Latest news with #NVQ
Time Business News
14-07-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Switching Careers into Electrics: A 2025 Guide from First Screwdriver to NVQ Level 3
Redundancies in retail, the rise of hybrid working, and the unstoppable march of green technology have all pushed adults to rethink their job security. One trade keeps surfacing as both future-proof and well-paid: electrical installation. Yet many would-be learners stall at the starting line because they don't know which electrician course to trust, how long each stage truly takes, or where the on-site experience will come from. Elec Training Birmingham has spent the past two years building a 'classroom-to-career' ladder that answers those questions step by step. Below is a fresh, 700-word overview for 2025 entry—ideal reading if you are starting from scratch, part-qualified, or simply curious whether you could earn a Gold Card before the decade's out. Net-zero deadlines – Every EV charger, heat-pump retrofit, and solar-PV array requires certified sparks. – Every EV charger, heat-pump retrofit, and solar-PV array requires certified sparks. Aging workforce – Almost one-third of UK electricians will reach retirement age by 2032, according to JIB data. – Almost one-third of UK electricians will reach retirement age by 2032, according to JIB data. Regulatory complexity – Each new Amendment to BS 7671 creates compliance tasks that can't be automated or shipped offshore. Result: national job boards now list more electrician ads than there are Gold Card holders to fill them, and day rates continue to tick upwards. Elec Training's pathway is modular; start where it suits your experience and diary: Module Duration Outcome Entry Skills Week 5 days Strip & terminate cables, wire two basic circuits Diploma Block 6 weeks (part-time) City & Guilds Level 2 & foundational regs Advanced Design Block 8 weeks (part-time) Level 3 diploma; ready for on-site role Placement & NVQ 8–10 months Evidence for the nvq level 3 electrical logbook AM2E Test 3 days Competence certificate → ECS Gold Card 2 weeks admin Higher pay + site access Learners may skip Entry Week if they already hold basic hand-skills or have worked as a mate. Colleges often deliver the theory then leave learners hunting for the site evidence that the NVQ demands. Elec Training fixes that with two full-time recruiters whose only task is to match students with vetted contractors: 120+ partner firms in domestic, commercial, and renewables niches in domestic, commercial, and renewables niches Average gap between Level 3 finish and first paid shift: 12.4 days 87 percent of 2024 cohort completed NVQ portfolios in under ten months The placement desk remains at your side: if a firm's workload dries up or evidence variety is lacking, you're moved within seven days so logbook progress does not stall. To gain full status you must show competence in twelve categories: safe isolation, containment, first-fix, second-fix, three-phase terminations, test and inspection, fault rectification, and client hand-over. Evidence lives in a cloud app: Photo or video – demonstrate the task Supporting document – test sheet, risk assessment, permit Supervisor e-signature – authenticates the work Weekly mentor nights review uploads, flagging gaps early. Two assessor visits then confirm authenticity. One tiny grammar error in a note is fine; missing safe-isolation pics is not. Exam nerves fall when nothing on the rig looks new. Elec Training's lab mimics the NET assessment bay—same trunking, same timed fault board. Learners rehearse each section until they can finish with ten minutes spare. 2024 pass rate: 91 percent first attempt, 14 points above the national mean. Role Typical Midlands pay (2025) Gold-Card domestic installer £200–£240 day Commercial site electrician £25–£28 hour Solar-PV & battery specialist £46–£52 k salary EV-charger subcontractor £260 per 7 kW unit Add evening call-outs and small works and a motivated sole trader can surpass £60 k by year three. Interest-free instalments over 12 months. over 12 months. Skills Bootcamp grants up to 100 percent for green-tech add-ons (EV, PV, storage). up to 100 percent for green-tech add-ons (EV, PV, storage). Swap cohorts once per module free—handy for shift patterns or childcare changes. 'You need a van first.' False; borrow centre tools & lift-share during placement. 'Amendments force full retakes.' False; CPD session suffices until a new edition drops. 'I'm too old.' Our oldest 2024 graduate was 52 and now mentors apprentices. Book an open-evening tour—try the safe-isolation simulator. Download the pathway PDF for dates & prices. Choose a start date; intakes cap at 14 to guarantee bench time. Secure funding—speak to advisors about grants or instalments. A skills gap plus rising green-tech demand equals genuine opportunity. Pick a structured electrician course, commit to the nvq level 3 electrical evidence plan, and Elec Training Birmingham will steer you from novice to Gold Card holder before some of your peers finish their second year at university. The market needs sparks; the timeline is clear; your circuit to a new career is ready to close. Plug in and power up. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Time Business News
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time Business News
