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The CompTIA A+ course covers four specialised areas - you’ll have to qualify in just two sectors to be A+ competent. Because of this, most colleges only offer two of the 4 sectors. We consider that this will under prepare you - certainly you’ll have the qualification, but training on all 4 will set you apart in your working life, where knowledge of all four will be necessary. That’s why we believe you should train in the whole course.

Once on the CompTIA A+, you will learn how to build, fix, repair and work in antistatic conditions. Diagnostic techniques and fault finding are also on the syllabus, as is remote access.

If you would like to be the person who works in a multi-faceted environment - fixing and supporting networks, build on A+ with Network+, or consider the Microsoft networking route (MCSA - MCSE) as you’ll need a deeper understanding of how networks work.

Getting your first commercial position can feel more straightforward if you’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. The fact of the matter is it’s not as hard as some people make out to secure the right work - once you’re trained and certified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Nevertheless, avoid waiting until you’ve finished your training before getting your CV updated. The day you start training, list what you’re working on and get it out there!

It’s not unusual to find that you will be offered your first role whilst still on the course (occasionally right at the beginning). If your CV doesn’t show your latest training profile (and it’s not being looked at by employers) then you won’t even be considered!

The top companies to help get you placed are usually specialist independent regional recruitment consultancies. As they’re keen to place you to receive their commission, they’re perhaps more focused on results.

Just ensure you don’t put hundreds of hours of effort into your studies, and then just stop and leave it up to everyone else to secure your first position. Stop procrastinating and get on with the job. Channel the same focus into finding your first job as you did to gain the skills.

Beware of putting too much emphasis, as many people do, on the certification itself. Training for training’s sake is generally pointless; you’re training to become commercially employable. You need to remain focused on where you want to go.

You may train for one year and then end up doing the job for 20 years. Avoid the mistake of finding what seems like a very ‘interesting’ program only to spend 20 years doing a job you hate!

Stay focused on where you want to go, and then build your training requirements around that - not the other way round. Keep your eyes on your goals and ensure that you’re training for something you’ll still be enjoying many years from now.

Take advice from an experienced advisor, even if you have to pay a small fee - as it’s a lot cheaper and safer to find out at the start if you’ve chosen correctly, rather than find out after several years of study that the job you’ve chosen is not for you and have to return to the start of another program.

Students will sometimes miss checking on something that can make a profound difference to their results - the way their training provider actually breaks down and delivers the courseware, and into how many parts.

A release of your materials stage by stage, as you complete each module is the usual method of releasing your program. This sounds sensible, but you should take these factors into account:

Maybe the order of study insisted on by the company won’t suit you. It may be difficult to get through every element inside of their particular timetable?

For the perfect solution, you’d ask for every single material to be delivered immediately - giving you them all for the future to come back to - at any time you choose. This also allows you to vary the order in which you move through the program where a more intuitive path can be found.

People attracted to this sort of work can be very practical by nature, and won’t enjoy sitting at a desk in class, and endless reading of dry academic textbooks. If this is putting you off studying, opt for more involving, interactive learning materials, where learning is video-based.

We see a huge improvement in memory retention when all our senses are brought into the mix - educational experts have expounded on this for decades now.

Interactive full motion video involving demonstration and virtual lab’s will beat books every time. And you’ll find them fun and interesting.

Make sure to obtain a training material demonstration from any training college. You should ask for expert-led demonstrations, slideshows and virtual practice lab’s for your new skills.

You should avoid purely online training. Ideally, you should opt for CD and DVD ROM courseware where obtainable, as you need to be able to use them whenever it’s convenient for you - and not be totally reliant on a good broadband connection all the time.

Copyright 2009 Scott Edwards. Navigate to Flash Courses or www.JobQualification.co.uk/tjobqual.html.

The figures explaining how much Plumbers can earn is often talked about in the papers. Figures of 30-70k p.a. are touted, alongside much talk of the profound shortage in the number of Plumbers within the UK. So, are we being told a story or is this the genuine picture? Certainly this level of payment is both possible and achievable for the correctly qualified Plumber. To be fair, the higher earnings of 70-100k p.a. are generally for those working within the self-employed field.

