Blog & News

A Very Special Trip

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:01:52 GMT

On the 13th of March 2011 a very special skiing trip will commence. The SSCD ‘Southern Ski Club for the Disabled’ will be gracing the slopes of Courchevel, France with the support of their volunteers.

Amongst the volunteers is Paul Chapman, an instructor at Trade Skills 4U.Paul begun volunteering for the SSCD five years ago and trained as a ski guide with them helping children with various disabilities ranging from neurological disease to Down syndrome. TS4U will be funding his trip so that he can continue to help the children enjoy the joys of childhood.

We hope Paul and the SSCD have a fantastic time, all the best.

Runner Up in Gatwick Diamond Business Awards

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:57:58 GMT

Last night it was revealed that Carl Bennett was announced runner up in the ‘Business person of the year’ category at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards, a well-known and respected award ceremony in Copthorne, West Sussex. The Evening itself was showcased within the fabulous grounds of the Effingham park hotel and saw the very best of the Gatwick Diamond community come together.

The winner of the award, Justin Acres of Clearwater was presented the award by Trevor McDonald OBE, who has been the face of ITV for many years, and saw a round of applause by a well entertained crowd.

The Gatwick Diamond is home to a vast range of businesses, which span all sectors of the economy, from household names to niche companies, and from multinationals to sole traders. ‘Just to be nominated for this award and become noticed amongst so many big and successful businesses is itself a great achievement’ says Carl. ‘I was against two much respected members of the Gatwick diamond which were a pleasure to contend with. I look forward to growing my business within the diamond as I continue to commit to the community and the success of the South East.’

Carl was originally nominated for both Business Person of the year and Small Business Person of the year in the early stages of the awards but was upgraded as judges felt his successful business was more suited to the higher category. Carl Later became a finalist in the Gatwick Diamond Business awards where he placed second out of an original thirty.

Contact: Chloe@tradeskills4u.co.uk

Direct Dial: 01293 554010

Energy bills to high? Alternative energy maybe your answer.

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:57:41 GMT

A recent report submitted by energy regulator Ofgem, showed that on average, power company profits are the lowest they have been for two years.

‘With companies like Scottish Power pushing up gas prices by 19% and electricity tariffs by 10%, the question has been when British Gas would follow suit, not if,’ says Robert Peston, Business editor of the BBC. ‘British Gas, the largest supplier of gas and electricity in the UK, will announce price rises some time before the results of its parent company, Centrica, are published on 28 July, I have been told.’

When the energy giant inevitably announces their price raise this month, it will be yet another blow for the millions of households that are struggling to pay their bills.

Back in April, Ofgem announced that its plan to make energy suppliers give 30 days’ advance notice of all price rises was formalised, in an attempt to protect consumers from the ever growing energy prices. These new rules aimed to sweep away the complexity in energy pricing and allow a consumer time to switch to a cheaper energy supplier and avoid what has been described as ‘Fuel Poverty.’

As the world’s oil supply is unavoidably disappearing, gas prices will continue to rise and it may be the right time to take your energy finance into your own hands. There is a lot of discussion about energy alternatives and a lot of people are seen to be jumping on the bandwagon. “I was at a friend’s BBQ last weekend and our neighbours fine solar array was a hot topic’ says Lorraine Nugent, West Sussex homeowner. “There was mixed views at the beginning of the conversation however it seemed they were down to awareness. The majority weren’t aware that solar panels can come in all shapes and sizes and that you can earn money even from the energy you use, we certainly walked away with a potential installation on our minds.’

Since the Feed-in Tariff became available, energy companies are obliged to pay householders a regular tariff for their production of renewable energy such as electricity produced from a solar PV array. Simply put, for every kilo-watt you produce you get paid. Below I have demonstrated a typical investment of a 3kWp system (approx.) for a roof that faces south. These figures are dependent on the systems you install and their efficiency. Please bear in mind these figures are in good faith and should not be used as ‘financial advice.’

Calculate your potential solar costings here.

When you really begin to uncover the potential benefits of going green you really understand why the government are really backing this industry at the moment. It really is a way out of having to spend an ever increasing amount of money with energy suppliers, as a lot of what you pay for is maintaining their infrastructure.

One for the ladies

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:54:17 GMT

So what attracts men to the trade?

Every job has their pro’s and con’s so what makes this type of job so well received by men? Boys love their toys; men often like to tinker, tweak, problem solve, fix and work hands on. Electrical contracting often means a great variety of when and where you work as well as what you do on a day to day basis. An obvious attraction to this trade is the wage packet, electricians are well paid and depending on where you are located you could earn £40,000 PA. However none of these attractions are specific to men they are simply more specific to the stereo typical male.

Women in the trade

For many women in the trade they have used their gender as a marketing tool. This usually involves labelling men as cowboy’s and suggesting that by employing a lady you will get the job done more quickly, tidily, politely and sometimes at lower prices . This stereotyping of male electricians is not greatly received by many in the trade and rightly so. Although there are some rogue traders these stereo types definitely do not apply to all male electricians.

However despite the fact these stereo types are mainly unfounded the there is definitely a demand for female domestic electrical installers as many women do prefer to open their door to someone from the same sex.

The NICEIC’s Emma McCarthy “There is now a good business case to employ more women. Consumers sometimes prefer to hire female contractors and our research highlighted that some female homeowners admit to feeling intimidated when having to deal with a male electrician.”

Other marketing aspects for women can relate to religion, in the Muslim community, husbands prefer to have a lady in the house rather than a man.

Training together can help men and women

Interestingly, many trainers have noticed that the whole class benefits from mixed lessons. Females tend to achieve above average and when taught together in a mixed environment there is a direct improvement in males.

Andy Hay-Ellis from Trade Skills 4U says “Whether it is a natural effort to impress or prove themselves we are not sure but our instructors have noticed that classes tend to be less boisterous and test scores were higher almost every time a woman was present on the course. However even in this day and age we still find many of our classes do not contain a single woman”.

The future

Recent figures indicate that ‘less than one in every 1,000 electrical contractors is female.’ This has plunged since 2003 when there was an average of one female electrical contractor to every 600 men. To redress this imbalance NICEIC has recently launched its ‘Job for the girls’ campaign.

Emma McCarthy, said, “This image of our industry as an exclusive one is dangerous. If we are to plug the skills shortage gap then we can’t afford to dismiss half the working population.”

As part of the campaign, The NICEIC is working on a practical guide to help raise awareness and promote equality whilst giving its accredited members guidance. This scheme is hoping to recruit more young females into its new apprentice academy. Hopefully the future sees a gender balance in the more male dominated trades, as gender certainly doesn’t define capability.

Trade Skills 4U Finalist in Gatwick Diamond Business Awards

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:11:12 GMT

Today it was announced that Trade Skills 4U Managing Director Carl Bennett, has been selected as one of the three finalists in the ‘Business man of the year’ category for the Gatwick Diamond Awards. The award ceremony will take place on the 17th March 2011 where the winner will be announced.

Carl Bennett said "It is a real pleasure to be nominated for this type of award as the Gatwick Diamond is home to a vast range of businesses which span all sectors of the economy, from household names to niche companies, and from multinationals to sole traders."

Having spent 22 years in the Met Police until a brain tumour resulted in his early retirement from the elite SO19, Carl Bennett opened up Trade Skills 4U which with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work became the UK’s No.1 specialist independent electrical training provider. In the beginning Carl put a lot of consideration into where to locate the business to give it the best chance of succeeding. Carl said, “I had to be in an area to encourage my customers to visit, and the Manor Royal fits that bill perfectly."

Having been established since 2005, Trade Skills 4U has aimed to provide their customers with the knowledge, understanding and approval of their awarding bodies so that their customers are fully equipped with the skills promised. Armed with such skills, a customer can begin carving their path as a qualified tradesman.

Carl Bennett’s drive and managing skills have led his team through the recession. The success and dedication to training has seen the company grow at a time when many have seen a decline. As a result of their hard work, Trade Skills 4U will be launching their brand new Renewables Energy Training Facility in April 2011. This launch will include the attendance of special guests.

The Gatwick Diamond Business Award winners are those businesses or people who have shown innovation and inspiration in their work, and have demonstrated a real commitment to the sub-region.

Solar PV Companies on Watchdog

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:52:53 GMT

Many of you won’t be surprised to hear Watchdog highlighted Solar PV as one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Some companies have grown ten fold in the UK over the last year and this is a direct result of the financial incentives on offer.

However with rapid growth like this consumers have to be wary of many small companies that spring up offering services. The building trade as a whole has always suffered from the stigma of cowboy builders, however solar PV installation is a bit different in that it is heavily regulated and anyone installing solar panels will need to be REA and MCS accredited.

What many people don’t realise is that MCS accreditation can be a difficult thing to achieve. In order to gain MCS accreditation companies have to demonstrate they have a comprehensive quality management system that covers everything from how they source their products, to how they deal with complaints. One of the main pre-requisites is that the MCS accredited individual in the company must have a formal certification in their chosen technology. In the case of Solar PV this would be a City & Guilds, Bpec or NICEIC qualification.

As such it was no surprise that Watchdog actually didn’t focus on the installer. Instead they focussed on the selling of Solar PV and companies that will take deposits from customers only to struggle to deliver the PV installation.

Currently it is very hard to find good installers and we know only too well that currently the demand for installers out strips supply. This is the reason that Solar PV Installation Courses are currently our most popular offering as many train to take advantage of the high demand.

However watchdog gave some great advice when choosing a PV supplier. Much of this is common sense when dealing with any trade:

I would also add:

It is interesting to note that in Germany where solar PV has been around for much longer they do not have an equivalent MCS accreditation scheme. It is comforting to know that MCS is here and protects consumers and the industry’s reputation at the same time.

FREE 17th Edition Seminar

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 07:08:31 GMT

The 17th Edition course amendments were published on 1st July 2011. To help you and your colleagues gain an appreciation of the changes and additions incorporated in the first amendment, we are holding a one off free seminar on 17th August 2011 at 6.30pm, aimed at all those involved in the electrical installation industry.

If you are a designer, engineer, electrician, electrical contractor, maintenance technician, project manager or tutor/trainer in these areas, you will need to know about the following changes and additions:

This evening theory course covers the regulation changes being introduced by the First Amendment to the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations, published in July 2011. It is designed for those who’ve already completed the City & Guilds 2382 17th Edition course. There is no assessment involved as there isn’t a qualification specific to this course. However, delegates will receive a Trade Skills 4U Certificate of Attendance.

Renewable Centre Official Launch 17th June 2011

Thu, 12 May 2011 10:00:01 GMT

The open day itinerary includes seminars from their partners, live demonstrations of renewable installation and a presentation from guest speaker, Simon Weston OBE, a name well-known for his time in the Falklands. Weston’s fight to overcome horrific burn injuries and redefine his role in life after the Falklands War is an example of the incredible bravery shown by Britain’s Heroes as we continue to fight for our country.

Simon will tell of his achievement and present the companies first bursary place launching TS4U’s forgotten hero’s bursary scheme.

The Crawley-based training provider reserves a place each week for ‘forgotten heroes’ which have slipped through the resettlement net and hopes to provide free and discounted training for those in need of a new career path.

‘We are not a huge company and can’t offer free training to everyone that is eligible so we have to select and prioritise those able to take the free training, based on need,’ says Carl Bennett, Managing Director of TS4U.

The day will also be an eye opener for those who are confused by the Renewable energy industry with seminars from partners Easy MCS, Stroma and Eco Tube. These highly regarded companies within the industry will explain accreditation, Feed in Tariffs and installation. Following the theme, the 100% electric car, the Nissan leaf, will be making an appearance as the company will be attempting to charge the car via a solar array.

“The renewable energy market is growing so quickly that there is a real need for qualified installers,” Carl Bennett stressed. That’s why Trade Skills 4U is working hard to create the best facilities for candidates to train on.

TS4U Trainees will have the advantage of being able to learn how to install photovoltaic (PV) systems on a purpose-built single-storey timber-framed house, constructed next to the training centre’s main building, located on Manor Royal Industrial Estate.

“Our goal is to enable a trainee to finish the training on a Friday, confident, competent and compliant to complete an installation the following Monday, hassle-free”, said Carl Bennett, Managing Director of TS4U.

Only 1,500 renewable energy electricians are currently registered in the UK but research by the Department of Climate Change predicts that there will be 7 million PV installations by 2020, requiring up to 50,000 accredited installers.

The facility opened for training courses earlier this year, providing fully qualified instructors with hands-on practical workshops and theory lessons with delegates obtaining registration and accreditation from governing bodies such as City & Guilds, NICEIC, BPEC, EAL, trading standards and ELC. The solar PV courses are a key step into becoming MCS accredited.

“We have a modern approach to training,” added Chloe Bennett. “Our collaboration with PV panel manufacturers ensures that we have developed an appropriate training package for trainees.”

TS4U trained more than 3,000 (now qualified) domestic installers across the UK last year and it runs the first training centre in the UK to offer “at-height training on a single- storey roof” at the leading edge fully specified Manor Royal site.

”Candidates gain invaluable experience of not only working at height but also how to use equipment such as gin wheels and pulleys – an aspect of training that some companies may cut back on,” Chloe Bennett said.

TS4U instructor Mark Turner, who completed his training with the company, said: “Those who want a career change should grab opportunities like this. The courses equip you for the future, whether you choose electrics or renewable energy. You’ll be glad you did it, I am.”

Contact for more info: Chloe Bennett – 01293 554010 or chloe@tradeskills4u.co.uk

Green Homes Career Opportunity

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:04:24 GMT

We have teamed up with 'The Green Homes Company' to offer exceptional training and a great new career offer!

Due to the outstanding quality of our training, our trained solar installers will be looked at as potential employees for 'The Green Homes Company's' growing business. This obviously doesn't mean that you are guaranteed a job after you train, but a relationship like this enables a foot in the door.

Our Customer Feedback

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:06:16 GMT

We always appreciate our customer’s feedback, in any shape or form. Our business was created with you in mind which is why your feedback helps us improve what we do at Trade Skills 4U.

We have updated our new website to contain snippets of your (our customer) feedback. These quotes will be updated regularly so our website remains fresh and current.

It’s always great to hear positive things about our courses, tutors and facilities and it gives our new customers a sense of security knowing that they are training with a recommended centre that exceeds most of our customers’ expectations.

Have a look around our new site; you may even see your quote on one of the pages!

Eco Build Review

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:07:43 GMT

Considering the type of event I expected to see a lot more effort made in reducing exhibitors carbon footprint by electronically distributing their information or producing their promotional materials from sustainable sources. Some companies used a modern initiative and adopted a barcode scanning system so that their customers can receive information via email whereas companies such as Dyson presented their hand drying creation the ‘Airblade,’ a product designed to dry your hands fast and effectively without the use of paper tissues, on a stand surrounded by a large wall of paper tissues which seemed to contradict the entire message they were conveying.

A down point, if this can be viewed as one, was that there was just too much information. We found ourselves overloaded by the amount of material available and not enough time to see it all. The numbering system on all the stands didn’t help as they seemed to lack any type of logic and could have been made a lot simpler.

Overall the event served its purpose by reinforcing the importance of sustainable design and proved to be paramount in demystifying such technologies so that they seemed less daunting to the potential customer, installer and any business looking to move into this fast growing market.

This expansion has led to an extension of their training family; ex-military man Mark Turner joins their team after his 23 year service ends this month. “Trade Skills 4U are a great training facility that practice what they preach.” They understand the need to employ great staff that can offer unbeatable teaching, especially whose background relates to those they teach.

“Those wanting a career change should grab opportunities like this, they’re courses equip you for the future whether you choose electrics or renewable energy. You’ll be glad you did it, I am” Says Turner.

Image source @ eco build

17th Edition Amendments

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:28:26 GMT

The IEE Wiring Regulations, published in January 2008, are soon to be changed as revisions are taking place. New regulations, known as the IET Regulations, will be published any day now and will include several changes. These changes include revision on medical locations, measures against electromagnetic influence and devices for protection against overvoltage (surge protection).

These changes are not certain as the revision is only a proposal but it is more than likely that the regulation amends will take place.

The largest revision is to Section 710 which deals with medical locations. This not only covers hospitals but other healthcare facilities such as doctor and dentist surgeries. The new regulations will deal with the reliability of supply in these locations, and to reduce the risk of electric shock.

As there are particular risks associated with medical locations, additional measures are now to be taken to ensure a patients safety.

Group 0 locations – no applied parts (medical instruments and devices) are intended to be used, and supply failure will not endanger life.

Group 1 locations – applied parts are intended to be used, but again supply failure will not normally endanger life.

Group 2 locations – applied parts are used and supply failures can cause danger to life.

The measures attached to these groups will relate to the new regs and include things as medical IT distribution systems with special isolating transformers, supplementary equipotential bonding and “safety service” power sources that will ensure continuity of supply.

Another big change in the regulations will be to Section 534. This is the section that covers the selection and applications of surge protection devices. These devices are used to minimise the effects of voltage transients produced by natural phenomena, such as lightning and by switching operations. This section will now divide the protection devices into three categories will explain how a device should be selected and how all three types much be co-ordinated in an installation.

Amongst the many revisions, a fresh section that will cover operating and maintenance gangways and measures against electromagnetic influences will be included in the new 17th Edition amendments.

The timetable is subject to change, but the present schedule calls for it to be published in June 2011, and for it to come into force on 1 January 2012.

• Protection against electric shock - Chapter 41 will affect all persons carrying out alteration work on installations under the control of ordinary persons such as domestic installations

• Measures against electromagnetic disturbances - new section 444 will affect anyone involved in the design, erection, and verification of affected electrical installations need to be familiar with this section.

• Selection and erection of wiring systems - Chapter 52 is a significant change from the 17th Edition and affects all persons carrying out alteration work on concealing installations such as domestic installations.

• Devices for protection against overvoltage (surge protection) - new section 534 will affect all persons involved in the design, erection, and verification of these types of electrical installations needs to be familiar with section 534.

• Medical Locations - new section 710 will affect all persons involved in the design, erection, and verification of electrical installations in medical locations need to be familiar with the draft requirements contained in this new section of the first amendment.

• Operating or maintenance gangways - new section 729 will affect all persons involved in the design, erection, and verification of restricted areas such switch rooms with switchgear and control gear assemblies need to be familiar with the new requirements.

• Model forms for certification and reporting - Appendix 6 will affect all persons involved in the periodic inspection of electrical installations need to be familiar with this.

Renewable Heat Incentive

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:58:34 GMT

After several months of delays, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is here. It’s due to start in 2012 and the £860 million pound scheme is set to save 44 million tonnes of CO2.

We have reached a time where future problems surrounding fossil fuels are inevitable as we cannot reply of the supply of oil and gas. By creating micro-generation technologies, such as solar PV and solar thermal; and launching government agreed incentives, we can start rebuilding our world with secure and natural energy sources like sun, rain and wind.

This new energy supply will reduce our traditional reliance on fossil fuels and at the same time provide new jobs throughout the supply chain: from research and development to manufacturing; renewable fuel production and supply; equipment installation and maintenance.

The RHI is similar to the Feed in Tariff but for heat instead of electricity "This incentive is the first of its kind in the world. It’ll help the UK shift away from fossil fuel, reducing carbon emissions and encouraging innovation, jobs and growth in new advanced technologies” says Chris Huhne, Energy secretary. It will guarantee long-term payments of 20 years for the end user on their renewable installations and will include all types of heating, from households to factories and public sector buildings. The Early focus however is on industry, business and large organisations and the payments will be based on the ‘heat requirement that the installation is intended to serve’ using estimates rather than actual consumptions.

Once these micro generation technologies are in place we will be reducing the production of carbon, the harmful gas affecting our world. The Incentive exists to promote these renewable technologies and offer real opportunities for the public to aid the green revolution as adjustments like these need financial support to help bring change. The RHI will pay different tariffs for different technologies, but ministers claim it will provide a 12 per cent return on the original cost of installing the technology.

The Launch of the RHI will coincide with the Governments ‘Green Deal’ which is also set to go live in 2012. The DECC explains that “The coalition government will introduce legislation to make it possible for you to have energy efficient measures carried out through the Green Deal from autumn 2012.”

The Green Deal itself is the biggest shake up in the history of energy efficiency, it too has the opportunity to support thousands of jobs as anyone in the supply chain of green energy is set to benefit, as mentioned before. It is mainly a way to measure energy use and encourage ways into reducing energy consumption in your home or business – whether rented or owned – and allowing you to pay for the work from the great savings on your energy bills.

The work in question, incorporating in the ‘Green Deal’ is energy installation as a quarter, or even worse a third of a home’s heat can be lost through a loft and walls. By carrying out energy efficiency improvements such as insulation you will cut your fuel bills and the saving will allow you to enjoy your cosier home for less.

Image source: solcentric.co.uk

Honour our Forces Help Boost Forgotten Heroes Bursary

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:19:41 GMT

Honour Our Heroes director, Piers, noticed our campaign for free training for forgotten heroes and has jumped in to help promote this great opportunity. Our first bursary places will be presented at our Renewable energy launch happening this Friday (17th June,) with national hero Simon Weston OPE awarding the worthy candidates.

“I will do my up most up to promote this great idea,” says piers. “It’s so great when people do what they can to help our heroes.”

Ian Lockie & Golden Zimmaestro are the first two candidates to participate in the scheme having been awarded our popular GREEN packages. Our green package allows entrants to enter the industry and train to become a domestic and solar PV installer.

We are giving away 100,000 worth of free training and we want to spend. If you know anyone that may be eligible or want to support our cause contact us on 01293 529777 or visit www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-training.

