Testing and Inspection Courses

[enlighting]

Evening All,

I Beleive this may have been touched on in the past but I'm going to bring it up anyway.

A few things to discuss,

Essentially NAPIT have been fine with me issuing certs for over 5 months now no Problem, however now they have decided that I am no longer competent enough (Somehow) and need to do a testing and inspection qualification.

My background is as follows: self employed, did a full advanced apprenticeship with 2330 Tech Cert and NVQ level three. Also since passed 17th edition regs course. On my aprenticeship (being a small firm) testing and inspection was a part of the job, so therefore I'm competent at it. This was proven on my AM2 assessment where a full 3-Phase testing assesment is carried out.

So my first question is this, why is everyone expected to do very expensive and very time consuming testing and inspection courses (yes courses, two of them) when we have already been instructed an assessed in this on our apprenticeship?

just think it's worth discussing, it wasn't as bad when you could do simply one course the 2391, but now you need the 2395 initial verification and 2395 periodic inspection! I made enquires recently about doing this and to do both courses figures of around £1200 were being thrown around with up to 7 days attendance needed. As a self employed spark I find this amount of money and time off being needed to be quite ridiculas.

Finally and this is the question I really was meaning to ask, basically I'm going to do the courses anyway but have been offered an EAL Course, the 4337 & 4338. All my other Certs have always been city and guilds, what are peoples thoughts on the two courses? NAPIT say they accept the EAL Certs but I don't want to have trouble further down the line if I decide to switch to NICEIC etc.

Apologies for the essay.

Cheers

David

 

[davesparks]

Never heard of EAL, but city and guilds on the other hand is instantly recognisable anywhere.

If you are competant to carry out inspection and testing then they can't force you to do the courses, but they could prove useful to have on your CV anyway.

And lastly:
Don't swap to NICEIC, in fact ditch the scams altogether. They are nothing but a parasite stealing your hard earned cash. Their destruction of our trade has gone on long enough, it's time to make a stand!

 

[lewis hope]

Looking at doing the courses myself . Either the eal or c&g? From what I can see they are exactly the same and its all down to preference?
Says that they are equally recognisable, sit the same course and do the same practical but do different exams ?
I know its been on here before but like the other guy it would be good to know if futher down the line would there be problems?
Has anyone done the eal course ?

 

[Richard Burns]

On a purely academic basis the two boards of qualifications EAL and C&G are providing equivalent qualifications.
However C&G have been doing this for far longer and people know and recognise the C&G qualifications (so long as they do not change them quite so often as they do).
I would say that if you can do the EAL qualification cheaper or with less hassle or it is being paid for by someone else then do the EAL qualification. However find out what the equivalent C&G numbers are and be prepared to quote them as in " I have EAL 4337 and 4338 which is the same as C&G 2394 and 2395"
So long as you get the chance to say or write this then there should be no problem as anyone comparing the qualifications will find they are academically equivalent.

 

[terry1969]

eal courses is done in the week too not coming back weeks later with c&g ones

 

[SirKit Breaker]

EAL quals have exactly the same QCF number, and this is the important number. The assessments are exactly the same, the test rigs and other resources are exactly the same, the course content is exactly the same, the guided learning hours are exactly the same.

The big difference is no silly 2 hour memory test written exams, and all assessments and online exam are open book, more real world i would say. C&G are still in the dark ages, and they ask some very irrelevant dross in their exams, and also try to word things to purposely trip you up and catch you out. Inspection, testing and certification is now far too complex to remain a closed book subject. There are far too many facts and figures that we need to know and even those with the best memory will only remember the ones they use regularly. I have seen some bloody good sparks fail the 2391/2394/2395 on more than one occasion over the last 4 years that i have been teaching it. They didn't fail because they didn't know or understand, they failed because they are hands on sparks, and not academics. A good example, how many of us can recite the Icn and Ics ratings for protective devices, can you recite the IP table, do you know what earthing arrangement can and cannot be used in every type of installation....NO and neither can i. Not knowing all this doesnt make you a bad spark, but a good spark will know where to look, and that is the difference, do you assume and guess, or do you check and get it right, i know what i would do.

EAL will come to the front with this qualification in the near future, because they test your ability to find out and apply your knowledge properly, just like you do on the job, you get the book out and find out. The clubs Elecsa et al, must tow the line and accept either EAL or C&G quals, and like it or lump it, and if they try to fob you off, then challenge them.

Cheers.............Howard

 

[pitkin2020]

Well said sirkit, I couldn't agree more. Plenty on here dismiss the EAL course because they did C&G 20 twenty years ago so can't be anywhere matched to an EAL course. Fact is the courses are identical

 

[thiza1455]

Total agree with you "inspection and testing" will always be the same never the less qualified through C&G or EAL remember its just the paper you gona be holding not the skill.