However, working for regular employers often results in the typical hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. From UK companies comes the standard reward such as holiday pay and sickness allowance and a potential wage of between 15k and 30k p.a. A self-employed person can earn more money than this traditional approach, but will often need to work outside of the Mon- Fri, 9am to 6pm example. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

Then there is the matter of working for yourself, which agrees with some people more than others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good ‘business’ sense. Furthermore, additional costs such as materials and transport, along with legal and accountancy fees will need to be paid. These charges should always remain a small proportion of the overall income so that any profits created always outweigh them. Plus the profits nearly always beat the odds!

From the outset it’s the double offer of teaching them from experience and covering most of their working needs that Student Entrants are looking for in employment. The Self Employed Entrant on the other hand will need to widen their list of plumbing accreditations and certifications as quickly as possible. In fairness it is the ‘domestic’ market rather than the commercial sector that attracts the majority of the self-employed workers in the UK. (Not all, just the majority!)

In terms of plumbing education, there appears to be some similarity between the certification modules required by each path into the industry. There does remain considerable question when the factor of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) is realised.

From the beginning the Student Entrant instead of the Self Employed Entrant is much more reliant upon the NVQ requirements. By calling upon a wider range of qualifications Self Employed Entrants will be able to meet their clients’ needs from the start. To satisfy their typical household-based client base many self-employed persons will need to quickly focus on the relative domestic skill sets. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace - where the NVQ element can be assessed. As it is cheaper form of study overall then the Student Entrant can make financial savings from the beginning. But the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster (motivated by a more commercial viewpoint) and will therefore be achieving considerable financial reward long before the Student Entrant.

It is by covering the study needs along with those of a clear careers discussion that meet the financial rewards. It would prove extremely difficult for an adult - requiring 20kp.a and having to look after their family - to go back to college and then spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. It should also be remembered that many younger Student Entrants are entering an apprenticeship and thereby have their courses paid for them whereas the mature self-employed students do not. It is often the course structure and the level of certification that can run into costs of around 3k-10k+.

The study process is often split with Student Entrants studying at recognised further-education colleges whereas the mature Self Employed Entrants going for a wider range of private run technical schools. Certain plumbing training companies deliver the accepted skill-sets and qualifications providing the basis for education. This method offers key advantages to Self Employed Students, allowing them to train evenings, part-time or on self-study classes thereby continuing with their existing jobs and maintaining their financial situation. Considering so many options on hand it is clever to gather data from as many sources as one can. Having provided an option for you to come back and review the links and adverts from several sites, why not book mark this page (CTRL-D).

By going on added training programs many plumbing students seek to increase their ‘marketability’. It is by training in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical that Plumbers can gain extra certifications. A popular route for Plumbers involves that of the normal domestic and commercial heating system training program of Gas Training.

Gas Training, with subjects followed by a focus on NVQ’s is recognised as an accurate and exact training program. For those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at extra skills this also offers many options for their on-going development. It could be said that the blend of training covering Plumbing/Gas training is better matched to the mature student. It is by centring on these core elements and dropping the NVQ elements that the Mature Student appears to settle.

It is this blend of training that would appear to satisfy the needs of the self-employed professional. The opportunity to earn money whilst at the same time gain a wider range of skills is certainly part of the attraction. The removal of any reliance of sub-contracting key skills of third parties definitely enhances the commercial package. Sub-contracting can not only reduce the earning potential of a job, but also erode the value in the customer’s eye, as they may have to wait for key stages to be handled by someone else before the final completion of the job. The more skilled a plumber is in their job role - the more that they have to offer their client base.

In consideration therefore the Self Employed Entrant has the chance to earn considerably more and at a realistically higher pace than the Student Entrants, to do so they do have to develop both the range of certifications that they hold and consider the business elements as well. Note: This information deals with industry requirements and policies for the UK market alone.

(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Pop to Plumber Training Courses or Plumbing Courses.

Adobe Dreamweaver is the starting point of study for almost all web designers. It’s reputed to be the favourite environment for web development on the planet.

We’d also suggest that you learn all about the entire Adobe Web Creative Suite, which includes Flash and Action Script, to have the facility to utilise Dreamweaver as a commercial web-designer. These skills can take you on to becoming either an Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) or an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE).

Building the website only scratches the surface of what you’ll need - in order to drive traffic, update content, and work on dynamic sites that are database driven, you will need other programming skills, namely ones like PHP, HTML, and MySQL. A good web designer will additionally gain a working knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and E-Commerce.