A Worthy Cause

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:58:49 GMT

Trade Skills 4U are delighted to sponsor April Gullis this month in her efforts to support ‘The Chestnut Tree House’ which is a children’s hospice near Arundel.

The hospice helps children and their loved ones by providing care and support when their child develops a life-limiting illness.

April and her friends have decided to do a sponsored bike ride which will consists of the girls riding for one hour at break time on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th January 2011. As well as their riding efforts, there will be a stall of toffee apples for the supporters to purchase.

For more information on this worthy cause, visit their website www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/

Twitter and Facebook live

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:15:58 GMT

We have finally launched our twiiter and facebook pages. Like our page or follow us to keep up to date on latest offers and course information as well as some nuggets of information about the electrical and renewable energy industry.

Trade Skills 4U Partner with Easy MCS

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:17:09 GMT

Trade Skills 4U and Easy MCS, today, announced their collaboration to deliver first class training with award winning MCS accreditation. This type of partnership will enable both parties to provide better and extended services to their customers.

MCS accreditation exists to protect the consumer by ensuring the products installed and the installer feeds back to the national grid and meet the approved standards. If an installation is not certified then the home owner will be unable to sell their energy back to the national grid. An installer can only gain MCS accreditation if they have both relevant accredited training and the appropriate QMS package in place.

“We are excited to be offering this new service to provide trainee’s with a straightforward route to MCS accreditation. It’s great to have found a company like Easy MCS that provide a professional and supportive service which echoes our own philosophy, when delivering relevant training” says Quality Coordinator Donna Latimer at Trade Skills 4U.

Thomas Farquhar, Sales Manager for Award Winning Easy MCS Ltd comments “We are thrilled to be partnering with Trade Skills 4U undoubtedly the UK’s most forward thinking Renewable training provider. The installers we are working with who are starting up in the Renewable’s industry often need a high levels of support and training, Trade Skills 4U has unrivalled training facilities and a full suite of courses to suit each individual installer’s needs and we are pleased to be recommending them to our customers”.

You too could make £1,000 a year by generating electricity from the elements

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:44:12 GMT

A number of business owners have been looking at generating their own electricity since April 1, when the government introduced considerable financial incentives for those who create their own solar, wind and water power. Participants in the Feed-in Tariff (Clean Energy Cashback) Scheme are paid above market rates for all the electricity they produce.

“That number is clearly disappointing but it is very early days and I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions just yet,” said Greg Barker, minister for climate change and energy.

“For the average consumer this is an entirely new proposition and it’s just not on their radar screen,” said Barker, adding that the last government “barely promoted it at all and certainly wasn’t enthusiastic for it”.

Philip Wolfe, a veteran of the renewable energy industry who set up the solar power division of BP, was one of the consultants who helped devise the scheme. He believes the potential income from feed-in tariffs is only beginning to register with most people.

“Feed-in tariffs have put a bomb under the sector,” he said. “There is a very wide range of people interested, from individuals to businesses and hospitals to schools.”

Wolfe now works with Ownergy, http://www.ownergy.co.uk/ a consultancy that is specialising in setting up projects to capitalise on the scheme. He is liasing with the landlord of a business park on a disused airfield near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to install about 5,300 solar panels on an old runway.

The 2MW facility will provide almost a third of the energy used by the 40 or so businesses on the site.

Farmer Andrew Ingram installed 300 square metres of solar panels on the roof of his barn at Greenfield Farm in the Chiltern Hills in May.

“It’s like having an oil well, where every gallon that comes out of the ground makes you a bit wealthier,” said Ingram, who makes most of his money selling 15,000 Christmas trees every year. “If it’s a hot sunny day I might go to the meter two or three times to see how it’s going — you become really interested in the weather.”

Ingram spent £110,000 to buy and install 156 photovoltaic solar panels, but he has calculated he can make a profit of £180,000 thanks to a new green energy scheme.

Venture capitalists are also getting in on the act. Foresight Group is negotiating a deal with the Wyndham Hotel Group under which it would install solar panels on the roofs of up to 100 of its British hotels, including the Wyndham Grand in Chelsea.

That’s just one of a number of projects the firm is looking at. Under these deals, Foresight would pay for and own the installations and reap a large portion of the revenues generated. In return, the host organisations would get up to half off their electricity bills.

The returns will be much higher for most people who take part in the feed-in tariff schemes because they will install their own technology rather than host that of others.

When all the elements are factored in, the average household should make £986 a year, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, a figure that will rise each year in line with inflation. Most households can expect to use half of the electricity they generate.

The scheme allows for much bigger installations, accommodating projects generating anything up to 5MW — enough to power 1,100 houses.

Of course, many people will not be in a position to fork out the £8,000 needed by the average household, let alone the sums required for a larger installation, to enable them to benefit from what seems to be a very generous scheme.

It’s a point that Barker concedes: “Too few financial institutions have engaged properly in this sector... I will be looking at whether I need to bang the drum more by promoting the opportunities.”

Under the Feed-in Tariff Scheme, a typical household would install a 2.5kW system of photovoltaic solar panels for about £8,000. This would guarantee a payout of about £25,000 over the tariff’s 25-year life that would be index-linked — a tax-free profit of about £17,000 in today’s money. The profits on a similar-sized wind or water system are similar, although tariff lengths and payouts vary.

The owner of a typical household solar installation receives 41.3p for every kilowatt hour of electricity generated, whether they use it themselves or “export” it — when the panels are generating more power than the owner needs, they receive an additional 3p per kilowatt hour by selling it to the local electricity grid.

Every kilowatt hour generated and used in the home is one less drawn from the grid, adding to any saving.

Our War: 10 years in Afghanistan

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:23:17 GMT

Cast your minds back to the year 2001; a year when the world was just getting their head around the devastating tragedy of the twin towers, a year when Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison died of lung cancer at the age of 58, and a year when the first ever iPod was introduced. All of aforementioned events, each memorable for very different reasons, were part of a year when the War on Afghanistan began.

Today, 7th October 2011, marks the 10th anniversary of British Forces being engaged in Afghanistan and more than five years since they assumed responsibility for Helmand Province. Remembering the related events that have led up until this date is a sobering opportunity for us to reflect of what our involvement has achieved.

Nearly 1,800 U.S military member have been killed, enough to form a single-file rank of soldiers a mile long. The UK’s military role in Afghan has not been without human toll as the number of British military deaths stand at 382. This is very little doubt that Afghanistan is a better place now that under the Taliban however the real question is when will it all end? A decade at war is long enough surely?

British troops have performed so bravely and achieved so much in this past decade it’s incredibly humbling. Thanks to documentary’s like ‘Our War,’ ‘Dispatches,’ and ‘The Bomb Squad,’ we have been able to really see bits of what the guys do day to day and snippets of what life could be like on the front line. These unglamorous real-life story’s give us a personal insight to our boys and girls who are giving their thankless service for their country.

So it is important that we look after them, especially when their service has ended and their life back into civilian world begins again. Trade Skills 4U offer a ‘Forgotten hero’s Bursary’ which aims to help those who have left the services and have struggled to find a suitable career path by arming them with electrical and/or renewable energy skills for free.

More information on our free training scheme can be found here.

Image source @DailyMail.co.uk

New building regulations prosecution

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:01:21 GMT

A Carlisle builder has been ordered by magistrates to pay a total of £590 including costs, after pleading guilty to failing to comply with building regulations covering the installation of electrics during the renovation of a property.

Inspector unearths potentially dangerous plug

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:48:10 GMT

The importance of Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) and its value in identifying potentially dangerous components has been underlined by a recent incident reported by Bob Austen, owner of Pattestingman of Ramsbottom near Bury.

The first room passed all the tests with no significant problems but in the second room every lead failed on earth continuity.

Bob returned to the first suite and repeated the tests on some leads. These passed the tests, as before - proving his Primetest 350 was working. Clearly there was a problem associated with the leads in the second suite.

The leads were marked as BS 1363 compliant but on closer inspection the earth pin had an insulating sleeve moulded on to it. BS 1363 expects the line and neutral pins to have insulating sleeves. It allows the metal earth pin to be replaced by a similarly dimensioned insulated shutter opening device (ISOD) for class-2 equipment which has double insulation and does not have an earth connection. The plugs with the insulating sleeve on the earth pin do not conform to either of these conditions. They are clearly intended for use with class-1 (earthed) equipment and yet cause a potentially dangerous condition.

When the plug is inserted into a 13 Amp socket, the earth connection in the socket may grip the insulated part of the pin.

This is what happened when it was plugged into the Primetest 350 and the tester indicated, correctly, that there was no earth continuity. The user had fitted these leads from new and thought, not unreasonably, that the equipment was properly earthed and safe. In fact, the equipment was not earthed and was potentially dangerous. Over 100 of these faulty leads were found and replaced throughout the establishment. They were not confined to the single computer suite and had migrated to all parts of the site. This case shows the importance of regular Portable Appliance Testing, performed by a qualified person using the right test equipment.

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:25:02 GMT

Since Trade Skills 4U launched their Forgotten Hero Bursary scheme in June, they have enjoyed a lot of support they have received from individuals with similar beliefs and ideals. National hero Simon Weston originally helped launch the scheme at TS4U’s renewable energy centre launch last month and since several charities have got involved to help search for eligible bursary candidates.

Particularly though it is the partners of this national electrical and renewable energy training provider that has been of notable support. “Our partners are helping to elongate the good work we are doing here at Trade Skills 4U by offering their services for little or no cost to our bursary candidates!” says Carl Bennett, managing director at Trade Skills 4U. “I am keen to encourage other businesses to do what they can to help and support our boys and girls with life after the forces whether it is through employment or empowering them with a new set of skills as we are.”

Industry leaders Easy MCS are amongst TS4U’s partners who are helping to lengthen the forgotten hero bursary by offering their support through the MCS accreditation process for free. Their service usually costs around £495 and is a vital part of the renewable industry. In order to gain MCS accreditation you have to compile a quality management system (QMS ;) this systems will be specifically designed around your companies unique operations detailing your internal and external practices. Every renewable installation must be signed off by a person who has been accredited by the MCS scheme. If you or your company are planning on up-skilling to take advantage of this fast-emerging industry one out of every 10 people in a business must be accredited under the scheme. MCS exists to ensure quality is maintained throughout the renewable energy industry and protects consumers from company’s installations substandard installations.

Stroma, a leading certification body in MCS accreditation is also doing their bit to help our bursary candidates. Stroma’s MCS accreditation process ensures that all notifications, inspections and installations of the microgeneration technologies such as solar PV, solar thermal are produced to consistently high standards. Those wishing to become an MCS installer must do so by applying to a certification body like Stroma in order to have their installations and QMS packages reviewed and verified. Installer certification entails assessing the supply, design, and installation, set-to-work and commissioning of renewable microgeneration technologies. Stroma will offer their support through the process of accreditation certification for the low price of £100; a service that normally costs £385.

“It’s great to have support from these companies enabling of our bursary candidates to enter the industry with little or no experience and have the opportunity to train in the most fast-emerging technologies around with support from all the industry leaders for little or no cost at all. Thanks to their support together will are potentially able to give away £4919 worth of training for free. It proves if everyone does what they can whether it be the cost of a penny or a pound, it can make a real difference to those who have given their thankless service to support the freedom and safety of this country,” says Carl Bennett.

If you want to get involved and help us lengthen our bursary scheme, contact Chloe Bennett at chloe@tradeskills4u.co.uk

PAT Testing Course Feedback

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 07:42:45 GMT

It is always great to hear back from our customers; so when you receive a letter of thanks about the course and our instructors it put our whole team on track for a very good day.

Below is a letter we recieved from Site Safety Supervisor, Andrew Fitches. Andew attended our PAT testing course in June and wrote to us with thanks.

Thank you Andrew for you letter, it is much appreciated.

If you or your collegues would like to do our PAT Testing course, click here for more information.

Government loses right to appeal FIT tariff ruling

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:21:44 GMT

Towards the end of the year we blogged about how the government cuts to the feed in tariff had been ruled unlawful. At the time the government were not given leave to appeal but they then proceeded to do just that. However the Court of Appeal has today denied the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) a hearing for its appeal against the High Court’s ruling back in 2011

So what does this mean?

There is still some confusion about what happens now. Essentially the feed-in tariff will increase back to 43.3p for system installed on or before March 3, 2012. It also means that for many people who had solar PV systems installed since the original proposed cut off date of December 12, and those who intend to install systems before the March 3 cut-off point, will receive the higher feed-in tariff rates for the full 25 years. Installations completed and registered on or after March 3 will qualify for the current higher rate until April 1, at which point the rates will drop to 21p. **(See update below)

The decision is likely to lead to another period of frantic activity and installations for many in the industry. The original announcement was made back in November and provided just over 1 month for installers to complete their installations. As a result more PV installation were completed in November than for previous months in 2011.

Many in the industry see this decision as a victory for common sense and justice:

Daniel Green, CEO of HomeSun, said: “Four judges, including three in the Court of Appeal, have now called the Government’s actions illegal. That’s a four-nil victory and a decisive ruling that Government may not make retrospective changes to the FiT because, as Lord Justice Moses concludes, to do so ‘would be to take away an existing entitlement without statutory authority.’”

“Both this appeal and the Judicial Review in The High Court would not have been required had DECC simply followed its own process and allowed the industry, that it claims to support, time to prepare for a lower feed-in tariff,” continued Green.

It is right that the government be held accountable for their actions and the way in which rash decision and actions impact on industry. However what the industry really needs now and in the future is stability. Hopefully the ruling will help towards this. Greg Barker said it best when he tweeted:

“Win, lose or draw today, important we move forward together, drive down costs + step up deployment.”

This is and will be the key aim for the industry moving forwards.

**UPDATE: 12.30pm: The government within the last hour has confirmed they intend to appeal this decision. As such this again throws uncertainty over whether or not PV installations will qualify for the higher tariff despite the fact it is highly unlikely the government will win this appeal.

100% Money Back Guarantee on our 17th Edition Courses

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:37:23 GMT

An offer not to be missed..

Carl Bennett, Director of Trade Skills 4U

At Trade Skills 4U we are committed to your success, and rightly proud of our team, our training courses and our pass rates.

Building regs. Know the rules !

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:30:54 GMT

Read this before starting any work Many jobs in the home need to be notified to and approved by your Local Authority Building Control unless carried out by an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme. Some examples are shown below (those marked * may not need to be notified in certain circumstances).

If you do not comply the work will not be legal. You could be prosecuted and could face a fine of up to £5000.

The work may not be safe or could cause health problems. It may also not meet energy efficiency standards.

If work is found to be faulty your Local Authority could insist you put it right at your own expense.

If the work has not been notified or carried out by a registered installer from a Competent Person Scheme you will have no record that the work complies with Building Regulations. This will be important when you come to sell your home as you will be asked to provide certificates of compliance with the Building Regulations as part of the Home Information Pack (HIP).

An installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme is qualified to carry out specific types of work in accordance with Building Regulations and will deal with Building Control issues for you. You will usually have access to insurance backed warranties and a robust complaints procedure to use in the unlikely event work is found to be non compliant.

An installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme will notify the Local Authority on your behalf and will issue you with a certificate on completion which can be used as proof of compliance for the HIP. It will also show up on a solicitor’s Local Authority search when you sell your home.

If you do not use an installer registered with a Competent Person Scheme then you will have to submit a building notice or full plans application and pay a fee to have Building Control come and inspect the work you have carried out.

Visit www.competentperson.co.uk and enter your postcode or the name of the installer in the relevant search box. Alternatively, contact the Competent Person Scheme operators directly; their details are at the bottom of this page.

New installation or replacement of a heating system or any boiler, regardless of fuel type

New installation or replacement of an oil tank

Installation of a new bathroom or kitchen if existing electrics or plumbing are altered or if new electrics or plumbing are installed

Installation of fixed air conditioning systems

Installation of additional radiators to an existing heating system*

New electrical installations in bathrooms, kitchens and outdoors*

Replacement window and door units

Please see above and below for examples of work that you do or do not need to notify to the Local Authority before starting. Please note that this list is not complete and there will be other work not listed here that you will need to notify. For some types of work marked * you may not need to notify in certain circumstances. If you are in any doubt you should contact your Local Authority Building Control team for advice. You DO need to tell your Local Authority Building Control about the following work unless you use an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme.

You DO NOT need to tell your Local Authority Building Control about the following work but you can still use an installer who is registered with a Competent Person Scheme.

Most repairs, replacements and maintenance work (except replacements of combustion appliances, oil tanks, electrical consumer units or glazing units which do need to be notified)

Additional power points or lighting points or any other alterations to existing circuits (except in bathrooms, kitchens or outdoors*)

Like for like replacements of baths, toilets, basins or sinks

Below is a list of the types of work covered by Competent Person Schemes.

Installation or replacement of oil-fired boilers, tanks and associated hot water and heating systems

Installation or replacement of solid fuel burners and associated hot water and heating systems

Installation or replacement of hot water and heating systems

Installation of fixed air conditioning systems

Electrical work (Fully Part P compliant)

Electrical work in association with other work (kitchen installations, boiler installations)

Replacement windows and doors

Installation of bathrooms, toilets, washing facilities

These schemes have been listed alphabetically. This does not reflect the size of the scheme or whether the scheme specializes in dealing with a particular type of work. Some schemes may not have members in your local area who deal with the type of work that you are interested in.

APHC www.competentpersonsscheme.co.uk 0121 711 5030

BESCA www.besca.org.uk 0800 652 5533

BSI www.kitemark.com 08450 765610

CORGI www.trustcorgi.com 0800 915 0485

CERTASS www.certass.co.uk 08450 948025

EC Certification/Elecsa www.eccertification.co.uk www.elecsa.co.uk 08458 738786 08456 349043

FENSA www.fensa.org.uk 020 7645 3700

GAS SAFE REGISTER www.gassaferegister.co.uk 0800 408 5500

HETAS www.hetas.co.uk 08456 345626

NAPIT www.napit.org.uk 0870 444 1392

NICEIC www.niceic.com 0870 013 0382

OFTEC www.oftec.org.uk 08456 585080

Calling all Electrical Contractors, marketing is a must!

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:22:41 GMT

How often have you heard this from a fellow electrical contractor at the counter of your electrical suppliers?

“I don’t have to advertise, I’m busier than ever !” Well that’s probably bravado, counter talk.

Truth is no contractor is as busy as he should be. You should have enough work for 8 hours a day 5 days a week, and be able to pick and choose the jobs you prefer to do, in areas you prefer to work.

Tradeskills4U MD Carl Bennett has marketed over £5million worth of business in the last 3 years, so he knows what it takes to get customers and market a business.

“Get a simple leaflet printed up, showing your picture ( preferably smart ) your services, your contact details, your website, logo’s of associations which you belong to, a little line about yourself, ‘ all types of electrical work at keen prices, clean and friendly service’. Nothing fancy or expensive, get a thousand made up. When your on a job in an area you like to work, get your leaflets out of your van and post them through neighbouring doors, only fifty or so. That will bring at least 5 new customers, maybe not immediately, you have to be patient with marketing, but it will bring in new business and worth way more than the £100 you just spent on the leaflets. “

“Now I don’t know about you, but if I want to find out about anything, I go on Google and type it in. We all do! I’m 50, not exactly part of the computer generation and I do it. So do your potential customers. A website is vital if your serious about your business. A simple one page, which is all you need, will cost a few hundred quid and give you a great marketing tool and show potential customers your serious and professional about your service, and most importantly to the wary consumer, your not a rogue trader. Don’t forget these people will be thinking do I trust this guy ? he’s coming into my home, maybe when I’m at work, scary! Give them something to trust, tell them about you and your service. “Show them pictures of you doing electrical jobs.

Having a website is useful for customers who know what the website address is (your leafleted customers). However if your website can’t be found on a Google search for say ’ Electricians in Sussex ‘ it’s not doing it full job, so get it out there!

Have a look on Google yourself, see what ‘Electricians in Kent’ or wherever you prefer to work comes up with and get your website on those search engines that promote local electricians, they are usually free or ask for a small charge.

You may have to spend a few quid to advertise on them. Its not wasted money ! Like any business you have to spend a little to get business in. You have to speculate to accumulate and be patient.

Remember guys, you could be the best electrician in the world, if no one knows you exist, they won’t call!

Best of Luck, I hope this little advisory helps!

Carl Bennett Managing Director

Tradeskills4U Ltd

The life and death of a light bulb

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:17:27 GMT

1841. Frederik de Moleyns, received the first patent for an incandescent lamp. The design involved mounting a powdered charcoal filament between two platinum wires in a glass bulb under vacuum.

1845. American, W.E. Staite patented a second incandescent electric lamp in England. Thomas Wright obtained the first patent for the arc lamp.

1846. John Daper patented a platinum filament incandescent lamp. This allowed the filament to operate at higher temperatures and thus produce more light. The high cost and scarcity of platinum made this design impractical for commercial use.

1850. English scientist, Edward G. Shepherd made an incandescent lamp using a charcoal filament. Joseph Wilson swan, started work on carbon filaments using paper. Carbon filaments provided a low cost and practical filament material for the time.

1854. A German watchmaker, Heinrich Gobel, who had emigrated to New York, used carbonized bamboo as a filament and secured this inside a glass container as his incandescent lamp.

1856. C de Chagny, a French engineer, patented an incandescent lamp for use in mines that contained a platinum filament.

1860. John T. Way demonstrated that passing electricity through mercury vapour contained in a glass tube could produce light. This was the forerunner of the fluorescent light.

