Are fast track plumbing courses any good?

[rwhite2112]

Hi im looking to do a 6 week plumbing course through a training provider like able skills, but i know some people say dont waste your money. it says i will gain my 6129 city and guilds qualification from it and i know i need to do my 6189 after which is hands on evidence of work (correct me if im wrong).

i want to do the course and then work a plumbing firm after to gain my 6189 but do you think this course would give me a good understanding of what to do in all areas of plumbing, so if i did get work with a plumbing firm i wouldnt be asking questions 24/7?

i have tried to get in touch with plumbing firms but no one seems interested in training someone from new which is why this is my only other real option.

any comments from qualified plumbers or people that have done these courses would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Destroyer2813]

You are only gonna learn the real real basics, and life in the real world is far from a nicely set out classroom and there are plenty of time served blokes struggling for work so don't get your hopes up. Don't mean to sound negative just way things are at the minute the boom days are long gone

 

[Dotty]

You're getting sold a pup mate.

 

[AWheating]

it would be better to have practical experience before doing any training course. The fact its hard to find anybody to give you practical experience is just the way it is at the moment as most firms have downsized and are just keeping afloat and cant afford to train new employee's up. Its the same in more or less every construction trade from site managers down to the labourer. Any training center that advertise's like its not this way is just telling pork pies, they are struggling aswell and are trying to create attractive courses that make you believe you can get into a trade in a few months or even weeks because they need to keep afloat aswell.

The best way would be practical experience and part time course to get a good quality qualification at atleast a level 2 nvq or equal. wether this means working in your current job and doing free labour for a plumber on the weekends to get experience i dont know but please dont give up a decent paid job without alot of thought.

most employers will want experience over qualifications.

 

[Deleted member 25704]

it would be better to have practical experience before doing any training course. The fact its hard to find anybody to give you practical experience is just the way it is at the moment as most firms have downsized and are just keeping afloat and cant afford to train new employee's up. Its the same in more or less every construction trade from site managers down to the labourer. Any training center that advertise's like its not this way is just telling pork pies, they are struggling aswell and are trying to create attractive courses that make you believe you can get into a trade in a few months or even weeks because they need to keep afloat aswell.

The best way would be practical experience and part time course to get a good quality qualification at atleast a level 2 nvq or equal. wether this means working in your current job and doing free labour for a plumber on the weekends to get experience i dont know but please dont give up a decent paid job without alot of thought.

most employers will want experience over qualifications.

This is a great post, and I see why you are a trusted advisor!

 

[gavinwilson]

Put it this way we spent nearly two weeks solid on health and safety alone

sent from my annoying box

 

[AWheating]

This is a great post, and I see why you are a trusted advisor!

LOL...... please dont be to trusting

 

[rwhite2112]

Thanks i appreciate what your saying, im very dubious of them anyway as they only tell you what you want to hear

 

[andyplumber2009]

friend of mine did a quick course some years ago. yes, he got the accredidation but work was hard to come by and the large companies he ended up working for he wasn't quick enough at soldering and general fitting. Several years on he is successful working for himself but i think that he doesn't regret the course but the lack of practical hands on was definitely missing.
On a similar note i am doing the T4TS and will have exactly the same problem at the end.... practical experience. - DO NOT do the T4TS !!!

 

[Guest123]

There's nothing wrong with you doing a fast track course as long as your expectations from it are not too high. You might have a better chance of temporary employment to gain practical experience if you learn the basics and have a qualification to show for it.

Don't believe the hype that these course providers use in their marketing. There is no shortage of skilled plumbers, and if earnings of 60k plus were easily achievable, then everyone in the country would be training as plumbers.

It's not all doom and gloom. If you stick in hard, get as much advice and help as possible from anyone willing to provide it, then you COULD succeed. That's largely down to you and not some fast track course.

 

[Ray Stafford]

I would advise against a fast track course. Here's an alternative plan...

Take any job you can get in the construction industry. It doesn't matter even if its just labouring for a demolition contractor. You will at least learn about how buildings are put together, which will come in handy later.

Get a reputation for being a hardworker, quick learner, and reliable timekeeper. You will come into contact with all sorts of trades, and start to build connections with people who might be able to help you. Since training places and apprenticeships are hard to find at the moment, the few places that are going will be snapped up by friends and family, so you need to get to work with, and impress, the sort of people who have that kind of place to fill.

In the meantime, enrol at an evening college to start getting the basics. It will take longer, but be way cheaper.

At the very least, you will find out if that sort of life is right for you - its not everyone's cup of tea, and getting up at the crack of dawn and eating sandwiches in a cramped van in the pouring rain isnt what dreams are made of! . And you will be earning a few quid instead of pouring it into some training agency for a doubtful qualification and unreasonable expectations.

