Reasons Not to Pour Fats, Oils and Greases Down the Sink
The poor disposal of fats, oils and greases (FOG) is an issue seldom raised in society today, but ignoring such concerns can have damaging effects. Here are some reasons why poor disposal of FOG is a serious issue and some suggested steps you can take to avoid any problems in your home or community. Reasons Not to Pour FOG Down the Sink In their liquid form, fat, oil and grease may not appear to be a problem, but as they cool, they congeal and solidify, sticking to inside of pipes and...
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How Do Immersion Heaters Work?
As we head into what the newspapers are billing to be this year's “big freeze”, it would be hard to get out of bed without the invigorating prospect of a hot shower. But how is our water heated? Here in the UK, the majority of home water heating is done by immersion heaters mounted in hot water cylinders. Immersion heaters comprise a metal tube containing a temperature sensor and an insulated electric resistance heater which, in domestic situations, is usually rated at 3kw. Unlike a ga...
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NAPIT 2012 Price Freeze
Last week, the National Association for Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT) announced a price freeze on all registration, certification, inspection and training fees for another year. Among the stated halts, the most notable was the continuation of the Part P registration freeze, a scheme which has now been offered at the same fee since its inception in 2005. Part P is a legal requirement for all fixed electrical work on dwellings and associated buildings in the UK. One of the UK's l...
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How do Open Vent Boilers Work?
This is the last in a series of "how does a boiler work" visit the blog section to see our other posts here. REMEMBER only Gas Safe registered fitters can legally work on any appliances that involve a mains gas source. Do not attempt any work yourself and always make sure the installer is Gas Safe registered. Open vent boilers are known to be a peculiarly British invention. An open vent (often known as heating only) provide central heating and hot water through a boiler, a storage cylinde...
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Why Britain’s Plumbers Are Always in Demand
No sooner has Britain's shortage of plumbers been plugged than the Australians have started trying to recruit them, which once again drain’s the industry of workmen. But we all know when there is a shortage of plumbers – because nobody can get hold of one. Plumbers can be seen as a bellwether for economic health, during the housing boom they were in high demand, and now after the slump, they appear to be finding work down under, so that dripping tap won’t be fixed for a while and th...
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New Years Round up of 2011 from RF Training
We Hope You All Had a Merry Christmas & Wish You a Very Happy New Year A lot has happened this year at RF Training and we thought you might like a roundup of all the big changes. We also want to give you a post Christmas treat! Freedom Courses Introduced In September we launched our fully flexible Freedom Courses to all trainees meaning you can now complete your training when you want: Centres now open on weekends - this is a great opportunity to continue training alongsi...
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How Does a Boiler Work – Gas Safe Courses
If you are considering to train to be a gas fitter an integral part of your training will be to understand how a boiler works. The boiler is the most important part of any household as it heats water for use around the household, in central heating systems and hot water taps. The first important note is only those who are Gas Safe registered can legally work on boilers in the UK. REMEMBER if you have to unscrew anything from the boiler you must use a Gas Safe registered fitter. Gas boiler...
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How to Check a Plug / re-wire a plug
During the Electrical course you will carry out a wide range of tasks that you will face once you have completed your electrical course. Some of them simple; such as rewiring a plug, others can be more complex such as rewiring a room. It is, however, essential to learn the simple tasks before tackling the larger ones as you will find it easier to tackle the larger tasks with a basic knowledge. Below is some more information on how to re-wire a plug and some simple safety checks. Firstly i...
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Beer in the Sink – When Plumbing goes wrong?
A woman in Norway has literally struck liquid gold, finding beer coming out of her water taps – a dream I’m sure for many. “I thought I was in heaven” said Ms Gundersen of Kristiansund, west Norway. "I turned on the tap to clean some knives and forks, and beer came out," Ms Gundersen told Reuters news agency. "We thought we were in heaven." Her only complaint was that the beer ‘was a little flat’. Two flights below pub workers were facing a riot when water began to flow throu...
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Private Sector Pension Options – Self Employed Person(s)
In light of the recent public-sector strike, regardless of your stance on the issue, the importance of a reliable pension plan has never been more apparent. Here we explore the main options, extraneous to the standard state pension, available to individuals employed within the private sector, primarily those who are self-employed or those do not have access to a company pension scheme. Personal Pension Plans A personal pension plan is an investment policy into which the policyholder makes re...
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What are Solar PV Panels and How Do they Work?