Charging Ahead: How Elec Training Birmingham Combines EV-Charger Skills and VR Learning to Fast-Track Today's Electricians
Electric‐vehicle sales may ebb and flow with government incentives, but one metric keeps climbing: the number of charge points the UK needs in the ground. Westminster's 300,000-public-chargers-by-2030 pledge looks ambitious when you realise we still sit below 55,000 sockets nationwide. Grand View Research forecasts a 25.5 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the global EV-charging market through 2030, and every new pedestal needs a certified installer. That skills bottleneck is both a risk for infrastructure roll-outs and an earnings opportunity for forward-thinking sparks. Elec Training Birmingham tackles the gap on two fronts: a three-week EV-Skills Bootcamp bolted onto its standard Level 3 pathway, and a new online/VR platform that lets trainees practise PEN-fault scenarios or OCPP back-office commissioning from a laptop at home. Together, they create a learning pipeline that compresses classroom time, satisfies NVQ evidence, and keeps income flowing. Challenge Why It Matters Bootcamp Focus Load-diversity calcs A 7 kW charger adds >30 A to a domestic supply; mis-calculations trip the main fuse. Hands-on spreadsheets, CT-clamp demos. PME & PEN-faults TN-C-S earthing can raise touch voltages if the PEN conductor breaks. O-PEN devices, auto-disconnection testing. 6 mA DC RCD checks DC leakage can blind Type AC devices; chargers need DC-sensitive protection. Dedicated test leads, sequence drills. OCPP back-office pairing Networked public chargers won't bill without correct firmware and TLS certificates. Cloud portals, simulated tokens, LTE router setup. Many electricians completed their initial electrician course before these specifics entered BS 7671 Amendment 2. The Bootcamp fills the gap with evening theory streams and Saturday labs, minimising days off the tools. Week 1 – Foundations • 18th-Edition refresh on Parts 2 and 7• Load-calculation worksheets (worked examples)• PME earthing options under different DNO rulings Week 2 – Live Install & Test • Cable selection for 7 kW and 22 kW charge points• Fit and commission a smart charger on the centre's outdoor rig• Perform non-trip loop, 6 mA DC RCD, and PEN-fault tests Week 3 – Networking & Portfolio • OCPP 1.6/2.0 onboarding, charge-point group ID tokens• Customer-handover scripts, warranty docs, and cybersecurity disclaimers• Upload all evidence into the NVQ app—counts toward 'functional testing' and 'client hand-over' units Skills-Bootcamp funding can reduce tuition to zero for eligible learners, meaning one paid install (£250–£300 labour) can recoup any remaining cost. While screwdrivers and SWA glands will always require in-person practice, theory gaps and rare fault scenarios suit immersive tech. Elec Training's blended electrical training now includes: Adaptive Quizzes Miss a Zs formula? The algorithm injects extra drill cards into that night's revision set. Full-Body VR Scenarios Strap on a headset, lock-off a supply in 6-DoF space, then inject a phase-to-earth fault. If the virtual RCD fails to clear, watch the arc-flash animation (in safety) and repeat until muscle memory forms. Instant Portfolio Export Finish a VR scenario and the platform generates a PDF with your time-stamped actions, ready to drop into the NVQ logbook. Centre data from 2024 show VR practice cuts first-attempt test failures by 17 percent—a saving in both resit fees and lost working days. No van? No worries. Use the centre's loan tools and share transport with your placement mentor until EV income justifies vehicle investment. Use the centre's loan tools and share transport with your placement mentor until EV income justifies vehicle investment. Grammar slip? Fine. Assessors care about safe PEN-fault protection, not misplaced apostrophes; clear photos and compliant readings win every time. Assessors care about safe PEN-fault protection, not misplaced apostrophes; clear photos and compliant readings win every time. Cross-skill synergy. Many graduates bundle charger installs with solar PV or smart-home load-shedding setups, pushing domestic package invoices north of £4,500. Week Action Outcome 0 Enrol with Skills-Bootcamp funding Tuition cost confirmed 1 Start VR pre-work Adaptive quizzes tailor focus areas 2-3 In-centre labs Live charger wired, tested, documented 4 Placement day Domestic 7 kW unit fitted; £275 labour invoiced 5-12 Repeat installs Log evidence, tick NVQ units 13 Assessor visit #1 Safe isolation + functional test signed 20 NVQ sign-off Ready for AM2E; chargers now a steady revenue stream Book a virtual open evening—test the VR charger lab from your home PC. Download the Bootcamp syllabus—see every task mapped to NVQ criteria. Check funding eligibility—centre advisors handle the paperwork. Reserve your cohort seat—intakes cap at 14 to guarantee bench time. The UK's charger roll-out must accelerate sevenfold in five years; no robot will pull SWA through loft joists or configure OCPP tokens for you. By pairing an EV-Skills Bootcamp with cutting-edge VR practice, Elec Training Birmingham lets you master the technical core, bank NVQ evidence, and start invoicing on real installs in under a month. It's the fastest route from classroom curiosity to charger-commissioning competence—no Oxford commas required. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tinker, tailor, carpenter, spy: MI5 seeks woodworker for top-secret missions