1879. The incandescent lamp is born but there is some doubt as to who the father is. Both Thomas A. Edison of the United States and Joseph Wilson Swan of England claim paternity.

Edison had the greater claim as his carbon fibre, derived from cotton, filament lamp lasted for 13.5 hours. Later this is improved to 40 hours.

1880. Edison produces a carbon fibre filament that enables his new lamps to last for 1200 hours.

1893. Heinrich Gobel, successfully brought a paternity suit against Thomas A. Edison and was named as the father of the incandescent lamp.

1898. German Scientist, Karl Auer produces osmium filaments which had increased lifetimes.

1902. Light bulbs with osmium filaments are produced commercially. This success is short lived due to the high cost of the lamps.

1903. Siemens and Halske of Charlottenburg produced tantalum filament bulbs.

1904. Willis R. Whitnew developed a metal coated carbon filament.

1906. General Electric Company patented a method of making tungsten filaments for incandescent lamps. The filament as we know it came to be.

1907. The first commercial tungsten filament for incandescent lamps became available in the United States.

1910. American, William D. Coolidge developed an improved method to produce tungsten filaments.

1925. Incandescent lamps with frosted glass interiors, to filter out undesirable wavelengths and produce a ‘soft’ light, were produced. The future was looking bright for the incandescent lamp.

1960. Halogen filled incandescent lamps were produced, giving a brighter light.

1976. The Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) was invented by Edward E Hammer. This black sheep of the family is hidden away from polite society by General Electric.

1995. Despite the efforts of GE to hide him away and protect us all from the evil one, CFL is seen in public and gains support from other manufactures as well as conservationists. The end is neigh my friend.

So It is with a sad heart that we have to announce that on September 1st, 2009 after a long life of selfless service to the public, the 100W incandescent lamp passed away. It was not through some heroic act on its part but rather through the stroke of a pen and at the hands of politicians and Eurocrats that this most noble of items finally met its end.

It shall remain in memoriam in thousands of cupboards, in thousands of homes. May you forever rest in peace my old friend, no longer will you brighten our dark days with your warm, friendly glow, beaming out from amidst life’s gloom. No longer will we be able to flick a switch and instantly have a light bright enough to lighten the darkest room. No longer will I be able to turn you down to a more romantic level or up to a level that illuminates every dark corner and recess. Goodbye my old friend the end has finally come.

Microgeneration, the opportunities for electrical contractors

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:34:17 GMT

Stimulated by cost savings of energy, a willingness of consumers to do their bit for the planet and available funding from the government to the householder, electrical contractors that position themselves early to take advantage of this growing industry will most definitely benefit in the long run.

The official definition of microgeneration is in The Energy Act 2004, Section 82. Essentially microgeneration is the generation of energy of up to 45 kW (heat) or up to 50kW (electricity). The term “microgeneration” is not restricted to energy generated only from renewable sources. It also covers low and zero carbon technologies. The technologies involve the generation of electricity or heat and in some cases both, which is referred to as cogeneration.

Buildings account for 47% of carbon emissions in the UK, so microgeneration has the potential to contribute to UK’s challenging EU 2020 renewables and greenhouse gas targets by generating some energy from secure and reliable smallscale installations. The government has committed itself to targets it must achieve.

Yes it is, Tradeskills4U is well positioned in the electrical training industry and able to talk with many stakeholders, your customers, existing contractors, training bodies, local government representatives, large industrial electrical companies . All see that electricity and especially the mircogeneration industry is the future in no way a passing phase. It enables the average person to get involved, in some form over the coming years millions of households will have some form of mirco generation or renewable energy source. A move towards Nuclear power means that the electrical industry will be at the forefront of energy provision for certainly our lifetime, and therefore a consistent and renewing market. Electric cars with roadside charge electrical points, PV panels, Wind turbines, and all the subsequent electrical installation work involved for the correctly trained and qualified contractor. I call that an opportunity! Needless to say Tradeskills4U will be involved providing course are qualifications, coming online in January 2010.

Electric car chargers will drive Brighton and Hove forward

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:59:43 GMT

Manufactured by Elektromotive, based at the Sussex Innovation Centre in Brighton, they are at the business end of clean energy. But, with only three electric cars zipping around Brighton and Hove, questions have been raised about the battery-powered vehicles.

Elektromotive managing director Calvey Taylor-Haw, a passionate supporter of the electric car, said the chargers would pave the way for an electric revolution. He said: “It’s proven that if you put the infrastructure in it will encourage ownership.

“There aren’t cars available to buy at the moment but that will start changing next year.

“All the major car manufacturers will be introducing their electric car models to the market next year.

“In five years’ time, the roads will look much the same as they do today. But roads will be much quieter and there will be far less air pollution.

“The Department for Transport is saying there will be in the region of two million electric vehicles throughout the UK by 2020. Now Brighton has taken the first initiative, it won’t be long before other towns start to look at this.

“A lot of cities are starting to install the infrastructure.”

Mr Taylor-Haw defended Brighton and Hove City Council’s decision to install ten charging points across the city, despite there being a tiny number of electric cars on its roads. He said: “It’s a chicken and egg situation. We need the infrastructure in place before the cars come into the market.” At the moment, electric cars can travel about 100 miles on a full battery, which is fine for nipping across city centres but not so effective for long-distance journeys. However, according to Mr Taylor-Haw, developments in battery technology will improve the distances substantially. He said: “The 100-mile range is short term. With the advance of the batteries it won’t be long before the cars are doing a 200- mile range. “If someone wants a long-range car, they would opt for a plug-in hybrid car.”

The cars are much cheaper to run than those with petrol and diesel engines. According to Mr Taylor-Haw, a 10,000-mile journey in a traditional 900cc car would cost about £1,200. The electric equivalent would cost £200 to travel the same distance. But he concedes the cars would initially be more expensive because there would be a “slight premium” on the cars.

Critics have argued the electric cars aren’t as green as proponents claim, because electricity generation still relies heavily on burning fossil fuels. But Mr Taylor-Haw defends their environmental credentials. He explained: “When the power source is from a mix of renewable energy and a fossil-fuelled power station it is substantially greener than an equivalent-sized petrol or diesel car and that’s allowing for the carbon dioxide emitted during manufacture and transportation of the car to the customer.”

The city’s reputation for its environmentally aware residents makes it an ideal place to run an electric car scheme. Brighton and Hove has more Green Party councillors than any other city in the country and embraces schemes including car-free day and eco homes. Mr Taylor-Haw added: “The city has a reputation for being innovative. It’s good news for Brighton and Hove to start the ball rolling on this.”

Street chargers installed to motivate drivers to switch to electric, A G-Wiz electric car charging in London from a Juice produced by Elektromotive which is now installing similar on-street charging points in Brighton.

Not content with trying become self-sufficient in food, possibly electing the first Green party MP and weaning itself off oil as a Transition Town, Brighton & Hove is launching a bid to become one of the UK's most friendly cities for electric cars.

This week the city sees a major investment in electric car charging infrastructure, with the installation of four street-side charging stations and a further 16 completed by the end of 2010. The charging stations, which are vital to create a viable charging network for electric cars that mostly have a range of less than 100 miles, will reportedly be the first street-side points outside London.

The capital currently has more than 100 on-street charging stations, and in April mayor Boris Johnson said he wanted London to become the electric car capital of Europe with 25,000 stations and 100,000 electric vehicles. Other cities such as Bristol and Gateshead have existing public charging points but only in car parks.

Brighton-based charging company Elektromotive has already completed installation of the first four Brighton & Hove pilot sites. The first 10 stations will be paid for by £130,000 from clean transport initiative Civitas, which is part-funded by the EU.

Calvey Taylor-Haw, managing director of Elektromotive, said: "By encouraging drivers to switch to electric, Brighton will benefit hugely. There will be less air pollution and local residents will appreciate the quiet of electric vehicles. The installation of the bays will take place over a short period of time, providing electric vehicle users with rapid access to charging facilities."

The bays work with a standard mains plug and wireless key fobs that open the charging stations, which recharge cars within four to eight hours. Electric car owners will pay an annual fee to Brighton & Hove council for a registration scheme to access the network, pricing for which is unconfirmed but is expected to be in the region of £75-100 to join and £30-50 annually.

The scheme has come in for some criticism on The Argus local newspaper website, with users commenting on the fact that there are only three electric cars in the city. A fact confirmed by Taylor-Haw. Electric car owners, who already enjoy a 50% discount on parking permits for the city, will be able to use the bays from November when the council registration scheme opens.

Yesterday the secretary of state for energy and climate change, Ed Miliband, announced a £10m fund for local carbon-cutting initiatives such as charging stations, and earlier this summer the government said it would offer electric car buyers grants up to £5,000 to encourage take-up of the new technology.

Support from our MP

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:58:42 GMT

Trade Skills 4U were recently commended by Henry Smith MP for their work and contribution to meeting the UK’s green targets. The 17th June 2011, saw the UK's leading electrical training provider, Trade Skills 4U; officially launch its renewable energy training centre. This new addition, complete with a range of purpose built facilities, enjoyed a celebratory opening where numerous guests, gathered to gain an insight in this fast-emerging industry.

Henry Smith MP officially opened the centre with help from national hero, Simon Weston O.B.E, by revealing a plaque that was created in honour of the occasion. He spoke about the great work Trade Skills 4U are doing as a business and in their campaign to introduce green energy training to Crawley, West Sussex.

Mr Smith has written to the company since expressing his upmost support. “I was pleased to have the opportunity earlier today to pay tribute to the work of Trade Skills 4U in the House of Commons during Questions to the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change. Please always be assured of my assistance now and in the future.”

Trade Skills 4U are very proud to be affiliated with Henry Smith MP and the work he has done for Crawley and the Manor Royal Business Park. The company hopes to maintain this valuable relationship and will continue to support Mr Smith with his future campaigns.

17th Edition Amendment 1 Seminar

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:35:35 GMT

Yesterday we held our first FREE 17th Edition amendment 1 seminar; a seminar designed to cover the regulation changes that were published 1 July 2011 for those who have already completed their City & Guilds 2382 17th Edition course.

The seminar, which could have easily been quite hard to listen for anyone on a Wednesday evening, was made very enjoyable by our valued instructors, James Deans and Andy Hay-Ellis. This combined with a great collection of both present and past customers has hopefully inspired customers for the future.

The event was held in our renewable centre on Royce Road, 100 yards from our specialist electrical centre in Crawley, West Sussex and delved into the major changes reflected in the amendment 1 such as:

• Section 444 – Measures against Electromagnetic Disturbances

• Section 534 – Devices for Protection against Overvoltage (surge protection devices)

• Section 710 - Medical Locations

• Section 729 – Operating or Maintenance Gangways

• Changes to the periodic inspection report

• Changes to Fuse Standards

Next week, we will holding our second and final seminar next Wednesday 24th August at 6.30pm, and for those who are interesting in attending – we have extended our capacity to make sure everyone who is interested in these changes, can benefit from our last FREE seminar.

Click here to register

The Greenest Government Yet

Mon, 16 May 2011 09:58:33 GMT

‘David Cameron is about to go further than any prime minister before with a radical “carbon budget.”

On Tuesday, a long term programme said to reduce carbon emission is to be announced. This is expected to detail exactly how Britain will commit to two decades of drastic carbon emissions reductions and make them legally binding. This will put the UK ahead of almost any other country that is changing their ways for a greener world and this move supports his promise of ‘the greenest government ever.’

The legally binding agreement is intended to put the UK on-track to reduce carbon emissions 80% below 1990 levels by the year 2050, and 60% by 2030.

This commitment to renewable energy stimulates the formation of such industries and installers job opportunities. Imagine the installations the UK will have to create by the year 2030 if 6o% of carbon emissions are to be reduced.

Image Source @ tangerine-digital-pr.blogspot.com

Government to invest £22 billion in construction projects

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:54:42 GMT

Minister of the cabinet office, Francis Maude, spoke yesterday at the Construction Procurement Conference and stated that further details of these figures and details will be confirmed later in the autumn.

Mr Maude Said: “The government’s construction strategy is reducing costs by up to 20% by reforming the way we procure construction projects across all sectors. However, we are still investing billions of pounds annually; with the same money we will procure more schools, hospitals, courts and prisons. Despite an incredibly difficult economic climate we are investing in and prioritizing our construction industry.”

“The government and the construction industry have a shared obligation to cut waste and find new and better ways of doing business. This is especially important when we are talking about creating first class, modern, fully functioning public service delivery buildings like hospitals and schools.”

This announcement came as a shock since there were expectations amongst the industry that construction funding would be slashed.

The Minister also revealed further details of the new Government Construction Board chaired by Paul Morrell under which:

• The Efficiency and Reform Group Steering Committee will be chaired by Andrew Wolstenholme, who will work with task groups chaired by Nick Pollard, Tim Eaton, Deborah Rowland, Mark Bew and Bill Yardley.

• The IUK Steering Committee will be chaired by Peter Hansford, working with task groups chaired by Simon Kirby, Professor Brian Collins and Steve Fox.

The full Construction Strategy can be found by clicking here.

Reflection time

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:33:14 GMT

So whatever changes you’ve agreed you’d make this year, try to put them into practice. You never know they may lead you somewhere great.

Check out our range of electrical and renewable courses online today.

Fast-track review?

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:01:54 GMT

Government Figures Highlight the Increasing Interest in Renewable Technologies

Today marks the first full year since the Feed-in-tariff (FIT) have been introduced. Government figures released today show a record of 11,314 PV systems fitted over the first three months of 2011, despite the perceived threat to feed-in tariff levels posed by the government's early review. This means that over 28,000 solar PV installations have been connected as householders rush to take advantage of payments for producing clean green electricity.

The governments surprise review in February this year unsettled renewable energy installers as the review threatened to review the FIT incentive which has not only encouraged homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint by installing these new technologies, but also produced a demand for jobs in this rapidly-growing industry.

By reviewing the system, the government seems to be pulling back on the original commitment to support solar energy; FIT incentives were originally fixed until 2012, and no changes were to be implemented until April 2013.

Since, a group of 11 solar firms have filed a claim in the High court yesterday to seek judicial review against Chris Huhne, the department of energy and climate change secretary (DECC), and his decision to launch yet another review of the incentives related to FIT for larger solar installations.

The DECC is widely expected to contest any judicial review as they suggest that cuts on these larger installations will stop large solar farms from ‘eating into the funds available for domestic rooftop installation,’ said DECC spokeswoman.

It seems the actual demand for installation was never anticipated to escalate by quite so much, this would suggest that the government ‘incentive budgets’ did not foresee this level of interest.

Image Source @ Guardian.co.uk

Well Done!

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:15:04 GMT

Trade Skills 4U would like to say a massive well done to April Gullis and her friends at school for raising a brilliant £230 for their chosen charity, The Chestnut Tree House, last month.

April and her friends rode during their break times last month and sold a variety of foods and other lovely bits & pieces all to raise money for this wonderful charity.

The Chestnut Tree House is a children’s hospice near Arundel which provides invaluable care to children who develop life-limiting illnesses. This worthy cause has provided invaluable support for both children and families so every donation counts.

If you would like to donate or get involved with fundraising for The Chestnut Tree House, take a look at their website www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/

17th Edition Course Feedback

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:21:54 GMT

Last week we received a letter of thanks from one of our customers studying the 17th Edition course.

Mr Atkins was particularly impressed with Mark our instructor who did 'an excellent job.'

Mr Atkins said " I recently completed a 17th Edition course (20-22nd June) at Trade Skills 4U. I want to congratulate Mark, our instructor for an excellent job. The subject was quite in-depth with all the regulations yet Mark made the subject interesting with relevant examples given by his experienced background. I did find the subject hard going (22 years Marine Engineering with the Royal Navy as my background) yet Mark's instruction was very informative and professional.

Yours faithfully,

Rick Atkins

"A New Era in Home Heating."

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:26:04 GMT

In a press release, published Thursday 21st July, the DECC has officially announced details on the Renewable Heat Premium Payments. It has been revealed that householders can receive Premium Payments from next month, to cover a proportion of the installation costs of renewable heat technologies.

£860 million has been allocated for the RHI, with £15 million set aside for Premium Payments. The available £15m will be to support heat installations in up to 25,000 homes with a review point once the £10m limit is approached. £3m of the £15m will be set aside for registered social landlords to improve their housing stock; details of how to apply for this will be released at a later date.

The Premium Payment scheme will be run by the Energy Savings Trust and anyone requiring information about the scheme should contact them at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/RHPP

Key points are as follows:

Eligibility

• The scheme starts 1 August and closes 31 March 2012

• Solar thermal is available to any householder. Other technologies are only available for households not currently using gas heating.

• Householders in England, Scotland and Wales can apply. They must certify that this is their main home and that they have basic energy efficiency measures in place (loft insulation to 250mm and cavity wall insulation, where appropriate)

• Both the product and installer must be MCS (we think this also means ‘or equivalent’, but the DECC press release is unclear)

• Recipients of the payments will be eligible for RHI, assuming they meet the other conditions of the RHI. There are no details of these conditions on the press release

Payments

• Payments for solar thermal are at the same rates as those previously published - £300

• Once registered, householders receive a voucher for the relevant amount. They must install the kit within 3 months for solar thermal and 6 months for all the others. Installations must have been completed by 31st March 2012

Feedback Information

• Participants must complete 2 surveys

• Some households will also be selected at random to provide further information via meter installations. Agreeing to this if selected is a condition of the scheme – the meters will be installed free of charge.

The scheme is open to householders in England, Scotland and Wales and will open on the 1st August 2011 and operate on a first come, first serve basis. The government have not yet published proposals how the RHI will work in the domestic sector, and have not yet published any eligibility criteria.

In the House of Commons Energy Minister, Greg Baker, called the RHI scheme ‘a new era in home heating.

Research Source - STA

Interested in taking advatnage of the solar thermal demand? Take a look our our solar thermal courses today.

No longer the light of our lives: The 60 Watt bulb sees production ban.

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:09:15 GMT

Today the production of the old-style clear tungsten bulb has been banned in an effort to encourage people to buy more energy efficient light bulbs.

Although the suggested energy efficiency bulbs could help you save some penny’s on your electricity bill, the majority of those affected have been describing their mad dashed to the store to stock up on the traditional 60 W bulb.

The impact of the ban on has said to be the equivalent of ‘taking seven million cars off the road’ commented Gunther Oettinger, the EU’s Energy Commissioner as the light consumes too much energy for the light they produce. ‘The average family can ‘easily’ save EURO50 a year on their electricity bill.’

Others aren’t so convinced; “Although it won't solve my problem forever, I have been bulk buying the 'old style' bulbs,” one blogger called Morglin wrote online this week.

The ban has been introduced in a bid to meet the government’s carbon targets in a reduction of carbon emission of 20% by 2020.

What do you think? Will you miss the traditional bulb or are you in favour of the modern energy efficient light?

Did you know that .........

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:07:01 GMT

From the 1st September 2009, the Health and Safety Executive began to make guidance materials from the HSG; HSR; and L series available as freely downloadable PDF documents. Many of these documents have relevance to electrical contractors and domestic installers.

In all HSE intend to make around 230 publications available, with some 50 or so of its most popular titles already freely available in 'printer friendly' format. The remaining 180 or so publications will be converted to this format by 31 March 2010.

If you are contemplating joining one of the Competent Persons Schemes you will need a copy of HSR 25 (Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989). If you purchase a hard copy it would set you back £11.50 but the download is free! So no excuse not to have a copy to hand for you inspection.

This move by HSE to make such publications freely available is welcomed by all at TS4U. Some things in life are free!

Further details may be obtained from www.hse.gov.uk/news/2009/hse-books.htm

A Quick Guide to Smart Meters

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:22:47 GMT

A smart meter is an electrical meter that records consumption of electric energy in intervals of an hour or less and communicates that information once or more daily to your energy supplier for monitoring and billing purposes.

In December 2009, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced its intention to have smart meters in all homes by 2020. This UK rollout of smart meters is considered to be the largest programme ever undertaken – involving visits to more than 27 million homes to replace meters for both electricity and gas.

The purpose of introduction

Traditional electrical meters only measure the total energy consumption and have never offered further information as to when and how the energy was consumed. Smart meters provide an economical way of measuring this information and can provide a number of potential benefits for homeowners.

These include:

A better environmental awareness. As you will have a better and more present idea of what you are spending, any cut back you make to decrease your overall energy usage will benefit the environment and reduce CO2 Emissions.

Smart Meters and the ‘in house-display’ (IHD)

In January 2011, the most intensive study of its kind was conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. They reviewed more than 36 different residential smart metering and feedback programmes internationally and their conclusion was: “To realise potential feedback-induced savings, advanced meters (smart meters) must be used in conjunction with in-home (or on-line) displays and well-designed programmes that successfully inform, engage, empower and motivate people.”

Last July, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) set out ‘proposals for a minimum set of functional requirements for the IHD that should be provided to domestic customers. In the design requirements – smart metering implementation programme it was concluded that:

• The smart metering equipment should store 13 months (instead of 12 months) of half hourly consumption data.

• There will be guidelines for ambient feedback (i.e. visual, non-numerical display features of the IHD) and accessibility will be developed as part of the technical specifications work in the next phase of the programme.

As we get closer to the official 2012 launch for this initiative there will be a wider variety of Smart Meters available in the domestic market, however these proposals have now been concluded and consumers should see the above functions* embedded within the new smart meter devices. The DECC should be announcing comprehensive proposals for the technical specifications this month (July 2011.)

*To see a list of all the minimum functional requirements click here.