With our introduction of the Logic Solar PV training course we thought we would give some information about what Solar PV is and how it can be used: Solar PV panels use the sun’s light energy to generate renewable electricity for homes. This renewable electricity can then either be used in the home to reduce energy bills or can be fed back into the National Grid to generate another source of income for the household, which is known as the feed in Tariff or FiT. The size of a system is ty...
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Keep Warm this Winter with our Energy Saving Tips
With rising fuel prices and another cold winter on its way it is important you keep warm this winter, we have some simple winter warming tips that you can use to save on the pennies and prevent bigger problems in the future. Start Checking your home for early warning signs to reduce the costly bills when it is too late If you want to avoid a big bill after using an emergency call out service or to replace broken appliances is to get the house checked before it’s too late, what’s even...
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Sparkle not spark this Christmas with electrical safety tips
Everyone wants their Christmas tree to sparkle but nobody wants to see sparks. It’s that time of year again when you dig into the attic or garage to get out the Christmas tree and decorations. We generally only use the Christmas lights once a year so it’s a good idea to check they are safe to use before you add them to the tree. Here are just some of the basic electrical safety tips you can do before using your Christmas lights:- Make sure there are no broken bulbs and no visib...
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How to repair a leaking pipe just got easier
We recently wrote a blog post on how to repair a leaking pipe it is now apparent that this process may have just got a little bit easier thanks to a Scottish plumber. Ross Dickinson has invented the Kibosh Emergency Pipe Repair kit to stop pipes from flooding properties. Dickinson created the mechanism after visiting a property which was flooded due to a burst pipe. Pipes during the cold winter months are especially susceptible to bursts and leakages and the repair kit is his answer to this...
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What is a Megger Tester – Electrician Training Tips
You may have seen on our site that we offer a Megger test worth over £100 free with our full time electrician training course. The question some of you may have to this is “what is a Megger test and why on earth would I want to pay over £100 for one?” Megger is the name of the company who have created the range of essential tools for the modern electrician. Established in the late 1800s Megger initially manufacturing insulation testers but have since expanded with the help of mergers ...
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Start Your Training Now and Get Qualified by Christmas
Start the New Year With a New Career If you sign up for one our courses today you could be fully trained and ready to start your new career by Christmas! Our Intensive courses at both of our bespoke training centres, in Birmingham and Manchester are taking on the newest batches of trainees next week who will be fully trained and ready to start their new careers in 2012. Places for the below courses are limited so book now to avoid disappointment – call free on 0800 331 7500 to speak to o...
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How To Bleed A Radiator – Prepare For Winter
As the winter is swiftly approaching, the weathermen have predicted the UK is set for another arctic winter. The severe weather seen late last year and early this year is due for a comeback with temperatures in some places set to hit -20 it is important to make sure you are fully prepared for the coming months. If you do face any problems over the winter that can’t be done easily it is always best to call a plumber before the problem gets any worse, saving cost in the long run. Qualified ...
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How does the wholesale price of gas affect household energy bills?
At RF Training we train plumbers, electricians and gas fitters; as such we have to keep on top of the current news in these areas as they may affect our trainees and their customers. Recently, energy suppliers have been pressured by the government to regulate and, ultimately, lower the cost of their fuel prices as three of the big six energy suppliers have raised their prices by a further 20%. These firms have blamed the rise in the price because of the cost of buying it’s energy from wh...
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Plumbing Courses – How to Repair a Leaking Pipe
Our plumbing courses contain a variety of different modules which are designed to give you the theoretical and practical knowledge to start a new career as a plumber. A common problem plumbers may face in households is repairing leaky pipes. Here is a brief overview of how to tackle this problem. Leaking pipes can be a common problem in many households; older drainage or heating systems are particularly prone to pipe leaks. Here are some important steps to take: Turn off the water f...
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Electrician Training – What is an RCD?
Here at RF Training during your electrician training you will cover a variety of different tasks and processes vital to you starting a new career. One of these is what an RCD is and how it is used. Here is a brief explanation of an RCD as a taster of the types of things you will learn whilst with us on the electrician training courses. A Residual Current Device, or RCD as it is most popularly known, is a device which is designed to shut off the current of an electrical device if there is ...
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£3.7 Billion spent fixing “cowboy traders” Plumbing and Building Work
In the last five years 6.2 million people in the UK have used “cowboy traders” to complete work and have suffered the consequences. It has been recently reported that a whopping £3.7 billion has been spent on repairing the problems caused by using these workmen in the past five years raising a concern on the awareness of the importance of checking the tradesmen’s credentials before letting them loose on your essential building work. It is always important to make sure that tradesmen h...
