City & Guilds Qualified ???

[Graham Hyde]

Hi

i saw a local electrician today with a nice shiny city and guilds qualified logo on his van.
Never seen this before apart from on a painter and decorators van a year or so back.

i had to go on the C&G website to get a replacement copy of my 2365 certificate. Whilst there i came across a page that explains how to get a nice pretty sticker.

It appears if you have a level 2 c&G qualification then you too can stick a lovely sticker on your van, surely this is misleading and confusing to customers. People often associate C&G courses as a sign of quality and competence ? To put on a van or letter head 'C&G qualified' is a bit cheeky.. what does it even mean?

http://www.cityandguilds.com/help/more-help/qualified-logo

i am not in anyway fully qualified myself and have much to still learn as the company i was doing my apprenticeship with went under before i could do my AM2... i am now working my way through loads of paperwork to get the last few odds and ends of my NVQ portfolio tidied up and get started in the trade. Given this service from C & G i have it appears wasted several years of study and an apprenticeship.

it seems all i need to do to convince joe public is upload my level 2 certificate and await my new logo and like magic i am qualified...

Anybody else think this C&G qualified thing is a complete joke?

 

[KennyKen]

The whole system there is a joke. Boil in the bag courses. Part P. Domestic installer what a load of rubbish. Every qualified spark should have a licence and licence number that goes into a data base where anyone can check to see if he's been blacklisted ect etc. if your not qualified then you should not be issued with any card this is including improver etc as this can be misleading. I know you have the Gold JIB card but who asks for that nowadays? I know numerous sparks who haven't got one... I'm not discrediting their performance as an electrician but come on...

 

[Pete999]

The whole system there is a joke. Boil in the bag courses. Part P. Domestic installer what a load of rubbish. Every qualified spark should have a licence and licence number that goes into a data base where anyone can check to see if he's been blacklisted ect etc. if your not qualified then you should not be issued with any card this is including improver etc as this can be misleading. I know you have the Gold JIB card but who asks for that nowadays? I know numerous sparks who haven't got one... I'm not discrediting their performance as an electrician but come on...

Boil in the bag courses now Kenny? love it,

 

[KennyKen]

Haha just couldn't help it.

 

[Pete999]

Haha just couldn't help it.

Know how you feel

 

[KennyKen]

A lot better thanks Pete. How are you?

 

[Pete999]

A lot better thanks Pete. How are you?

Fine Mate apart from a few health problems, retired now for about 6 years like keep up with the lektrik world.

 

[The Ghost]

In fact if you get such a sticker the level you have acheived is on the sticker so that consumers are "aware" of what level of expertise you have.

 

[jackylad]

I clicked on the c&g link, but it doesn't say how much they charge for the sticker, i can't see it been free or just the cost of the sticker, i wonder if they charge a yearly licence fee to use the logo, they'll be wanting to make as much as they can like the scam providers.

 

[David M]

The whole system there is a joke. Boil in the bag courses. Part P. Domestic installer what a load of rubbish. Every qualified spark should have a licence and licence number that goes into a data base where anyone can check to see if he's been blacklisted ect etc. if your not qualified then you should not be issued with any card this is including improver etc as this can be misleading. I know you have the Gold JIB card but who asks for that nowadays? I know numerous sparks who haven't got one... I'm not discrediting their performance as an electrician but come on...

Isn't that what we pay the scams for?
The whole system is crap, I think you are right in that all skilled/qualified tradesmen should be licensed. Something not dissimilar to having a driving license which clearly states at what level you are qualified/competent. Maybe a similar points system, or down those lines, where if reported for non compliant or dangerous work you would accumulate points or a ban if its something serious??

 

[KennyKen]

Yeah very much so... the public/employer have every right to know who there hiring. I know over here they use a vetting system before your hired called ERMS. So if you have done anything dangerous onsite. If you ever been blacklisted from a project. If you've sexually harassed or physically harassed someone. These all show up on your file and then you don't get hired. It seems to work a treat everyone is paranoid to step out of line.

 

[Pete999]

I clicked on the c&g link, but it doesn't say how much they charge for the sticker, i can't see it been free or just the cost of the sticker, i wonder if they charge a yearly licence fee to use the logo, they'll be wanting to make as much as they can like the scam providers.

The sooner we get One Regulator the better, Sparkies are assessed every year Heating and Gas trades are every 5 years, something wrong somewhere, I could go on and on about this fiasco, but you would get bored.

 

[kenny7askew]

you can buy the C&G van stickers on ebay so anyone can have one

 

[Wilko]

Stunned

View attachment 35952

 

[gazdkw82]

i'm confused why anyone would want such a sticker on a works van. Its not showing any kind of quality assurance, just stating you (at some point) passed a City and guilds course.

or spent £3 on ebay.

 

[westward10]

See them all the time saw a sparkies van with one the other day it was strangely more prominent than the NICEIC one.

 

[Last plumber]

The sooner we get One Regulator the better, Sparkies are assessed every year Heating and Gas trades are every 5 years, something wrong somewhere, I could go on and on about this fiasco, but you would get bored.

I didn't know that !
Every twelve months ?
Do you mean you have a visit from NIC like we have Gas safe ?

 

[Last plumber]

Years ago, to be City and Guilds qualified did actually mean you had done real and proper exams. In other words, they counted for something, took years to achieve and lasted a lifetime, tradesmen were proud to be City and Guilds qualified.
Today's exam standards, in all trades are tin pot rubbish in my opinion.
I have seen all manner of ridiculous situations recently and I blame it all on the way people are trained and assessed.