So, why is it better to gain commercial qualifications rather than familiar academic qualifications gained through schools, colleges or universities?

The IT sector is now aware that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, certified accreditation from the likes of CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA most often has much more specialised relevance - saving time and money.

Of course, a certain degree of relevant additional knowledge must be covered, but core specifics in the required areas gives a commercially trained student a real head start.

It’s a bit like the TV advert: ‘It does what it says on the label’. All an employer has to do is know what they’re looking for, and then match up the appropriate exam numbers as a requirement. They’ll know then that all applicants can do what they need.

Ignore a salesperson who pushes one particular program without a thorough investigation to assess your abilities and level of experience. Always check they have access to a large product range from which they could give you an appropriate solution.

Where you have a strong background, or maybe some live experience (some industry qualifications maybe?) then it’s likely the level you’ll need to start at will be quite dissimilar from someone who is just starting out.

Starting with a user skills course first may be the ideal way to get into your computer studies, depending on your current skill level.

Doing your bit in revolutionary new technology really is electrifying. You become one of a team of people impacting progress around the world.

Technological changes and interaction via the web is going to radically change the way we live our lives over future years; incredibly so.

The money in IT isn’t to be sniffed at also - the average salary over this country as a whole for a typical IT worker is a lot greater than in the rest of the economy. It’s a good bet you’ll bring in a much better deal than you would in most other jobs.

Because the IT market sector is still growing with no sign of a slow-down, it’s likely that demand for qualified professionals will remain buoyant for quite some time to come.

When was the last time you considered your job security? For most people, this only rears its head when something dramatic happens to shake us. But really, The cold truth is that job security doesn’t really exist anymore, for the vast majority of people.

In times of growing skills shortages coupled with increasing demand of course, we generally reveal a new kind of market-security; as fuelled by conditions of continuous growth, employers are struggling to hire the staff required.

Offering the IT industry as an example, a key e-Skills survey highlighted a skills gap throughout the UK in excess of 26 percent. That means for every four jobs in existence throughout IT, we have only 3 certified professionals to fulfil that role.

This alarming concept underpins the requirement for more appropriately accredited computing professionals in the United Kingdom.

Unquestionably, it really is a fabulous time to train for the computer industry.

(C) S. Edwards 2009. Hop over to www.CareerChangeHelp.co.uk/ucch.html or After Effects Training.

Nice One! As you’re reading this article you’re probably toying with the idea of getting re-qualified for a new job - so already you’ve made a start. Less of us than you’d think are happy and fulfilled in our work, but most complain but just stay there. So, why not be one of the few who actually do something about it.

We’d strongly advise that in advance of taking any study program, you have a conversation with someone who is familiar with the working environment and can give you advice. Such a person will go through personality profiling with you and assist in finding the right role for you:

* Do you like to be around others at work? Are you better with new people or those you know well? Perhaps you prefer not to be disturbed and enjoy responsibilities that only you know how to deal with?

* Are you considering which area you could be employed in? (Post credit crunch, it’s essential to be selective.)

* Once you’ve trained, how many years work do anticipate working, and can the industry you choose offer you that opportunity?

* Do you have niggles about your possibilities of finding new employment, and being gainfully employed until you plan to retire?

We request you to consider the IT sector - there are a larger number of positions than workers to do them, because it’s a rare career choice where the sector is still growing. In contrast to what some people would have you think, it isn’t just geeks lost in their PC’s the whole day (though those jobs exist.) Most positions are done by average folk who want to earn a very good living.

A typical blunder that students everywhere can make is to focus entirely on getting a qualification, rather than starting with where they want to get to. Colleges are brimming over with direction-less students that chose an ‘interesting’ course - instead of what would yield the career they desired.

It’s unfortunate, but the majority of trainees start out on programs that sound marvellous in the sales literature, but which gets us a career that doesn’t satisfy. Talk to many university graduates to see what we mean.

Prioritise understanding what industry will expect from you. Which precise exams they’ll want you to gain and how you’ll go about getting some commercial experience. You should also spend a little time assessing how far you think you’ll want to progress your career as it will often force you to choose a particular set of accreditations.