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NICEIC Competent Persons Scheme
As part of our ongoing blog series about competent persons schemes RF Training take a look at the NICEIC and it's role as an Electrical competent persons scheme. The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting, or NICEIC as it is widely known, operates competent person’s scheme for domestic and industrial electricians. The NICEIC was set up in 1956 as a charity to provide protection for consumers against any unsafe electrical equipment and wiring. Since then the ...
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Gas Safety Week – What Homeowners Can Do & Can’t Do with Gas Appliances
In support of Gas Safety week we have already talked about the implications of homeowners keeping their appliances gas safe and looking out for carbon monoxide risks. Now we will look at what Gas Safe registered installers can do and what homeowners can do themselves. REMEMBER: If any work needs to be completed that involve gas the engineer must be a card carrying member of the Gas Safe Register to be able to safely and legally complete it. The law explains that only a Gas Safe registere...
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Gas Safety Week – Important Home Safety Tips
Gas Safety Week, set up by the Gas Safe Register as a new annual event has launched today to help raise awareness of Gas Safety throughout the UK. The event which is taking place in various locations throughout the week will be getting involved with the general public to raise gas awareness and to stress the importance of a qualified Gas Safe registered installer. If you are already a gas safe engineer it is a great time to raise awareness in your local area and support Gas Safety Week by ...
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Cuts in School Careers Services ‘Potentially Damaging’, Warn Experts
As a training provider to people of all ages and abilities we see a number of new school leavers who like to explore their options but have little idea what career path would suit them and the best path for them to take. As such it is a concern to find out that the Government have begun to reduce the support for guidance to school leavers which we support the below: Recent Government cuts to funding for careers guidance in schools could be ‘potentially damaging’, according to experts fro...
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The Benefits of Joining a Competent Persons Scheme
In our previous Blog post we gave a general definition of what a competent person’s scheme is and the types of organisations that offer these. In this blog post we will look deeper at the benefits of becoming part of a competent person’s scheme and how these can improve your career as a tradesman. Competent Persons Schemes have now evolved Although self certification was the initial purpose of the competent person’s scheme these organisations have now evolved to provide you and cons...
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What is the Competent Persons Scheme?
The Competent Persons Scheme is an umbrella word that is used in the Plumbing, Electrical and Gas industries to describe a membership trade body. These Competent Persons Schemes vary depending upon the sector. Competent Person schemes are a useful accolade to have when you have completed training as their logos can be used in advertising material, on vans or for your website. Over the course of the next few weeks we will look at the different Schemes that you can join and how they can ben...
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Can vocational courses such as plumbing training offer a better experience than traditional courses?
In the current economic climate it is now more difficult than ever to gain meaningful employment as the job market requires experience and proof that you can apply skills. Vocational courses, such as plumbing training, have become increasingly popular with employers as it provides potential employees with the skills and experience of the industry before they have started a position with the company. What is the difference between vocational courses and traditional courses? Vocational cour...
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Use of Qualified Plumber’s Recommended by Insurance Company
A leading provider of home emergency insurance has advised the best course of practice when dealing with home plumbing issues is to call out a fully qualified plumber. Homeserve Membership Limited advised in a recent statement that, although minor plumbing system problems like blockages can sometimes be dealt with by the home owner, it is usually worth while calling in a plumber who has benefited from industry recognised plumber training before the problem gets worse: “...you may need to...
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What are expected of landlords when they let a property and how our courses can save them money?
Landlords, or letting agents acting on the landlord’s behalf, have a legal obligation to ensure that rental accommodation is completely safe for tenants. This is set out through several laws which say landlords must ensure appliances are in full working order and prevent such hazards as carbon monoxide and electrocution. If certain standards are not met then the landlord’s insurance policy may be made invalid. What are the key things a landlord needs to check? Gas Safety Annual ga...
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Vocational courses in schools criticised in new Ofsted report
The standard of vocational courses currently taught in UK secondary schools is not satisfactory, according to a new Ofsted report entitled 'Economics, Business and Enterprise Education'. Ofsted's main issue concerns whether the current vocational courses are of a high enough standard to be considered as equivalent to GCSE's. In Ofsted's opinion, the answer to that particular question is a definite no, with the study stating: “Evidence from lesson observations, scrutiny of written work a...
