Plumbing, gas and electrical careers: why a ‘traditional’ trade can prove a great career choice

With so many workers today feeling like a ‘cog in a wheel’ – stuck in dull, dead-end office jobs they don’t enjoy – it’s not hard to see why plumbing, gas and electrical careers continue to prove so attractive to Service Leavers. If you like the idea of a profession that offers a better lifestyle, a profitable, stable future, and the opportunity to be your own boss, becoming a plumber and gas engineer or electrician could be the perfect career choice for you.

A career that offers flexibility, financial rewards – and the chance to be your own boss
OLCI Construction Training is the UK’s only nationwide construction training provider, with years of experience training ex-Service people for successful civilian careers. Their Director of Training Max Mortimer gave us his insight into why plumbing, gas and electrical careers are so popular with ex-Forces personnel:
“They offer security and financial freedom – qualified tradespeople provide an essential service and will always be in demand. And with the UK moving into a ‘green’ economy, new opportunities are opening up. There’s also the fact the work is so varied, interesting and hands-on; if you’ve had a military career it’s unlikely you’ll enjoy paper shuffling or being stuck in front of a PC all day. Finally, while there’s the option of working for a company, many ex-Service people dream of setting up their own business. With the right skills and qualifications, as a plumber and gas engineer or electrician, it’s a dream you can actually make happen.”

The benefits of learning with a specialist resettlement training provider
The best way into the industry is to gain recognised qualifications – but combining training with your military and other commitments can be challenging. A good solution is to look for a specialist resettlement training provider that understands the needs of Service Leavers, and provides the support, advice and flexibility to make the transition to Civvy Street as easy as possible. For example, OLCI, one of the UK’s leading specialist resettlement training providers, offers:

Flexible plumbing, gas and electrical courses
Theory training you can learn where and when you want e.g. you can start your theory while abroad
13 state-of-the-art centres around the UK – so you can do your practical training locally instead of travelling long distances. Choose from a range of dates & times to suit you
Small groups and professional, supportive, friendly tutors, with both teaching & industry experience
Training that prepares you for industry recognised qualifications, inc. City & Guilds, EAL, Gas Safe Register and BPEC
No waiting lists /term times – you can start as soon as you enrol
Accommodation whilst you train can be arranged for you
Post-training support to help you set up your own business or gain employment
ELC funding available for Level 3 courses and above
Preferred training provider to the Career Transition Partnership (CTP)

Your next step
OLCI are happy to advise Service Leavers who are interested in a plumbing/gas or electrical career. They offer a free guide ‘Choosing the right training provider for you’ and have expert Career Advisors who can give free career guidance, explain the qualifications you need and answer your questions.

To speak to a Career Advisor or for your free copy of the guide, call OLCI on Freephone 0800 093 2590 or 020 7430 8405.

See their advert on page 5

Trade Skills 4U teams up with Royal British Legion to help retrain ex-Forces personnel

The UK’s leading independent electrical and renewable energy training provider, Trade Skills 4U, has announced that its Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme candidates will now be able to access financial support when they take up the free training initiative set up in June 2011.

The free training bursary was officially launched by Falklands hero Simon Weston OBE at the company’s renewable energy centre open day, and aims to give away £100,000-worth of free training to those who are struggling to find their feet after leaving the Forces. Whether this struggle is due to illness, injury or a lack of support this permanent offer will arm the candidates will practical skills for a new career.

However, since its launch in June the company is experiencing a lack of eligible candidates that have the funds in place to travel to the centre based in Gatwick, West Sussex. ‘We are a national company and have strong affiliations with the Forces and as a result eligible candidates from all over the UK are applying for our bursary. Unfortunately those who would benefit most from a scheme such as this are often facing hardship and have been out of employment for some time. As a result we are finding that these candidates are having trouble covering the costs of travel or accommodation in order to take advantage of this free training scheme,’ says Chloe Bennett, Marketing Executive at Trade Skills 4U.

Thanks to Civvy Street, the Royal British Legion’s employment support service, a candidate who is eligible for Legion support could have access to funding to help support their costs of travel and/or accommodation as well as other expenses while they train. ‘This partnership will bridge this gap and hopefully enable those most deserving of the bursary, the financial help to enable them to take hold of this great opportunity,’ adds Miss Bennett.

Trade Skills 4U bursary candidates will have the opportunity to train as domestic installers, electricians and renewable energy installers, and will take advantage of the company’s first-class and dedicated training centres.

To find out more about the Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme, potential candidates should visit www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-training.

See the advertisement on page 51.

Enrol with the experts: UK Trades Training

UK Trades Training (previously known as NE Tiling Training) has been established over seven years, providing a first-class training environment to anyone wishing to start a career in plastering, tiling, plumbing, bricklaying, decorating, joinery, locksmith and electrics, or for anyone who wishes to undertake their own household projects.

UK Trades Training has been a preferred supplier to the MoD and CTP for many years and we have had great success in training Forces leavers from all over the UK and Europe, and giving them the knowledge to start off a new life and career after leaving the Forces. We offer a full range of trade courses up to level 3 National qualifications, which is great for anyone wishing to use their ELC entitlements.

Our courses also include a full self-employment business advice programme – from keeping accounts and paying wages, to trade accounts, tax and NI, pricing jobs, measuring and estimating, which will give you the confidence to set your business up and run it correctly.

We are one of the UK’s largest construction trades training providers, with a purpose-built 10,000-square-foot unit and qualified tutors who are experts in their field: they all have had experience in running self-employed businesses and are happy to share their knowledge of how you can be successful in yours.

