starting up

[new BEE]

Hello, I am currently serving in the Army and am due to leave in Dec this year. I have got myself on a course to do an NVQ Level 3 in refrigeration and air con tech. I will gain a construction skills F-Gas certificate , pipework and brazing, mo***bile air con systems and will be doing the updated 17th edition wiring regulations. What i am after is just a bit of advice as to if this qualifies me to go straight into the trade. I know my lack of experience will set me back with emplyers as the trade seems very complexed in areas but was hoping this would set me in good stead. Thanks , Luke.

[Rob White]

Hello, I am currently serving in the Army and am due to leave in Dec this year. I have got myself on a course to do an NVQ Level 3 in refrigeration and air con tech. I will gain a construction skills F-Gas certificate , pipework and brazing, mo***bile air con systems and will be doing the updated 17th edition wiring regulations. What i am after is just a bit of advice as to if this qualifies me to go straight into the trade. I know my lack of experience will set me back with emplyers as the trade seems very complexed in areas but was hoping this would set me in good stead. Thanks , Luke.

To do a full level 3 NVQ would take 3 years??

Where are you doing the course?

As for the other qualifications they are all recognized in the
industry and they are good qualifications. The F-gas, pipework
and brazing and the 17th edition are all valid in our industry.

The main thing you need is experience, is the training centre
going to find you an employer that is prepared to give you the
experience?

Regards

Rob

.

[new BEE]

Thank you for your reply. The course cost me 2450 quid so i am hoping it is going to be worth it. I was wondering about the course, as you said 3 years appears to be the timeline to achieve nvq lev 3 however the course instructors seem to believe that a 15 day course will qualify me?? must be a case of they mean will build you up to a certain level then go into employment as an apprentice. They will not be looking for employment for me after unfortunately. Looks like i may have to do this course and look back into doing security work whilst doing everything i need to do ref & air.

[Rob White]

Thank you for your reply. The course cost me 2450 quid so i am hoping it is going to be worth it. I was wondering about the course, as you said 3 years appears to be the timeline to achieve nvq lev 3 however the course instructors seem to believe that a 15 day course will qualify me?? must be a case of they mean will build you up to a certain level then go into employment as an apprentice. They will not be looking for employment for me after unfortunately. Looks like i may have to do this course and look back into doing security work whilst doing everything i need to do ref & air.

Are you doing it local because if you are I will know who you
are doing it with (I would know if it was anywhere in the UK actually).

I think you will be put through your paces and they will be doing
something like the EAL NVQ which is another qualification to the
City & Guild one.

15 days is 3 weeks, an F-Gas for someone with no formal training
can be done in 5 days, the pipework and brazing will take a day and half,
to two days and the 17th edition can take between 3 and 5 days dependent
on experience.

So you will have a good two weeks on all that and then the basic fridge training
will take up the other 5 days.

Training is training and all training is good, I always say you can't be over trained
and its your choice to use the training or not.

So the training is about right for the time scale and that just leaves the experience.

You need to get your name out, there are a lot of companies around South Yorkshire
and if you get lucky there might be one that will offer you experience, so that is
the tricky part.

The fridge industry is a bit incestuous in that it is not always what you know, but who
you know. There is a lot of sons, daughters, nephews and friends of family in the trade
and you need to break into that very close nit group.

The only way is to approach companies and engineers personally and get your name known.

Go to the wholesalers there are a few around Sheffield and see if there is owt advertised,
see if you can post an advert...........................

All the best

Rob

.

[new BEE]

Thanks for your reply Rob apologies for late reply , my son was born a few days before the course bit hectic. From the course i have learnt a great deal but have also seen that this is a trade that would still see you learning new stuff in 10 years of being in it. The qualifications i have got from the course are

1.C Skills J05 Pipework and brazing
2.F-Gas category 1 J11
3.C&G 17th Edition
4.C&G 7543 M.o.b.i.l.e Air Con
5.BUISNESS EDGE, Certificate for Introduction to Air Conditioning and Installation, Commissioning & Servicing Engineering

I am hoping that this is enough to get someone to give me the experience.Was thinking of doing some other courses in january to further qualify myself. Thanks for your advice on the traders/wholesalers, I will have a look into that. There is apparently alot of opportunities for ex servicemen within some companies. The course was very intense and found myself revising for 3-4 hours a night.

[Magoo]

Hi New BB
congratulations on the arrival of your new son.

[Goober]

Even though you don't have experience in our trade, you are from military. I've employed a few Navy guys here in NZ and found them to be excellent starters, the dicipline and training from the miltary does give you an advantage, as long as your not a complete meathead miltary man. No offence intented. Given what you are doing already i think you'll do ok. Whats your Miltary backround? the Navy guys I employed were all ex marine maintenance/engineers, so they did have trade grounding. You have any trade in the miltary? Still though...I think you will be ok...persistance, persistance, persistance.

[Rob White]

.

Congrats for the new arrival and try to get some sleep.

Best of luck with the job hunting.....................

Regards

Rob

.

[new BEE]

No military trade experience unfortunately, just an infantry lad. Not a Military methhead by any means. Bit of a poor decision to go into that but seemed exciting at the time. At 28 retraining is left quite late but adamant i will get into the trade and do well. I have put my CV onto websites and will do the things suggested above and see where that gets me. Thanks for your replies. Obviously experience is a massive factor but could you suggest any other courses that would be beneficial to getting into the servicing side, not so much the installation.

Luke.

[Magoo]

Perhaps try contacting a local service company and offer to tag with a tradesman and work free of charge. At least it will be a foot in door and you get a feel for the job.

[Chargesuper]

new BBE,

Its funny reading your thread, we are very much in the same situation, so I decided to post. I am yet to do any courses, however Ive always had a strange interest in anything containing a form of refrigerant, so Im hoping to smash out every course even remotely connected to the industry.

I am also very worried about getting into the industry, I cannot agree more with Magoo, Im currently writing emails to every Air Con/ Refrgeration company in Hampshire, to offer up my Saturdays in return for abit of experience.

Good luck with it all, I will post again if I come up with anything else.