YTA Training

Liz Spider

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Our EWPA route makes plenty of sense for skilled and experienced bricklayers

When it comes to professions that you can always count on there being a demand for, bricklaying has to be a long way up the list. After all, this trade is of fundamental importance to buildings being built. Furthermore, with especially seasoned bricklayers earning as much as £40,000 a year or more, it can be a hugely rewarding job in more ways than one. 

 

The critical role of bricklaying – in people’s lives and livelihoods, as well as in the broader economy – helps to explain why advanced bricklaying courses are such a big focus of ours here at YTA. 

 

But if you already have an established history as a bricklayer, and wish to make the next big step in your career, you don’t necessarily need to start training again from scratch. Our Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA) route allows those with a minimum of five years’ bricklaying experience to achieve a relevant NVQ Level 2 in just one day at our Yorkshire training centre. 

 

No less crucially, by acquiring this particular qualification – the Cskills Awards Bricklaying NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Trowel Occupations (Construction) QUA813 – you will also be able to gain access to site work. It is therefore an excellent fast-track assessment route for moving your bricklaying career up another level in readiness for life after the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

It couldn’t be a quicker – or simpler – process to upgrade your qualifications 

 

You can find out all of the details about our bricklaying EWPA on our website – but the broad principle behind it is very simple. You will first get in touch with us at YTA, and we’ll explain what’s involved if you take on this fast-track assessment route. With the help of our NVQ bricklaying assessor, we will chat to you and determine whether you have a high chance of passing the EWPA. 

 

If we are confident – and you are confident – that you possess the necessary knowledge, ability and experience to achieve the NVQ, we can then proceed to book a date at our centre with you. 

As aforementioned, it will only take you one day with us to complete the bricklaying EWPA – or two, if needed. The day itself will involve you drawing upon your existing bricklaying skills to complete a task at our premises, with this then being assessed. 

 

The NVQ assessor will use the combination of this practical assessment, professional discussion and witness statements, to evaluate your skills against the criteria. If you are successful in achieving the bricklaying NVQ Level 2, you will be told of this on the day. 

 

Then, all that you will need to do is wait for your certificate, so that you can apply for your blue skilled worker CSCS card and begin working on site! 

 

Just get in touch with us now 

 

Call the YTA team today, on 01274682199, for the latest information about the availability of places on this in-demand assessment route. Alternatively, send us an email via our simple online contact form, and we’ll quickly get back to you. 

 

As accredited and trusted providers of advanced bricklaying courses, we’ll help point you in the right direction for your career in this vital, enjoyable and often lucrative trade. 

 

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What to expect from our 10-day Level 1 plumbing course at YTA

Whether you want to be able to take on plumbing jobs around the home with more confidence, or start up as a working plumber, YTA has a range of plumbing courses suitable for a range of abilities and skill sets. One of our most popular is the 10-day Level 1 plumbing course. 

 

Our Level 1 plumbing course is suitable for total beginners or tradespeople from different fields who might wish to add plumbing to their armoury of skills. With this course under your belt – and possibly a Level 1 qualification, if you choose this option – you will be able to become a confident and skilled plumber, with a strong platform for career success. 

 

After the full 10 days, you will have been trained and assessed in two units; ‘Introduction to construction work’ and ‘Carrying out plumbing operations’. Achieving these will enable you to earn the full Level 1 Award in Preparation for Plumbing Operations.

 

So, whatever the reason you might be looking for an intensive plumbing course in the UK, the 10-day Level 1 plumbing course here at YTA might be just the one for you. Here is what you can expect from this nationally recognised intensive plumbing course in the UK.

 

Week 1 – 5-day Level 1 intensive plumbing course

 

Monday – The first day of this course will entail you working with 15mm and 22mm copper pipe and fixings, in addition to fitting isolation valves and pipe bending. 

 

Tuesday – Tuesday’s class will be about all things bathrooms, encompassing planning, installation, testing and the fixing of any leaks that might arise at the latter stage. 

