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.
