .

If the individual is a competent level 3 candidate then it is possible. This would be the decision making of the college or training centre that one applies to as they will all have their measure of determining whether they can place a learner on a level 3.