 

Wednesday – This day will include an explanation of internal cistern fittings and the various flush mechanisms you might encounter. You will also learn about fault finding and the diagnosis and fixing of those faults.  

 

Thursday – This day will cover the installation, bleeding and fixing of radiators. 

 

Friday – On the final day of week one of your intensive plumbing course in the UK, you will get to grips with plumbing up a kitchen sink and hot and cold pipework, as well as a tee off for a washing machine or dishwasher.  

 

Week 2 – 5-day advanced plumbing course

 

The second week of the course is all about building on the knowledge you picked up in the first week. For example, you will have already learnt how to install a radiator, so now we’ll move on to domestic hot water storage systems and central heating cylinders. 

 

Among many other skills, you will also cover the fitting of header tanks and gate valves, a thermostatic mixer shower, and a shower pump. 

 

Extra tips and tricks 

 

The 10-day course might be mainly made up of the content from our two five-day courses, but there are also some extra bits we have included. These include various tips and tricks of the plumbing trade, as well as full measuring and in-depth quoting based on full-size kitchens and bathrooms. 

 

Start your plumbing journey today

 

To begin your journey towards a new profession or learning some seriously useful plumbing skills, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the YTA team today. Whatever your reason for needing to embark on an intensive plumbing course in the UK, we have got you covered!

 

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Undertake our one-day EWPA, and you could soon be a much more employable carpenter

Every year, of course, is an opportunity for new beginnings, but it’s also undeniable that 2021 began in an especially grim way for many of us. The combination of a fresh coronavirus lockdown and the long and dark nights of January and February was not how most of us would have wished to start the year. 

 

Now, though, there is hope: the spring is here, the skies are lighter for longer, and COVID-19 cases aren’t as high as they were. You might, then, be feeling slightly more inclined right now to investigate ways of upgrading your career, such as our own carpentry & joinery NVQ Level 2 courses here at YTA. 

 

In this particular blog post, we’re not focusing on a ‘course’ as such, but instead on an assessment route for those who already possess considerable carpentry experience. 

 

What we’re referring to, is the Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA). This is an option for joiners who have spent five or more years in this profession, and – when passed – results in the award of an NVQ Level 2 carpentry diploma. 

 

Why would you wish to take on this assessment route? 

 

If you are already an experienced tradesperson, it won’t necessarily make much sense for you to take on a complete training course, just to obtain your NVQ Level 2 qualification in your chosen trade. Indeed, you may have the required skills and knowledge already – in which case, the EWPA route gives you the perfect opportunity to demonstrate them, and enhance your longer-term career prospects in the process. 

 

This is a fast-track assessment route, only typically taking about one day – or two days, if needed – at our Yorkshire training and assessment centre. 

 

The qualification that those satisfying the EWPA requirements then receive – the Cskills Awards NVQ Level 2 Carpentry Diploma in Wood Occupations (Construction) – is the one required in order to attain the blue skilled worker CSCS card. That card, in turn, is the one that will enable you to gain site work as a skilled carpenter. 

 

A straightforward process that could end with an invaluable qualification 

 

In these times of prospective economic recovery, it’s well worth doing everything you can to boost your employability as a tradesperson. Undertaking our carpentry EWPA could be the ideal way to do exactly that, as long as your existing experience and knowledge satisfy the requirements. 

 

To learn more about the carpentry EWPA, including the units included in it and the witness testimonies, practical assessment, professional discussion and direct questioning required for you to pass it, simply visit our relevant course page on our website. 

 

Then, call YTA on 01274 682199, for an initial discussion with us about the process. If, as a result of this discussion, the EWPA route seems like it could be suitable for you, we’ll put you in touch with our NVQ carpentry assessor, who will be able to complete a ‘skills scan’ and help ensure you are making the right decision in pursuing the EWPA. 