We recommend that students seek advice from a skilled professional before you begin some particular training path, so you can be sure that the content of a learning package provides the appropriate skill-set.

A successful training package will undoubtedly also offer fully authorised exam preparation systems.

Avoid relying on unauthorised exam papers and questions. Their phraseology can be completely unlike authorised versions - and often this creates real issues when the proper exam time arrives.

Ensure that you ask for testing modules that will allow you to verify your comprehension at any point. Practice or ‘mock’ exams log the information in your brain - so the actual exam is much easier.

When was the last time you considered how safe your job is? Normally, this isn’t an issue until something goes wrong. But really, the reality is that our job security has gone the way of the dodo, for nearly everyone now.

Security only exists now through a quickly escalating marketplace, driven forward by a shortfall of trained staff. It’s this alone that creates the correct setting for a secure marketplace - a far better situation.

The most recent British e-Skills survey showed that twenty six percent of all IT positions available are unfilled mainly due to a chronic shortage of appropriately certified professionals. Alternatively, you could say, this highlights that the UK only has 3 trained people for each 4 job positions that exist today.

This fundamental idea shows an urgent requirement for more appropriately trained Information Technology professionals in the United Kingdom.

Because the IT sector is developing at such a quick pace, there really isn’t any other sector worth considering for a new future.

If an advisor doesn’t ask you a lot of questions - it’s likely they’re actually nothing more than a salesman. If they wade straight in with a specific product before getting to know your background and whether you have any commercial experience, then it’s very likely to be the case.

An important point to note is that, if you have some relevant previous certification, then you can sometimes expect to begin at a different level to a trainee with no history to speak of.

It’s usual to start with some basic user skills first. It can brush up on your current abilities and make your learning curve a bit more manageable.

(C) 2009 - S. Edwards. Pop over to Learn Web Design or Graphic Design Training.

For many people, a career within the electrical industry remains an interesting and varied choice. From here on we will use the phrase of Electrical Industry to explain the more accurate term of “Electro-Mechanical Engineering”. Equally we’ll focus on those credentials that fit the UK domestic and commercial sector rather than those from around the world. Since there is such a wide list of choices in the electrical industry, we’ll start by looking at the main themes first and then come back to any ‘add-ons’ later.

On consideration, we observe two forms of access into the electrical market. Whilst many candidates opt to join later on in their life, there still exists the more traditional route of the apprenticeship. To clarify, we’ll label each of them as the ‘Mature Entrants’ and the ‘Junior Entrants’.

Principally, Mature Entrants join the electrical workplace later on, and focus on becoming self employed. This means working on their own and not having to pay salaries to anyone else. On the other hand, to gain further credentials and experience ‘Junior Entrants’ tend to work for a recognised electrical firm. Upon leaving school many apprenticeships provide a fast learning curve for young adults looking to boost their auxiliary skills.

These two distinct types of entry have two separate modes of training: Junior entrants go through NVQ training in England and Wales, and SVQ training in Scotland. The core syllabus is similar to non NVQ commercial training, but the certification is compulsory. New employees gain the necessary course work and testing elements through an apprenticeship or some form of suitable work program.

By opting to work on a freelance basis, many Mature Entrants appear to focus on those areas that provide profitable and practical solutions other than NVQ’s. i.e. Those certifications that will get them up and running with the best financial return from their training investment. This system, although appearing to reduce the attributes laid out, does allow for a faster and more solid entry into the domestic market.

With regard to regular earning potential we have two clear paths - one for employees and the other for the self-employed. Whilst self-employed people can choose the hours that they work, we assume that they are working full time for the purpose of this review. The aptitude and talent for getting things done can affect the levels of salary as well as any experience or knowledge gained.

With the right level of experience, ‘Junior Entrants’ salaries can rise considerably from twelve to thirty thousand pounds per annum. ‘Mature Entrants’ salaries though are often more difficult to work out, but can rise to 70.000 and above as reported in UK newspapers. However, it should be borne in mind that a self-employed person must meet their own costs for tools, clothes and vehicles (including insurance and petrol.) Allocations for personal/professional insurance will also have to be catered for. That aside, whilst the work is open to market-forces to some degree, the current skills shortage in the UK means that there’s a high work-load available. Therefore, working seven days a week (if a student wanted) is a possibility for most. Although by working very long hours and having assistants to help, the figures of 70-100 thousand advertised in newspapers might be achieved, it wouldn’t be easy.