At best, you may come into contact with a good tradesman, and get proper training then.

In any field, they say it takes 10,000 hrs of practice to become truly expert. If you work 40hrs a week for 50wks a year, thats 2000 hrs. 5 years to become expert. Bearing in mind that plumbers spend half their life in the van, at the merchants or doing paperwork, make that 10 years.

You just can't get that on a fast track course.

 

[chris watkins]

Hi im looking to do a 6 week plumbing course through a training provider like able skills, but i know some people say dont waste your money. it says i will gain my 6129 city and guilds qualification from it and i know i need to do my 6189 after which is hands on evidence of work (correct me if im wrong).

i want to do the course and then work a plumbing firm after to gain my 6189 but do you think this course would give me a good understanding of what to do in all areas of plumbing, so if i did get work with a plumbing firm i wouldnt be asking questions 24/7?

i have tried to get in touch with plumbing firms but no one seems interested in training someone from new which is why this is my only other real option.

any comments from qualified plumbers or people that have done these courses would be great.

Thanks.

This is not specifically aimed at you Mr Lemonade 2112, but more generally. Why do people think that in anyway shape or form a training course could teach them all that they needed to know about their possible chosen career in 6 or so weeks & in this case to gain work & cover all areas, so they don't need to ask to many questions ??

What the hell do these people think we do, just push plastic fitting together ??

In this day & age of almost unlimited access to information you might of thought that a bit of research into what a plumber actually does, might have been worth carry out before spending your hard earned money.

They then start moaning & groaning about how these training centres have misled / con'ed them when it does not work out.

Just for your information the 6189 is the replacement for the 6129 which stops at the end of the year, it is an NVQ course so you have to complete workplace assessments otherwise you will not complete it, it also has all the college theory exams. The 6129 is just college based so if you took this you would have to repeat the college side when taking the 6189 there is some new stuff & some bits like lead & electrical have gone from the 6129.
Don't just ask on here go & find out what you are spending your money on !!!!!!!!!!

 

[mountainman]

All this waste of time and energy advising fast track hopefuls to forget their dreams of riches and respect could be avoided if the forum disallowed posts with keywords such as:
Training
Courses
I want to be a plumber
Career change
And many other variants of this theme.

I get depressed reading the posts of the hopefuls who think that this and associated trades are the route to satisfaction and financial security.

I cannot understand why these individuals consider that 'sufficient research' equals absolutely no research at all.

Perhaps there is some way of illustrating that for every hundred newbie fast trackers only maybe one will ever achieve a modicum of success in this current and foreseeable financial climate.

 

[chris watkins]

Problem is MM they all think they are the ONE (Neo watch out !) in the hundred & will make it & all them other hundreds of thousands who have passed the 6129 weren't really trying.

 

[mountainman]

The only real winners Chris are the training providers.

It's really just a big Ponzi scheme and is even worse for the poor souls that go the GSR route.

 

[petercj]

Must be time for another Prozac!

 

[mountainman]

Now there is a growing market if ever I saw one.

 

[Koogatubac]

Lads who have their own businesses near me who i speak to, if they receive any guys wanting a job and they hear that you've done a 'micky mouse' fast track course they instantly bin you off. Instead of it going in your favour it does the total opposite!

 

[rwhite2112]

well thanks for all your comments people, i was thinking this would be the case, looks like labouring it is for a while then

 

[petercj]

Good luck - at least you've survived the reality therapy!

 

[John_]

If you have the time, money, and serious about a career in this, I think fast track helps :/ (not all will agree but it's my opinion) True the course won't give you enough experience nor knowledge to be completely competent in plumbing, this takes years even so you will never know everything, but it will give you a foundation to work on. After all you have to start somewhere, and no one will take you on as it stand, but with the course someone might. If not, you will have enough knowledge and confidence to do small things at home, for friends and family etc to build your confidence. Eventually you will get there if you stick to it. Good luck.

 

[SimonG]

One way to look at it at the minute is that there are a lot of fully qualified guys sat on their backsides or stacking shelves because there's no work. Now if I had enough work to take somebody on would I go for the fast tracker or the time served somebody? and before everybody starts jumping up and down etc etc I know everybody is different and you will get excellent people who have been through the quicker course and you'll get time served muppets. I would be more interested in getting somebody who will hit the ground running and can be left to get on without a million and one questions.

But everybody has to start somewhere and in the current climate I think the advice given about getting into construction (any form) as a labourer and showing your metal from there is the way to go.

 

[chris watkins]

Spot on SimonG