 

You’ll be in extremely safe hands when you choose to advance your career as a carpenter with the help of YTA, which is one of the UK’s most trusted providers of carpentry & joinery NVQ Level 2 courses! 

 

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Becoming a qualified plasterer can be a faster process than you might think!

Have you ever considered training to become a plasterer? If so, you have good reasons for that. Like the other key trades, plastering offers a high level of job security, these skills having been in demand pretty much since the year dot. 

 

Getting into plastering also offers interesting opportunities for progression, including into supervisory and site management roles – and as a more experienced plasterer, you could eventually be earning as much as £30,000 a year. 

 

It’s one thing to choose to become a plasterer, however, and it’s an entirely different thing to choose the right route to taking on this trade. Sure enough, here at YTA, we offer both five-day and 10-day Level 1 plastering courses that could give you the best possible platform for success in this profession. 

 

How do our five-day and 10-day Level 1 plastering courses differ? 

 

Both of these intensive courses are a popular choice among not only complete beginners who might be looking to switch into plastering from a different career, but also existing tradespersons interested in expanding their skill-set, and even DIY enthusiasts. 

 

The key difference between the five-day and 10-day courses, however – besides the former obviously not covering as much ground as the latter – is the fact that the former leads to a unit accreditation certificate, while the latter allows you to achieve a full qualification. 

 

That qualification in question is the NOCN Cskills Level 1 Certificate in Plastering. To earn it, you will need to be trained and assessed in five units, covering health and safety in construction trades, effective communication in construction trades, and the plastering of corners, walls and ceilings. 

 

By contrast, the five-day course will simply involve you being assessed for the NOCN Cskills Level 1 Plastering Walls unit accreditation. So, before committing to any particular plastering course, it’s important to know what to expect, and to consider whether this will be the right choice for your circumstances and aspirations. 

 

But these Level 1 training courses in plastering also have a lot in common 

 

Whatever Level 1 route you select as a would-be plasterer attending our accredited West Yorkshire training centre, you can expect to gain invaluable competence and experience in this trade that looks set to continue being in demand long after the pandemic. 

 

We will give you a set of plastering tools to use during the course, and you will have your own full-size training bay to work in, so you won’t need to worry about sharing a bay. We also limit the number of plastering training bays to five, so that the student to teacher/trainer ratio is kept low – just the thing for ensuring you receive the attention and teaching you need. 

 

Oh, and don’t forget that both of these Level 1 plastering courses will cover a wide range of other key aspects of the job, including health and safety, business start-up, full measuring and in-depth quoting, marketing techniques, course progression opportunities, and so much more. 

 

What are you waiting for? Make 2021 the year you take that chance! 

 

Feel free to click through to the relevant course pages on our website to discover more about the five-day and 10-day Level 1 plastering courses we offer – and if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. 

 

It’s been a tough past 12 months for all of us, but now is the time to look with renewed optimism to the future. If you’ve been wondering whether 2021 is the year you should make that dream of a rewarding new career real, we’re confident that you won’t regret doing your training with YTA.

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Upgrading your prospects as a bricklayer doesn’t have to take longer than a day

There can be no doubt about the importance of bricklaying to our national life and economy – the construction sector will always depend hugely on skilled and seasoned bricklayers. 

 

It might not be so surprising, then, that if you have existing bricklaying experience, you may be looking right now into how to build on your current qualifications and credentials. After all, now is the time to ensure your career prospects are as strong as possible as you and your household emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.

 

This brings us neatly onto the subject of the Experienced Worker Practical Assessment (EWPA) route that we offer for those looking to gain the qualification needed to attain the blue skilled worker CSCS card. 

 

This is a fast-track assessment route that – if you meet the requirements – could save you from having to consider any longer bricklaying NVQ Level 2 courses. In fact, you could complete this assessment process in just one or two days at our West Yorkshire training centre. 