Who will be installing my Smart Meter?

Energy suppliers, such as E.ON UK and British Gas, have taken it upon themselves to kick-start this installation process and have outlined plans to install 100,000 smart meters in customers’ homes by the end of 2011 and ‘reach 1 million by the end of March 2014,’ taken from E.ON’s website.

This determination to be at the forefront of smart meter installation has led companies like E.ON to specially train installers; a spokesperson at the company says: "Eon-UK has helped develop a smart metering qualification, which is aligned to our current training offerings, and is now supporting the work to develop an apprenticeship route. We are also hoping to be one of the first organisations to gain accreditation from NSAP for the quality of our smart meter training programmes and academies. Eon-UK has also just opened a Smart Metering Centre of Excellence in Nottingham, providing a dedicated contact point for customers with smart meters."

The Smart Meter Installer

According to an article published on Utility Week , ‘Smart meter installers will need to have both technical know-how and customer interaction skills.’

However, the main recruitment challenge will be in identifying and training installers who have both dual-fuel technical skills and the "softer" skills required to explain the operation of smart meters to customers - this dual-fuel cross-training and up skilling is a key training need.

Some feel the government should sponsor the development of suitable apprenticeship schemes to support the mandate. Eon-UK, however, has taken the initiative itself.

"Field force engineers will have to have dual-fuel capability, know how to commission the communications for the smart meter, pair up the in-home display device (IHD) and explain how it works to the customer. This requires a much broader set of technical and softer skills than is normally expected from a meter installer," says the spokesperson from Energy & Utility Skills, whose qualifications are funded by the National Skills Academy.

The Energy & Utility Skills suggest that up to 6,300 installers will be required to complete the smart metering rollout across the UK between 2014 and 2019.

EU Skills also indicates that, with a high proportion of the existing metering workforce approaching the average retirement age for the industry over the next five years, we could see a need for around 4,000 new recruits during this period.

Protecting the householder

To stop energy companies from making their sales pitch whilst installing your smart meter, independent expert advice company Which?, have encouraged other suppliers to take up their ‘Which? Smart Meter Challenge.’ Companies who accept the challenge will not sell during the installation and their smart meter installers will not be on sales-related omission or have to make any sales leads. Several companies have taken up the challenge so far; Co-operative energy, Ecotricity and First Utility are amongst the first seven.

Image source:@utilityweek.co.uk & @mirror.co.uk

Renewable Energy Roadmap

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:51:40 GMT

The Renewable Energy Roadmap, the first of its kind in the UK, is set to accelerate the deployment and use of renewable energy in the UK. It plans to put us on ‘path to achieve our 2020 target’ while focusing on the matters that are of interest to the consumer such as delivering long term change with minimum cost. The 107 page document identifies eight technologies that have the potential to help the UK meet its target of sourcing 15% of its electricity from renewable sources.

‘The Government’s Electricity Market Reform White Paper, published alongside this Roadmap, sets out our reforms to the separate Great Britain and Northern Ireland markets for all forms of electricity generation. Reform will ensure that low-carbon electricity from a diverse range of sources - not just renewables - becomes a more attractive choice for investors, delivering long-term change while minimising cost to the consumer,’ says the department of climate change.

Because renewable energy isn’t just about electricity; the focus has moved onto the heat, wind and biomass technologies such as solar thermal and heat pumps. These have actually been around a lot longer than the popular solar PV, however because the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) has taken some time to establish itself, the demand for these aren’t quite as high…yet.

There has been a real global appetite for solar PV and since the UK launched the Feed-in-Tariff in April last year, the interest in this technology has grown because of the sheer benefits available. The incentive for solar power has been supported by the Renewable Obligation which protects the incentive once it has been reviewed from 2013-2017.

A report published by Ernst & Young 2011 reveals the uptake of the scheme and states that by the end of May 2011 ‘nearly 38,000 solar PV installations in Great Britain were receiving support through the Feed-in Tariff’ which shows how popular this technology has become. Considering the impact solar PV and other solar technologies and how they contributed to the 2020 target so far, It was quite surprising to read that solar PV was left of the list of technologies.

The Renewable Roadmap clearly outlines ways to promote other technologies focuses on these particular 8 technologies that the government feel have the most potential to help the UK meet its 2020 targets in the most cost effective and sustain way.

• On shore Wind

• Offshore Wind

• Marine Energy

• Biomass Electricity

• Biomass Heat

• Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps

• Renewable Transport

Creating actions for these key technologies will allow the UK drive the cost of deploying these energies down, whilst enabling them to mature so that medium to long-term they will not need additional support to compete with other low carbon technologies.

For those that are most interested in training to installer renewable heat, this new financial strategy should encourage installation of equipment like heat pumps and biomass, reducing emissions and helping support of 150,000 jobs in the UK’s heating industry. The renewable energy industry already employs more than a quarter of a million people and by the time we reach 2020, that number could reach to over half a million. This industry has created news jobs within the sector and given indirect support and benefits to sustain this new green economy. This journey has been heavily measured and the UK Renewable Energy Roadmap has deployed a wide range of renewables to help the government meet their 2020 target.

• Even though we are starting from a low level the UK can meet the target to deliver 15% of the UK’s energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020 through domestic deployment. Recent ‘bottom-up’ analysis, based on industry inputs, suggests that there is significant upside potential and downside risk to deployment;

• Based on current information, and taking account of their long term potential as well as their cost effectiveness, 8 technologies are capable of delivering more than 90% of the renewable energy we estimate is required by 2020;

• The pipeline of renewable electricity projects is healthy. Although, allowing for historic dropout rates27, it puts us on track to deliver approximately 29 GW of capacity by 2020, significant uncertainties remain and we still urgently need new renewable projects to come forward to ensure we meet the 15% target and longer term carbon reduction targets;

• The pipeline for renewable heat projects is less well developed but following the introduction of the world’s first incentive for renewable heat could deliver up to an additional 100,000 heat pumps and an additional 24,000 biomass heat28installations by 2020;

• Road transport biofuels are proposed to increase to 5% of road transport fuels by 2014. Subject to the results of current consultations, Government will come forward with options in Spring 2012 to stimulate further growth in renewable transport for the period after 2014;

• Costs of renewable energy technologies are currently high and uncertain but are expected to fall over time as supply chains develop, technical challenges

A Company Like No Other

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:40:50 GMT

We have a dedicated team of staff who give honest and constructive advice to help you choose the right course for you. We are all dedicated to your success.

We house a professional and well experienced team that practice in our brand new state of the art facilities.

We are proud of the courses we run and of the instructors that teach them.

We have continued to use our friendly and fresh approach to adapt to the times, and now offer renewables courses for this eco-friendly age.

We hold examinations that have credibility and are truly a thorough test of the knowledge gained here.

We are fully accredited by City & Guilds, EAL and NICEIC, offering real world training by the most interesting and experienced instructors

We deliver ‘Platinum training’ says EAL.

We monitor our press on forums and value it. Tell us how we can get better.

If you have any queries old or new please be sure to give us a call 01293 529777, we’re always happy to hear from you.

Falklands War Hero Urges to Retrain Services Personnel

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:53:13 GMT

“Servicemen and women need to be retrained seven years before leaving the military in order to be prepared for their future,” said Simon Weston OBE, who has thrived in the media after being dismissed as ‘totally unemployable’ after suffering horrific burns injuries during the Falklands War.

Weston was speaking as guest of honour at the launch of a training hub that is offering free bursaries to former forces personnel to become domestic installers, electricians and renewable energy installers in technologies such as solar PV.

Businessmen, energy consultants, installers and military personnel gathered at Trade Skills 4U’s new renewable training centre in Crawley, West Sussex, on Friday 17 June, when Conservative MP Henry Smith officially opened the site. The day featured key seminars by their industry leading partners and live demonstrations by instructors, helping to demystify the skills and processes involved when installing renewable energy technologies.

Simon Weston presented the first Forgotten Heroes bursaries kick-starting the free training initiative created by Trade Skills 4U. This scheme was purposely created to offer some practical help to our heroes by arming them with the opportunity to begin a new career in the electrical and renewable energy industries. The permanent offer aims to give away £100,000 worth of free training every year to those who have left the forces are facing adversity and are struggling to find a new career path.

Among the bursary awardees stands Ian Lockie, who served in the RAF in Germany and Norfolk for nine years and left the military in 1998. He still receives treatment for PTSD to this day and had found himself looking for a new direction. “I have been a bus driver and satellite installer since leaving,” he said. “I read news of the bursaries in a national newspaper and applied and have been awarded a bursary to retrain as an electrician and solar PV installer. I certainly hope to make the most of this opportunity.”

Golden Zimmaestro of Nottingham, another awardee, served in Germany for three years but was forced to leave on medical grounds. Now 33, he has found work difficult to find since leaving but said he was “really looking forward to my training in Solar PV installation”.

Trade Skills 4U (TS4U) Managing Director Carl Bennett, a former long-serving police officer who now works closely with the military, also appealed for more action to help former forces personnel: “I believe the government and military do not do enough to assist our ex-servicemen. Businesses and the military need to be encouraged to promote our boys and girls for their thankless service for their country. Hardworking, they have plenty of skills to offer. Help our heroes practically and financially by considering them for jobs and advertising your positions in military magazines.”

Simon Weston applauded Carl Bennett for TS4U’s training initiative, stressing that skills learnt in the military were transferable but believing that not enough was being done to help former personnel after they left the services, he said. “When you leave the military, they don’t do enough. Servicemen need to be retrained seven years before leaving the military to be prepared for their future.”

“Troops can be damaged physically and mentally,” Simon Weston said. “I had horrific burns injuries after the Falklands but focused on the opportunities that were available to me and have been in the media now for 29 years as a result. Men and women all over the world have been left injured after serving their country and haven’t had the same opportunities as I so they have been left to cope on their own. There aren’t enough opportunities for these people which is why TS4U’s bursary scheme is brilliant scheme to be a part of.”

When only 21, Simon Weston had to be resettled after suffering his injuries. A year later he was sent to see his colonel in a wheelchair, still covered in bandages and weighing just eight stone. Asked what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, he replied: “Serve in the military and play rugby.” After due consideration, the colonel ruled he was “totally unemployable”. “My regiment was a great support and helped with morale but the military did nothing and morale doesn’t pay the bills,” Simon Weston said.

The TS4U initiative should form “a model for other businesses to follow”, he added. “Prepare for the future now and diversify as much as possible. You don’t know what may happen and what you may not have.”

The Trade Skills 4U opening day was a resounding success raising awareness of not just renewable energy but also how employers can help our forgotten heroes. The day highlighted it’s not just about raising money for charity but also crucial that employers look at the skilled labour leaving the forces and take advantage of these very talented individuals.

Trade Skills 4U intends to continue to offer one free training place at its centre at any one time to a forgotten hero over the coming year. This is a massive contribution from what could be considered a small company but it is definitely going to make a huge difference to those that are successful in gaining a bursary place.

Winner of the Prize Draw Announced

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:27:08 GMT

On Friday 17th June we held our Renewable energy open day. We held a free raffle and a solar PV installer’s kit worth £450 was up for grabs.

The lucky winner was Elaine Oake who was thrilled with the result. “I am impressed with your centre and I really enjoyed the day. I would like to thank you again for the prize I am really chuffed,” said Elaine.

I’m sure Elaine will put the kit to good use and we hope to see her clambering on a roof near you soon!

Quick Guide to the Renewable Heat Incentive

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:27:45 GMT

The acronym FIT’s (Feed in Tariff’s) is slowly but surely becoming common knowledge amongst the public as they realise that these three letters actually mean we can not only save money but earn money from Solar PV. However there is a new acronym on the block known as the RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive).

Just like it’s electrical cousin the RHI is intended to incentivise businesses and homeowners to implement renewable heating sources along side traditional fossil fuel heating.

Unlike Solar PV where the electricity pumped back into the national grid can be measured accurately RHI intends to reward people for the heat they produce by metering heat generated in commercial settings. It is also suggested that for domestic settings “deeming” could be used to suggest how much heat the installation should produce if the property were well insulated. This is still be confirmed.

Initially the RHI is being rolled out to the non-domestic sector and we are awaiting its launch any day now. However home owners and domestic installations are not due to benefit until October next year. The government believes that the initial non-domestic phase will provide enough momentum to get a number of renewable technologies off the ground including:

However they are still weighing up the inclusion of Air Source Heat Pumps.

For the technologies included above tariff’s will be payable for 20 years (5 less than FIT’s) and the exact levels are likely to be much lower than Solar PV. However the cost of installation is also likely to be much lower. We have laid out some quick reference points below:

The exact amounts available to consumers have yet to be confirmed. However the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) have announced that the following amounts may be available:

These are one off payments; so not annual. DECC plan to publish details of the “RHI Premium Payment” and how this will apply in May this year (nothing has been announced so far as of the 15th July 2011)

First Bursary Place Announced!

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:08:17 GMT

Trade Skills 4U ‘Forgotten Hero bursary scheme’ will officially launch at their Renewable Energy training centre open day on 17th June 2011. The scheme was introduced by Managing director Carl Bennett, who watched February’s BBC documentary ‘Forgotten hero’s’ with Col Tim Collins and felt inspired to do something practical to help. This genuine and permanent offer of one space at any one time completely free of charge, aims to help ex-service men and women who are struggling to find their feet following their discharge from the armed forces.

Simon Weston OBE will be presenting the awarded bursary candidate, Ian Lockie, at the open day with the popular Green Package. This 22 day domestic installer training package is structured to allow a new entrant into the electrical industry to be become a Solar Panel installer and enter what is becoming an exciting new industry. The package worth just under £3000 will hopefully enable Mr Lockie a much deserved chance at a new career path.

During his 9 year term, SACC Ian Lockie served in Bosnia, Iraq, Germany and Northern Ireland and is now one of the many forgotten heroes who has been left to fend for himself in the civilian world. “This scheme allows me to actually get into a decent trade in which I can work in until I retire. It’s the miracle opportunity I’ve been wishing for.” Lockie also suffers from PTSD, Post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a type of anxiety disorder that can occur after you've seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death. Lockie’s regular treatment for the common disorder saw him pushed into compulsory redundancy from his previous employment. “I’m so glad that businesses are now doing what they can to help ex-serviceman and women, I just hope that other companies are inspired by Trade Skills 4U’s practical approach to help.”

If you might be eligible for the Forgotten Heroes bursary scheme, or know someone who is, contact Trade Skills 4U on 01293 529777 or visit www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-training.

Paid Search Advice for Local Electricians

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:05:32 GMT

Being a local electrician these days doesn’t just involve working on the tools. You need to be your own accountant, customer service advisor and of course the all-important marketing manager! The most successful electricians aren’t just skilled at the job they are rounded business people that understand the importance of finding customers as well hanging on to them.

This is the first in a series of advice articles looking at digital marketing for localised tradesmen, specifically domestic installers and electricians. Digital marketing can seem daunting and can be very costly should you employ outside help, however especially when it comes to setting up new campaign employing an expert can be worthwhile.

However for those that want to have a stab at it themselves this first article in the series deals with paid search and will set out a basic template and advice for local electricians to get off the ground.

Step 1 - Identify your keywords

Before you even get started you will want to identify which keywords you want to target. To begin with brainstorm keywords that you want to advertise on. These keywords will trigger your ads to show so try and think of every variation possible, include singulars and plurals. You need to identify keyword groups and keep them together as these groups will be useful.

You can use this tool it’s free and will tell how often a term is searched for and how competitive a term is: https://adwords.google.co.uk/o/Targeting/Explorer?__u=1000000000&__c=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS#search.none

However I have identified some standard groups which you could use using Crawley as the location:

You will notice that the terms have the following extra characters:

[] Exact Match - Terms within these brackets will only trigger your ads when this term only is searched for.

+ Broad Match Modifier - Terms with pluses will need to appear somewhere in a phrase in any order.

“” Phrase Match - terms within speech marks will need to be searched for in this specific order but other words can appear before or after the speech marks.

If a term has no characters with it then the terms will be broad matched which is similar to braod match modifier but you will ads may appear on similar terms. Google will make a judgement on this so I prefer to opt for “broad match modifier” in most situations.

Step 2 Create your campaigns

The key thing about creating a paid search campaign that is locally targeted is that you need to create two campaigns. This may seem like a lot of extra work but it is essential as it allows you to use keywords that a broader in one campaign such as “electrician” and locally targeted keywords such as “electrician crawley” in another which are not geo-targeted.

It is important that you set up the two campaigns with the following settings:

Campaign 1 – Local Terms such as “Crawley Electricians” Targeting a national audience

Location – England

Languages – English

Networks – Google Search

Devices – All

Budget – Set your maximum budget per day

Ad Delivery – Show ads

The key thing above is that this campaign targets all users in England.

Campaign 2 – General Terms such as “Electrician” Targeting a local audience

Location – 10 Mile Radius of RH10 9JY

Languages – English

Networks – Google Search

Devices – All

Budget – Set your maximum budget per day

Ad Delivery – Show ads

This campaign will only show to users based within 10 mile of your location. You can edit this and set the radius to be whatever you want. However remember the bigger the radius the more clicks will be generated.

Step 3 Create some ad copy for your ads

Your ad copy needs to be related to your keywords, enticing to users, include unique selling points and a call to action. It is also important to point your ads to a page that also includes your keywords and is relevant to what a user has searched for.

What is important to remember is that by grouping keywords together, having relevant ad copy and having a landing page that contains relevant keywords you will be rewarded by Google with a better quality score which in turn will lower the amount you pay per click.

I have written 2 different examples of ad copy below one for a local keywords and one for national:

For Crawley Terms For General Terms

Both ads are very similar as it is important that the location is prominent in both ensuring people only click on your ad if they think you are near to them.

Setting up your account

Armed with this information you will need to set up your Google account and create the two campaigns. This is a fairly simply process. Simply visit this link, click get started with Adwords and follow your nose:

http://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/ads/index_con_2.html

Moving forwards you will need to track conversions on your site by setting up analytics with goal conversions or adding conversion tracking code to your contact forms. You will want to monitor which campaigns, keywords and ads perform best and if possible assign more budget to those that work best.

As with all marketing you will need to monitor your spend and your results to ensure this is working for you. My advice with paid search is to always start small and focus on the keywords which are most relevant and targeted to what you do. It is also wise to keep the location targeting close to you. You can expand to local towns or cities but you will spend more money and get a lower conversion rate.

Keeping things tight ensures that your campaign only spends on keywords that are likely to generate leads. If I currently search on Google for the term “electrician” the first ad that comes up is for an electrician in Huntingdon event though I am in Crawley.

This is likely to get clicked by mistake as it is first and waste a lot of money for this company.

Before embarking on a paid search campaign it is essential that you have a professional looking website otherwise you will find user won’t call or email and you will waste your money.

Adwords can eat money so be careful, play it safe to start with and if the enquiries don’t come there may be an issue with your campaign. The great thing about paid search is it is instant. You can turn it on or off immediately meaning you can use it as and when required.

If you are feeling brave dive in if not think about speaking to a specialist at least to set up your campaign.

For more information about marketing and business, you can take our 1 day business start-up course which will help point you in the right direction when you're making vital decisions about yout business.

Click here for more information about this course

A uniquely effective way of equipping yourself for a bright future in business.

Thieves target sub-stations for scrap

Tue, 11 May 2010 10:00:23 GMT

It used to be the lead from the church roof but theives are targetting sub-stations across the country as a source of scrap copper.

Thieves stole copper wiring from a sub-station in the Westhoughton area of Bolton. This resulted in electrical fires in more than 60 homes after power surges to domestic appliances. Televisions and microwaves were among the items damaged by the surges in the early hours of the morning.

It is a problem faced by almost every power supplier and seems to spike at certain times of the year, but with the recession, the frequency of thefts has increased.

You may think that this is a fairly uncommon event but the price of copper has increased massively since Christmas, and as a result thefts of the metal have shot up across the country, with substations in particular being targeted.

What the thieves are doing is removing the earthing from the supply network neutral which results in fluctuations in the supply voltage due to changes in load characteristics, which in turn causes voltage surges resulting in damaged equipment and possible fire risk as demonstrated by the events in Bolton.

It’s not just copper that is being stolen. Thieves are also targeting such things as the catalytic converter on your van which can contain metals including Platinum, Palladium or Rhodium. There have also been reports this week of drain covers in Southampton being stolen.

£110 Billion Revamp

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:59:25 GMT

Electrical contractors and renewable installers could be in high demand, as the proposed £110 billion investment is set to revamp the UK’s electricity generation infrastructure.

This huge venture has led experts to call on the government to incentivise training in the electrical and renewable energy (R.E) industries and it is expected that 115,000 new jobs will be created over the next ten years.

However this investment isn’t R.E specific and multi-skilled tradesmen such as electricians and plumbers will be able to enjoy the jobs demand too. “The idea that somehow we’ve been massively investing in renewables is absolute nonsense,” Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said on Tuesday. “We are catching up from a very low base. We’ve had 25 years of dithering on energy investment. We’ve got to stop dithering, because decision time is coming. You can have investment or you can have blackouts.”

This announcement comes from the new White Paper on Electricity Market Reform (EMR) from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC.) It outlines a plan to raise the percentage of R.E produced by 30% by 2030; it accounts for just 3% of the UK’s energy portfolio today. By raising the bar and investing in the countries energy generation infrastructure, it will help the UK move away from the more unreliable traditional fuel sources such as oil, and help to meet it’s legally binding carbon targets.