 

[Midwest]

I didn't know that !
Every twelve months ?
Do you mean you have a visit from NIC like we have Gas safe ?

Annual assessment and £500 later (unless your with Stroma), what's the crack with Gas Safe out of interest?

 

[Lumie]

Seems to me, most people don't care what qualifications you have as long at the light turns on at the end. Could probably make up your own qualifications and the client wouldn't be any wiser.

 

[Last plumber]

Annual assessment and £500 later (unless your with Stroma), what's the crack with Gas Safe out of interest?

Every five years for ACS reassessments and visits from gas safe at random really.
I do my ACS domestic assessments one year and Commercial heating and commercial catering the year after.
Costs a fortune ! It would be better to be more regularly reassessed on regulations changing than keep going over the same ground.

 

[Midwest]

So to put it simply to be a gas safe contractor, how much does it cost each year?

 

[Toneyz]

The sooner we get One Regulator the better, Sparkies are assessed every year Heating and Gas trades are every 5 years, something wrong somewhere, I could go on and on about this fiasco, but you would get bored.

It's simple schemes carry on administrating the part P on behalf of LCBC the existing cscs card used to have some sort of licence system

 

[Toneyz]

There has been a lot of good debate on here the last few days the video of the commons committee was I think 2014 it is about time someone took note

 

[Last plumber]

So to put it simply to be a gas safe contractor, how much does it cost each year?

Probably costs me around £400 or £500 PA and 6 or 7 days not earning overall

Most domestic only folk I'd guess around £200-£300 PA and 3-4 days not earning .

It varies quite a lot though depending on what you do. You can just do core safety and gas fires for example so you'd be less still.

 

[rolyberkin]

Can I put an O level physics sticker on the side of my van?

 

[Toneyz]

Can I put an O level physics sticker on the side of my van?

25mtrs breast stroke does that count

 

[Midwest]

Probably costs me around £400 or £500 PA and 6 or 7 days not earning overall

Most domestic only folk I'd guess around £200-£300 PA and 3-4 days not earning .

It varies quite a lot though depending on what you do. You can just do core safety and gas fires for example so you'd be less still.

Interesting, there was a lot of referrals and referencing to Gas Safe that commons committee vid that Anthony mentioned, as the 'way to go' for the Part P schemes. Do you think the Gas Safe scheme is fit for purpose?

 

[Last plumber]

Interesting, there was a lot of referrals and referencing to Gas Safe that commons committee vid that Anthony mentioned, as the 'way to go' for the Part P schemes. Do you think the Gas Safe scheme is fit for purpose?

It's difficult to say if it's 'fit for purpose'. I think it's too easy but I know a lot of people do fail it or get referred back to training which scares me. I suppose that says more about the background or training they had prior to attending the ACS course.
The Part P ( inspection and testing) course I did a few years ago was on similar lines to ACS.

I don't know if it was similar due to it being carried out in an ACS test centre. It was NIC designed ( after many alterations and re writes) so I presume it would be the same wherever it was done ?

As far as Gas Safe goes, they tend to keep a regular eye on those they doubt to be honest. Some are visited a few times per year !

 

[DPG]

It's difficult to say if it's 'fit for purpose'. I think it's too easy but I know a lot of people do fail it or get referred back to training which scares me. I suppose that says more about the background or training they had prior to attending the ACS course.
The Part P ( inspection and testing) course I did a few years ago was on similar lines to ACS.

I don't know if it was similar due to it being carried out in an ACS test centre. It was NIC designed ( after many alterations and re writes) so I presume it would be the same wherever it was done ?

As far as Gas Safe goes, they tend to keep a regular eye on those they doubt to be honest. Some are visited a few times per year !

This makes sense. Adjust the interval according to previous results/findings.

 

[Steve1412]

C&G was the benchmark qualication when I started. My lad is now in his 3rd year as an apprentice. In my first block realease at college I did more days than he did in his first year!!!! He will soon complete apprenticeship after 3 years?? what happened to 4 years time served??....ahhhh i think I need a horlicks!!!

 

[Delboybully]

A lad that used to help be and has now finished his apprenticeship (so he tells me) has just had this put on his van.

The thing is he isn't part P and so doesn't notify, has no insurance and until recently has been using some old robin separates for testing that haven't been calibrated for about 10 years. But it's ok he is C & G qualified to level 3!

 

[sparkdog]

I like that C&G sticker , just the job to stick over a rust patch.

 

[Phil Thompson]

Saw a pick up with topbox today. Belonged to a gardener/landscaper. And on the side of the topbox was his sign writing and a C&G Qualified logo on it. First one I've seen.

 

[7029 dave]

25mtrs breast stroke does that count

Elementary of course.?

 

[Zdb]

It could be worse, It could say EAL qualified

 

[telectrix]

even worse is "part p qualified". what does that mean apart from the fact that his cheque to the scam hasn't bounced?

 

[FatAlan]

Does BAGA 3 & 4 count. After about 45 years I reckon I could still do a forward roll!

 

[Pete999]

even worse is "part p qualified". what does that mean apart from the fact that his cheque to the scam hasn't bounced?

Worse still Tel 17th Edition Qualified

 

[joelee131]

even worse is "part p qualified". what does that mean apart from the fact that his cheque to the scam hasn't bounced?

Not a lot. It's a money scheme. NIC gained a lot of members(Fee) from this regulation.