MI5 is hiring a carpenter to help protect the country from terrorism and hostile-state threats. The successful candidate will be deployed in the field to help carry out intelligence-gathering operations around the UK and 'directly contribute to the security of our nation'. The new recruit will have to sign the Official Secrets Act and must have a 'meticulous' attention to detail and 'sound problem-solving skills'. The role has a starting salary of £43,000, is being advertised on MI5's website and on its official Instagram account. A video promoting the vacancy features footage of a person chiselling, sawing and planing a piece of wood with the caption: 'POV [point of view]: you're a carpenter and you want to be a spy... It takes a variety of skills to keep the country safe.' The job description on the intelligence service's website states: 'As a maintenance carpenter, your work will encompass maintenance, repair and construction within secure facilities, including hardening of critical infrastructure and creating bespoke spaces in many different types of property. 'You will be responsible for creating technical drawings, selecting appropriate materials, and carrying out tasks to a high standard, all while adhering to stringent security protocols. 'Another aspect of the role, and very exciting part of it, is occasionally deploying within the UK on intelligence gathering operations; utilising your trade skills to directly contribute to the security of our nation.' Candidates will have to undergo the most stringent level of security checks, known as developed vetting, including solvency tests to ensure they are not heavily in debt and at risk of being blackmailed. Applicants must also have a City & Guilds Level 2, BTEC, NVQ or equivalent qualification in carpentry and joinery. The job specification continued: 'You will also be expected to maintain required levels of fitness as the job can be physical at times.' Recruits will be given two hours of paid leave each week to exercise or go to the gym. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Edinburgh Live
18-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
HMRC letters to be sent to parents claiming Child Benefit for 16 year olds
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Parents receiving Child Benefit for their 16-year-old children are being advised by HMRC that they risk losing these payments unless they act. Those claiming the benefit have been informed that if their children are continuing in education or enrolling in approved training programmes, they will be required to provide updated details prior to August 31 in order to extend the claim. Presently, 7.62 million households within the UK are recipients of Child Benefit. It amounts to £26.05 per week or £1,354.60 per year for the first child or only child and £17.25 per week or £897 a year for an additional child. It is standard for the claim to be accessible if you are caring for a child below 16 years but individuals may continue claiming up until the child turns 20. Once a child reaches 16, a notification needs to be sent to the government if you are planning to make a continued claim. The cut-off date of August is important, reports the Manchester Evening News. Eligibility to continue the claim is provided by the child carrying out "approved" education and training which will exceed a total of 12 hours each week. For example, levels A, levels T, Scottish advanced higher and NVQ are types of qualifications which might be covered. Traineeship opportunities are further included. In addition, home schoolers can benefit too. Parents who claim Child Benefit are being advised to act swiftly where necessary. They must update their benefit information before 31 August to avoid losing their claim. Eligibility, however, is forfeited if your child enrols in an advanced course like a university degree, BTEC Higher National Certificate, or intermediate/advanced apprenticeship. For those children continuing in approved education, inform HMRC before the cut-off date. Following the completion of the approved education or training, Child Benefit payments will terminate at the end of February, May 31, August 31, or November 30, whichever occurs first. HMRC is mailing out letters to thousands of families, urging them to update their details. These notifications will be sent until the conclusion of July. To ensure ongoing support, parents can renew their Child Benefit claims utilising the HMRC app or online through The letters dispatched include a QR code for swift access to the digital service provided on HMRC claims that the process to update your Child Benefit claim is quick, taking mere "minutes." In the previous year, upwards of 870,000 parents renewed online, covering their teens' Child Benefit. Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's Director General for Customer Services, said: "Child Benefit is an important boost to families. As soon as you know what your teenager is planning to do, extend your claim in minutes to guarantee your payments continue in September. Simply go to or the HMRC app to confirm today."