To ensure that our government is the “greenest government ever,’ officials at the DECC have confirmed that they will be spending £30 million over the next four years on developing green technology that’ll help power up the national grid and keep the countries lights on. This is the most significant change to Britain’s electricity sector since the privatisation in 1990 and the EMR is expected to pass into law in 2013.

Interested parties can still get into the industry before the boom by training or retraining in renewable energy technologies – as long as they chose a reliable course.

Trade Skills 4U are members of the Solar Trade Association and the Renewable Energy Association – so we are expertly able to offer training in renewable energy courses.

Trade Skills 4U have a dedicated Renewable Energy Training Centre, where first-time students and experienced personnel alike can train in renewable energy courses approved by BPEC, City & Guilds and NICEIC.

We offer a wide range of renewable energy courses for installers, sales consultants and industry professionals. Courses such as our Solar PV, Solar Thermal and Rainwater Harvesting are conducted on purpose built facilities within our centre and have received fantastic feedback from our accredited bodies and partners.

Training with Trade Skills 4U, could enable you to become fully qualified ahead of the boom in renewable energy.

Image Source @ eastsussexplumbingandheating.co.uk

Open Day

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:12:47 GMT

What are you doing 17th June 2011?

As you may have noticed we have uploaded new banners to our website which support our Renewable centre open day on 17th June 2011.

It really will be a great day for all to visit Trade Skills 4U, see our facilities and get a feel for how we do things here.

We aim to have seminars from our partners, demonstrations of new technologies plus a special guest!

So if you fancy joining us on this exciting day please click here to register.

You’ll be glad you did.

Greg Barker's keyboard caught fire yesterday...

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:30:00 GMT

Well it didn’t ACTUALLY catch fire, but he must have burnt his fingers off yesterday and he fired through the some 300+ questions that were tweeted/emailed during TwitterUK’s Question & Answer series live yesterday using hashtag #askenergy.

Lots of industry related questions answering those poised on rising energy prices and household energy bills were thrown at him and we must say, he did his best!

Greg Barker started the morning by saying:

11:35 DECCgovuk:

Hi everyone - we're just about to get started #AskEnergy [via Twitter]

And ended with:

12:35 DECCgovuk:

times up im afraid. good fun but answers frustratingly short, if you found it useful let me know & will do again. #askenergy @gregbarkermp [via Twitter]

For those of you who didn’t get your question answered Mr Barker and his team plan to publish answers over the coming days.

We particular like:

12:13 DECCgovuk:

Setting up Marine Energy Parks and giving more money to get projects in water.UK marine has huge industrial potential which I am backing [via Twitter]

We’re an island after all and we’ve all got to work with what we’ve got.

To see more of his tweets from the day see www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/_twitterqa/_twitterqa.aspx

ELECSA second largest Part P provider in UK

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:10:16 GMT

ELECSA the Part P scheme provider now has almost 6000 approved electrical contractors making it the second largest Part P provider in the UK.

Wholly owned by the ECA (electrical contractors association) they boast a friendly and simple approach to Part P.

Certainly as far as Tradeskills4U is concerned ELECSA is the go to Part P scheme provider for new entrants to the Electrical industry.

Our feedback from hundreds of newly qualified Part P registered electrical contractors who have gained their Domestic Installers qualifications with Tradeskills4U is that ELECSA is very approachable and open to new entrants to the Electrical industry and unlike some other Part P Scheme providers don’t make them go through further unnecessary and costly courses to gain their Part P status.

Whilst Tradeskills4U don’t favour any particular Part P scheme provider, certainly ELECSA have a good reputation amongst the jobbing electrical contractors who use the Part P certification scheme on a daily basis.

When considering which part p scheme provider to register with see the helpful pointers below.

www.elecsa.org.uk

EC Certification Ltd 0845 634 9043

www.niceic.org.uk

NICEIC Group Ltd 08700130 382

www.bsiqroup.com

British Standards Instition 01442 278 577

www.napit.org.uk

Napit Registration Ltd 0870 444 1392 or 01623 811 483

Eco Build

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:56:58 GMT

Tomorrow Trade Skills 4U are off to Eco Build, one of the most influential conferences in the sustainable sector to listen and learn about design, construction and debates.

Last year it was apparent that a lot of exhibitors preached about sustainability and energy efficiency yet the venue presented a blaze of halogen lights and plastic exhibition stalls. It will be interesting to see if there are any changes this year as renewable energy has taken to new heights since the feed in tariff was introduced. There are rumours that the RHI will be announced around this event so we will have to keep you posted if we hear anything! Watch this space.

The event itself is running over the course of three days (1st-3rd March 2011) and if you’re going tomorrow; we’ll see you there!

Solar Thermal vs Solar PV for Installers

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:31:06 GMT

The rise of Solar Energy in the last few years has been almost meteoric. Solar PV has been all the rage with Feed in tariff’s providing the incentive for many home owners to take the plunge and install solar PV technology on their roof’s. However with most people having fairly limited roof space there is another alternative that is not only cheaper but will also soon be able to generate a return on your investment.

Solar Thermal has actually been around for much longer than Solar PV but it has been eclipsed by its electric generating cousin because that has been the main focus of Feed in Tariff’s. However the introduction of the first phase of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) (which rewards Industrial, commercial, public sector and community buildings for the heat they produce) will produce a surge in demand for Solar Thermal, Heat pumps and biomass boilers.

The second phase of the RHI will be launched in October 2012 and will reward homeowners for the heat they produce. As yet the tariffs have not been finalised however it is very likely that that at the end of next year demand for Solar Thermal is set to rise.

Until the Tariffs are announced it is hard to say which solar solution will be best for you and your home, however I have tried to layout the pro’s and Cons below:

Solar PV cons

Solar PV Pro’s

Solar Thermal Pro’s

Solar Thermal Cons

It is hard to say which technology is better as it really depends on your needs. What is clear is that although solar thermal is more energy efficient, the weight of the incentives currently lay with PV and as such this is where financially it makes most sense to invest.

Ideally if you have the roof space installing both would make a lot of sense from both a financial and an environmental perspective. It is also clear that we are currently in a boom time for PV. Many people are still unsure about installing PV, however the current feed in tariff’s are only applicable to installations completed before April 2012. As we approach that time it is likely demand for PV installations will continue to grow as people realise what a good deal is currently on offer.

Very few investments can boast a 10% tax free return for 25 years and deal is not going to hang about.

As an installer Solar PV is likely to be a very wise addition to your skill set, however it is definitely worth looking into being able to fit solar Thermal too. It would be rare to find someone that could fit both PV and Solar Thermal and this could be a winning combination of skills. If you are a qualified plumber it would be worth preparing yourself for the surge in demand that is likely to hit in October next year by training now and getting ahead of the competition. In fact plumbers will be the winners next Octobers as a whole range of technologies will be in increased demand including ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, unvented hot water systems, biomass boilers and solar thermal all gain a boost.

Don't forget we offer solar PV installation courses and solar thermal training in our renewable energy training centre.

Solar PV: a case study

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:21:46 GMT

Vaughn Wiles

Case study – GREEN Solar PV Installer Package

Job title: Owner & Director at RenResTec

BEFORE YOU STUDIED

How did you hear about Trade Skills 4U? I found you via an internet search.

What attracted you to train with us? Professional setup, good feedback on forums, attractive package

What interested you in taking our solar PV Installer GREEN package? Enabling me to add the solar PV to my portfolio of renewables, in addition to solar thermal, air/ground source heat pumps & rainwater harvesting. Also enables me to be able to undertake my own electrical works as part of my renewable, heating & plumbing business

WHILST YOU STUDIED

How did you find the GREEN Package? Searching your website.

What did you think of the facilities? Very good, pleased with the facilities, tutors and location.

What did you think of the tutors? Professional, knowledgeable, approachable, experienced with hands-on expertise.

What are your best bits? Well equipped workshops, pleasant surroundings, friendly banter.

AFTER YOU TRAINED

Have you found work or have you set up on your own? I had already setup my renewables, heating & plumbing business but have now secured my first solar PV job.

Have you found it hard finding work? Not so far.

How well did the course prepare you for the real installation? Very well.

Have you found any other benefits to training with us? Kept in contact with a fellow student (Rich Barton) and he has been helping me with my first solar PV job.

What do you think of the industry and do you think there is a demand for solar PV installations? There is definitely demand for it but I think the MCS approval process and costs are putting some installers off.

What advice would you give prospective students who wish to get into solar PV? Be realistic about the cost to setup and get MCS approval, your ability to do the work, and also the increasing competition.

What do you intend to do next? I’m just intending to grow the business with the existing portfolio I offer.

Just to be Clear – We are NOT Train 4 Trade Skills

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:44:41 GMT

Here at Trade Skills 4U we are very proud of our brand and our reputation which we believe to be second to none. We want to take this opportunity to remind all our customers, potential customers and also customers of Train 4 Trade Skills that we are not related in any way to Train 4 Trade Skills.

Established since 2005, we provide our customers with the knowledge, understanding and approval of our awarding bodies so that they are fully equipped with the skills required to begin carving their path as a qualified tradesman.

If you are interested in an electrician course, renewable energy course or solar pv course we have a dedicated team of staff who give honest and constructive advice to help you choose the right course for you.

Trade Skills 4U house a professional and experienced team of instructors that practice in our brand new state of the art facilities. We are proud of the courses we run and of the instructors that teach them.

Please contact us to find out more about Trade Skills 4U but not Train 4 Trade Skills. If you have any queries please be sure to give us a call 01293 529777, we’re always happy to hear from you.

A meeting of electrical minds

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:24:57 GMT

Yesterday Trade Skills 4U and JTL came together and solidified their relationship and understanding of how the two companies can work closer together. JTL held their quarterly meeting of South East Assessors at the Trade Skills 4U renewable energy training centre where employees from both companies got a chance to meet, get to know one another and share ideas.

We will be working closely with JTL in the coming year to deliver electrical apprenticeships. JTL will be focussing in their specialism, assessing whilst Trade Skills 4U will provide industry leading training to apprentices for the EAL NVQ diploma.

The day also gave JTL members a chance to tour our facilities and get a feel for the way in which Trade Skills 4U stand out from the crowd not only in terms our premises but also in terms of the quality of delivery of our courses.

Anyone interested in taking on an apprentice or wanting to join the apprenticeship programme should contact Donna Latimer by calling 01293 529777 who will be able to assess your suitability and get the application moving.

Top of page: Ian Stoneham and Mark Syrett from JTL with Andy Hay-Ellis and Mark Streete from, Trade Skills 4U.

Bottom of page: The JTL South East Team.

The Real Roof

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:55:23 GMT

We have all been very busy at Trade Skills 4U, not only have we launched a entire range of Solar Pv courses but we have build the best facilities to be taught on. We have created a single story roof within our new renewable energy training centre so candidates will be able to learn at height and get real and relevant training. We also had a little fun with it and created a video so you can actually see our training roof being built! Take a look a the video and let us know what you think at feedback@tradeskills4u.co.uk !

Our Renewables centre will be housing an open day in June 2011, where anyone can come and visit our centres and see what we do and how we do it. We will be offering a range of Renewable energy courses such as air source heat pumps and rain water harvesting and we'd love to see you there! To register your place on the open day email: events@tradeskills4u.co.uk and keep reading the blog for more details.

Greg Barker on Twitter - who knew?

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:41:24 GMT

Oh Twitter! David Cameron once tweeted “I’m tweeting so much I feel like a tw#t,” and now you’ve got our very own Climate Change and Energy Minister Greg Barker is now taking part in Twitters UK Question & Answer series. How. Very. Modern.

Mr Barker himself will be answering your energy related questions on subjects like rising energy prices, household energy bills on Thursday 6th October from 11.00am to 12.30pm.

Although if you feel like you’ve got a real burning question he’ll be taking questions in advance using the DECC twitter account @deccgovuk.

For those without a twitter account don’t worry your voices will still be heard. Multi-tasking Mr Barker will be also taking questions via his email address at: decc.ecomms@decc.gsi.gov.uk but make sure you submit them by midnight tonight (5th October) so you don’t miss out.

Questions and answers will be captured and published on the DECC website following the session

If you're on Twitter why don't you add us by click here, we tweet about the industry, company news & offers as well as lots of funny bits and pieces to break up the working day!

TS4U & JTL partner to deliver electrical apprenticeships

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:25:41 GMT

National Electrical Provision enhanced by New Training Partnership

Trade Skills 4U and JTL have announced a partnership to deliver NVQ Diploma qualifications to electrical apprentices looking to become fully qualified in the electrical industry.

Thanks to this new agreement, the two organisations are working together to offer the most recognised electrician’s NVQ qualification of its kind in the UK. The government, ECA, JIB, JTL and Summit skills all recognise it as a robust route to becoming a fully qualified electrician.

Candidates looking to train within this industry will now be able to benefit from this collaboration as they will effectively receive the ‘best bits’ from two nationally recognised organisations, allowing the partners to focus their energy on what they do best.

The theoretical and practical training required to complete the knowledge components of the qualification will be conducted within Trade Skills 4U’s state of the art training facilities in Gatwick, West Sussex. Candidates will be able to take advantage of the centre’s fully equipped classrooms complete with workshop areas built to enhance student learning. The assessments and NVQ visits after the training course will then be delivered nationwide via an assigned JTL assessor.

Carl Bennett, Managing Director of Trade Skills 4U said: “As one of the UK’s leading independent electrical training provider’s, we bring an expertise in making people aware of the opportunities available to them along with the right customer service attitude needed to drive a retail business where the customer is key. This is a great opportunity for us as well as the students to come together and build the best training programme on offer today.”

Caroline Turner, Director of Operations for JTL added “We are delighted to have entered into this arrangement with Trade Skills 4U which we envisage can only bring benefits to the apprentices and their employers. Both organisations place strong emphasis on the quality of provision and support and we very much look forward to working together to creating innovative ways of meeting our employer partners’ requirements for training and assessment long into the future.”

Trade Skills 4U have many fully and partially funded electrician apprenticeships available for those wishing to become trained as fully qualified electricians.

About Trade Skills 4U LTD

Trade Skills 4U LTD is the UK’s largest independent electrical & renewable energy training provider based in Gatwick, West Sussex. The company established in 2005 and has since added a dedicated renewable energy training centre to its brand. The centre houses Englands first and only single storey training roof created solely for the use of students training to install Solar PV. Trade Skills 4U offer a range of electrical courses and renewable energy courses for those looking to train to become fully qualified electricians, domestic installers, renewable energy installers and sales and management consultants.

For more information please contact: Chloe Bennett on chloe.bennett@tradeskills4u.co.uk or call 01293 529777.

Feed In Tariff Cuts Unlawful

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:41:06 GMT

So last night the government’s decision to cut feed in Tariff’s on December the 12th was ruled unlawful by a high court judge. The judge also said that the government had been “incompetent” in the way it handled the cuts.

The result of this decision has seen many people in the industry celebrating that common sense and justice prevailed. Everyone in the industry agreed the tariff’s need to be cut to ensure longevity of the scheme and stability for years to come. However the timescales provided by the government to cut the tariff’s before it had completed its consultation period was the key issue. It was quite clearly rushed through and didn’t take into full account the impact on the industry, consumers and the cost of energy in the future.

Despite the fact that the government was not given leave to appeal, they are applying for permission to do just that. This must be done by the 4th January. If it isn’t then the higher rate of 43.3p per kwh will apply until the end of the parliamentary process meaning thousands more homeowners will benefit from better returns probably until April 2012.

This means that many installers who have been working around the clock in the past few weeks will be doing so again in the New Year as another rush to complete numerous projects may ensue.

Whatever happens the tariff’s will need to come down to ensure they can be maintained long term. It is possible that the government will appeal and win, however we believe this is unlikely based on the rulings of the high court judge yesterday. We expect following a proper period of consultation the government will recognise the tariff supports not only a growing industry, but also much tax revenue. It should also recognise that many studies confirm that the main increase in the household energy bills is due to the rising cost of gas and In fact the better than expected uptake of solar PV will in reduce the cost of energy in the future.

So following proper consultation and review we expect that cuts will happen in April and further into the future but should be carried out in a more realistic and manageable way. If the review takes all of these factors into account then it is likely that the cuts will not be so deep and so quick. Whatever happens it is clear that solar PV is going to be here for some time to come and is clearly a very important part of the renewable energy market. Despite the original cuts in December many installers still found orders coming in for the New Year and demand remained above levels seen at the start of 2011 for many that we spoke to.

In the short term the real winners here are likely to be homeowners who have had installations booked in after the 12th December deadline many of which at a greatly reduced price. Not only will they have paid less but they are likely to receive the higher tariff.

More household savings revealed through Solar Thermal installation

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:31:44 GMT

New research by the Energy Savings Trust has revealed for the first time the reductions that householders can achieve through using solar thermal.

The full report, due to be published on 13th October, will say that solar thermal can save households £55 a year compared to average gas prices and £80 a year compared to an electric emersion heater for heating water.

For those on a mission to cut down their carbon emissions, this new technology used for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy can realistically save 230Kg of carbon compared to gas and 510kg compared to electric.

Householders looking to install Solar Thermal technology will be rewarded through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which is set to revolutionise the way heat is generated and used. This scheme will provide long term financial support to those who install this technology and a grant of £300 which is valid for 3 months will be issued to those who meet certain simple condition involved with the application.

The Scheme which was due to launch for non-domestic generators on 30 September gas has now been delayed as there are some concerns that the large biomass tariff is set too high. The scheme is set to go live before the end of November.

Those looking to become Solar Thermal installers can go on our BPEC accredited course and learn all the skills required to safety and successfully install this technology. This course page can be viewed by clicking here.

#goodbyemovember

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:58:11 GMT

A great man once said "all great men have moustaches" (rod kimble) and as the month of Movember draws to a close, we must remember why we grew and supported those who grew the gentlemanly moustache.

Together our team have raised a tasty sum to the worthy cause and created so much more awareness with the unruly creations that have ‘naturally’ grown upon our teams faces. Amongst the handlebars and the traditional mo lie some great hearts that have chosen to lend their face to raise awareness of this cause by growing moustaches. The money donated to Movember is directed to programmes run directly by Movember and their men’s health partners – The Prostate Cancer charity and the Institute of Cancer Research.

Whilst November is aptly named to allow an amalgamation of itself and ‘moustache’ it’s certainly not the only month than we should take time to raise money for these charities. Throughout the year we’re informed that those who have signed up to Movember.com will receive a couple of updates throughout the year so inform the mo bros and sisters how their donations are being spent. “We hope this will help you appreciate the incredible work that is being carried out as a direct result of your fundraising efforts,” says the company.

Here are a couple of close ups of some of our guys:

The sadness of this month ending has also enabled #goodbyemovember to start trending on Twitter.

Here’s a couple of our favourites;

@WeeChrissieB
We don't have to say #goodbyemovember - come on men, advance with pride into Decembeard!#

@pcrockford
#goodbyemovember I am going to have a moment of silence before I say good bye and then a burial at sea for my Mo

Electric Feel: World Skills 2011

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 09:10:28 GMT

(From left to right: Andrew Fielding - Electronics UK competitor, Chris Young - Electrical Installation UK competitor, World Skills Logo for the competition 2011.)

London is always a very exciting place to be, and today, as the ExCeL reaches its full capacity harbouring the world’s biggest vocational skills competition – you can really feel it in the air.

Today 1,200 competitors from approximately 51 countries/regions around the world will be competing in 45 skills that range from bricklaying to beauty therapy to landscape gardening all battling to win a medal during the 4 days of intense competition.

As a specialist electrical training company our support is particular directed to the two young gentlemen competing in electrical installation and electronics.

Chris Young and Andrew Fielding competing in the aforementioned field respectively are two very intelligent and capable young men who are hugely passionate for their chosen skills.

Andrew Fielding: “I believe engineers shape the world we live in and I wanted to be part of that, creating and working with new technologies. I would like to one day become a managing director, travel to every continent in the world and complete a private pilot’s license.”

Chis Young: “(My biggest personal achievements are) achieving and passing my apprenticeship and becoming the UK gold winner. I also achieved first place in the Advanced Apprenticeship Awards and Bridgwater College Apprentice of the Year. (My ambition is) to learn new skills, strive for excellence and represent my country at WorldSkills.”

As a company we’re extremely proud of all the young people choosing to compete in WorldSkills as they are raising awareness for vocational skills and promoting the amazing opportunities they bring. Vocational careers open so many doors to so many people as they enable you to have both qualifications and experience which are the two key ingredients that employers search for in new employees. Learning the job alongside the practical skills will enhance the experience and make you more saleable.

We wish both boys and the rest of the UK team the best of luck!

Interested in find out more about vocational electrical skills? Visit our electrical courses, renewable energy courses, and apprenticeships courses pages for more details.

Solar PV Tools.co.uk - Product of the month

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:03:07 GMT

Solar PV Tools.co.uk installation tool kits are reportedly built to be one of the best kits around and contain the complete range of solar PV tools you would need to install and maintain on PV systems including those with MC3 MC4 connections.

These specialist kits comes in a protective case with a pre-cut foam lining to ensure the maximum safety for your tools inside and are ideal for installers who are doing their MCS training or are going for their MCS accreditation.

Their tools kits range from a basic ‘PV kit 1’ to a complete ‘build your own kit’ option where you can tell them what you need and they’ll built a custom case just for you. So whether you need a solar irradiance meter, a clamp meter, infrared thermometer gun or all three, their friendly team will happy to build the kit you need for a very competitive price.

For more information on the types of kits you can buy and build see their website www.solarpvtools.co.uk

Consider A Career In The Electrical Industry

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:31:42 GMT

New Year’s Eve is always a time to reflect on the past years events whilst creating new resolutions to implement in the New Year ahead.

