Mature Career Changers Help Plug Skills Shortage
The largest trade private skills training centre in the country has opened in Southampton to cover the demand caused by increasing numbers of mature career changers wanting to train to become plumbers and electricians
Mature Career Changers Help Plug Skills Shortage
Leading nationwide training provider for mature career changers New Careers Skills has teamed up with Apprenticeship Training Ltd to open the centre that stands at 10,000 square foot and has the capacity to train 100 individuals at any one time.
By 2008 Great Britain will be short of 36,700 electricians unless 7,340 electricians join the profession every year.* and short of 31,700 plumbers unless 6,340 join every year.
Reasons for shortages include limited capacity within colleges to address the problem and oversubscription on courses. With new building regulation, Part P** introduced in January 2005, the demand for skilled electricians is sure to increase further.
NCS offer a flexible, blended learning programme that allows students to complete the theory part of their training at home using interactive materials and tutor support. Then, when ready, students can complete four separate one-week practical sessions at one of NCS’s nationwide centres of Electrics Excellence. This training programme provides a stepping stone to achieving an NVQ 3
As well as offering a complete change in lifestyle, electricians’ hours of work are flexible suiting people with families and other commitments as opposed to the regimented 9am-5pm of office jobs.
Commenting, Tim Adderson, managing director, NCS, said: "The UK shortage of electricians is a huge problem affecting us all. Younger students aren’t as enthusiastic about learning a trade and are more interested in entering office-based careers or studying for vocational degrees. The introduction of building regulations such as Part P should also have an affect on the demand for skilled electricians.
We have answered the needs of both the industry and mature career changers, many who have work and family commitments and can’t afford to take weeks off work to train.”
*(ConstructionSkills Regional Foresight Report 2004)
** For further information on Part P please refer to www.odpm.gov.uk
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"I'm a professional rugby player but sustained a career threatening injury. I realised that I needed a skill. The NCS course fitted perfectly around my life..."
"The NCS package out classed the competitors and enabled me to get out into the industry quickly. I now own a successful electrical business..."
"I had become completely office bound at the age of 49 and decided I wanted to run my own business. I now have my own successful plumbing..."
"At 44 I decided I wanted flexibility and a better work/life balance. Now I am running my own plumbing company and I have exactly that..."
"I wanted flexible hours and becoming an electrician could afford me that luxury. There is a crying need for more skilled women electricians..."
"I'm yet to finish the course, but I have still started up my own business importing, selling and installing solar systems. I think I will have a great future..."