Acs

[Bernie2]

Some years ago, I was speaking to a gas tutor, who said that the likes of the ACS people where considering removing all books and types of information from the test.

This would mean the fitter would be required to memorise everything for the test to reflect normal working conditions.

As he said "Nobody walks into a house with a stack of reference books or spends hours looking up answers when they are working"

I suppose he had a point, if you work for a company you usually don't get the time to do that and you can find yourself doing different appliances in different situations many times in the same day. So it would be difficult to do anyway.

Its probably why companies want experienced people.

 

[oldplumber]

i tend to read the instructions, and i do have my viper in the van, which gets used when the brain fails etc

 

[emerald]

same as old plumber, just keep them in the van for reference, the corgi insector said to me, :nobody expects you to know all of this viper book, you just need to know what is safe and unsafe

 

[Mbear]

There's too much in the books to remember it all.

As long as u can read and understand the appropriate material for the specific situation then that's all that matters. What's also important is when u read it, it will jog ur memory etc. The acs guys, no harm to them but that's all they do, walk around the test centre all day trying to trip u up, they might remember it all bcos they do it day in day out, but they wouldn't be so cocky if they where out working in the 'field' (for want of a better phrase) and worrying about all the other stuff like the rest of us then they'd soon forget alot of the acs test stuff like we all do. I guarantee it

 

[Blackcatgas]

I think thats an excellent idea, if they did that then 99% of all entrants would fail, I dont see how anybody could know everything about any type of gas apliance or situation, If iam usure of what to do I get the books out, phone a friend who knows or call the manufactures technical dept, also some people ie those who do new builds only etc somtimes choose to only cover a certain scope of gas work, new boilers, gas carcases etc and will only work on those areas for thier working life by choice and refuse to do anything that theyre not exp with.

 

[REDSAW]

i think your gas tutor had a stupid self opinion.
if it wasnt then all the gas fitters asking questions on this forum at least will have lost their tickets by now for not knowing. and when they resit their acs they would too fail it.
i bet i am accurate in saying, when he is asked a question by his students he will sometimes have to get the book out to explain as there is too many grey areas for it to be a science.

 

[kirkgas]

there will never be a situation where ACS is all closed book, as a real life job isnt closed book, when you do a job you have an internet phone, your gas books, MI's BS docs etc so you have access to info, have always said that a clever guy knows that he doesnt know everything, but i try to teach people where to look for info

 

[tamz]

This would never happen in the real world. Your average plumber / gas fitter is probably not the most educated guy in the world and the HSE and whoevver else decides on the rules know this. That is why Acs is DELIBERATELY made easy. Make it hard and we really would have a major shortage of qualified engineers.

Just a thought. when i did my C&G (596) it was a written exam with no books or formuli allowed. A slide rule and set of log tables were allowed (what are those)

 

[REDSAW]

This would never happen in the real world. Your average plumber / gas fitter is probably not the most educated guy in the world and the HSE and whoevver else decides on the rules know this. That is why Acs is DELIBERATELY made easy. Make it hard and we really would have a major shortage of qualified engineers.

Just a thought. when i did my C&G (596) it was a written exam with no books or formuli allowed. A slide rule and set of log tables were allowed (what are those)

would of thought they would have let you use your abacus.tut.

 

[newbie1]

well actually when you walk in a house you have all kinds of access
Bernie we even have internet on our phones now so all referance info is avail
while we are expected to remember the basic safety checks every time real life sits are never the same and as such only a fool wouldnt referance something he is unsure of
the tutor sounds a bit of a know it all

 

[Bernie2]

In point during past examinations as tamz says, you were not, it seems, allowed access to any form of reference.

In short you where expected to know it, without reference to anything.

Seems tough perhaps, but in my experience that is often what companies expect as well.

 

[justlead1]

Hi. I may well be alone on this one. Practicing the trade in both cities and country areas has exposed faults in my retention, and created financial penalties. City life say 35/40 gas CH installations a year. Corgi/GS cost could be absorbed with this turn over. However country life equals, say 3 N/gas installations, 4 oil jobs, 2 LPG and lots of plumbing bits. Yes the book comes out to inform or confirm decision making. The over draft increases to pay for mandatory gas training But insufficient gas work to make it viable. I am of the opinion that registered gas operators who are immersed in the stuff all day and every day. Should inspect and sign off domestic installations, keeping them fully employed, up to speed and saving the plumber / heating guy the time and money associated with gas training and registration.

 

[turnpin]

repairs are deduced by a process of elimination all should be in manufacturers instructions but every once in a while a solution evades you hundreds of different types of boilers fires cookers etc so plan b comes into play i.e viper books laptops and the old tried and tested phone your mates or if you are Billy no mates ask here at plumbers forumsregards turnpin