The New Year always seems the perfect time to enforce change and embrace it so if you’re considering a career change in 2012, why not consider a career in electrics? It’s a lucrative career which can lead you to all sorts of jobs.

I was once told by a customer that he was so glad he was taking electrical courses as everything these days is electric; your phone, your laptop, your TV and so on and he’s right. They’re not making oil fired TV’s last time I looked and wherever you find a light switch, a power point, or a light bulb whether this be at work, at home or whilst you’re watching Coldplay on their stadium tour, an electrician was required to install them. There is so many opportunities open to the practising electrician it just depends where your interest may lie as to what path is right for you.

Electricians mainly specialise in the wiring of building structures both domestic and commercial however may also specialise to wire ships, airplanes and other mobile platforms. Electricians can also find work in the film industry as they are required for safety and to help produce lists of required equipment and configure and design installations for the lighting & production directors. Electricians are also required on music tours as they need to assist and commission set designs and lighting configurations as well as making sure that amount of light is both safe for the audience as well as the artist. So which ever route you’d like to take a job like this, you’re bound to find the correct role for you.

The true diversity of these job roles is also a major benefit to the career; once you qualify you will find that your skills are transferable across all of the aforementioned platforms. There is also an added benefit of having your qualifications recognised internationally should you choose to take a City & Guilds course. City & Guilds electrical courses are widely respected and undertaken by all industry professionals and you will find that most if not all electrical trainers, such as Trade Skills 4U, host a wide range for you to choose from. Wherever there is electricity you will find an electrician which is why is makes for such a great career choice in times like these as they have an added bonus of being recession proof.

Whatever your chosen New Year’s resolutions are, whether are encompass losing weight, getting fit, being better with money, seeing family & friends more or learning something new. The latter is where we come in. We are the UK’s number 1 City & Guilds electrical qualification provider which is an achievement we’ve fought hard to get and maintain. Last year we delivered just fewer than 15,000 exams to over 4000 candidates who were looking to simply learn something new by up-skilling or retraining.

So if being an electrician, domestic installer or electrical apprentice sounds good to you, pick up the phone and give us a call. We can help give you advice about some of the qualifications we offer and help you decide whether this is the right career choice for you. Call us today on 01293 529777.

Be proud of what you do, consider a career in electrics and train with Trade Skills 4U.

TS4U official sponsors of the first online electrician awards!

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:31:33 GMT

Trade Skills 4U are proud to announce that they are sponsoring the very first online electrician of the year awards. The awards, officially held by My Local Electrician.co.uk, are the first of their kind and intend to encourage and create awareness for the electrical industry online; other sponsors for the event include Megger UK and Super Rod.

All electricians and electrical contractors are invited to nominate themselves and/or someone else for the awards which will be judged in two stages.

The first stage will be judged by the in house team at My Local Electrician who will draw up a short-list of nominees to be put forward to be judged in the finals by Megger, Super Rod and Trade Skills 4U.

There will be 3 awards presented:

Gold winner, Silver winner and a Bronze winner. Currently the prize package for each winner is as follows:

In addition, all 3 winners will receive a framed certificate plus a special winner’s logo which can be used on all your publicity material with the compliments of My Local Electrician.

The closing date for entries is 21st November 2011. Together Trade Skills 4U and My Local Electrician will announce the short listed nominees on the 5th of December 2011. This short list will then be judged by the sponsors and the three winners will be notified by the 12th of December 2011 – what better way to get you into the festive spirit?

To enter the awards click HERE

Good Luck!

RHI - Open for Business

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:50:49 GMT

Renewable Heat Incentive launches after being postponed in September 2011.

At long last the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is now open for business for non-domestic generators. The original launch was expected to go live on 30th September 2011 but was postponed at only 12 hours’ notice as it was established that the scheme may not wholly comply with EU State Aid rules. The scheme has since been deemed compatible with said rules and after its passing in parliament and those looking to apply for the incentive can submit their applications from Monday 28th November.

Eligible candidates will be able to access payments on a quarterly basis for heat generated over the next 20 years. The scheme will generate payments from renewable technologies including biomass boilers, solar thermal equipment and heat pumps installer since July 2009.

The launch of the RHI is set to revolutionise the way heat is generated and is the first scheme of its type in the world and will be closely watched by others to see whether it can be successfully replicated elsewhere. The incentive scheme sits next to other government incentives like the solar Feed-in-Tariff and the expected Green Deal which is set to take off in October 2012.

At the launch on Monday Greg Barker, Energy and Climate Change Minister said:

“The RHI will usher in a new era in clean green heat technology. It’s a world first and has the potential to put the UK at the forefront of a vibrant new green technology sector.

“Renewable heat will be a big win for our economy – it will support thousands of green jobs, reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels, reduce our carbon emissions and help us meet our renewable target.”

Trade Skills 4U deliver quality solar thermal training for those looking to up skill into this industry and take advantage of the forecasted surge of installations eligible to receive RHI subsidies.

A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:54:28 GMT

Over recent years we've helped thousands of people gain valuable knowledge, experience and the qualifications they need to pursue successful careers in the electrical industry, from new entrants, to existing electricians. We have now extended our range of electrical courses to cover Renewable energy training and have a dedicated centre for the training of these technologies 100 yards from our main Gatwick premises.

As a company we've always been very supportive of those who serve our country, from Police to Armed Forces, and have always made a conscious effort to make the resettlement process as stress free a transition as possible.

In June this year, we launched our Forgotten Heroes Bursary and in July we met with Civvy Street in an attempt to create a further service to our force leavers by enabling a new route to funding.

CivvyStreet.org has now got a dedicated page for us on their website which allows those looking to retrain, access to our free training pages should you or anyone you know want to apply for our free training Forgotten Heroes Bursary.

It's a great relationship to have and one we are proud of keeping; together we are helping each other to do the best by those who need it.

Should you want to apply for our free training scheme - visit our Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme Page.

To view our press release announcing our partnership with Civvy Street, The Royal British Legion click here.

Another Fine End to the Working Week

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:52:17 GMT

This week, some of the Trade Skills 4U team have been let out of the office :o) to visit and exhibit at some shows this week. On Tuesday we ventured all the way up to NEC in Birmingham to visit the Installer Live show. Together we saw a mix of plumbing, heating and renewable energy exhibitors showcasing their latest products and services. We even saw Tommy Walsh floating around the isles posing for photographs - stalker much?

Yesterday we exhibited at Effingham hotel in Copthorne with leading aerial and satellite distributor Alltrade. The show itself, sponsored by TRIAX, consisted of 25 exhibitors and held PV seminars every hour demystifying this new technology to attendees. Most of the attendees were from the AV installation trade and were keen to up-skill into this fast moving renewable industry as the demand for aerial and satellite work is set to dip after the digital switchover in April 2012.

We’d just like to say many thanks to Steve Simper – Director of Alltrade – who invited us along and looked after us during the day. It was a great show and we met some very interesting characters – and if you’re reading this Stephen smith – we mean you :o)

A Message from our Director

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:03:38 GMT

If you are looking to train to become a domestic installer after December 31st 2011, you may be affected by the changes that are due to come in after this date. We're not quite sure what they are yet or when they will be coming in to affect as it's yet to be announced- but here's a message from our Director who is keen to pass on as much information about these changes as he can, when he can.

Dear Customer,

You may have heard that the qualification requirements to be a Domestic Installer are changing.

The easy answer is yes, you’re right, they are.

In fact as we speak the whole qualification industry from hairdressing to engineering is changing to something called the QCF; Qualification and Credit Framework. (Wikipedia it if you’re having difficulty getting to sleep sometime.)

It’s a bit of a revolution for qualifications and it’s actually quite a good idea, but during this transitional phase, things are getting confusing.

The more difficult question to answer is when and what are they changing to. So let me try and explain, it’s a little difficult to get our heads around them here in the office and we’re in the business, but we’ll try, here goes!

Tradeskills4U are the trainers, we offer qualifications that are available to you that we get from accreditation people like the City & Guilds, EAL, NICEIC, BPEC etc. ( nice people, very hard working )

The accreditation people get their steer of what the qualification should do and who can do it from an organisation called SummitSkills.

Summitskills gets its steer from ‘the industry’, People like ECA, IET, Employers, Contractors, training providers.

The system is slow and inefficient; it takes opinions and views from just about everyone. We complain about it on your behalf, but frankly we just have to work with what we have.

So ‘The industry’ decided it wanted to upscale the Domestic Installers qualification, it told Summitskills to come up with the qualification skills set that would be appropriate for the job. The industry asked them to do it by 1st January 2012.

That’s the theory, sounds easy, but in reality, everyone and his son wants to have their say, so we are all waiting on Summitskills to put their knitting down and crack on. (By the way, please feel free to call them and complain)

To be fair they’ve been hard at work and come up with a single new qualification called ‘The Certificate in Installing, testing and ensuring compliance of electrical installation in domestic dwellings’ (What a mouth full!) It will be a bunch of very relevant skills and knowledge modules, absolutely bang on the money for the job you intend to do, it will replace the several currently accepted qualifications with a single level 3 qualification, and will be accepted by all the industry bigwigs like the NICEIC, NAPIT.

So here we are, all waiting on Summitskills to confirm the qualification so we can offer it to you by the target date of 1st January 2012, we can then all get on with our jobs, which is getting you good people qualified for the jobs you need.

In the meantime, whilst we wait on the pen pushers, we’ll press on with how things are at the moment and as they have been for years. We’ll continue to offer qualifications that are appropriate at this moment. If and when they change, we’ll change them for you and ensure you are enrolled on the correct qualification for the job you want to do.

At the end of the day, we’ll be teaching you to install, test and commission electrics that comply in a domestic installation, so you can join a competent person’s scheme and work as a domestic installer. What the end qualification is actually code titled is not so important, teaching you to install & test is the same whatever the qualification code. What is important is that you get the proper skills and technical training.

So during this transitional phase I would say this, you can book your courses with confidence, we will alter the correct course title with minimum fuss to you. We’ll keep you in the loop and let you know the moment it changes.

We are pretty impressed by these changes, we’ve been calling for them for years, it’s all good, it’s just a pain that it’s been delayed by a slow bureaucratic process.

Work hard and prosper,

Managing Director

Tradeskills4U

Solar PV Review Judicial Update

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:10:58 GMT

The recent feed in tariff review, published in October 2011, announced expected yet sudden cuts due to commence in the early days of December 2011. The cuts that were announced saw the solar PV incentive halve from 43.3p p/kwh to 21p/kwh for installations carried out on and after the 12 December 2011. This sudden cut was ruled unlawful by Mr Justice Mitting in the consualtion on 12th December 2011 and he set a deadline of 4th January 2012 for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to seek permission to appeal. In the meantime the cut-off date of 12th December was pushed back to the 1st April 2012 so consumers could adopt the higher rate until this ruling was appealed.

Yesterday afternoon the government announced that they filed this request to appeal and outlined their grounds for appeal in a move to help speed up the legal process.

Should the government win this appeal, the rates will immediately drop back down to 21p/kwh and those consumers who were able to seek the 43.3p/kwh after the 12th December 211 cut-off date will have their incentives cut. This will not affect consumers who had PV installed before 12th December 2011 as their incentives will be protected by contract for up to 25 years.

If the government does not win this appeal then the 43.3p/kwh will remain until the parliamentary process has concluded which is actually expected to be 1st April 2012 or earlier.

Whilst most disagree with the way in which the government handled the cuts with special reference to the time period given to installers and the like to complete installations, it seems this brief relief period until (hopefully) 1st April 2012 will help to put consumer trust back into the industry and be some sort of compensation to consumer and installation companies who were and could have been harmed by the ‘unlawful’ cuts.

Either way it worth getting your PV installed asap as not only will incentive continue to drop as all do, but it may be worth seeking the 43.3p/kwh while you can. As for installers, be prepared for a busy few months as solar PV installation is still a very lucrative and modern money earner.

We have a range of solar PV courses available for those wishing to take advantage of the predicted demand.

Trade Skills 4U has just been awarded Preferred Supplier Status

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:03:44 GMT

Trade Skills 4U has just been awarded Preferred Supplier Status within the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) which is the Ministry of Defence working with Right Management.

This highly sought status and is recognition that Trade Skills 4U is an effective supplier of health, safety and environmental training and that our accredited courses are approved to the highest of standards.

This regulated and carefully measured preferred supplier status is only awarded to companies who meet the CTP’s criteria to ensure that all service leavers throughout the UK and the world seeking a new career will be in safe hands should they choose us for their training.

Managing Director of Trade Skills 4U Carl Bennett said, “We are absolutely thrilled with the news of the approval as it really is substantiation that our company provides first class training to candidates looking take electrical courses and renewable energy courses in the respective and growing industries. We take such pride in providing our professional service to members of our Armed Forces who are making the transition into civilian life and look forward to welcoming those who come through the CTP with open arms.”

Trade Skills 4U are very proud of our armed forces affiliations and have a dedicated resettlement page and forgotten heroes bursary page that can be found by clicking on the respective links.

A little get together

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:22:10 GMT

As proud members of The Gatwick Diamond Business Association we thought that it was about time we showed our fellow members exactly who we are and how we do things by inviting them to come along to a GDBA Members Meeting at our Renewable Energy Training Centre in Crawley, West Sussex.

The day saw over 90 business professionals enter our state of the art training facility and come together to both meet our team and build and maintain relationships made within this association.

A great day in where we met lots of great people and an event to remember.

We heard that!

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:02:04 GMT

At Trade Skills 4U you talk, we listen; you said you wanted to be able to book courses online, we made that happen. You said you wanted to be able to call us after work; we extended our office hours from Monday – Thursday until 8pm. You said that you’d like us to do taster mornings & open days, so we arranged them, (we’ve been busy hosting FREE solar PV taster mornings and 17th edition amendment evenings all because we love you) and now….let me introduce you to your newest treat, your long awaited common room.

Aptly called ‘Officer’s Mess,’ we’ve built you a common room complete with tables, chairs, that coffee machine that we know you love AND wait for it…Sky TV (oh we do treat you!)

However it is seriously lacking in character at the moment as you can see and we wondered what you’d like on the walls in terms of decoration? Would you like inspirational quotes, technical diagrams, or baby photos of our instructors?

Let us know because it’s you’re space and whether you use it to relax, revise, chat and make friends it’s there for you to enjoy.

If you could email: chloe@tradeskills4u.co.uk with your suggestions, we look forward to hearing from you.

Changes to the Feed In Tariff’s and the Impact On Small Installers

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:34:08 GMT

On the 31st of October a consultation document reviewing the Feed In Tariffs (FIT’s) was published. Since then there has been much speculation on the impact of the solar industry. In the document there are proposals to cut the feed in tariffs for a variety of installations. These are proposals only.

The reason for the change is due to the better than expected take up of solar panels which has subsequently reduced cost of the installation. Essentially the scheme has been too successful. With the cost of the panels and installation dropping so quickly the FIT tariff shone out as a not just a great option to go carbon neutral but also one of the best investment opportunities in the UK.

The tariff was always going to be reduced at regular intervals to keep them in line with the cost of installation, which will continue to decrease. So the fact that they are being cut comes as no surprise and makes perfect sense. The industry will still be subsidised and will still continue to grow. Minister of Energy and Climate Change Greg Barker defended the proposed cuts on Monday morning, saying: ‘Being sensible with tariffs means there will be more money to go round.’

Any installs for retro fit properties registered before the 12th of December will still be eligible to receive the 43.3p per kWh. Following this date homeowners will be subject to the lower tariff of 21p per kWh. However this is all to be confirmed on the 23rd December and could still be subject to change.

It’s not bad news; in the long term; it’s good news.

We’ve no doubt the immediate reaction to this will be panic, but that should not be the reaction. The original idea of FIT’s was to support the small individual domestic installation, not give tax dollars to ‘free roof’ companies. The review reinforces the original idea and in the long term small installer will become the dominant installers of the PV industry.

Many free roof companies are up in arms in particular about the short timescale given for these changes to come into force. The biggest issue appears to be that there will be a huge rush over the next six weeks to complete projects which have already been commissioned under the old rules. This puts a huge amount of strain on an industry which is still short of labour resources.

With just a six week window to complete installations some companies have already seen a 400% increase in orders for parts and resources in just 1 day.

‘Free roof’ companies will reduce but not disappear despite opinions at the moment , that will mean more opportunity for the small installer, sensible pricing, intelligent selling to customers, in other words proper ways to run small businesses will secure a good opportunity for years to come.

Retrofit

It’s good business for the installer or smaller companies that specialise in retro fit.

Although some people are up in arms about the cuts, the industry will still remain to be very heavily subsidised. For the majority of homeowners (those in the retro fit category) they can still achieve returns of around 5% per year tax free. This is still far greater than many other opportunities that exist at present. Also this return on investment will increase as energy bills for fossil fuels continue to soar in the next 25 years. So this means there will still be a market for retro fit solar PV installations which is the main stay of your average installer.

One area that will be affected negatively will be the market for free solar panels where companies fit the panels and then claim the FIT whilst home owners get free electricity. This will hit some larger companies in particular.

However the decline in free solar may also push more customers into funding their own installations meaning greater demand for smaller installations.

Long Term Impact

These changes actually mean that the solar industry will see continued and sustainable growth. Industry experts have been calling for cuts to the tariff for some time to ensure that the industry is not overrun by large corporations simply looking to suck up the subsidies available.

By bringing the subsidies in line with the cost of installation the solar industry will be forced to operate in a more completive market bringing the cost of installation down further within the reach of more home owners. Some panels are now 70% cheaper than this time last year.

It also means that many of the companies that have simply sprung up to feed off the tariffs may fall by the way side leaving those serious about green energy to continue providing green solutions to people who are also passionate about more than just their bank balance.

Regardless of the cuts it is clear that the solar industry will continue to grow as the cost of fossil fuels increases and the cost of installation will continue to drop. The recent cuts merely rebalance returns for consumers in line with their investment and at the new levels this will still run at around 5%. This is based on the current cost of installation and current cost of energy. Of course energy prices are going up at an unbelievable rate which only ever makes the figures work better. However with improved efficiency in panels, more skilled labour in the market and lower costs for technology the ROI on a solar PV will continue to increase.

So in conclusion, don’t panic, think about PV business as a sensible growth opportunity and not a fast buck deal, price sensibly, install properly and it will serve you well.

If you are looking at electrician training solar PV will still remain a key part of an electrician’s skills set. In fact it has been built in as standard to the new City & Guilds 2357 and EAL electrician courses.

Solar PV courses are also still a great addition to a domestic installer’s skillset and a worthwhile investment of time and money.

Not Quite The Fairy Tale Ending; Solar Industry Waits on Governments Feed-In-Tariff Appeal Decision.

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:34:49 GMT

Once upon a time, the 'greenest government yet ' launched an incentive scheme rewarding a homeowner with 43.3 kwph for every unit of electricity generated via solar energy. This new incentive was called the Feed-in-Tariff which promoted the production of green energy which could be fed back into the national grid. By contributing to the production of green energy, the government agreed to look after the homeowner’s investment by allowing the rate to be protected for up to 25 years.

However in December last year, the fairy tale hit the rocky middle part where the ogre (we’ll call him Greg Barker) rushed to cut the incentive scheme in half because his incentive pot of gold started to dry up. Instead of adapting some sensible planning with plenty of notice, Barker opted for a quick fix which jeopardised nearly 30,000 jobs.

The ‘quick fix’ was cutting the subsidy from 43.3 kwph to 21 kwph overnight and leaving solar PV installers and homeowners with less than 40 days’ notice. Needless to say this sent the industry into panic as homeowners wanted to secure the higher rate and there simply weren’t enough installers to do the jobs they were confronted with. Great news for the installer in the short term, but this opened up a pit of uncertainty as no one could rightly say what the industry would look like in the New Year.

Meanwhile, Environmental and Climate change company, Friends of the Earth started campaigning that the FIT cuts were ‘unlawful’ and won a high court case against the government. Since then, the government appealed the court ruling in early January and we’ve all been clinging to our seats since to hear how this story ends.

Well the ending has been err...delayed and it turns out the judge ruling on the governments appeal case, has postponed his decision which will undoubtedly create more uncertainty for the industry and its future.

How will it end?

Fingers crossed the government loses they’re appeal, the ogre will get a slap on the wrist and everyone can get the chance to get their pot of gold before the inevitable review date of 1st April. The sooner the appeal decision is announced, the sooner we can repair the holes the government has created in such a lucrative industry. It’s a shame it’s had to come to this, but the good guy always wins in the end don’t they?

Meanwhile: At least we've got support from our MP Henry Smith:

(Image above was in reply to email sent from company director Carl Bennett regarding FIT support.)

disneycastle - Imagesource@thecontaminated.com

Trade Skills 4U are doing Movember

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:20:34 GMT

November is the 11th month in the year. It is the month that remembers Guy Fawkes and the anniversary of his failed gunpowder plot, a month that remembers those who have died on duty since the First World War and apparently, the month to grow a mooey.

For those of you who are unaware what I’m going on about, let me introduce to you Movember. Movember is a portmanteau of ‘moustache’ and ‘November’ and is an annual month long event which involves the growing of a moustache in order to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues. The reason why I’ve decided to blog about this is because our entire office (apart from the skeleton female staff of 5) is going to get involved.

Now there are some rules with this event,

• The face should be completely shaved including the upper lip on ‘Shadowe’en (October 31.)

• For the entire month of Movember no hair is allowed to grown in the goatee or beard zone.

