I arrived at the Barwell unit at 2 yesterday to attend the induction for the new intake of students. There were 12 of us, so i assume i might be seeing alot of these people in my not too distant future.
The induction gave a quick overview of how the course works, how to "book" your module, your examinations and proceeding with the next module.
Essentially there are about 7 or 8 sets of 12 cubicles (somewhere around 80 i expect) which are used for the 12 students to undertake a module. The class sizes are 12 as a max. Im also assuming that since the desired modules are booked via a team of administrators, then once the class size has reached 12, then the course is confirmed and the module will take place in a particular week.
The contract which students have to sign when they pay the £4850 suggests that you should be able to undetake any module within a 4 week period and the modules are run AT LEAST EVERY 4 WEEKS.
Before any student can book a module they must study for and pass a rudimentary Health and Safety exam. Im sure that this is to make students aware of the dangers of burnin "stuff" they shouldnt in the workshops, what fire extinguishers to use on different types of fire and the vagaries of to carry a ladder!
I'll be using the following texts to aid me in this task.
Plumbing: Heating and Gas Installations
By: Roy Treloar (Author)
Plumbing: Mechanical Services: Bk. 1
By: G.J. Blower (Author)
Safe Start: Safety Handbook: GE 707
By: Denis Hands (Author),
CITB-ConstructionSkills (Author)
Point to note.
BTSC can supply these books and id advise you getting them from them as the likes of Amazon dont carry all the books. I forgot to buy them fromthe BTSC yesterday and had to trapse around Charring Cross road trying to fimd them. Blackwells had the Plumbing: Heating and Gas Installations book so ill have to make do with that for now.
Once your have regailed yourself with this first milestone your plumbing career can commence. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!
Financing the module.
Once you have completed the module you will then have to book your exams. The City and Guilds exam is free for first time takers (£22 per retake), but the BTSC also run a more comprehensive exam which they are trying to get accepted as a higher standard within the industry and charge students £20 per exam.
STUDENTS MUST PASS BOTH EXAMS TO PROCEED ONTO THE NEXT MODULE
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4 comments:
Hey this should be interesting! To save you a lot of pain and frustration i have some advise,take it from someone who knows. First you are given 12 months to complete 8 modules, 12 months that is from the day you sign up,NOT the day you begin your training or even make yourself available for training. After finishing your week long module you should take your exam the following MONDAY, if you fail either then re-take on WEDNESDAY,that way you should be ready to book your next module by Friday/Saturday at the LATEST! From here you will have to wait 4 weeks twiddling your thumbs and on the fifth week you go back for your next module,and the process continues. They close for a week over Easter and two over Christmas and this time is not recoverable if it slows you down. It can be completed in 12 months but rarely,many people have to pay £350 a time for modules they are yet to complete when their 12 months expires. There it is!
so, if i do a weekly module, then take the exam and book the next, it will take about 6 weeks for every module? so 6X8=48weeks?
i was hoping to complete somewhere arround 6 months!
I take it you have done the course, so hows it going. are you a plumber yet? and have you any more positive and negative experiences whilst doing the course
I myself am yet to complete Module 8 which i have booked for February and have taken just over 12 months so far thus incurring extra charges. It can be done in 12 months but just as often it takes longer. I think 6 months is over optomistic although they can lead you to believe you can fly through it. The course itself i have enjoyed from day one but all the waiting around can be very frustrating.
cool, so what do you plan to do when youve completed the first section? Bathroom fitting etc or are you going to continue down the corgi route?
Are you using your new skills in your current job or are you setting yourself up to do so when youve finished?
Id be interested keeping in touch with what you're upto. You can get me at silverplumber@hotmail.co.uk
All the best with your final module and thanks for the headsup
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