New Career Skills 

Having started the process in November 2011, when I paid my full course fees, it seems like of time has passed but I still feel unsure how this will work out. I am confident in my own ability but it will all depend on whether I can turn my ability into a profitable future.

Having a background in engineering (and having sat exams most of my working life) the the studying and exams on this course are not hard. Indeed the practical is not as bad as I though either. In fact I can say I am rather proud of what I have been able to turn out in regards to finished products. It seems to take longer to get things done than I thought but I hope this will improve with experience. Quite how confident I feel about walking into someones house and trying to fix a problem or install something new remains to be seen.

With 2 more practical weeks to go I am hoping to see an improvement in my hand skills and quicker work. After that, a few months buddying up with someone should see me right. Fingers crossed the future looks good. Only time will tell if it's very good!

In 2009 / 10 I started a plumbing and domestic green / renewable engineers course with New Career Skills having spent 15 years working in the public sector. The courses fitted in very well with me setting up my own business, domestic circumstances with a young family and following a passion in the trades that I wish I had done much earlier in my working life.
The courses enabled me to gain confidence and accreditation in plumbing and heating and allowed me to build upon those skills learnt. One thing you must remember is that you only get out what you put in. They will not be a one stop shop to fix your desire to work in the trades, and I don't believe any training college or compnay can be. But I think the NCS certainly go a very long way to support your intended career path, both during training and when completed with an after care service in Career Search.

The course started late due to opening Watford some time after the contract specified. Thanks to Di Isted I did receive compensation.But then the training changed so I had to do my weeks one TMAs again......... Then the centre was not ready for the first intake. We then lost (had sacked) two tutors in quick succession, and it became difficult to get the practical modules. I have often had to chase matters more than once and the course changed its arrangements over payment for the NVQ assessments - happily this seems to have been recognised.
On the plus side some of the tutors are excellent and the more senior support staff always efficient, polite and helpful. That has always been my experience of especially Di, Jo and Sally.

The books supplied were sufficient though often had been superseded by new editions meaning the course reference points to study were on different pages ( in a different book in one case!) this made for a time wasting and confusing exercise figuring out exactly what to study, before any studying could commence.
I found all the tutors engaging and amiable , and since qualifying one in particular ( Kevin Goble) has provided endless email support to my related questions .
Having set up on my own as a domestic installer I have learned the much promised access programme that was sold to me when I signed up for the course hasn't really materialied, with no one to 'shadow' I have realised the course falls short in advertising this aspect, though its stated its not a given it was really sold to me. I realise now that a few weeks at least shadowing someone in the real world is invaluable, as without that I am not sure the course prepares you fully to be unleashed on the paying public. I appreciate it was a fast track course, time and space may be limited but I think additional time could have been spent on Inspection and Testing, which is a cruciial part , and even some time given over to learning the essential basic D.I.Y that comes with doing domestic electrics, such as wall chasing, socket sinking etc. again, without anyone to shadow to learn this from, a complete beginner ( as I was when I started your course) may find themselves in a situation of being in a paying customers house, with floorboards to lift, walls to chase etc and having no clue how to do such things without butchering their floors and walls.
All that said, I enjoyed the course and the tutors and would recommend it but only to those who were not complete novices and had some experience in the 'real world' .

I've almost completed my Domestic Electrical course at NCS and I'm armed already with various qualifications and certificates which make me much more employable than I was earlier in the year when I started. However I intend to use my new skills not as an "electrician" but as a self-employed "eco property developer". The home study is well balanced and center based tutors were always available for questioning, practical weeks are quite intensive but thorough and finally I am not sure where they find all their staff as they all have a wicked sense of humour! My advise to anyone considering this course is to understand a few points. 1: You only take out what you put in! 2: Building skills are essential to your success in the trades industry, NCS do offer ACCESS a work experience programe. 3: What do you want to earn? The course allows you to become a qualified one man band sparky or an electrical company. In case you were thinking all NCS students were called Simon and like Ferrari's I prefer Aston Martin (but I'll stick with my Corsa for now).

I trained as a plumber about three years ago and I'm still here and haven't gone under so I must have learned something and am still doing it right. Maybe I thought it was going to be easier because id forgotten what it was like studying. But I got into it and really enjoyed the practical weeks . Didnt love sll the books but you need them I know. Tutors were good blokes though and not all dry and teacherly. More experienced and real world. Other blokes on course (and gals) were good laugh and we helped each other too. I got help getting into business from Jo and set up with a guy I met on the course who was doing electrics. That went OK for a while but now I'm on my own. Not any regrets and I'm much happier. I don't drive a Ferari but I am doing alright in this recession. You can see my web site.