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H

headshrinker

Been looking into this company and like what they have to offer, but was wondering if anyone had been on it and if they would recommend it?

thank you!!
 
I did this course.
I would reccomend it. They are all very nice knowledgeable people, willing to help and teach you as much as they can. They provide a lot of information on obviously what you need to become an electrician but also the welcome pack with where to stay when you are down there which is good.
There is no expense spared at the college which you would expect for the price, you get a tool kit when you first go with some usefull tools some crap tools in it. Although some of them have probably changed since i started.
I decided not to rush mine as i worked with an electrician it took me just under 2 years to do mine although i felt (not being big headed) i had more pratical knowledge than others there.
At the end you do get what you need appart from your part P assessment including a first aid course and access to a careers advisor to advise on any questions you have. Also you have access to the lectures so you can email or call them with any questions. The only thing i would personally reccomend is you dont do it with your current job as you wont learn enough pratical to be suffecient when you finish. I think they should stress this when booking you need to work with an electrician othewise you may be the most clued up electrician but have no idea on the pratical side of things.
Only downside was that as i took so long to do it when i signed up it was 16th edition and they charged me an extra £65 for the 17th edition book.
Also if you do decide to go stay at the wrens farm guest house B&B. Its nice with off road parking. the first one i stayed at i was woken at 11 with a camera crew outside filming an episode of Crimewatch!!! Not the nicest area.
 
Hi,
I'm looking to retrain as an electrician.
I have the same question, hence coming on here, but NCS seem to have been more helpful than most.
Price wise, i've found they are pretty much the same, or close to the others.
Are there any course providers out there to avoid ?
thanks
 
Hi,
(snip)
Are there any course providers out there to avoid ?
thanks

That is a very good question. We (this website) is looking for feedback from people who have completed courses so we can get a snapshot of what's hot and what's not.
They all so far seem to be very, very similar, so similar infact you would be forgiven for thinking they are all the same. Tell-tale signs are;

Hotels nearby
Railway station nearby
Lots of on site parking
"Free" toolbox
your 17th Edition (Which I suppose is a given)
1st Aid (Appointed person, it's a 1 day course)
CSCS Card
2-3 Other Complementary qualifications usually C&G's.

Admittedly, having railways and hotels nearby are probably a given given the 1week session cram that's needed but I get the feeling they are all one and the same, just in different flavours.

They sell you on how much money you COULD earn, rather than on the pros and cons of it all, and how much hard work it involves.
And yes, they are all around £5k give or take, then add in the your own costs too.
Elaborate scam? Or genuine article? The jury is still out at the moment.
Everyone agrees though, college is ALOT cheaper for most people.
 
Just got back from my 1st week practical with NCS, absolutely spot on. Tutors are ever so helpful (even if they try to make out that they're miserable - Michael!!!!!). Definately reccommend NCS as a training facility.
 
I did all mine at a centre, and it was about 5k and probably another two for travelling accomodation and all that.You will need to do an apprentice when you get off the course, its no good not knowing how to get a 16 mil to a sub main from one side of a house to another, all under the floor in an occupied house.
I already had done my apprentice when I went on the course, but if things were defferent I would go to college do it over three years (local college and very cheap fees )and gain my practical skills at the same time. But its the chicken and egg syndrome, if I took on an apprentice I would much prefer one thats got the course under his/her belt, as at the end of the day, I would want someone who knows roughly what I am on about and i wouldnt have to teach too much ! If I took one on with no electrical training, it would be a handicap as I gotta earn money. Jury is out on this one, I am trying to decide !!
 
In the words of one of the tutors last week "You lot are learning in a few weeks, what took us years on an apprenticeship". I'm not knocking the long way round but as a means to an end, this is a good foot on the ladder (ok, not the top rung, that'd be against the rules guv). Also, college isn't open to everyone so this can be the only way forward. I looked into a local college course but wasn't already working for a spark and couldn't afford the 2 years of now and then training with a few snotty teenagers.
 
Tutors out of order mate ! you may be learning an few years worth of electrical knowledge in a few weeks, and I totally agree, you can, at a basic level. However, unless you know how a house is built, and all the possible variations of, you havent a hope in hell of installing a circuit. Thats what you will need an apprenticeship for. And of course someone to lean on when your stumped.( for instance, can you answer all the questions posed on this forum ) If you take away a couple of sets of screwdrivers, and my tester etc, (and hid the stock ), you will find the back of my van could belong to any builder or similar.
Just constructive advice.
 
