The Construction Trade is estimated to be worth in excess of A� 110 billion and employs 1.5 million! The industry involves a wide range of high technical key skills such as electrical and plumbing to bricklaying, plastering, tiling, carpentry and joinery.
Good quality trade companies and employers always look to recruit fully trained and competent personnel with recognised qualifications who are prepared to honour codes of responsible, professional standards.
Compliance with laws, regulations, standards and codes to safeguard the environment, public health and safety, combined with the desire to constantly broaden, improve and maintain skills, knowledge and personal qualities are the distinguishing traits of both work and service excellence.
Personal qualities of integrity and workmanship are acquired as part of learning your trade in a corresponding professional training environment. An experienced and expert tutor will naturally transfer their own standards of required adherence to quality standards of workmanship, which hold good for your entire working life, not just for passing course assessments to obtain qualifications!
Most trades currently require an NVQ at Level 2 or 3 to be classed as qualified. For those wishing to become an electrician, the City & Guilds 2330 Level 2 is the recognised entry point and for those looking to become a plumber, then the City & Guilds Plumbing 6129 Technical Certificate is the course to commence the necessary foundation knowledge.
An NVQ knowledge training takes time to achieve, using a combination of off-the-job training with a training provider and working with an employer in the sector. Remember – ‘quickie’ courses aimed at the DIY market may be useful for background or the most basic skills, but hardly prepare someone to become a skilled trades person.
At an approved and accredited trade skills training centre, a tailored knowledge learning path can been developed as a structured series of courses, which can be followed to naturally take an entry level student right through all the necessary training and qualifications to be ready to enter the industry at a very high level.
This can favourably put a student, who has undertaken and qualified at each step of the related course ladder, at an advantage in the employment application process.
Employers look for at least basic practical skills and essential knowledge gained from a respected City & Guilds qualification or foundation award so that they can at least put the apprentice to work alongside more experienced and qualified people. In addition, they will encourage beginners to further their knowledge and work towards an NVQ.
With industry recognised training you will have already attained the necessary qualifications to impress at interview and parachute you into your chosen job destination!