We are a top-ranked training company on national construction forums, with over 300 positive independent feedback testimonials.

Full details of all our trades can be found at www.learntotile.co.uk, or call Tracey on 0191 4547733 for information on our courses, or how to use your ELC or resettlement entitlements.

David Bill, Lieutenant General, tells Quest about his experiences of the Builder Training Centre in Croydon, Surrey …

‘I could not have been more satisfied with my time at the Builder Training Centre. I have completed a wide range of courses, including bricklaying, plumbing, carpentry, tiling, plastering, kitchen fitting and electrical foundation. I have seen most of the instructors in action and made use of many of the training facilities on offer. All the instructors were most impressive – engaged, dedicated, patient and hugely knowledgeable. Equally, the facilities and the materials provided are first class. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending the BTC to those who either wished significantly to improve their DIY skills and knowledge or those embarking on the first steps to a change of career. Meanwhile the administration of the centre is first class – approachable, efficient and proactive. I was also delighted with the accommodation provided – a delightfully friendly family atmosphere. Nothing was too much trouble.’

For further information call 0800 389 2775 or email info@thebtc.co.uk.

See the advertisement on page 28.

Achieve accredited certification in your chosen construction trade

At Construction Skills College we offer CTP- and ELCAS-approved training courses in plumbing, plastering, wall and floor tiling, carpentry, kitchen fitting, painting and decorating, electrical installations and business start-up.

Our courses are designed to train Service leavers with little or no previous experience of their chosen trade to achieve accredited certification. We ensure that you accomplish this by employing trade qualified and experienced staff, keeping class sizes small, providing excellent facilities and giving you as much support as you need before, during and after completing your training.

We appreciate that it is still a big step from completing training within a training centre to completing work in the ‘real world’. To help you take this step we provide you with full support by telephone and email, so if you have any questions then a tutor is only a call away. We also have a number of courses that consist of training within a domestic property.

We are committed to successfully helping learners to re-train, and we regularly review feedback from attendees and employers to ensure that we continue to offer quality training courses.

I would like to congratulate the college on such a fantastic course and on the extremely high standard of instructors that it employs. I will return to do more courses in the near future. I would recommend this course to other ex-Service men and women.

Plumbing course attendee, July 2011

We have two training centres, one in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and one in Wolverhampton, West Midlands. Both are close to train stations and have good-quality hotels nearby.

If you require any further information please contact the centre on 01782 837007 or via email at enquiries@tradeteacher.co.uk, or visit www.tradeteacher.co.uk.

Simon Weston to kick-start ‘Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme’ with Trade Skills 4U

Alongside its exciting Renewable Energy Centre open day on 17 June, Trade Skills 4U will be launching its ‘Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme’. The scheme was introduced by the company’s managing director Carl Bennett, who having watched the recent BBC documentary Forgotten Heroes with Col Tim Collins, and felt inspired to do something practical to help.

‘We will be offering one space at any one time completely free of charge to ex-Service personnel that are struggling to find their feet following their discharge from the Armed Forces,’ says Carl. The first free training place will be awarded at the event in June and presented by Simon Weston OBE, a national hero who was injured while serving during the Falklands conflict.

This genuine offer comes direct from Carl, who understands at first hand the difficulty of making a career change in the face of adversity. After 22 years in the MET police, serving with the SO19 specialist firearms department, he was forced to retire due to serious illness. Having managed to transform his career with no support, he has created this scheme to do what he can to help others in the same sort of difficult position.

‘We are not a huge company and can’t offer free training to everyone that is eligible so we have to carefully select and prioritise those able to take the training, based on need. However this scheme will allow us to do our bit for those who have given what we can never repay. It is also very important that business people like me do their bit to help our heroes,’ he concludes.

To be considered for the bursary scheme, call 01293 529777, but ideally fill in the application form at www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/ pages/free-training

See the advertisement on page 54

Tailored construction training from AbleSkills

Able Skills offers training in tiling, bricklaying, plumbing, gas, plastering, carpentry, kitchen fitting, painting and decorating, electrical installation and renewable technologies. Its AbleSkills Construction Training Centre has worked for many years with Service leavers, arranging training to suit every individual.

We cater for a number of people with different requirements: Service personnel who have lived in rented accommodation (married quarters) having never acquired any home maintenance skills, or those who are interested in pursuing a career in the lucrative building trades. As noted above, we can train to qualification standards in tiling, plastering, bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, painting and decorating, gas, electrical installation and renewable energy, which can lead to City & Guilds, NICEIC, CITB and BPEC certification. Alternatively, we can put together a variety of courses of your choice to produce a multi-skills package. We are confident that we can provide you with quality training to prepare you for life outside the MoD.

We understand that the resettlement process can be lengthy and complicated, but we have staff in place to guide and help you, and try to make the whole transaction as smooth as possible, including help with paperwork.

AbleSkills is possibly the largest construction training centre in the UK and we have dedicated training centres for each construction subject, as well as staff who are trade qualified (some ex-Servicemen) and have teaching qualifications. Our excellent facilities and staff ensure that the training you receive is second to none, and we are confident that you will leave having achieved everything you set out to.

Able Skills is committed to providing first-class training to everyone, regardless of gender, age or status. We are confident in the training we provide and this is proven by the fact that we are regularly booked up with people training for resettlement.

Able Skills Ltd is both CTP and ELCAS approved.

For more information or to book a course please call 0808 100 3245

See the advertisement on page 36.

Published January 2011

Building - Tiling - Despatches