NVQ2 advice and guidance

[plumuk84]

Hello

I'm currently in full time employment on a shift pattern, i'm interested in plumbing primarily for job security as i have nothing else to fall back on. I recently purchased NVQ 2&3 plumbing theory on the internet and have started studying it. I was going to go with OLCI home study you buy the theory then pay for practical/reg fees etc but was very wary as they would not tell me exactly how much it would cost altogether. I have made initial agreement with an equaintance who is a working plumber corgi reg etc to provide me with a workplacemnt to fit around my current shift pattern.
Could someone tell me what the best thing to do is to get an NVQ2 plumbing

can i just go to practical lesson at OLCI or equivalant then build my portfolio for NVQ with the work placement

or can i just do theory then go straight out on work placment to build my portfolio

any advice orguidance would be apprieciated.

 

[ninjastealth187]

Hello mate,

If you can help it dont spend a bomb on these fast track courses.

I am doing the 6129 tech cert at a private college for the amount of £240! And that includes boots and tools.

It does however take 8 months at Two days per week. (semi fast track)

If you live near to or can commute to Essex, Hertfordshire, or East London, please let me know and I will give you the details of where I train.

The NVQ l2 is a seperate payment of £900 but you havent got to worry about this until you have finished your course.

Hope this is of help to you, or anyone else on here for that matter!

cont: forgot to mention, the course is goverment funded through a college but the training is delivered away from the college by a private company in a plumbing center.

 

[plumuk84]

Damm i'm in Somerset just outside of Bath so bit too far to travel unfortunutely. thanks for your help though. Unable to go to college because of my current work commitments, thats why OLCI seemed idea. just read on their website they have courses for people in the trade already but without a formal qualification and you only need to do the workshops you are not familar with.
Does anybody know if i get upto scratch on theory and build my portfolio whilst i'm under the wings of a more experianced plumber. could i then just be assesed by OLCI theory and practical and gain city& guilds 6129 that way? maybe i'm dreaming and is too good to be true but it would save me a hell of alot of money that way

Yet again any help is apprieciated

 

[ninjastealth187]

Yes and no.

The 6129 is just the technical aspect. You do not have to do this certificate to achieve the NVQ 2. This is seperate.

If you can learn the trade from a plumber you can then just undertake the NVQ l2 with the oicl, as all the NVQ 2 consists of is you doing your work whilst a assessor visists you and verifies your work.

People do the 6129 cert because they find it extremely difficuilt to find a good plumber to take them on.

The plumber that you work with / learn from must be time served and have 5 years of books to prove this.

If he fits the critearia he can sign off your modules for your NVQ 2 for you. This and a few assessor visits will complete your Nvq 2.

Hope this helps.

 

[plumuk84]

Thank you very much this has cleared a lot up in my mind now. i'm pretty sure the plumber i intend to train/learn with has 5 yrs experiance. According to the internet varies website to website on how long it takes to achieve NVQ2 from 6 months to at least 2 years? Baring in mind when i start with the plumber i would have no practical experiance at all and very little theory how long realistically will it take for me to gain NVQ2? do i get assessed at my on-the-job placement or do i have to travel to one of the training centres to be assesed? How much can i expect to pay olci for assesments NVQ registration etc?

 

[uug197h]

you will be assesed at a center for the C&G and onsite for the NVQ2

 

[plumuk84]

ok thank you Ugg
So the C&G 6129 tech certificate is that a must to gain NVQ2 or does it just help?

 

[ninjastealth187]

You do NOT need to undertake the city and guilds 6129 technical certificate if you are already working with / as a Plumber.

If you do not want to take the above, I would suggest that you work alongside a good Plumber for at least a year to gain some experience and then apply for your NVQ L2 once you know what your doing.

Of course the other option is to undertake the tech cert 6129, but this is NOT a must and hands on experience with a compotent Plumber will be more beneficial.

As stated before, the NVQ L2 is a work based assessment by verified assessors who visit you on site. The NVQ L2 is not a course where you learn Plumbing, it is a certificate of compotence that is awarded upon satifactory completion of work based assessments.

 

[plumuk84]

ok thanks for clearing that up once again. I'm so glad i happened to pop on here to see what people had to say.
like explained in earlier threads i'm going to be working with a competent plumber around my current shift pattern sly this will be part time probably between 8-10 hours per week. Would your advice be to work with the plumber for at least a year then apply for NVQ level 2 once i have experiance? then its just a case of building up my portfolio of work right?

 

[ninjastealth187]

Yep. Thats deffinately the way to go, and I know plenty of people who have done this.

 

[Unregistered]

Plumbuk84 I hope I am not too late but do not go with OLCI I am with them and everyone I have spoken to on course say the same they will offer loads but deliver only the basic not much support anywhere from them.

I know its easy to use them with shift patterns I'm the same but would trade lower money for the flex to attend college

Find somewhere else that is better for you!

If you have already gone with them then really push them hard!

 

[dtandy]

Hi, I live in Hertfordshire so am interested to learn more about this semi fast track course you are doing?

Currently working full time in london I am desperatly seeking a career change and very interested in Plumbing, however am finding it increasingly difficult to find a way of gaining the right qualifications at my age (im 28) as advanced apprenticeships are very rare and am unsure about all these fast track courses available.

So any info on your course would be greatly appreciated as ideally I will need to train part-time around my job.

Thanks.

Hello mate,

If you can help it dont spend a bomb on these fast track courses.

I am doing the 6129 tech cert at a private college for the amount of £240! And that includes boots and tools.

It does however take 8 months at Two days per week. (semi fast track)

If you live near to or can commute to Essex, Hertfordshire, or East London, please let me know and I will give you the details of where I train.

The NVQ l2 is a seperate payment of £900 but you havent got to worry about this until you have finished your course.

Hope this is of help to you, or anyone else on here for that matter!

cont: forgot to mention, the course is goverment funded through a college but the training is delivered away from the college by a private company in a plumbing center.

 

[manx12]

Hi,
I have done my 6129 a year ago (working as a plumber for 2.5years) and want to do the work based NVQ2 qualification... I have tried calling alot of centre's to get anyone to come out and to assess my work.... i have had little success... has anyone any idea's who to call and how much would the qualification cost??
cheers

 

[ninjastealth187]

Hi, I live in Hertfordshire so am interested to learn more about this semi fast track course you are doing?

Currently working full time in london I am desperatly seeking a career change and very interested in Plumbing, however am finding it increasingly difficult to find a way of gaining the right qualifications at my age (im 28) as advanced apprenticeships are very rare and am unsure about all these fast track courses available.

So any info on your course would be greatly appreciated as ideally I will need to train part-time around my job.

Thanks.

Hello there,

Sorry for the delay.

The course that I mention is based in Waltham Abbey near to Loughton.

The course is done over two days per week and takes around 9 months.

The company is called M POWER Training Soloutions and is funded by Epping Forest College.

If you call the following number and ask for Amanda she will guide you through the process. I kn ow that there is a course starting in September 08.

01992 769696

Good luck mate,

Keep me updated on your progres.

Regards.

 

[ProffesorPlumb]

Hi,
I have done my 6129 a year ago (working as a plumber for 2.5years) and want to do the work based NVQ2 qualification... I have tried calling alot of centre's to get anyone to come out and to assess my work.... i have had little success... has anyone any idea's who to call and how much would the qualification cost??
cheers

It should cost you about £600 and you have 2 years to complete it. Your local construction college should do this for you.