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Training Courses for Women Rising in Popularity
In recent months, colleges and training providers have reported a significant growth in the take-up of vocational courses. The most popular vocational courses have proven to be the traditional trades plumbing, electrical work and decorating. With training providers offering an ever increasing number of courses aimed at women, the driving force behind the rise is believed to have been the increase of women undertaking vocational training. Vocational courses have been increasingly targeting wo...
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Footballer Told to Keep Up Plumbing Training Before Considering Move
Brechin City Striker Rory McAllister has been advised to complete his plumbing training before moving to another club. Brechin City manager John Sheran has told STV sport that he feels that McAllister would be wise to complete his plumbing training before considering moving into football as a full time profession saying: "We think it would be a wise choice for Rory McAllister the player and Rory McAllister the person to develop his game while at the same time have a trade he can fall back ...
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BS7671 iee Wiring Regulations changes colour in 2012
Those in the electrical community may already be aware of the 17th edition wiring regulations (known by many as the red book). The red book is soon to be no more as although the BS7671 iee wiring regulations are not becoming the 18th edition they are adding a new series of amendments aptly named, amendments No.1 2011, which has prompted a reprint to a green book (as pictured). What are the amendments to bs7671 iee wiring regulations? The amendments include the addition of a number of ne...
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Electrician Training Proves Most Popular Training for Women
Research released by the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) revealed that there is a huge leaning towards women looking to take on a trade over a profession. This is coupled with research also showing that women feel more comfortable around a female contractor making learning a trade as a woman more appealing. The NICEIC conducted research asking 16-24 year old women where they want to progress in the careers. The research found that 63% of women po...
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Plumbing Training Should Be More Appealing to Students Than University
After writing a number of times of the increasing debts university students will have once they have completed their degree further information has been released on the employability of students after they have completed university and why plumbing training may be a more useful option for those looking to get a rewarding career. A proposal from the hefce (Higher Education Funding Council for England) has stated that from autumn 2012 universities must now publish data about the employment of...
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Budget Highlights for Tradesmen and Trainees
George Osbourne this week announced the 2011 budget and his plans for the economy in the coming years. So how does this affect the self employed tradesmen working today, and how will it affect trainees on our plumbing courses, gas courses and electrician courses? Below are some highlights from the budget which we think is important for our trainees and tradesmen to be aware of: Fuel duty has been reduced by 1p/litre with the government pledging to monitor taxes with the rising cost of o...
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How Can Electrician Training Help Youth Unemployment Figures?
Figures released recently by the Office for National Statistics have shown that unemployment is still on the rise. The worst hit is 16-24 year olds, who have seen a sharp increase in unemployment rates: Youth unemployment is now at 20.5% compared with general unemployment of 7.5%. This is the highest unemployment rate in this age category since comparative records began in 1992. The most improved market to explore is the vocational training and apprenticeship market. T...
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Vocational Plumbing Courses Are Changing
The new QCF award scheme is expected to revolutionise the way vocational plumbing courses throughout the UK are taught, providing their graduates with more skills and training relevant to the demanding requirements of employers. The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is in the process of being rolled out across the UK and expected to take full effect in March this year. Once the QCF awards have been implemented they expect to cover a wide range of vocational courses. These courses ...
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Business Start Up – Introducing New Start Support
NEW START SUPPORT is RF Training's latest addition to its Electrician, Plumbing and Gas Fitting courses to help you go it alone with a business start up. Headed up by Maria Truman, RF Training launch their first 2 day business start up seminar at the beginning of March. Maria, our Business and Personal Development Mentor with over 25 years 'real world' experience, said "The timing for a business start up couldn't be better. The Daily Mail described the shortage of qualified tradesman as...
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Boiler Breakdown causes biggest disruption in the UK could aid the rogue trader
Our plumbing and gas courses teach how to install, repair and maintain boilers an essential tool as can be seen below it is something every homeowner has and may breakdown from time to time. A recent npower survey has revealed that the British public find a boiler breakdown the most disruptive part of day to day life. The research found that 37% of homeowners feel that a boiler breakdown would be the biggest inconvenience to their lives. This compares to 18% of people who would hate having...
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The Purpose of Fast Track Plumbing Courses
Getting into any kind of fast track plumbing courses can be quite a challenge as choosing the right one can determine your future. A person's choice may be affected if he is looking for companies who offer full time or part time plumbing courses. The structure of the course and the experience of the trainers can be a huge factor. Our Plumbing, Central Heating, Design & Installation Course covers all aspects of domestic heating, plumbing, fault finding and maintenance. This fast trac...
