The teaching of apprentices

[YoungBart]

Hi all
Just wondering what some of you feel about the way apprentices are taught?
I myself am an apprentice, and some of you may have your own. I've just finished my 2330 course (NVQ next year) but I think the course has left me short on certain things. For example, I am well drilled in HASAWA, COSHH and RIDDOR. But if it wasn't for the fact I work in an industry where we do alot of 3 phase work, I wouldn't have a clue, We haven't covered 3 phase testing, at all.
Also we covered a massive amount on motors, But very little on Fire alarm systems, Emergency Lighting and Alarms etc.
I'm lucky because I work in a sector of the industry where all of the above is quite common, But some of the lads who just do domestic must be tearing their hair out.
What are everyone elses thoughts on this matter, Or am I just being a whinge bag?

(p.s Sorry if this has been posted before)

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Bart,

Sadly like all things in the modern world, apprenticeships have been watered down beyond belief. I teach NVQ level 1 & 2, and guide apprentices through Level 3 at work.
Level 1 and 2 is a generic course, and we have to meet the assessment route summaries, so the course is an overview of most things, but doen't go too deep on anything. It is classed as a foundation course to some extent. When they complete L1 and 2, they go to work and do a Level 3, this has optional units, which will be chosen for you, specific to what you do at work. If you do 3 phase industrial stuff, you will get different units to someone who does purely single phase domestic. This part can take up to 3 years to complete, and this is where you start to learn properly, and get experience.
You are not whinging, your are saying your piece, and there is nothing wrong with sharing your views and opinions.

I wont hold the fact that you live in Brid against you. But i didnt realise 70 year olds could do apprenticeships:tt1: 70 is the average age in Brid so i am told.

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

 

[VoltzElectrical]

you make good points. I got my gold card recently, but have never touched motors or controls. Everything I know (not a lot) has been learnt on site - wiring, fire alarms, containment, mains distribution, etc..in the commercial world. All cctv, door access, alarms, BMS always handled by other firms, so no opportunity to learn about them unfortunately.

I sometimes weep over my gold card as I feel so unworthy of it!

What to do? Get an old Delorean with a flux capacitor!

 

[oldtimer]

Its a 2 way street Bart I served my time in industrial and commercial with Mathew Halls I worked hard payed attention and if someone could not tell me how it worked I either found someone who would or I self taught myself which set me up basically for the rest of my life and at the end of my 3rd year my manager took me to a job and went through it with me and I said I would make a start on it when the tradesman coming he said he isnt your doing the job. Well that was a moment a year later I was running jobs in my 4 year and had to train "2 domestic sparkies who never even seen 3 phase 2 years later I was a chargehand but bored out of my face so moved on to intruder/fire alarm systems got bored again and moved into BMS HVAC controls fate took a hand and I went into facilities maintenance and management then said stuff this shift work and set up a small electrical repair business.

Now I am not trying to blow my own trumpet what I am trying to put over to you is dont expect it to come to you, you need to go after or chase what you want hence why its a 2 way street yes take all the training you can get but at the same time ask questions and learn you dont have to sit in the house night after night but you need to commit

 

[sedgy34]

best thing to do is find a company to work for who covers a majority of different installations, if they dont thats when you move on to another company to do things you havnt done. the colege dont cover everything as its down to money all the time.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Get an old Delorean with a flux capacitor!

:smartass2:

 

[Inteificio]

2330 seems to vary. On finishing my lvl 3 I was WAY ahead of my boss on 3 phase knowledge.
He was the manager of an electrical engineering department and didn't know the first thing about 3 phase (which is all we work on)

I am with you on the fire alarms bit though, I know nothing of the topic and wish I did.

 

[YoungBart]

Bart,


I wont hold the fact that you live in Brid against you. But i didnt realise 70 year olds could do apprenticeships:tt1: 70 is the average age in Brid so i am told.

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

Haha I used to live in the North Yorkshire dales, I'm sure I just live in places to aid minimum age statistics.


I just find it strange that seemingly major things such as 3 phase and fire alarms aren't (or haven't) been covered But H&S stuff is covered for all three of the years.