It should be noted that the working week for most electricians differs between the Junior and Mature Entrant markets. Most of the work for Junior Entrant electricians will be on a simple 9-5, Monday to Friday basis. But due to the needs of the domestic market the Mature Entrant is often more reliant upon when their client base gets back from work. Although by testing and installing various business systems, many self-employed electricians manage to work during a normal working week.

Once a career in electrical work has been chosen, a Junior Electrician is often at the mercy of their employer when it comes to learning new skills and expertise. Alternatively, the mature entrant can gain other training outside of their chosen field, such as gas and plumbing work. They can take on larger jobs and do all the work themselves then - which is a particularly great benefit to domestic clients.

One new, fast growing area - one that invokes a wide array of skills sets and is new to the industry overall - is that of the ‘Green Engineer’. The opportunity to provide both employment and potential service contracts, especially in the UK and the EEC sectors, mean that this area is of interest to both Junior and Mature electricians.

(C) S. Edwards 2009. Navigate to CLICK HERE or City and Guilds Electrical Courses.

For those ready to get certified at the MCSA level of study, the latest courses on sale are based on CD and DVD ROM’s using interactive training. So if you have a certain amount of knowledge but are looking to formalise your skill set, or you’re a beginner, you’ll come across hands-on MCSA courses to cater for you.

Search for a provider that’s happy to take the time to get to know you, and will help identify the right direction for you, before they even talk about the course contents. You can also expect them to be in a position to tell you where to start dependent on your present knowledge and/or gaps in understanding.

OK, why ought we to be looking at qualifications from the commercial sector instead of more traditional academic qualifications gained through schools and Further Education colleges?

Key company training (to use industry-speak) is far more specialised and product-specific. The IT sector has acknowledged that specialisation is essential to cope with a technologically complex world. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA are the dominant players.

This is done through focusing on the skill-sets required (together with a proportionate degree of background knowledge,) instead of covering masses of the background ‘extras’ that degree courses can get bogged down in - to fill a three or four year course.

Put yourself in the employer’s position - and you wanted someone who could provide a specific set of skills. What should you do: Wade your way through reams of different degrees and college qualifications from hopeful applicants, struggling to grasp what they’ve learned and which commercial skills have been attained, or choose a specific set of accreditations that exactly fulfil your criteria, and draw up from that who you want to speak to. Your interviews are then about personal suitability - instead of long discussions on technical suitability.

The market provides a myriad of employment in IT. Finding the particular one out of this complexity often proves challenging.

As in the absence of any previous experience in IT, in what way could we be expected to understand what a particular job actually consists of?

Usually, the way to come at this problem in the best manner comes from a thorough discussion of a number of areas:

* Your personal interests and hobbies - these can point towards what possibilities will provide a happy working life.

* Why you want to consider moving into the IT industry - it could be you’re looking to overcome a long-held goal like working for yourself for instance.

* The income needs that are important to you?

* There are many ways to train in Information Technology - you’ll need to get a solid grounding on what separates them.

* Having a good look at what commitment and time you’ll make available.

In all honesty, you’ll find the only real way to seek advice on these issues is via a conversation with an advisor or professional that has experience of computing (and more importantly the commercial needs and requirements.)

If you forget everything else - then just remember this: You absolutely must have proper 24×7 professional support from mentors and instructors. You’ll definitely experience problems if you don’t.

Avoid, like the plague, any organisations who use ‘out-of-hours’ call-centres - where an advisor will call back during normal office hours. It’s no use when you’re stuck on a problem and need an answer now.

The very best programs offer an internet-based 24×7 facility pulling in several support offices throughout multiple time-zones. You’re offered an easy to use interface that accesses the most appropriate office at any time of day or night: Support when you need it.

Find a training company that cares. As only true live 24×7 round-the-clock support delivers what is required.

Accredited exam preparation and simulation materials are crucial - and absolutely ought to be sought from your training company.

Steer clear of depending on non-accredited exam preparation questions. Their phraseology can be completely unlike authorised versions - and this leads to huge confusion when the proper exam time arrives.

Ensure that you analyse whether you’re learning enough by doing tests and practice exams prior to taking the real thing.

