Qualifications

[boundy]

I would like some


Im 26 and I'm a Service Tech for a very well known company that manufacture roof windows. Although I've always done pretty well with the jobs I've landed, I left school and got a job within weeks so never bothered with college.

I've been thinking about taking an evening course at a local collage to gain some sort of qualification, just for my own satifaction mainly but could come in handy as in the past I've not even been given an interview due to not having a bit of paper, regardless of skills and experience.

I've been with my company for 4 years now and have no plans to move on.

There are to courses local to me and im not sure which one is better.

CSKILLS Wood Occupations

NVQ Diploma

Level 1

=£500


or

City and Guilds Level 1 Award in Basic Construction Skills

=£340


Not sure if I could get help with funding?

[CaNsA]

[boundy]

[Chalky.]

If you like where you work, speak to people higher up in the organisation or HR and say you'd like to progress your career with them, and what can they do to help you.

A bit of self drive is what people look for.

[garth]

NVQ = Not Very Qualified.

I'd go C&G.

[Alpha-9]

Both seem a bit crap

I'd go C&G
if that's what you want to get into...otherwise you're just wasting time and money, a level 1 is a low qualification afaik
level 2 is gcse equivalent?
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[boundy]

[Alpha-9]

[Werny]

[Alpha-9]

[tbourner]

I wouldn't bother with an NVQ as you've already got experience, having a vocational qualification isn't really worth it.

Try to go for a higher level like a level 3 BTEC or something, should be able to do them part time but might have to wangle different hours at work or something.

Otherwise look at distance learning like the OU, they do loads of lower level courses, and most of them will go towards higher qualifications like degrees if you decide you like doing it and do well at it.
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[chris-red]

I did a night course a while ago in Photography. I enjoyed it immensely, I think the main reason for this was that I didn't get a qualification, it was learning to learn. Unless you can see it giving you a better job or more money, I wouldn't bother with something that gives you a qualification.
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[J4mes]

Level 1 really is the bottom of the scale, as you have age and experience on your side I would speak to the college and see what level they can fit you in at. You might find that you'll go straight in at level 3 (A-level IIRC) which should test you, as its far more involved than proving you can count to potato.

[boundy]

[Alpha-9]

[nowhere.elysium]

City&Guilds is generally more highly thought of, in my experience.
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[Al]

Isn't City & Guilds just the awarding body and NVQ a type of qualification
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[nowhere.elysium]

[Al]

Probably its all quite confusing.

I did a tech certificate at college and a work based NVQ alongside it. Both certificates are awarded by City & Guilds though.
Companies I've seen advertising jobs only seem to ask for the NVQ qualification as this shows you have experience in the industry.
But it probably works differently in different trades.
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[drzsta]

I have lvl 3 NVQ & c&g. It's pretty much the standard now although it was part of my apprenticeship.


Lvl1 will get you nowhere, and I can't see it being an advantage for a window repairs, experience is what is necessary.

On the otherhand, like you said - it is nice to have some sort of accreditation hence why you think it could be beneficial to you personally.

Only you can decide whether it's worth it or not because your the one who is going to have to bother going to them.
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[iooi]

[Slacker24seve...]

Level 1 anything is a waste of time - thats below A-C at GCSE and nothing more than an introduction to a subject.

Why don't you research jobs you might like to do; what qualifications are they asking for? Look at those, and ones needed to progress from where you are now with your current employer.

If you'd like to learn online, in your own time, https://alison.com/ has lots of free qualifications and would be a start
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[Clanger]

They've started phasing the NVQ qualification out...best look for something with a little more umph, especially if you're planning to pay for it.
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[WildGoose]

Don't waste your money, i've got city and guilds levels 2 in various engineering disciplines and an NVQ2 in similar.

Not worth the paper they are written on. At all.

If you want to study something for your own interest, then just buy the relevent books and study it.

If you want pieces of paper, then do something half worthwhile like Open University.
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[pepperami]