Train 4 Trade Skills

[LUCIALIA]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

did you enjoy it & learn much? when do you get your c&g results & was it multi choice?

 

[Bernie2]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hmm!

I'm an old guy just nosing around! When I was an apprentice Plumber we got £1.15p for a 45 hour week. Working Saturday morning was part of your normal week.

In those days it was all "Don't matter how long you take, just do a good job!".

It changed in the eighties to "When will you be finished?" "That job is taking a long time!" "Its costing a fortune!"

Today probably by an employer you will be told "Your next job is!" and you haven't even started the first one you had.

The customer will usually say "How much?" "How long will it take?" and "Will you be long?" regardless of whether your re washering a tap or plumbing the whole house out.

So get accustomed to it boys its part of the job.

As to the work?

Well new house work on a building site is probably one of the easiest in a way.

You are usually given a set of drawings to follow with everything worked out for you. The thing is you have to keep to the exact measurements for everything, to make all the houses look the same. That can be a bit of a pain when you first start.

Then the next thing on site work is speed!

Its usually bonus work and you have got to be fast. The slowest gets the sack first. But your work has also got to look good. Don't forget the customer probably may not know the technical difference between a good and a bad job, but they can tell one which is symmetrical and pleasing to the eye. Load your end feeds out, with solder runs everywhere and dirty great oxidised over heat marks and you'll get few points even if your job is technically brilliant. And no doing foreigners, by selling all the charcoal where your torch has been burning half the floor away. And flush your systems, no saying 3 months later "These combi's are always going wrong!" when you haven't followed the correct flushing procedures.

No putting millions of elbows on your CH runs, requiring a super booster pump to push the water around.

Oh! and yes! Never say your not sure to the customer. Just say "I'll let you know!" or "I'll do some tests!" and then go and look it up or test it.

If you say your not sure, they can loose confidence in you. A bit like a doctor saying to you "I am not sure what is wrong with you!"

So give them, reasonable cost, beauty and technical excellence all done very fast and neat and you will be the sort of plumber people will call back and give another job too.

 

[aever34]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hi
Did mine in february at ATL Southampton it was good fun the only thing i had problems with was the water reg test the time seem to go by so quick but if you don't get 80% the first time you get to try again (they will help you) as they want you to get a pass this is done on the first week so read up on the regs and also read the questions and do the ones you know first then go back to the rest you do get a hint as to were the answers are in the book and yes its a open book test all of the test you do on the first two weeks are
In the second week you get to fit a bathroom out this is fun when someone don't solder there jonts right and you get water everywhere
if you do go to ATL Southhampton the tutors are good the best one is Paul Brock
Anyway Good luck
Thanks

 

[Lead-Free]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

did you enjoy it & learn much? when do you get your c&g results & was it multi choice?

yea, it was fun, C&G is written out, you do learn and if you have trouble then they will show you again and again and again. the funniest bit is that every second word they say is a swear word, so dont take it the wrong way, it`s just the way they talk.

 

[LUCIALIA]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

sorry to be a pest, but what was the c&g exam about & did you receive your tool kit & if so whats it like?

 

[collier23]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

sounds like prices have went up lol

Hmm!

I'm an old guy just nosing around! When I was an apprentice Plumber we got £1.15p for a 45 hour week. Working Saturday morning was part of your normal week.

In those days it was all "Don't matter how long you take, just do a good job!".

It changed in the eighties to "When will you be finished?" "That job is taking a long time!" "Its costing a fortune!"

Today probably by an employer you will be told "Your next job is!" and you haven't even started the first one you had.

The customer will usually say "How much?" "How long will it take?" and "Will you be long?" regardless of whether your re washering a tap or plumbing the whole house out.

So get accustomed to it boys its part of the job.

As to the work?

Well new house work on a building site is probably one of the easiest in a way.

You are usually given a set of drawings to follow with everything worked out for you. The thing is you have to keep to the exact measurements for everything, to make all the houses look the same. That can be a bit of a pain when you first start.

Then the next thing on site work is speed!

Its usually bonus work and you have got to be fast. The slowest gets the sack first. But your work has also got to look good. Don't forget the customer probably may not know the technical difference between a good and a bad job, but they can tell one which is symmetrical and pleasing to the eye. Load your end feeds out, with solder runs everywhere and dirty great oxidised over heat marks and you'll get few points even if your job is technically brilliant. And no doing foreigners, by selling all the charcoal where your torch has been burning half the floor away. And flush your systems, no saying 3 months later "These combi's are always going wrong!" when you haven't followed the correct flushing procedures.

No putting millions of elbows on your CH runs, requiring a super booster pump to push the water around.

