MET-UK

Prospects Case Study - James Christmas  

Name

James Christmas

Age

23 years old

Where from?

Rotherham

Course

‘Prospects’ Trade Taster – Leading to NVQ level 2: Plumbing

‘Prospects’ Course Details

The ‘Prospects’ course is specially tailored to each person’s needs and covers a range of trades and construction skills, including Gas-fitting, Plumbing, Brick-work, Plastering, Painting and Decorating, Site Health and Safety and Scaffolding.

‘Prospects’ aims to raise aspirations by building confidence and employability skills, helping people to move onto employment in a ‘trade’ with real job satisfaction and a bright future.

The ‘Prospects’ course is delivered over 2 days per week for anything from 6 weeks up-to 12 weeks.

Each ‘Prospects’ trainee will receive £25 cash to help offset transport and other costs.

NVQ Level 2: Plumbing Details:

The NVQ Level 2 in Plumbing will enable James to gain sustainable employment as a Plumber. There is currently a major skill shortage in the Plumbing trade.

The NVQ training programme is dissected into 4 key elements:

48 weeks (2 days per week) technical training – at MET-UK
47 weeks Work Placement (3 days per week) – with an industry employer – organised by MET-UK’s Work Placement Team.
On site assessments – carried out by MET-UK’s Assessors
Portfolio of Evidence –all work and assessments undertaken are collated into a portfolio to be independently verified for the NVQ.

Who was your work placement employer?

In order to gain the relevant work experience for the Plumbing NVQ, MET-UK has matched James with construction employer Avonside (South Yorkshire) Ltd.

James will be working with Avonside for 3 days per week throughout the course.

Did you have any previous trade experience?

James had no Plumbing experience before the ‘Prospects’ course.

The ‘Prospects’ trade taster course gave James an insight into a range of construction trades. From this experience, James was able to decide that Plumbing was the best path for him and so progressed onto the NVQ Level 2: Plumbing at MET-UK.

Which aspects of the training course did you enjoy the most?

“I enjoy the practical training in the plumbing bays and bungalow at MET-UK. ”

Which aspects of the training course did you enjoy the least?

“I don’t enjoy the classroom part of the course, I am a hands on person.”

Which aspects of the work placement did you enjoy the most?

“All of it. I really enjoy working on site, especially when we complete a job and I can see that what we have done will be there for years. ”

Which aspects of the work placement did you enjoy the least?

“None of it. I enjoy every aspect of working with Avonside.”

Would you recommend MET-UK to a friend?

“Definitely, I would recommend MET-UK to a friend.

I had been unemployed for a while before going on the Prospects Training course at MET-UK. Many of the jobs available were temporary jobs in call centres or factories. I have a newborn baby and so wanted to get a good job with a secure future. I knew that there are plenty of well-paid jobs in construction, but the colleges were full and I didn’t know where else to look.

I had no real experience in construction, but liked the idea of being a Plumber. The ‘Prospects’ training course covered a range of trades. ‘Prospects’ helped me to decide exactly which trade I wanted to go into.

I am now working towards my NVQ level 2 in Plumbing at MET-UK. As part of the course I am working with national Plumbing firm, Avonside (South Yorkshire) Ltd. I really enjoy working on site, especially when we complete a job and I can see that what we have done will be there for years.”