Hi all, mature trainee here...

[Homeoffice2012]

I got to disagree with some comments about doing an intensive course, I run the level 3 in 8 weeks 5 days a week and I have to say there are benefits to doing it this way. I have 6-7 years of experience of teaching the 1 day a week course to people who are not in the trade and the students I have experienced on the intensive course have a better understanding in the end and do far better on their exams and assignments. I have even had some students who did the level 2, 1 day a week with a college and then completed the level 3 over 8 weeks and their feedback was that they were able to get a better understanding from one lesson to the next, where as in the 1 day a week course what they learnt on day one, they would forget when it came to revising for the exams. There is also there is little need of revisiting the last lesson so they understand the next because the knowledge was still fresh.

I have also noticed there is a much higher chance of the intensive students actually going into employment, where as a "lot" of the adults that did the courses 1 day a week never went on to work in the industry. This is down to confidence and the practical training they have received. On the day release course some students that completed the level 3 forgot the basics with the practical work they did on the level 2 (1st year), because the level 3 is all Theory.

I also take no short cuts, the learning hours are not that far off what a college teaches but there are no 6 week summer breaks, no Xmas breaks, no half term breaks, no non-teaching days, no extra curriculum unrelated to Electrical Installations, which is why the study can be done in this duration. Saying that, the majority of students will complete their classroom training in 8 weeks but will carry on completing their level 3 assignments for weeks maybe months afterwards.

Even though my training centre is aimed at the Electrical Improver route not Apprenticeships, I will always recommend that a 4 year Apprenticeship is the best way to train, but not all 24+ year old students can afford to take that route, due to family and other life commitments. You can not beat the 4 days a week on site training combined with 1 day a week underpinning knowledge study.

Whilst I pride myself on the quality of training I provide to my Electrical Improvers, it is the Level 3 NVQ Portfolio that is the most important to their training and reaching their goal to becoming a qualified Electrician. The NVQ for most will take another 1-2 years of onsite experience to complete, so regardless of whether the students do the intensive or 1 day a week, to become a qualified Electrician to JIB standards is no over night thing or 5 day course.

I know people will disagree even though I have seen the end product of all routes, but this is what a forum is all about.

Good luck with your training Homeoffice and get stuck in with the trainee section here, it has a great little community of people with the same objectives an others going out of their way to help.

Neil

Edit... sorry for the long comment and read late at night if struggling to sleep.

Cheers Neil for the advice...some valid points made, however, I have heard from college lectures talking about some students who have done the fast track courses complaining about not having a good understanding of what they have actually learnt even though they passed the level 3. Some have come back to college and enrolled on the level 3 again to get a better understanding.... Im off to see optima next week and will get as much info to satisfy myself if I do decide on the short intensice course...

Neil where do you actually teach?

Thanks

 

[Richard35]

Great forum post here. Thanks everyone for the advice and chat.
I am 35 and about to embark on my new career change towards becoming an electrician.

I was about to start a home study level 2 C&G in Electrical Installations with a company near Ipswich.
My thinking was that I could complete this in a not too long period of time and it would give me enough qualification to gain paid work as a mate/improver.
Then after 6 to 12 months of industry experience, I would start my Level 3 C&G....................and so on.......

I was then contacted by an electrical company who pay their trainees OK rates and you start work with them whilst doing the 1 day per week College Apprenticeship route. They don't like the 'Fast Track' / Home Study route apparently!
Very tempting, however the 1 day college release course will take 3-4 years as discussed earlier in this forum post.

I am really not in a position to be able to commit to living in one place and studying at one college for up to 4 years. Mainly as my other half and I have not quite decided where we will be living in the next 6 months!
BUT the 4 year route is considered the recommended route by most experienced sparky's and trainers.........

Hmmmmmmm. What advice would you suggest under these circumstances?

Is College route really that much better than a decent quality training course/centre?

Rich