Oh! and yes! Never say your not sure to the customer. Just say "I'll let you know!" or "I'll do some tests!" and then go and look it up or test it.

If you say your not sure, they can loose confidence in you. A bit like a doctor saying to you "I am not sure what is wrong with you!"

So give them, reasonable cost, beauty and technical excellence all done very fast and neat and you will be the sort of plumber people will call back and give another job too.

Thank you for the advice bernie, cracking post

 

[arif7]

Hi,

I would like to know if any one has had any problems with train 4 trade skills? I have completed the foundation but am pulling out of the intermediate and advanced stages as they have not fulfilled a number of promises made by the man that came to my house to sell me the course.

They also told me there was a training centre in luton when there isnt. Well they have apparently completed a centre there now but i completed my written part of intermediate back in nov 08 so have waited 6 months and had to chase them numerous times so i am now looking to get my money back for the intermediate and advanced.

Has anybody else tried to get money back, taken them to court etc?

Also how much are they selling the foundation part of the course for?

 

[arran123]

train 4 trade skills do nvq2 and nvq3 c&g 6129, part p, and others. what is foundation?
if u do the nvq3 there is 11 weeks of practical, + they can place u with a contractor to gain your on site evidence for nvq's
stop moaning and get on with it or stay in your current job.
if you think you can you can do it do it, if you think you cant you wont.

 

[arran123]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

i have completed level 2 with t4t and so far its been good, the practicals are good and they have done what they said on the tin.
it is what it is, im 34 and to old for any other route into plumbing, like i have said before you have two choices 1: re skill, get on with, dont moan, stay posotive, or 2: dont re skill stay the same and die wondering

 

[arif7]

train 4 trade skills do nvq2 and nvq3 c&g 6129, part p, and others. what is foundation?
if u do the nvq3 there is 11 weeks of practical, + they can place u with a contractor to gain your on site evidence for nvq's
stop moaning and get on with it or stay in your current job.
if you think you can you can do it do it, if you think you cant you wont.

what you on about stop moaning? the nvq stuff must all be new because when i started it was just city and guilds foundation, intermediate and advanced. When you get ****ed about i think i got every right to moan along with thousands of other people about t4ts!

 

[arran123]

sorry arif7,
i did not know that they have changed how they do it. have you tried asking if they will switch you on to the new course

have a look on the website they dont do foundation must of changed, ask if you can switch to an nvq course

 

[Dave]

what you on about stop moaning? the nvq stuff must all be new because when i started it was just city and guilds foundation, intermediate and advanced. When you get ****ed about i think i got every right to moan along with thousands of other people about t4ts!

I suggest you alter the tone of your posts please...and if you swear again you will be removed from here...( read the rules)


thanks..

 

[arif7]

sorry arif7,
i did not know that they have changed how they do it. have you tried asking if they will switch you on to the new course

have a look on the website they dont do foundation must of changed, ask if you can switch to an nvq course

I didnt swear i blanked it out to show how much ive been messed about. Ive heard so many bad things about them and been through the bad stuff with them aswell so i dont want to switch to any other course just want my money back and to forget about them.

Ive looked on a lot of other forums aswel where plumbers and employers have commented and they have said that even when you get your nvq's they still will not take you on if you have gained it from a training company like t4ts for a number of reasons.

 

[Beammeup]

Re: train 4 trade skills scenario 4

Done the 4th senario, want some tips and advice??

 

[paulbrogden2007]

tony bryden from train 4 trade skills

hi i had 2.5 hours interview today from a college adviser a so called person who seemed very nice but at the end i realized he was a salesman turning up in a black audi wanting to discuss the plumbing course where he talked about the shortages being out their however i have a relative in the plumbing trade who says because the down turn plumbers are not needed as much as the gov, say. any way tony discussed my situation such as my debts too wanted to know about my work history the things i had done i live in batley but i found it a very intense interview at the end then he discussed the costs by the end i felt if i had the money would have signed up.... if its a scam i must say its a very good one. any way the costs involved was £3950 or 22.50 per week i think they offer you fianance for the coursethe domestic course part lasts for 1 year which involves 6 weeks practical the rest is theory and virtual relialty training on the computer... their after another year for nvq level 3 and gas training. the full training including the proffesional part costs £5700 and or £35 a week.

he was still insistant their is work out their and claimed after doing the first year... could work doing basic plumbing to pay for the course it is still a loan you have to pay it is quicker than college he claimed full training takes in all about 2-3 years he claimed.

but given what plumbers are saying as well as my relative it appears work is short so maybe becoming a plumber is not a good idea but he was insisting that you need qualifications in a set trade to make a good living and was banging on about this he was saying the evening welding course i was doing wont get me any where as its only a certificate it seems i wont be able to get a job at all based on what he saying very depressing he kept going on about how does it feel to be unemployed how depressed does it make you.. what do you people think? thanks for reading...