 

A great way for bricklayers to gain their NVQ Level 2 

 

Visit the page of our website dedicated to the bricklaying EWPA, and you’ll find all of the details you’ll require on this assessment route, which – when completed successfully – leads to the Cskills Awards Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Trowel Occupations (Construction) QUA813. 

 

All of our EWPA assessment routes – others being available for wall and floor tiling, site carpentry and plastering – are aimed at those who already have at least five years’ experience in their given trade. A combination of witness testimonies, practical assessment, professional discussion and direct questioning is used to ascertain a candidate’s suitability for the award. 

 

The bricklaying NVQ Level 2 comprises five mandatory units, covering general workplace safety, efficient work practices, the movement and handling of resources, the erection of masonry structures, and the setting out of masonry structures. Your attempt to gain the award can be further supported with one of a range of optional units. 

 

If you’ve got the skills and experience, don’t wait to book your place 

 

For an initial discussion about the bricklaying EWPA, including whether this route is right for you, simply call YTA on 01274 682199. We’ll explain more about what’s involved, and complete a ‘skills scan’ to help determine whether you are likely to be able to earn the NVQ. 

 

Don’t forget that if you’re worried about being able to get quickly on-site, as soon as you pay your deposit for the EWPA and we get you registered, you will be able to apply for a six-month temporary card. This will give you the time to complete the EWPA. 

 

2021 looks set to be a year in which many of us throw off our pandemic-related worries and get on with those major, longed-for changes in our lives – and for you, that change may be upgrading your prospects as a bricklayer. If so, don’t wait any longer to contact the YTA team. 

 

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Five days is all that it takes to start an exciting new joinery career!

It’s fair to say that many of us have had reason to look at our lives afresh over the past year, with all of the disruption and hardship it has brought. For you, that might have even meant considering a new professional direction. 

Maybe you’ve decided that you want to embark on a career that is highly durable, continuing to see high demand even in times of economic uncertainty? Or perhaps you’ve been thinking to yourself, “well, I’ve always wanted to learn a trade – so I might as well take the plunge now”? 

Whatever your own specific situation and motivations may be, if you have been thinking of training to be a carpenter or joiner in 2021, you can’t do better than doing it with one of the leading accredited centres for construction training – YTA! 

In fact, as a beginner, you only need to complete a five-day course with us in order to earn your first unit of accreditation as a carpenter or joiner. So, what exactly does our consistently-in-demand five-day Cskills Level 1 Unit Carpentry Course offer you? 

 

A great first step to an NVQ Level 2 carpentry qualification 

It is important to acknowledge that this particular five-day course on its own is a unit accreditation course that does not lead to the full NOCN Cskills Level 1 Certificate in Carpentry and Joinery; for that, you’ll need to take on the 10-day course that we also offer here at YTA. 

Nonetheless, even if you do opt for ‘just’ the five-day course, you will cover a lot of ground, with the opportunity to earn a unit of accreditation that can be shown to potential employers or customers to demonstrate your competence in this important trade. 

Another great attraction of this course is that you really can start it even if you have no prior experience in carpentry at all. 

You will choose a Cskills unit to complete during your five days at our training centre. Then, once you’ve passed this course, you could always proceed to another Cskills Level 1 unit accreditation course, and eventually gain a Cskills NVQ Level 2 qualification in site carpentry. 

 

You won’t waste a minute when training in carpentry with us! 

In just five days at our West Yorkshire training centre, you can cover considerable ground in carpentry and joinery. This course encompasses such essentials of the trade as building a stud partition wall with a doorway, hanging a door including the fitting of locks, fitting skirtings and mouldings, the various tools required in carpentry and joinery, and so much more. 

Experienced carpenters and joiners can earn as much as £40,000 a year, so this might not merely be an enjoyable and futureproof trade for you – it could also be a financially rewarding one in the long run. And this course represents an excellent way to start your journey. 

Reach out to the YTA team today to ask any questions you may have about this popular course, and to enquire about booking your place to learn carpentry at one of the UK’s leading accredited centres for construction training. 

 

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