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Heating Engineer Courses – Starting a new career
There is a growth of heating engineering jobs more than ever before and many people today would consider starting a career in such a field. Something you need to think about before making such an important task is how to become a heating engineer and what impact will it have on their future. no formal education is needed, however a heating engineering training is required like all positions in the engineering field to begin your career. With new technological developments in the market, choos...
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Be Successful only through assured Locksmith Training Courses
To become a locksmith you need to take some time to think. With the lack of any regulation, legislation and recognised qualifications within the locksmith industry. Assured locksmith training courses in the private sector has seen a high growth, as in the past training companies did not number more than 10 while today there are more than 100 training companies. For this reason a person has to ask himself which courses will help him develop the skills he needs to become a competent locksmit...
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Competent Person Schemes and Why should you Join one
What is a Competent Person Scheme Competent person schemes were introduced by the Government to allow individuals and enterprises to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations as an alternative to submitting a building notice or using an approved inspector. The principles of self-certification are based on giving people who are competent in their field the ability to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations without the need...
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Part P Explained
The Building Regulations are managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). Part P is an amendment of the Building Regulations introduced by the government, effective from January 1st 2005. The Part P requirement is that “Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury.” In short, electrical installations must...
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How to avoid cowboy electricians
Electrical work can be both difficult and dangerous - which is why it’s always wise to consult an expert. But how do you know that you’re getting in touch with the right person? With rogue traders still at large, it’s worth following some simple steps to make sure you pick a qualified, experienced electrician who knows what they’re doing. "At the very least, cowboy electricians rip off customers and, at worst, there could be fatal consequences if work is not done properly or sa...
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Why become a plumber?
Why becoming a plumber is a good idea? The current economy is in downfall and a lot of people are losing their jobs as a result of recession. Many people are finding it hard to get a job and feel very uneasy about their job security. With more and more people doing a degree and apprenticeship you will find it difficult to get work without any qualification. A question comes to mind, is there a way out through these hard times? The answer is yes. There are plenty of career paths that y...
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How to avoid cowboy plumbers
Did you know that due to recent legalisation changes that for particular jobs undertaken which concern plumbing or heating, contractors must be part of a competent persons scheme to certify their own work? There are many tragic news stories that regularly occur in reference to people with insufficient plumbing qualifications working on a gas and plumbing systems, and resulting in injury or death to the engineer or the homeowner. “A gas fitter was found guilty today of causing the death ...
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How to Become an Electrician
Before learning how to become an electrician it is important to see how electricians play a very important role in society. Electricians are vital to public health and safety, with requirements in place from the government, employment opportunities for a qualified electrician in the UK is increasingly on the rise, recently estimated to be at £77 million by 2020 prospects for those who want to know how to become an electrician look very good indeed. One way to achieve the electrical qualifi...
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What can you expect to earn as a fully qualified electrician?
If you are thinking of a career in the electrical field, one of the most common questions asked by electrical trainees is, “What can I expect to earn as an electrician?” The amount of money you can earn as an electrician in the UK varies from job to job and be effected by a number of factors. Currently the average wage for an electrician sits around £26,000 according to salarytrack.co.uk – obviously experience, qualifications and other things such as location play a factor in you...
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How much can you expect to earn as plumber?
If you are thinking of retraining as a plumber, one of the most common questions most potential plumbers ask is; “How much can I expect to earn as a plumber?” - After all training as a plumber can be expensive and time consuming, what sort of wages can you expect when you have the right qualifications? According to national statistics, the average annual wage for a plumber is just under £28,000 at the end 2009. However there are a number of factors that can contribute to your overa...
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How To Become Gas Safe Registered
Route 1 to becoming Gas Safe registered Category 1 Applicant BPEC – Domestic Gas Foundation Suitable for plumbers/ bathroom and kitchen fitters and individuals with a mechanical services background. No formal qualifications are necessary but the candidate must be able to demonstrate competency in plumbing or an associated industry. Candidate must undertake assessment for suitability at the RF Training Centre. Workshop Based Training If suitable the candidate will att...
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How to Become A Plumber
Application process The traditional route to becoming a plumber in the UK is via an apprenticeship. With two years study at college and working for a plumbing firm you will progress towards NVQ level 2 or level 3. This typically takes two to three years to complete. With limited places available in colleges and the difficulty in getting apprenticeships, many people are turning to private companies to bridge the training gap. The choice of courses available is bewildering. We ca...
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