help needed

guitargraham · Jan 13, 2009

Hi all, i am new to this forum and nned your help.
Does anybody know anything about a training company called access2 trade careers, i am looking at signing up with them but cant find any feed back anywhere.
I know from threads ive read a lot of you think these are expensive but after being made redundant after 22 years in the motor trade selling, and this industry is now dead i need some thing to turn to in the near future.

Thanks in advance

Graham

stevenray58 · Mar 30, 2009

Hi all,

I am also on this training course and am finding it very good at the moment. I have just completed my first 6 part and waiting for the practical section to be booked. I have found it very intense and i had to push my maths to the limit. You need to read carefully and i found lots of usefull information on the internet to help out.All seems ok at the moment but i am only in the early stages so will update you how it progresses,, would also like to hear from others on the same course .. steve

old dog · Mar 30, 2009

liverbird76 said:
Hi

It costs between 4500 and 5500 depending upon whether you do 4 modules or 2 the 2 modules covers your part p and the other 2 cover your 17th edition

hi i have college prospectus in front of me
domestic electrical installer
eal certificate ( patr p )
17 units
18 weeks 1 day/eve
£285
17th edition iee wiring regulations; C&G certificate
10 weeks 1 eve
£158
inspection and testing C&G 2391
12 weeks 1 eve
£190

Victorcrane · Mar 31, 2009

old dog said:
hi i have college prospectus in front of me
domestic electrical installer
eal certificate ( patr p )
17 units
18 weeks 1 day/eve
£285
17th edition iee wiring regulations; C&G certificate
10 weeks 1 eve
£158
inspection and testing C&G 2391
12 weeks 1 eve
£190

The 2330 full time course to level 3 has cost me £1100 so far. Add on the 2391 and the 17th which i'm doing over summer and you have a much better qualification for a lot less money. I don't get how these guys are operating, unless I'm entirely misunderstanding exactly what they do?

guitargraham · Apr 3, 2009

Hi guys, just got back from my 1st weeks traning with Access 2 trade and will do a new thread on the course, but to quickly answer your questions.
To Liverbird76 new thread when i have time will help and about work after thats like how longs a piece of string but the fact you have invested in your self will impress any new employeer.
To Stevenray58 wait for new thread.
To Olddog & Victorcrane the course includes all exam costs with 1 re-sit if required, all study books and a very impressive tool kit and tool box. And bear in mind a lot of us are doing this whilst working full time so cant do a full time collage course and nightschool takes to long. But when i get round to new thread i will go into more detail. But thanks for the interest.
Hopefully got us some new members so they may give there point of view.

Regards

Graham

paulred75 · Apr 4, 2009

Just signed up for this myself and recieved my first pack last week. I look forward to hearing what you thought of it so far.

guitargraham · Apr 12, 2009

Hi just to let those who are interested i have done a threrad on my first training module, just follow the link. http://www.electriciansforums.net/electrical-courses-feedback/5430-access2trade-careers.html

Cheers

Graham

diztig · May 19, 2009

WayneL said:
Just had a quick look at what you get for your money (on the EAL website) - the only thing to worry about

is this quote from the course description:

"

"The Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers is suitable for those
who carry out electrical work in association with or for their main work
activity under the scope of Part P. Successful candidates will have
achieved the understanding of a domestic electrical installer
(though not an electrician) and will be able to demonstrate
their knowledge to be nominated as a ‘Qualified
Supervisor’ with a Competent Persons Scheme."

All depends what you want at the end, I suppose. Still a lot of money though!!

Cheers

Wayne

So, what would one then have to do to progress from 'electrical installer' to 'electrician'? I'm a bit confused by this one...

Victorcrane said:
The 2330 full time course to level 3 has cost me £1100 so far. Add on the 2391 and the 17th which i'm doing over summer and you have a much better qualification for a lot less money. I don't get how these guys are operating, unless I'm entirely misunderstanding exactly what they do?

So, who have you gone with for this course, Victor? A local college? And are you able to do this just evenings (i.e. to work around an existing full time job)? Did you need any prior experience to get onto the course?

Apologies for all the questions but I'm currently weighing up the options of whether to go with a provider such as Access2Trade or whether to go with a college if such an evening course exists where I can get on it with no prior qualifications... Thanks.

tbt · May 20, 2009

Hello all

I had my visit from Access 2 yesterday. It all seems straightforward, but like most of you Im a little worried about handing out £5500 without much knowledge of the company? Do any of you know anyone that has completed this course, and if they are working as fully qaulified electricians? I cant imagine that when you finish this course that we would be able to just walk into jobs?