• And there is to be no joining of the moustache to the sideburns.

To support our guys, I’ll be taking a photo every week for 4 weeks to document their progress as well as posting links online to their Movember accounts so you can help sponsor our Trade Skills 4U team.

Trade Skills 4U Movember profile: http://uk.movember.com/mospace/627852

If you’re interested in growing a Mooey for Movember, why not sign up and help raise awareness in this worthwhile and notable cause. See uk.movember.com for more details.

Our Day one clean shaven boys:

BREAKING NEWS: No Changes to Domestic Installers Qualification

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:00:29 GMT

After much deliberation we can thankfully announce that there will be no change to the domestic installer’s scheme qualification requirements for the foreseeable future.

In a discreet document published yesterday, the NICEIC have re-issued the ‘Guide to Registration – Domestic Installers Scheme’ which states that candidates looking to join the NICEIC Domestic installer scheme and become a ‘Qualified Supervisor’ must attain the latest edition of the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations, be competent and/or adequately supervised to carry out all domestic installation work and have 12 months relevant experience.

Essentially what this document outlines is that there is no change to the current entry requirements for this qualification which is great news for everyone that was going to be affected by the changes occurring in the New Year. The initial statement announcing the changes was published in July this year suggesting that those looking to qualify as a qualified supervisor after 1st January 2012 would have to hold the full electrical NVQ in order to register for the domestic installer scheme.

The date for this revision has been put back substantially meaning those looking to retrain or up-skill to become a qualified supervisor will now be able to do so under the existing provisions. However, it is worth mentioning that even though the changes have been not yet come into force, they will inevitably arrive later on in the year so it really is worth training before these revisions arrive.

Trade Skills 4U have various course packages on offer which contain all the qualifications a new entrant or existing contractor would require in order to train as a domestic installer and/or fully qualified electrician.

Our second 17th Edition amendment seminar

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:48:28 GMT

Our second 17th edition amendment seminar was last night and what a great seminar it was. Our instructor James Deans stole the show this time as he led our 30- something guests into the world of the changes and helped them to discover how the said changes will affect them.

I have seen some comments on various websites and forums where existing electricians have expressed their initial feelings about the green book but I assure you, the changes are certainly worth looking into.

There are over 700 changes to the BS 7671 and even though many of these are editorial, there are some major changes which you can’t fight knowing about. The changes include additions as well as amendments and will affect everyone from designers, engineers and contractors to project managers, maintenance technicians and electricians.

Due to the demand and the necessity to know these changes we have decided to teach them right up until January 2012 when the changes get put into practice.

If you are interested in coming along to one of our free seminars, visit our events page or choose from one the dates below:

17th Edition amendment 1 - 28th September 2011 - 6.30pm - 9pm

17th Edition amendment 1 - 26th October 2011 - 6.30pm - 9pm

Calling All Solar PV Installers

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:39:33 GMT

Since the announcement of the Feed-in-tariff cuts on 31st October 2011, everyone is in an absolute rush to make sure their installation is completed before the deadline of 12th December 2011 in order to be eligible for the ‘old’ tariff rate of 43.3p kWh.

We’ve received so many calls as of late by some of our partners who specialise in solar PV installation proclaiming the urgency to get hold of installers so that they can implement as many installations as possible before the December deadline.

One of our partners said:

“Up until this announcement we were normally completing 17 installations a month, over the past two days we’ve done 20 installations!”

In order to do what we can we’ve done a mail shot to every installer that has completed wither BPEC solar PV installation course or the City & Guilds 2399 solar PV installation course with us and asked them to contact the following companies if they are looking for work.

If you are a solar PV installer and are looking for work: give the following companies a call as they are crying out for you.

• RIG Energy Recruitment

• The Green Homes Company

• JoJu Solar

• Enzon

Keep an eye out for our jobs page as we are currently developing this to include both job opportunities as well as a skills swap exchange feature.

Christmas Safety Measures

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:13:42 GMT

Light up your Christmas Tree, not your home.

Hidden away in the corner of your loft lies your beautiful Christmas tree. Tightly wrapped up and accompanied with boxes of protected decorations, it’s literally waiting to stand proud once more. When December finally comes around, you can almost feel the rush in the air. The shops are filled with brightly coloured baubles, the town lights turn on and sparkle, illuminating sensation as Christmas is on its way.

However there are a few very important things, besides the turkey, to remember every time the festive season begins. According to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, (ROSPA), ‘around 80,000 people suffer accidents and injuries in their homes during the Christmas holidays every year’. Many of those happen in the kitchen during food preparation, while putting up decorations – or worse, as a result of faulty fairy lights or unattended candles.

Making sure your old Christmas lights are safe:

Times have been a little tight over the past two years so who can blame you if you don’t want to update your set of Christmas fairy lights right? Wrong! Faulty Christmas lights cause unnecessary accidents over the festive period if poorly stored, damaged or faulty appliances can lead to accidents in the home or worse – electrical fires. Retrieving your lights from damp, dusty storage spaces can lead to unnecessary hazards, so always see a purchase like this as an investment not a cost.

Most sets of lights are based on the Edison incandescent bulb which is an ordinary light bulb which requires electrical energy to heat up a tiny metal filament so that it glows. The heat itself makes the filament emit light, and frankly the hotter the filament, the greater the light. However the whiter the light – the shorter the lamp life, which is why when the lights are finally unravelled it’s not unusual to find that a couple fail to work. Our advice is to check your lights are up to modern safety standards or if their looking past their sell by date it’s time to get some more – and no before you ask we’re not working on commission.

So what’s our top ten safety tips this Christmas? Keep you and your family safe by reading our advice below:

But most importantly enjoy yourself. Christmas is the time to be surrounded by family members and loved ones so enjoy your time off and be merry.

Imagesource@countryliving.com

Predicted Solar Growth: New Incentive in Town

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:04:10 GMT

Much of the talk surrounding solar as of late, has been about the reduced Feed-in-Tariff (FIT) rates coming in on Monday 12th December.

Whilst this is obviously a newsworthy subject, it is important to remember that there is another incentive in town that could be potentially much larger than solar PV. This incentive, for those unaware, is called the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which is the heat equivalent to the FIT scheme and is to be launched for domestic sector in October 2012. The scheme actually went live for non-domestic properties in November 2011 after a short delay concerning compatibility with EU state rules.

This incentive aims to pay homeowners an income for every unit of heat generated by renewable technologies such as Solar Thermal, Biomass Boilers and heat pumps. To encourage the take up of installations such as these, the government have launched a one-off payment called the RHI premium payment, similar to a grant, which is available to all homeowners wishing to take part in the scheme.

Before the FIT launched in 2010, solar thermal technology installations surpassed solar PV installations as it’s reliable, easy to install and should provide you with 50-70% of your hot water all year round. The launch of the RHI is a great opportunity once again for both installers and consumers looking to do something good for the environment and save money on energy bills.

We run a great 3 day solar thermal hot water course designed for skilled plumbers and renewable energy installers looking to take advantage of this predicted demand. The course itself will be run in our state of the art renewable energy training centre on specially designed rigs to prepare you for real installations. Training in this technology ahead of the RHI domestic rollout will prove very wise investment so make sure you get ahead of the game!

For more information on this industry, the RHI or our renewable energy courses call us on 01293 529777 or visit our solar thermal hot water course page or our blog on the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Our Solar PV Taster Morning

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:09:56 GMT

Our taster mornings are a great way of getting to know some of the facts about a trade/industry before you jump straight in. We also find that holding open and free events like these are a great way of showcasing our facilities and allowing potential customers to visit us and see how we operate.

On Saturday 20th August, we held our first Solar PV Taster morning at our dedicated Renewable energy Training Centre, Crawley, West Sussex. The event itself lasted just over 3 hours and featured a presentation on the overview of solar PV installation as well as live demonstrations of roof installation, testing and maintenance.

Paul Chapman, our excellent electrical and solar PV instructor, managed a great audience of 25 and helped uncover what life could be like as a solar PV installer.

Some Feedback from our Solar Pv Taster Candidates:

- Sean Tierney via Twitter

"Great intro to #solarPV by @TradeSkills4U. Really informative and i will definitely be signing myself and others up for #MCSCertification"

- James Imray via email

"I came to the solar PV taster on Saturday and would like to thank you all for the morning, I found it very useful and will be in touch soon to organise some training."

If you are interested in coming to an open day or want to experience a taster in the electrical or renewable industries visit www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/events for more information.

TS4U partner with Chichester College to provide apprenticeships

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:08:18 GMT

Apprenticeships are an excellent way of gaining qualifications and workplace experience. As an employee, you can earn as you learn and you gain practical skills from the workplace and learn in a way that is best suited to you – through hands on experience on the job.

As the Apprenticeship week (7th-11th February 2011) draws to a close, the ‘Million Extra scheme’ is officially launched. This scheme, sponsored by City&Guilds, aims to help lead a talent revolution by bringing people together to ensure that one million people start an apprenticeship by summer 2012, and shine and grow through them.

Extra is how they’re going to make it happen. They will create a range of inspiring programmes and support for training centres, employers and learners, all to help achieve the mission.

Trade Skills 4U are doing their bit and have just partnered up with Chichester College in West Sussex to provide a range of apprenticeships. Both employers and employees can benefit from electrical NVQ traineeships which are available for people aged 16 and over covering the following areas:

City & Guilds Electro technical (levels 2 & 3)

AM2

Functional Skills

Apprenticeships really can be a win-win situation for both employers and employees. Apprentices also offer an affordable solution for your work force needs, not just in the short term but also in the longer term as they grow with your business. Employers gain quality skilled labour, that house your own practices and skills. These two combined provide invaluable teaching for the employee and the ideal workforce for the employer.

For an information pack please contact info@tradeskills4u.co.uk or simply call 01293 529777.

From the horse's mouth

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:07:33 GMT

When you look online do you look in forums for relevant or expert views or do you like to hear it from the company itself?

The only trouble with online reviews and this online culture itself is that a lot of these things are anonymous. Anyone can pretend to be anyone on the internet can’t they? Reviews could be bias towards or against a company or product, fabricated by competitors or company staff or owners.

So who do you trust?

Tough one isn’t it? Well this is what we thought so we’ve created dedicated testimonials pages within our website www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/testimonials so that you can see exactly what our customers are saying about us, when their saying it – straight from the horse’s mouth.

Why?

Well, we have recently organised all our precious feedback forms that we get each and every candidate to fill in when they finish their course with us, and didn’t know why we weren’t making the most of what has been said.

On these forms we get a few moans and groans as well as some great praise and compliments, some guys even hand their forms in accompanied by bunches of flowers – we’re serious.

We take every detail said on our forms very seriously and make sure we use them to better our services and products so that we are constantly improving these. But once we’ve done our bit with the forms, complete with all your beautiful and sometimes very funny comments, they have been cast to the side to seek shelter in a filing cupboard – that is until now.

From today we’ll be scanning and uploading fresh testimonials every week from our students so you can see what they are saying about us and what they think about their time with Trade Skills 4U.

Why not take a look at our October Reviews.

See previous Trade Skills 4U Reviews.

ImageSource @ managingthework.com

Trade Skills 4U team up with MyLocalElectrician.co.uk

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:02:42 GMT

MyLocalElectrician.co.uk is the only online magazine for Electricians, Trainee Electricians and consumers that makes full use of on-line social media. The magazine, owned and managed by editor and marketeer Gary Pratten, provides honest, helpful and informative reviews, news and products available to the electrical market.

Gary, a 33 year old father of two, set up My-Local-Trades.co.uk as there was a lack of a professional on-line resource for the electrical industry. Gary is a qualified electrical engineer and has built a career within the online publishing industry over the last 3 years. This move has led him to manage several online magazines and is proud editor of a growing number of trade magazines MyLocalElectrican.co.uk, My-Local-Plumber.co.uk and My-Local-Builder.co.uk.

Gary's key experience combined with Trade Skills 4U’s enthusiasm for the industry make us a great team to supply the growing demand for quality material with a constant stream of relevant and informative editorial for those looking to get into/already in the electrical & renewable energy industries.

The collaboration will allow the strong points of both companies to be communicated effectively and help to guide those interested in both or either the renewable and electrical industries to make informed decisions in order to progress through their training and career.

Trade Skills 4U will also be able to supply MyLocalElectrician.co.uk with updates and offers on our courses, such as our FREE 17th Amendment 1 seminar, and hopes to provide exclusive events and offers for MyLocalElectrician.co.uk subscribers in the future.

We look forward to having MyLocalElectrician.co.uk on board, together we can continue to create interesting debates and discussions online for all to communicate, ask listen and talk about all things electrical.

Apprenticeship Advice From Britain's Premier Electrical Training Company

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:04:49 GMT

"It’s national apprenticeship week during 6th – 10th February 2012!

Big Deal! What does that mean for me? Another government initiative, I hear you groan?

What it means for you is that training course providers, colleges, employers and those darned government people are trying to encourage you take an apprenticeship by drawing your attention to what’s available to you, and believe me there is plenty!

Why are they pushing this now?

Well Britain needs young people aged 16-19 years old to work in the hundreds of industries that offer apprenticeships as many are crying out for young people to train to become useful employees. University isn’t for everyone especially for those put off by the £9,000 annual tuition fees, so it’s great for those still interested in further education to hear about the vast range of opportunities that are available, apprenticeships being one of them!

What type of apprenticeships are you talking about?

Everything from Electricians to Aircraft engineers from Rolls Royce car assemblers to accountancy staff, you name it there’s an apprenticeship for it.

What is an apprenticeship? How much does it cost?

It’s a training and work and college thing. You take a training course and work at the same time which is an excellent way of learning as you put what you learn into the classroom into practice in the real working world. Apprenticeships are usually funded by various bodies depending on your course but you can always ask for your parents or guardians for help if you want to speed up your training. As an apprentice you’re employed by an employer who will pay you for your work (added bonus) and who will also help contribute towards your training costs. You’ll be a valuable worker once you’ve successfully gained your NVQ which will lead to a decent earning job.

How do I get the job for the apprenticeship? There’s no job about is there?

Actually lots of employers are queuing up for apprentices, the government actually gives employers a cash incentive to encourage them to help out with your training. To help find them, look online or in local newspapers – you can always check out apprenticeships.org for apprenticeship vacancies.

What’s the downside, where’s the catch?

No catch, you’ll have to work and you’ll have to stick at it. It won’t be paid very well at first, but at least you’ll be earning and as soon as you start becoming useful to your employer, they’ll start to pay you more and pretty soon you’ll be earning a decent wage. There’s no secret to it just advice to work hard, train hard, be a good employee and you’ll do just fine.

What should I do to get involved?

Get on the internet and Google the type of job you’d like to do, then search ‘your job role here’ apprenticeship courses and see what comes up. Normally the results will suggest various apprenticeship organisations and training companies that you will be able to do your training with. Next step is to give them a call and they will help you with the rest. So don’t wait, start searching – there a whole world out there you know!"

Carl Bennett, Managing Director of Trade Skills 4U, Britain’s Premier Electrical Training Company.

If you or anyone you know is interested in an electrical apprenticeship, give us a call on 01293 529777 or visit us during National Apprenticeship Week as we're holding electrical apprenticeship tasters for young people.

Often Copied, Never Bettered! BTSC copies Trade Skills 4U website

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 09:30:30 GMT

Often Copied, never bettered, isn’t that what they say? From time to time those who have achieved success in accomplishing something worthwhile often get copycats not only piggybacking on their good name but also trying to gain their own small percentage of their worth by downright pretending to be the real deal.

Unfortunately once again our unsurpassed reputation has somehow encouraged one of our competitors,
BTSC of Chessington, to deceive genuine Trade Skills 4U customers by using a similar domain name, copying our logo and website graphics and then transplanting their contact details. It's absolutely illegal and is with our lawyers.

For the Real Trade Skills 4U website click here and to read why we’re the UK’s leading independent electrical and renewable energy training company click here.

Lest We Forget

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:13:36 GMT

The Sunday morning ceremony saw the warm autumn sun shine over the vast crowds who surrounded the memorial. The sea of people stood in silence as wreaths were laid by her majesty the Queen before other members of the royal family stepped forward to do the same.

Amongst the Royalty, Military officers, politicians stood veterans and civilians, all shoulder to shoulder to remember the dead and those who have served – past and present.

As part of our support for those who have served in the forces, Trade Skills 4U have a dedicated bursary scheme for those who have served and fallen on hard times. We honour, cherish and respect all efforts great and small and would like to do what we can to help protect your future by helping you formulate a career for yourself after life in the military.

Our ‘Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme’ is something we strongly believe in and has already helped two ex-soldiers back onto their feet with one having found employment since retraining with us back in August.

We are only a small company and have to give these bursaries to candidates based on need, but where possible we will do what we can to help everyone that applies. If you could do with a helping hand or know someone who could, please contact our team on 01293 529777 or visit our dedicated Forgotten Heroes Bursary page.

Imagesource@GettyImages

Important: Domestic Installer Qualification Delayed

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:12:24 GMT

Back in October we published a ‘Message from Our Director’ announcing that there will be changes made to the existing Domestic Installer Qualification. These changes were originally supposed to come in 1st January 2012 however as this target date is fast fading, the NICEIC have reported that they will keep ‘business as usual’ by continuing to accept previous registrations requirements. This means that at present the qualifications required to register as a competent domestic installer are all contained within our Bronze Domestic Installers Package.

So what does this mean for you?

If you are already training and rushing to get registered on a competent person’s scheme you can breathe a sigh of relief. You now have some extra time to complete the qualifications and your assessed installations.

If you were thinking of training but have been putting it off, this is an opportunity not to be missed. The new qualification (when it does arrive) is likely to be longer in length and will therefore be subject to price increases. From a student’s perspective it might not be a bad idea to begin training before the changes come in to avoid these costs.

Obviously, from a training provider’s perspective once the entire framework has been written and confirmed, we are really looking forward to delivering the new qualification when it does finally arrive. This is something we and many others in the industry have been wanting for some time and if done right, it will lead to safer, better practices for all.

So be assured that as soon as the new domestic installer’s qualification is released you will be able to take this with us at Trade Skills 4U. As always we will be on the cutting edge of the electrical and renewable industry and will always offer the latest most up to date qualifications. In the meantime we’ll keep you updated with announcements as they come through and endeavour to make any transition the industry coughs up as stress free for you guys as possible.

TS4U Team Up With Royal British Legion To Help Retrain Ex-Forces

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:51:46 GMT

The UK’s leading independent electrical and renewable energy training provider, Trade Skills 4U, have announced that their ‘Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme’ candidates will now be able to access financial support when they take up the free training initiative set up in June 2011.

The free training bursary was officially launched by Falkland’s hero Simon Weston O.B.E, at the company’s renewable energy centre open day and aims to giveaway £100,000 worth of free training to those who are struggling to find their feet after leaving the forces. Whether this struggle is due to illness, injury or a lack of support this permanent offer will arm the candidates will practical skills for a new career.

However since its launch in June the company are experiencing a lack of eligible candidates that have the funds in place to travel to the centre based in Gatwick, West Sussex. “We are a national company and have strong affiliations with the forces and as a result eligible candidates from all over the UK are applying for our bursary. Unfortunately those who would benefit most from a scheme such as this are often facing hardship and have been out of employment for some time. As a result we are finding that these candidates are having trouble covering the costs of travel or accommodation in order to take advantage of this free training scheme,” says Chloe Bennett, Marketing Executive at Trade Skills 4U.

Thanks to Civvy Street, the Royal British Legion’s employment support service, a candidate who is eligible for Legion support could have access funding to help support their costs of travel and/or accommodation as well as other expenses whilst they train. “This partnership will bridge this gap and hopefully enable those most deserving of the bursary, the financial help to enable them to take hold of this great opportunity,” added Miss Bennett.

Trade Skills 4U Bursary candidates will have the opportunity to train as domestic installers, electricians and renewable energy installers and will take advantage of the company’s first-class and dedicated training centres. Trade Skills 4U offers the widest range of electrical courses and renewable energy courses in the UK today.

To find out more about the ‘Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme,’ candidates should visit www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-training.

Parents urged to be proud of apprenticeships as university places.

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:07:04 GMT

Since Education Minister, David Willets announced an increase in university tuition fees in 2010, students considering further education have been forced to contemplate cheaper alternative routes. In a new push for apprenticeships in 2012, Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg is calling to parents to be more supportive over these alternatives. “Apprenticeships are the gold standard of post-16 vocational education" and "parents should be as proud of their children for securing a top apprenticeship as they are if they go to university.”

Whilst degrees will always be a very valuable qualification, the annual £9,000 tuition fees, the battle with rising living costs and the very possible outcome of unemployment lurking at the end of it all has begun to steer students away from this educational route. This year has already seen an 8% decrease in university applications as UCAS, ‘Universities and Colleges Admissions Service,’ recently reported that 283,680 people that have applied to university from within UK compared to the 306,908 who applied last year.

Since the costly tuition fee increase, alternative education options such as ‘apprenticeships’ are being thoroughly explored by prospective students looking to further their learning. Such terms have seen over a 100% increase in online searches since the initial announcement concerning university tuition fees from Willets back in November 2010.

Please see Google Insight research on term 'apprenticeship' below:

Whereas online search activity for the term 'University' has suffered a slow decrease in search. See below:

“Apprenticeships have always been a big part of Britain and it’s great that the idea of taking an apprenticeship still has such great appeal,” says Carl Bennett, Director of Trade Skills 4U. “Apprenticeships can be excellent routes into an industry as they combine the theory elements of a course with the important practical side; it is this key ingredient that degrees generally miss.” Mr Bennett is the Director of Britain’s Premier Electrical Training Company who currently hold three apprenticeship courses from two of the UK’s Leading qualification bodies; City & Guilds and EAL.

