ATl COurse - Looking to retrain to become an electrician

IlfordSparky · Apr 4, 2012

Dear All,

I'm on the verge of signing up for the ATL course to become a 'Full Scope Electrician'. I've been told that I'll complete the 2357 Level 3, then the 2382, 17th Edition, 2377, PAT and then i'm PART P compliant. After this i have the option to go for the 2391.

Course is divided into 40 modules, some look easy, some more involved.
Total of 8 weeks on site training but they expect the course to take around 18 months if i was to spend 1 hour per day. I think i can devote more time as I'm currently not working.

My previous background is IT related but I'm a competent DIY'er and generally a physics/electronics/maths orientated person. I think I can handle the material.

The total cost of the course is £5770 but split into manageable monthly instalments.

My questions are as follows:
1. Is it a worthwhile course to take from a good provider - i am intent on pursuing this career?
2. Is it value for money?
3. Is there any way to circumvent the process and reduce the timeframe - i genuinely feel i can do it quicker than 18 months.
4. Job prospects after having taken this course only and no real on the job experience?

All help and advice much appreciated.

kind regards

adams19811 · Feb 17, 2013

im doing a atl sparks course and ive got to say im learning a lot they made it clear from the start it wont take 5 weeks to pass more like 18 months to 2 years and now im on it im seeing there point i would recomend them if you carnt get in to college or you want to work as well as traine

adams19811 · Feb 17, 2013

you sound a bit of a cowboy and a joke to be honest with you

Hobsoni · Feb 17, 2013

I have said it before and I will say it again. There are two ways to get to the top, you can either take the lift or the stairs. The lift might be quicker.........but you will see a whole lot more if you take the stairs.

curt.platt · Feb 20, 2013

Im currently doing the 2357 ATL course now and am about half way through the electrotechnical training they offer. 5-10 weeks is absolute rubbish, I started june 2011 and am on module 17 of 32. I wasn't in a position to go to college so decided it would be best for me to do the course around my job and so far I am pretty happy with the way the course has played out.

However there are a few things I can fault ATL with. You are told that when you complete module 12 you are eligible for practical training on the condition that you pass a online hour long h&s exam. If you fail said exam you have to wait a 7 days until you can attempt the exam again, also if you fail you are not told what questions you have answered incorrectly so you have no idea where you need to go back and revise. on my third attempt I passed but I was suspicious due to answering more or less the same questions with the same answers. I then phoned ATL to book my practical assessments and was told there were no dates available and they did not know when they would be vacancies, I left it two weeks and rang again (on a friday) to enquire if they had any idea and I was told I was booked in for the following monday (work loved it when i sprung that one on them) When I got to the practical centre other students told stories of their similar frustrations with the h&s exam and had said they had been waiting up to 14 months to be allocated practical assessments dates.

The course material is good but not great, I have invested in other work books also because the ATL course books have numerous spelling mistakes and out of date references to the wiring regs. oh and also not to mention that when I came to the module that was entitled along the lines of 'how to reference BS 7671' the exam is now 5 years out of date because it is referencing the 2008 version not with the 2011 amendments. which reminds me I was one of the lucky students at the practical weeks who managed to receive all of my course materials, some students were given the red version of the regs and also some not sent the on-site guide which is apart of the materials "provided".

right now Im waiting for module 17 to be marked (which they are very good at doing on time which takes 5 days) and then upon completing module 18 I can apply for my second two weeks practical assessments. I will give an update onto this thread when I receive my marks back to let you know what their reply is on waiting time for the assessments.

Hope some of my little rant helps, feel free to send me a PM if you want any other information.

er_jayesh · Feb 20, 2013

Hi Curt,
i m also in same boat, failed h&S 2 times now waiting for 7 days for 3rd attempt,
which center u visited for practical training ? how u finding training centers ?

curt.platt · Feb 20, 2013

A group of us were discussing the pre-attendance test and all came to the conclusion that we thought perhaps they ask you to do the h&s test before to offset the amount of students who are ready to do their practical weeks because the practical centers were not available because I was apart of a group who were the first ever load of students to go to the Wolverhampton test center, which was still being finished/painted whilst we were there. We ended up doing the exact same health and safety test in the center as well apart of the H&S qualification you will receive. The test center staff were brilliant, tutors were very knowledgeable and were happy to run over things that students didn't understand.

er_jayesh · Feb 20, 2013

curt.platt said:
A group of us were discussing the pre-attendance test and all came to the conclusion that we thought perhaps they ask you to do the h&s test before to offset the amount of students who are ready to do their practical weeks because the practical centers were not available because I was apart of a group who were the first ever load of students to go to the Wolverhampton test center, which was still being finished/painted whilst we were there. We ended up doing the exact same health and safety test in the center as well apart of the H&S qualification you will receive. The test center staff were brilliant, tutors were very knowledgeable and were happy to run over things that students didn't understand.

do u know where the training centres are located ?
Which centre u visited ??

curt.platt · Feb 20, 2013

er_jayesh said:
do u know where the training centres are located ?
Which centre u visited ??

As far as I'm aware Wolverhampton, Southampton and Leeds. There was one in Guildford but that closed down.

shanky887614 · Feb 20, 2013

if you do the course in 5 weeks. let me know were you live and ill visit you in prison.

personally id say its impossible to prove competence if you do a 5 week course. how can you prove you have relevent training and experince to help you work safely to the courts if you make a mistake

gasgavalar · Mar 28, 2013

shell91 said:
Hi.

im really thinking about enrolling in this course. ive had a meeting with a tutor to discuss doing this exact course!! same cost same course overview.

can you tell me if you did enrol? and if you recommend it?

Thankyou

Hi, I signed up to this course last year and have just finished assignement 10. Someone has said that it trains you to domestic installer, and if you remember that its not too bad. Any queries I have been able to contact a tutor either by phone or my email and have so far been very happy with everything.