(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Pop over to InDesign Courses or CLICK HERE.

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The figures explaining how much Plumbers can earn is often talked about in the papers. Within the UK, the figures of 30-70k p.a. are typical of Plumbers, mainly down to their low numbers. So, is this really the position or is this basically untrue? Without a doubt, a fully experienced Plumber can command salaries of such levels. Salaries of 70-100k p.a. are achievable, but these appear to be the area of the self-employed Plumbers rather than those who take the more familiar working methods.

It is fairly usual to expect working hours of 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday with a reputable employer. Indeed salaries of between 15k and 30k p.a. form part of what is expected from employed status in this area, along with the added reward of holiday pay and sickness allowance. However, if the self employed person is willing to work longer than the normal working hours then more money can be earned. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

Also there is the factor of self-employment and whether it goes with some people more than others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good ‘business’ sense. To be fair most self-employed people will have to prepare for additional costs including those relating to legal and accountancy fees as well as those of transport and material usage. While these can mount up, (although they should always be a very small proportion of your earnings,) so can the benefits received. And the downsides are nearly always outweighed by the proceeds!

Often customary work from employers attracts Student Entrants especially if it meets their needs training in working knowledge and experience. The need to increase their certifications and accreditations regularly affect the Self Employed Entrant. Having said that, the majority of self-employed workers do not join the business sector but focus on the ‘domestic’ market. (Well the majority do at least)

With reference to education in Plumbing, there is a likeness needed by each part of the industry in relation to the certification elements. Without a doubt the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) raises a constant concern as to the way forward.

At first, the Student Entrant does appear to depend much more on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. By calling upon a wider range of qualifications Self Employed Entrants will be able to meet their clients’ needs from the start. Certainly, the self-employed person needs to rapidly gain the key domestic-centred qualifications that will satisfy their typical household-based clients. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace - where the NVQ element can be assessed. As it is cheaper form of study overall then the Student Entrant can make financial savings from the beginning. Nevertheless by taking a more commercial viewpoint and gaining qualifications faster than the Student Entrant, many Self Employed Entrants gain greater financial rewards and within a shorter space of time.

Clearly this illustrates the need for a careers discussion that covers certifications and study alongside those of financial returns. It is often the issue of 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work, alongside going back to college that many adults having to look after their family and with say 20kp.a requirements find difficult. Normally, self-employed students to pay for their courses themselves whereas the younger Student Entrants have the majority of their courses paid for them as part of their apprenticeships. For self-employed people these costs are set by the course structure and the level of certification sought and can end up between 3k-10k+.

The study process is often split with Student Entrants studying at recognised further-education colleges whereas the mature Self Employed Entrants going for a wider range of private run technical schools. Certain plumbing training companies deliver the accepted skill-sets and qualifications providing the basis for education. In the current climate the ability of Self Employed Entrants to maintain their current financial situation and job, whilst at the same time as training in the evening, part-time or on self study classes remains one of the advantages of this system. From this it makes sense to gather as much detail as you can especially with so many training options available. To review your options why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and you can come back and review the links and adverts we have provided for you.

It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their ‘marketability’. Areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical training can offer additional qualifications to Plumbers. Gas training has always been a route for Plumbers to consider, as this forms part of the common domestic and commercial heating system.

Without a doubt, NVQ’s that follow on core subjects lead into the careful and precise program that is Gas Training. This considers ongoing development, especially for those who trained first as a plumber and are seeking extra skills. It could be said, from that viewpoint, that a hybrid of Plumbing/Gas training would be more suited to the mature student. Indeed, the path for the Mature Student seems to be to drop the NVQ elements and to focus on the core subjects.

It is from this particular training program that the self-employed professional gains ground. Without a doubt the appeal is to learn a greater range of skill-sets and at the same time earn money from them. This further enhances their commercial offering, instead of sub-contracting key skills to a third party. Of equal concern is the lowering of customer value as they have to wait for essentials to be handled by others and the reduction of the overall earning potential that ensues from sub-contraction. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.

It is by working at their broader range of certifications alongside business skills that Self Employed Entrants can achieve much higher income streams that their Student Entrant counterparts. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.

Copyright 2009 S. Edwards. Navigate to CareerRetrainingCourses.co.uk/pcareco.html or Plumbing and Heating Courses.