Mac · May 20, 2009

tbt said:
Hello all

I had my visit from Access 2 yesterday. It all seems straightforward, but like most of you Im a little worried about handing out £5500 without much knowledge of the company? Do any of you know anyone that has completed this course, and if they are working as fully qaulified electricians? I cant imagine that when you finish this course that we would be able to just walk into jobs?

You probably won't walk straight into a job the way things are at the moment.It is alot of money to hand out.There are so many companies trying to train electricians/plumbers in a short space of time.I did a 4 1/2 year apprenticeship and then decided to leave the industry.Got back into it last year after 20 years away and it's really hard at the mo.Personally i would go and enrol at college and you will be able to do all these courses at a fraction of the price, and in the meantime try and get some electrical experience working for a local spark at weekends for free.Don't know how old you are but you should be able to get most of the courses for free.Good luck mate

tbt · May 20, 2009

Thanks Mac. My situation is that I want to take a trade back home with me (South Africa) in the next 2-3 years perhaps. The reason Im considering Access 2 is because the qaulifications only take a year to complete roughly. The qaulifications they offer after this period are listed below. Are these enough to potentially get some experience with? The college route would be useful but take to long as Im 25 now.

EAL VRQ Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers
City & Guilds 2382-10 Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installation (17th Edition)
City & Guilds 2392-10 Level 2 Certificate in the Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification
City & Guilds 2391-10 Level 3 Certificate in Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations
City & Guilds 2377-12 Level 3 Certificate for the Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment

Mac · May 20, 2009

tbt said:
Thanks Mac. My situation is that I want to take a trade back home with me (South Africa) in the next 2-3 years perhaps. The reason Im considering Access 2 is because the qaulifications only take a year to complete roughly. The qaulifications they offer after this period are listed below. Are these enough to potentially get some experience with? The college route would be useful but take to long as Im 25 now.

EAL VRQ Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers

City & Guilds 2382-10 Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installation (17th Edition)

City & Guilds 2392-10 Level 2 Certificate in the Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification

City & Guilds 2391-10 Level 3 Certificate in Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations

City & Guilds 2377-12 Level 3 Certificate for the Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment

They are fine mate.What a lot of companies are looking for today is an NVQ qualification,normally the C&G 233.When i did mine it was the 236 and it was replaced with this.I know the certificate for domestic installers will only allow you to do domestic work,costs about £1100,don't know how long it would take to do.The other 3 courses my college does them,the 2392-10 is someone with limited inspection and testing,costs £515 over 5 weeks.The 2391-10 is a stepping stone from the 2392-10 and apparently is a hard exam to pass.7 out of 10 electricians fail this,that costs £695 over 9 weeks and the PAT testing course can be done in a day costing £175.So if you add all that up it will work out a lot less than £5500.The 17th edition course i did back in February was £380 over 4 weeks.Different colleges charge different rates.Can you use these qualifications in South Africa.These companies are like processing plants,how many people they can get thru in a short space of time and how much money they can make

tbt · May 20, 2009

Thanks again Mac.

Im pretty sure that the qualifications stand up in SA, but I would probably need to do a refresher once I got there. Perhaps I need to take more time to think about this and maybe the college route is a better one. I think I will email the local City College here to see what they can offer. Once again Mac, thanks for the input, I really appreciate it.

guitargraham · May 20, 2009

Hi all, i started this thread and i have parted with the cash, i dont expect to be a fully fleched electrian at the end of it but having gone 1/4 through i already fell more confident about electrics.
Paying for a course of any kind will not make you good at it, you have to back it up with experiance but i feel by commiting to this type of investment shows to people that you are serious.
You have to give it 100% and then some.
Start small and grow and learn and set a sensible goal, rome was not built in a day nor is a electrician trained in 4 weeks.

My 2 bit worth

Graham

Richard Andrews · Apr 29, 2010

guitargraham said:
Hi all, i am new to this forum and nned your help.
Does anybody know anything about a training company called access2 trade careers, i am looking at signing up with them but cant find any feed back anywhere.
I know from threads ive read a lot of you think these are expensive but after being made redundant after 22 years in the motor trade selling, and this industry is now dead i need some thing to turn to in the near future.

Thanks in advance

Graham