Hi Jason, just a thought? do you know how to build a house? what quals. do you have to do that? i dont think many electricians, time served or not. know how to. most cant even make a hole in a wall. pass it off as builders work. so reason for this reply is. i have done my "5 week wonder course" and found it very illuminating. by the way i do know how a house is built, as have
c&g Bricklaying(advanced craft)
HND Building Studies
BSc in construction management
as well as my new qualifications.
in all i have thirty years of experiance in the construction trade.

so dont think electricians now everything about construction because if i dont then what do guys who have only studied one aspect stand.

helps to remember that learning is a life long thing.

Gary
 
Yes I do. And if you read my words, it says know how a house is built. Not how to build a house. With your knowledge then, you probably wont need to learn these things. You have a big advantage over most others. well done.

You have to realise that kids from school can go on these courses and do not have a clue where to start when looking at a nicely decorated house. Thats why they need an apprenticeship to learn those skills. Imagine if you didnt know the tricks in making good, how to get a fllor board up with litle or no damage.

just to let you know, I did the same as you. I did not need an apprenticeship as I was previously a builder, so the wonder courses, which I find insulting, as you do, were ideal for me.
 
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Hi Jason
wasnt a dig at you personaly, just gets up my nose the attitude of some on here, surely we can all benefit from a wider knowledge of construction. the problem i think is? some people are to eager to tar everyone with the same brush. im not saying that the schemes are perfect. but as you said only way for some of us. maybe city and guilds should bring back the old marking system, pass, credit and distinction again. could make a difference.

Gary
 
Thanks mate, Iam all for them, and am from one. My advice is a person must know how to house bash as the courses dont prepare for this. I was lucky, like you, and had the skills in place. Those that did long apprebticeships are miffed- fair enough. One thing they cant do is knock our work. As many cock ups are made by EXPERIENCED electricians as by EXPERIENCED electricians coming from short courses.
 
Hi Jason
(snip)
maybe city and guilds should bring back the old marking system, pass, credit and distinction again. could make a difference.

Gary

The reason that system was scrapped was because it was unfair. From an employer point of view, if you know Distinction is the highest grade, why would you settle for less? You wouldn't, unless the person with a lower mark made up for it in other ways and what other way could they make up for it outside of job knowledge? Well if they had job knowledge would they not get a distinction anyway? It's a redundant system.

If you got less than distinction you may as well have just flat out failed.
Also City & Guilds is their to make money, I have Bpec, C&G, Construction skills, all sorts plastered on my wall, but the ability to pass a test doesn't mean if I went into a customers house I'd be ready to take up their laminated flooring and bypass their underfloor heating in order to install some more plug sockets.

This is the issue with these courses, they are not real world ready. Many people can study to pass an exam, it's nothing new, schools have been doing it for years. But the real world has many variables involved and that needs to start becoming a factor in these qualifications. Otherwise it's like many have said, "chicken and egg syndrome". Where people just want you to have the qualification, because of legal obligations, but they need you to have previous experience because their is just too much to teach you.
It's never an exaggeration when sparkies say "everyday I'm still learning", because it's true.
Unfortunately, young people are being sold on these courses as a way to gain a career, and build a better future for their family, but when the course is over, they are still non the wiser. And after spending 5k or more, and with things to support, and a bank demanding the money back, they feel they have no choice except to start working. This is where the problems begin, and unfortunately where people get hurt or killed.
 
I would say there are three things you have to have. 1. The knowledge (courses ideal ) 2. the ability to bash a house. (no chance from the courses ) 3. The knowledge to deal with 14th-16th or worse electrics already installed. (courses no good at all ). A huge bank of knowledge in overcoming problems.
I also have to agree that, financial pressures may force someone into going beyond their limitations.
 
I did a course with new careers and found them to be very good, learn at your own speed and as much help and advice as you need .

I must also say at no point did anyone tell me I would walk out after the course as an electrician, if fact they made the point that I would have the basics but would need to go out and get as much hands on as I could. They even recommended not tiring to go it alone straight away, as they said " You will be a small fish in a big sea, and could find yourself coming unstuck without any one around to help"

So as long as you have the facts before you start any course then I think they are a good way to start off.

I'm lucky as I have two very good friends who are sparks and give me as much work and help as I need, and a week on site with either of them is worth a month in any college. I now know how to make tea and coffee !!!
 
I am on a NCS course at present.

Cost is approx £6,500.

I took £300 quid away for my first week to allow for fuel, accomodation, food etc and arrived home with £15.

I have been very impressed with the tutors and facilities at the Chandlers Ford, Southampton Centre.

Don't be fooled in thinking that this is going to teach you EVERYTHING you need to know. In my opinion this is the first step which I will be following up with working for a company rather than setting up alone straight away.