 

[alph250]

Re: tony bryden from train 4 trade skills

what do you people think? thanks for reading...

I think this schmuck wants a slap, he's picking on the vulnerable by selling them a false route to a new profitable life!

Economic downturn, no work, people have debts, etc....... Why not spend the recession re-training to be a plumber with small 'learning loan' (whats the apr?) and re-pay it when you earn your first weeks paycheck of £3500!

And another point if its going to take you 2-3 years you might aswell do an apprenticeship and there cheaper prob cost around £3-£4K for 3 - 4 college years?! (please correct me if im wrong!)

Best place to look for an apprenticeship is within a maintenance company, someone big involved with public money, or there supply chain.

But this guy has no right to go through your personal circumstances and make opinions trying to butter you up, its just wrong and makes my blood boil! if you want advice ask a plumber, pick one out the yellow pages they will be more use than some c*nt in a flash car trying to get you signed up on the never never by manipulating you when weve all got the economic dowturn cloud hanging over our heads.

This guy is a ****...end off!

Virtual reality training the only virtual reality is this course...... is the work which is crying out to be done virtual reality aswel? he is a ****

Rant over

 

[Padawan Plumber]

Re: T4TS, Starting my practical tomorrow

Hi all, like the posts, am currently doing Train 4 Trade Skills also, currently on the water regs. So was the first session of practicals 2 weeks long? was the accomodation expensive? Is anyone from the Essex area doing this course also?


cheers

Bill

 

[bcharalambous]

there are centres in southampton,guildford and leeds..

 

[Dan]

Re: Train 4 trade skills (t4ts)

You've joined the course you say?

What are they saying on the course? Do they help to get your work at the end or are you going self-employed?

Keep us posted. I'm sure the fee's are the same across the board though.

 

[LUCIALIA]

i was told by t4t that there isn't a centre in guildford & one opening soon in luton, but they do pay up to £300 per week for accomodation/expenses

 

[migoplumber]

call me daft, but surely if your paying a fee for a course, and later they say "we pay you up to 300 quid a week for accomodation" where would this money come from?
maybe im naive but i reckon warning lights would flash!

good luck
shaun

 

[arran123]

Re: Train 4 trade skills (t4ts)

i am training with t4t skills and they help with running your own business, any one going down the employed route who cant get employed t4t will get a work placement for you in your local area for your nvq work based assesments.
to answer your question " is it worth it" its worth it if you put in the effort and do what you have to do to make it in this industry.

 

[REDSAW]

Re: Train 4 trade skills (t4ts)

work placement for nvq is not getting a paid job.
any paid jobs going out there at the moment i'm affraid will have at least a dozen well experienced guys after them and on the self employed route, your trying to compete in a cut throat market against seasoned pro's trying to survive now your trying to stand toe to toe. hello...
but good luck.

 

[bcharalambous]

Re: Train 4 trade skills (t4ts)

im training with t4ts and i can see wat redsaw is saying, im only 4 months into my course so can t compete with the pro's yet but i have a buisiness background and personally i think at least 75% percent of fast trackers will have to go down the self employed route. from my experience in dealing with plumbers that have let me go out and work with them, none of them seem to want to drop their prices in the current economic climate, they say they need to get as much money as possible from the work they do have, which i can understand.. but, personaly i would slash prices by at least a third on big jobs, bite the bullet and do some proper advertising and im sure you would get some work if your prices were a lot cheaper than the competition. when i am qualified i will advertise as plumber, doing gas as well, i wll have someone i can sub work out to , obviosly getting my small cut and along with that and the knowledge and experience watching the guy do the work, if he dont like it, he can get stuffed and ill find someone who does want the work.. anyone doing one of the fast track courses just remember,there are people on here whohave managed to run succesful buisiness's and i can also tell you another fact, there are lot of people out there who have passed there courses and have got nowhere because they dont realise theat just because you have passed a plumbing course and got your qualifications that you will be automatically good at running a buisiness, running a buisiness is going to be lot harder then passing your course.. sorry to have gone off the subject a bit, you know how it is!!! just one last thing, id just like to say, i never realised how hard a plumbers a life is, you guys deserve every penny you get.. hopefully this reccession will be over in the next decade!!

 

[LUCIALIA]

apparently its a new thing that they are not exactly shouting about, i found out about it on here!