Our Guarantee
In all our courses, our pass rates are over 95% - first time! So you can be very confident you’ll achieve. But in the unlikely event you do fail a course, as long as you have completed the theory and practical training parts to your tutor's satisfaction, you can retake the course free of charge. Click here to see our pass rates for 2007/8.
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We offer easy payment terms on all our courses and assessments and we can help you find competitive loans too. Some training also qualifies for government funded grants and subsidies. Read more »
Becoming Skilled and Qualified
Learning a new trade and becoming a fully qualified building services engineer isn’t a quick fix. There is no substitute for experience. So having gained your qualifications you should be prepared to hone your skills and knowledge over a number of years.
There is no shortcut to gain the right knowledge, skills and qualifications. What you need to consider is to what level you want to be trained and qualified. In order to work as a plumber, electrician or gas fitter some qualifications are mandatory. They are a lawful requirement. Others are simply optional, but demonstrate your level of knowledge and skill, which is very useful if not essential if you are seeking employment with a contracting firm.
For example in the plumbing trade the industry recognised entry qualification is an NVQ at level 2 (called ‘craft’ level), which generally means working on the tools carrying out installation activities and working under supervision. But the preferred is level 3. In the electrical trade there is no level 2 qualification. The entry level is an NVQ at level 3, which involves carrying out more complex work and taking responsibility for both own and others' work. For comparison, a level 2 NVQ is the equivalent of five good GCSEs at grade A-C, and a level 3 is equivalent to two A levels.
If you are a young person undertaking an apprenticeship you will be following an NVQ programme as part of your apprenticeship framework. If you are an adult seeking employment in the industry then an NVQ would be a good option as it will help you get a job, but it is not a lawful requirement. If you plan to become self-employed you might opt not to take an NVQ immediately, especially in light of the fact that to gain an NVQ you must be in employment or have the ability to be assessed on site, carrying out work on real installations.
Whether you opt for an NVQ or not it is essential that you follow a properly prescribed course. One that contains all the underpinning knowledge and skills for the NVQ (called a technical certificate) and all the lawful qualifications. The course must also give you ample practical training in workshops and simulated ‘real-world’ environments. Without this, you will not have the knowledge, skills or competency to go and get a job or strike out on your own. You should also consider there is no substitute for experience. When you finish your initial training you will understand the theory and should be able to carry out the basic tasks competently, but you will not have encountered the range of situations faced in the field and are unlikely to be able carry out the work as efficiently as an experienced engineer. Nevertheless, with a properly structured training course you should be able to gain meaningful employment in the industry and/or go out and start your own business.
If your preferred course offers it and you are able to, you might want to opt for any work experience, especially if this work experience leads to an NVQ, as the NVQ proves your competence in the work-place.
Having gained a basic qualification and joined the industry, there is further progression and additional qualifications on offer. These are:
National Certificate/National Diploma
Higher National Certificate/Higher National Diploma
Foundation Degree
Degree or Masters Degree