:D
 
I signed up to the course last year and it has been a very expensive mistake. Before I signed they sent someone round to discuss the course with me. Everything he told me turned out to be a lie and when speaking to other people this happened to them as well. there was only two other students there

I found most of the tutors uninterested and hardly paying any attention to the students. On my second week I was the last one to get to testing the circuit. The whole morning I saw the tutor 3 times which if added together would have been about 1 minute. I had to go looking for him at one point, drinking tea was more important then me learning it seemed.

Before my 4th week I sent the head tutor an email complaining and explaining my concerns with how the course is going. He suggested me coming in for an extra couple of days to go through a few things (especially testing). When I turned up I asked for him I was told he was at a different centre that week. None of the tutors there were helpful and I got sent upstairs to work by myself. Was a complete waste of time. These are just 2 examples, there are many more.

I am now going to train at the local college which is what I should have done in the first place. £6000 down the drain.
 
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I've only completed the first week practicle but here is some feedback.

The Sales Guy.
This is the guy or girl who comes round your house to get you to sign up. Not happy with this really. I was somewhat mislead in to thinking I would be FULLY qualified at the end of this course. I won't be, and that's particularly annoying as it would have been extremley useful in my current employment. I was also told there was a training centre in London (I was told Croydon at the time). There isn't. Apparently one is going to be opened in Watford, which is fantastic for me as I have family I can stay with, but it's not opening any time soon. So an extra 160 miles of travel is now involved. Also, the guy insisted I phone a 'former student' so he could say how great the course was. I can't prove it, but he sounded an awful lot like one of the instructors i've just met. He used the fact he had to travel so far to try and pressure me in to signing there and then, when ideally I would have liked to have investigated his claims on the qualifications further. I signed because i'd pretty much decided to do the course anyway before he arrived.

So not the best of experiences but a lot of the negative stuff I didnt find out until my first practical week, which was a couple of months in to the course.

So if you are thinking about doing such a course, here are some tips.
Get the information about the course and investigate the qualifications throroughly before you join up. Make sure it's giving you what you want. That also goes for information on training centres etc..

The Training
The Theory training isn't well written or organised and too many people will take the easy route of looking up answers to the questions and tick teh right box without actually understanding the reason why you are given the answer. Any monkey can copy answers. I copied the answers. Won't be doing that gain as its completely the wrong way to do things.

The Practical Training however is pretty good but has flaws. What lets people down is they dont understand the theory and then they struggle to complete the tasks. Again, they can just go copy the displays on the wall of what wire goes where, but they don't understand why it goes there. This becomes eveident when there is a slight change in the wireing required but they just carry on oblivious. The instructors will explain it to you if you ask and they will stop you when you have the wiring wrong. They will also ask you to think about why its wrong to see if you understand things rather than just give you the answers, so top marks on that.

Dissapointed that after paying £7,000 for the course they cant provide accomodation or subsidised accomodation. Expect to these weekends to cost £300 to £400 or even more depending on your travel. Accomodation, food, petrol. It's not a cheap week. This could mean an extra £1200 to £2000 to complete the course. There is also a £300 fine if you cant attend, not acceptable. You've paid for the course, they dont lose any money, yet they expect you to pay again. That would be a smack in the chops ya cheeky buggers.

Overall. Very unhappy with the sales side of things and I am thinking about taking the matter further. With the training, home study is always about how much effort you put in to it and the only person you short change by not doing it properly is yourself. The books are not brilliant imo, but that doesnt stop you from buying other books, or using the internet to improve your knowledge. The practical weeks are good, but sometimes the answers are given to you without really educating you. In which case you need to take note of the answer and research it - again, dont short change yourself.
 
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I completed the NCS electrical course last year (Chandlers Ford). All in all a brilliant experience. In my opinion, I would say its not a course you can go into completely blind, some basic experience is a must. I had done a complete selfbuild beforehand so I had a good idea beforehand what it was going to be about.
Yes, its not cheap but you get what you pay for. I found the facilities were excellent and the tutors very knowledgeable and helpful. At the end of the day, if you think you're not getting it, you've got to tell them - they can't read your mind. In my experience they will spend the time with you to make sure you understand, its in their best interests to make sure you pass the course. Even though the costs are significant, they won't be handing it to you on a plate. you have to work hard, put in the study time (lots of it) and demonstrate your understanding.
I also did the 2392 Inspection and testing course then the PV course - it was always my intention to get into renewables and the electrical course was the foundation for that. Last week I gained my MCS accreditation and am now well into setting up my PV installation company.
I would recommend NCS to anyone, I wouldn't pretend for a moment I now know everything I need to, but they do provide you with an excellent foundation to get you started.They will also happily provide you with any electrical advice you need even after completing the course. This forum is also excellent for any advice you might need as there are plenty of people ready to help you.
 

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