“Many still regard the apprenticeship as the best route into work combining technical education with practical experience helping to enable business and industries to acquire skilled labour. It has added appeal today because it soaks up the growing fears of entrenched youth unemployment as the effects of the recession continue to be felt and the unskilled are left further behind.”

“We’re holding FREE taster days during National Apprenticeship week for young people aged between 16 – 19 years old. We’ve almost sold out on these free places, so young people who are interested need to give us a call if their interested on 01293 529777. These electrical taster days aim to give young people a sample of the industry by detailing what is involved in an electrical career plus some practical training to help you decide if this is right career for you - It’s a great way of test driving a potential new career.

Click here to book your spaces or you can call our team to find our more on 01293 529777.

www.tradeskills4u.co.uk.

Imagesource@myhammer.co.uk

Trade Skills 4U launches Solar PV Tools.co.uk

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 15:03:08 GMT

Trade Skills 4U.co.uk, the UK's largest independent electrical & renewable energy training provider, have launched a brand new sister company called Solar PV Tools.co.uk. The website, http://www.solarpvtools.co.uk, is designed to equip renewable energy installers with all the tools they would need to install, test and maintain solar PV systems.

Trade Skills 4U.co.uk Managing Director, Carl Bennett says: “We have always taken customer care very seriously, talking and listening to our customers and taking their views on board. We only recommend tools based on our own practical hands on testing; tools must be fairly easy to use and survive the rigors of daily practice to become a tool we trust, in order for us to feel able to sell them to our customers. Having found difficultly sourcing solar PV kits ourselves, it seems there is space for a market leader to supply solar installers with the kit necessary to complete installations and comply with MCS accreditation standards.”

In June this year, Trade Skills 4U successfully launched their Renewable energy training centre, complete with purpose built facilities built to cater for the demand for renewable energy installers. The centre houses the England’s first and only single storey training roof that enables candidates to install solar PV at height and with all the necessary kit they would require on a real installation such as pulleys, ginn wheels etc.

“We are in great support of this growing industry and have invested £350,000 into building our dedicated renewable energy centre; it seems like a step in the right direction to enable candidates to buy the kit we trust whilst they train with us. We are continually innovating and improving our products and services. The new website is the natural next step," added Carl Bennett.

Joe Bennett, Director of the new site added: "We are in a competitive market. Customers rightly expect a good deal and a professional service. At Solar PV Tools we know that our products are not only the very best available but also that we listen to our customers and construct the kits they need for the job. We provide fully bespoke solar PV kits which installers and contractors can design for themselves based on need and continue to refine our products and services to meet their needs now and in the future."

Solar PV Tools.co.uk has been established since 2011 and provides huge savings on a great range of tools, to visit the store today click www.solarpvtools.co.uk.

£200 million funding injection into Green Deal

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:07:09 GMT

Today our ambitious government have announced a new funding scheme to help encourage the UK’s householder into making their home more energy efficient.

This scheme, called the Green Deal, will kick off in October 2012 with 200 million pounds worth of incentives to encourage homeowners to take out loans and invest in energy saving measures. The ‘golden rule’ is that the homeowner’s savings will be greater than the loan repayments.

The £200 million funding from the Treasury could be worth hundreds to those that take up the deal in the first year however how this incentive is actually being delivered is yet to be announced. Discounts on council tax and cash back offers are amongst the few that have been mentioned at present.

This announcement also combined details of the eagerly awaited Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) which will officially start next week. The launch of the first phase of the scheme was delayed due to EU state aid appeal but is now back on track and open for business. The RHI itself is an incentive scheme similar to the Solar PV Feed in Tariff (FIT), which was launched back in April 2010, where financial support is provided to individuals, communities and business for switching from using traditional fossil fuels for heating to renewable courses such as wood pellets using biomass boilers and water fuel using solar thermal technology.

Although it is obviously good news that the government are still investing big bucks into this industry, those that have been affected by the recent FIT cuts might be cautious of this new funding announcement. However there is one thing we can be sure of; where there are incentives there will be demand, when there is sufficient demand there may be revisions so it’s always best to get in first.

The UK's fourth carbon budget

Thu, 19 May 2011 08:52:20 GMT

On Tuesday, Chris Huhne announced the UK’s fourth carbon budget in the House of Commons. It was confirmed that government would continue to support the legally binding targets which promise to halve our carbon output by the year 2025. Due to the extremity of the improved budget, our international community can see the UK’s commitment to the low carbon economy. These targets set the UK apart from other nations as the budgets runs past 2020.

This target follows on from the Climate Change Act in 2008, which outlined a target to reduce greenhouse gas emission in the UK by at least 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. This Act requires government to set carbon budgets, including limits on greenhouse gas emissions over five year periods. Under the terms of the act, the target for the five-year period must be set by June 30, 2011.

In the announcement, it was also made clear that a carbon budget review will take place in 2014 however ‘it is not a get-out clause’ says Gregory Barker, Minister of Climate Change. Another announcement regarding the impact on energy-intensive businesses is due to take place at the end of the year; this will provide said companies with measures to help them adjust to a low carbon society.

“We calculate that we will move up from the present figure of 27,000 jobs in the insulation sector to 100,000 by 2015 and that, at its peak, the policy will result in 250,000 jobs right across the industry, which will have to retrofit every home in the country” says Vince Cable.

The revised budget “will provide greater certainty for business to invest in green technologies and create jobs,” said Peter Young, Aldersgate group chairman.

UK Green Building Council’s chief executive Paul King said: “This is a world-leading target – and absolutely the right decision. Government has shown it still has the ambition, but the proof of the pudding will be in the policies.

image source @ CCC calculations

Christopher Young wins Electrical Installations competition

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:26:53 GMT

The London WorldSkills competition closed its doors on Saturday 8th October as Christopher Young walked away with an award in the Electrical Installation competition.

Bright spark Christopher Young, that turns 22 on 20th October, was awarded a medal of excellence at the WorldSkills London 2011. This event saw more than 1000 competitors from over 50 countries compete in their chosen vocational skill in the ExCeL exhibition centre in central London.

In support of the competition and its campaign to promote vocational skills amongst young people, Prime Minister David Cameron visited the centre and said: "I’m absolutely delighted that London is hosting the biggest WorldSkills Competition in its sixty year history. Standing here is so inspiring. To see almost 1,000 young people from more than 50 countries competing to be the best of the best. Not just in one skill, but in more than 40 skills from robotics, to web design, from cookery to landscape gardening.

"It’s great too for me that the UK is able to show off the skills and diversity of our own young people. What they have all achieved here sets a fantastic example for other young people."

Want to be like Christopher? Get qualified! Trade Skills 4U offer quality electrical courses and renewable energy courses as well as first class apprenticeship courses with our partners JTL.

Contact us on 01293 529777 for more details.

Nearly time to get clean

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:29:31 GMT

As November draws to a close and we prepare for the festive season to begin, we shall take a moment to commemorate our teammates that have put their dignity to one side to raise money and awareness for ‘Movember.’ 'Movember' is a portmanteau of ‘moustache’ and ‘November’ and is an annual month long event which involves the growing of a moustache in order to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues.

Our fabulous team consisting of Joe Bennett, Noah Saks, Paul Fatkin, Kris Edwards, James Deans (mobro above), Terry White, Mark Syrett and our wonderful director Carl Bennett together have managed to raise a cool £119 so far, but with a couple of days left we’re urging you guys to help raise some cash to support this charity and the message the mo’s bring.

We’ll be adding to the funds next week to make sure we’re donating a pretty sum but It’d be nice if we got a little bit of help from our friends :o) To check out our Movember team page follow this link: http://mobro.co/tradeskills4u

We’ll be taking photos of our boys next week so you can marvel at the hairy art upon their faces or mock them – either way, but trust me it’s worth taking a look to see what they've been growing.

Until next week compadres!

Validation Time; The Solar PV FIT Inquiry

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:45:15 GMT

Validation time; Greg Barker to face questions over solar incentive cuts

Today a rare inquiry is set to take place as MP’s from two parliamentary select committees aim to seek facts over rapid incentive cuts and their effect on the UK’s solar industry. This inquiry is set to help establish the impact on job creation, social housing and community schemes.

The inquiry will be chaired by MP Tim Yeo, the Energy and Climate Change Committee and Environmental Audit Committee, and will question Greg Barker this afternoon and as well as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Permanent Secretary Moira Wallace and DECC Director General Simon Virley.

"We just want to try and understand how the government came to reach a decision to cut the incentive so quickly and what impact that's going to have in getting solar PV into the energy mix on a long-term basis," said Environmental Audit Committee chairwoman, Joan Walley MP.

The inquiry will result in a report containing recommendations of which the DECC is required to respond to. Even though we agree that the current FiT rates are unsustainable and a cut was necessary to protect future incentives, it will be interesting to see how Barker defends the time period in which the cuts are being incorporated. Installers have had less than 40 days to complete installations to ensure that their customers received the higher incentive of 43.3p KwH. Even Barker must admit that he could have handled this better.

Forgotten Heroes Bursary Case Study: Ian Lockie

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:20:14 GMT

Case Study – Ian Lockie

Role – RAF Regiment Gunner

Forgotten Heroes Bursary Candidate 1

Course Taken – 22 Day Green Solar PV Installer

Served: Iraq, Northern Ireland, Germany and Bosnia.

In 1998 following 9 years’ service as an RAF Regiment Gunner Ian Lockie, like many others, left the army in search of a new challenge. This new challenge wasn’t without limitations after Ian, a PTSD sufferer, found there was a lack of career prospects available to him. He later found work as a satellite engineer and then as a bus driver but was made redundant in January of this year.

Since his redundancy, Ian has struggled to find work and like many during these current times, realised he needed to re-train to get back into employment. However, the dilemma was what to train in and how to fund the training?

“Having spent my working life on my feet, I didn’t warm to the idea of being in an office situation. I’ve always preferred hands on work and was keen to seek training in this sort of area. When my wife showed me an article of Trade Skills 4U’s Forgotten Heroes bursary in The Sun newspaper, I knew I had to apply!”

The scheme, titled ‘The Forgotten Heroes Bursary Scheme,’ aims to giveaway £100,000 free training to ex-service personnel who are struggling to find employment due to injury, illness or a lack of support. This permanent offer is to arm our heroes with practical qualifications in both electrical and renewable industries to enable them to carve a new career path on Civvy Street.

Shortly after applying, Ian was awarded a place at the companies open day in June by Falkland’s Hero, Simon Weston O.B.E and chose to complete the Solar PV Installer’s GREEN Package; a 22 day package that enables a new entrant into the industry to train as a domestic and solar PV installer.

This package includes:

After a successful four weeks of training, Ian, who completed the GREEN package on 29th July, said “Trade Skills 4U have been great and I am very thankful for this opportunity. It was hard studying again as I haven’t been in this situation for more than 20 years, but I have been taught by some fantastic tutors, who have spurred me on from the start and made the learning as enjoyable as possible.”

Ian trained in both TS4U electrical and renewable energy centres and particularly enjoyed the 5 day BPEC Solar PV installation course. “Training on your solar PV training roof has to be the ultimate highlight of the course, I absolutely loved it. I’ve really enjoyed getting up there with the guys in all the workshops too and I have to say I’ve made some great friends. I’ve just finished the course now, and I’m buzzing! I can only look forward to future now, as I have a new career path to discover.”

If you are interested in applying for Trade Skills 4U’s Forgotten Hero Bursary please check out http://www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/free-training .

We have recently partnered with The British Legion to help provide access to funding for those candidates that may struggle financially whilst they train with us. To find out if the scheme is for you, how it works and if you are eligible to apply follow this link to the Civvy street website.

Welcome to Our New Website

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:15:36 GMT

After lots of hard work it is finally ready for you to see what we offer and how we offer it. We’ve got lots of new bits, kept some of our old bits and gone with the times and added some modern bits. We’ve listed some of the new additions below so you see what we mean.

This was all inspired with you in mind so we hope it fits the bill. Take a look around our new site and let us know what you think by dropping us an email at feedback@tradeskills4u.co.uk

Our support section

This will offer useful documents; FAQ’s and plan to have a student support section coming soon.

Our partner section

You can now see who we partner with and what we can offer you as a result. Through here you can get extra benefits from our partners that no one else can offer.

Our Galleries

We now have both an image and a video gallery. These will continue to be filled with new and fresh content, enabling you to see exactly what we offer and how we offer it.

Our Renewable energy section

This new edition contain all our specialist renewable energy training courses and management courses so your staff can get qualified along with you. This section will grow to house Heat Pumps courses, solar thermal courses and more.

Domestic installer Packages

We’ve made our course packages more available so you can see exactly what they include and what these qualifications will enable you to do. If you have no experience in the electrical industry but you’d like to practice installing Solar PV, then an option like our Green course would suit you as it provides all the key courses you’d need to become a qualified domestic installer and Solar PV installer.

New courses

We’ve also added some new courses to our ever growing belt. These can be located under our electrical courses section and our renewable energy courses section.

Improved navigation

We have improved our navigation so it’s easier for you to find what you’re looking for.

Accreditations pages

This section lives in our blog and support and gives you information and links to our accreditation and awarding bodies.

You can now pay by debit card

We now have the technology in place so you can pay by Credit AND debit card. This handy addition allows you to pay for your course at the click of a button so you don’t miss out on those last couple of spaces on your chosen course!

FIT Update: The Current Position

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:07:06 GMT

On Wednesday 25th January 2012 the DECC lost their appeal against the tariff rates and have since announced their intention for further appeal. The court of appeal haven’t yet granted the DECC permission for further appeal but they are seeking direct permission from the Supreme Court in which to do so.

Should they be granted leave to appeal and become successful it could take up to a year before the final outcome is known. This appeal could also mean that they will be able to legislate to apply new tariff from the 12th December reference date.

Oh the uncertainty.

This uncertainty of not being able to guarantee either tariff rate (reduced rate at 21p kwh or last year’s higher rate of 43.3p kwh) on installations made between 12 December 2011 and 3rd March 2012, means that installers cannot correctly promote their services and homeowners are less confident about installing panels when they are less certain about the return of investment.

Delaying the outcome of the case could cause further damage to the industry due to the negative hype they’re continuing to create. The government are very keen not to give away 43.3p kwh as they simply cannot afford it so are trying their best to put off other buyers & installers off solar for selfish reasons until the next consultation on 3rd March 2012.

In an announcement by the DECC and in their formal response to question 1 of the consultation they have however confirmed that tariff rates will be no lower than 21p kwh from 1st April 2012 even if they government win their appeal.

Homeowners should be jumping at the chance to get involved as they may potentially be eligible to receive the higher rate of 43.3p kWh should the government lose their appeal. They have already lost twice so it might just be worth the gamble.

imagesource@solarpowerportal

Trade Skills 4U Course Reviews

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:03:23 GMT

GOOD NEWS!

Now you can review us on our website!

Impulse buying is rare, most of us like to read reviews and do the research on a company or product before we part with our hard earned cash. We understand this and make sure we make our customer feedback and course reviews as available as we can for everyone to freely read.

Back in August 2011, we started uploading our course feedback forms directly on to our website so anyone and everyone can read our great Trade Skills 4U Reviews for them online. http://www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/pages/reviews-feedback

But today we’ve taken this a little further and implemented a commenting platform called ‘Disqus’ within our website so that our customers can review our courses directly on our site and help give tips, advice and feedback on the courses we run to other prospective customers.

Disqus is a great little company and their aim is improve conversations online so hopefully with this system embedded on our website, you can help others pick the right course for them, and hopefully find the right advice for you on the way.

National Apprenticeship Week: TS4U Taster Days

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:10:41 GMT

We’re supporting the cause by holding three electrical apprenticeship taster days in our specialist electrical training centre in Crawley, West Sussex.

These days are FREE and dedicated to young people aged between 16 and 19 years old. Each day is purposely designed to give them a real taster of what a career in electrics could offer.

We understand the importance of making the right decision when it comes to your career and what better way to stay informed than a free taster training day that enables you to get to grips with electrics and learning the basics of the job.

These taster days are only being held during national apprenticeship week so if you know someone who wold benefit from this experience – sign them up! We’re also offering to go the extra mile for those who attend by marketing them to our existing customer database in an attempt to help find them an employer so get involved!

Don’t worry we’re also going to be holding dedicated Apprenticeship Taster Weeks for those who want to learn the basics of what an electrical career could hold with multiple practical workshops across the board. If you’re interested in this call us on 01293 529777 for visit our Apprenticeship Taster Week course page.

Henry Smith MP Visits Trade Skills 4U

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:00:06 GMT

Crawley MP Henry Smith got the chance to meet several prospective electrical apprentices today as he visited our dedicated electrical centre in Crawley, West Sussex.

As part of National Apprenticeship week, we are holding three taster days for young people looking to learn about apprenticeships and what a career in electrics could offer them.

“To get support from Henry on a day like today is fantastic; he was able to get his message of support across to the students themselves and help them realise what a lucrative career electrics is,” said Carl Bennett, Managing Director of Trade Skills 4U.

“Carl Bennett and Trade Skills 4U are doing incredible things here; the facilities are excellent and they really care about young people and their futures. Electrics are a stable and worthwhile career option and I am extremely grateful for the work they are doing at Trade Skills 4U,” Said Henry Smith MP.

As part of our on-going support for electrical apprentices, we are holding electrical taster weeks throughout the year for those who are looking to get some hands on experience to see if this career is for them.

These young person’s Apprenticeship taster weeks cost £120.00 for 5 days of training and can be made bespoke by schools or colleges looking to encourage students to take up this type of learning after they finish school at 16 or after college at 18.

If you are from a school or college and are interested in this type of event, call us on 01293 529777 and ask for Chloe.

Talk To Me

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:48:24 GMT

We’ve recently implemented an online chat widget on our website which will help us interact with you, our customer.

Sometimes when you have a little question about the site, a course or a pre-requisite you might not want to call us, but instead spend the next 5 minutes searching for the answers you need.

Our online chat systems means you can send out course advisors a quick question and they can send you a response back in seconds. Easy!

The messenger will mostly be in use during office hours of 9am – 5pm but you can always send us an online email enquiry using our contact us form on our website.

Communication is really important to us – plus it keeps your phone bills down so everyone wins!

National Apprenticeship Week is Over

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:33:33 GMT

National Apprenticeship Week is over so unfortunately our apprenticeship taster days have come to a close!

Oh no I hear you gasp! Don’t worry, they’ve been so successful and we’ve had a great time holding them, we’ll probably conjure something similar up for the future. Make sure you keep checking our events page for similar events in the future.

Can’t wait?

We are holding electrical apprenticeship taster weeks throughout the year which are available for five days at £120.00. This taster training course aims to deliver a combination of classroom theory and practical workshops so that young people can decide first hand whether this is a suitable career for them.

The courses themselves are on an adhoc basis so if you’re interested, make sure you call up to see if we can work out a date that is suitable for you and go from there.

Why?

At Trade Skills 4U, we’re big on training and we’re even bigger on ensuring you’re on the right course for you. Our electrical apprenticeship taster courses are a way of allowing young people to understand the importance of making the right decision when it comes to their career in a friendly and educated environment. Our courses aim to get young people to get to grips with electrics and the basic of the job itself before making their mind up as to whether a career in this industry is right for them.

Interested?

Give us a call on 01293 529777 or visit our dedicated young person’s electrical apprenticeship taster course page.

Changes to our Feedback Forms

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:16:44 GMT

We have recently updated the customer feedback forms: Hoorah!

The changes are only small but aim to get some more information from our wonderous customers by asking them about hiring apprentices and what their twitter handle is etc.

To be fair, that is literally the extent of the changes but for those who look at them on a day to day basis - this is very exciting.

Here's a copy below:

As we're collecting private details such as your twitter handle & name, we will make sure these are protected prior to upload on our Trade Skills 4U Review pages.

BREAKING NEWS: IET confirms delay for Domestic Installer Qualification

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:40:41 GMT

This decision was agreed at the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification Management Committee meeting on 1st December 2011 where they announced ‘the new level 3 domestic installer qualification is expected to become available by June 2012, with the first candidates completing some two month later.’ The new requirements will come into effect on 6th April 2013 still leaving five different routes satisfying the requirement for registration as a Qualified Supervisor. These include on-site assessment, off-site assessment a mixture of both and the gaining of appropriate qualifications.

How does this affect me?

Essentially if you are already an existing qualified supervisor this will not affect you. When the new requirements come in in April 2013, they will not apply retrospectively to existing qualified supervisors nor will they need to complete the new qualification to complete works after April 2013.

Those looking to register under the existing requirements should do so aptly before the new revisions come in as it is likely that an entrant after April 2013 would have to hold the full electrical NVQ in order to register for the domestic installer scheme – however this notion is yet to be confirmed.

You can download your copy of the IET’s Press Release here.

Feed-in-Tariff Announcement News

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:40:07 GMT

Engineers fit solar panels to a roof at Silvertown Solar Village, Docklands, London. Photograph: Alamy

Below is a summary of the changes announced last week that will directly affect the solar feed-in-tariff rate and the way in which it operates.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirement to level D

The DECC have said that properties must now hold a level D EPC from April 1, 2012 to receive the full value of the FiTs. Currently until this date, there is no official requirement for an EPC prior to solar PV installation national grid connection.

For those who are unsure of what an EPC is, it’s the information on your home’s energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. The certificate itself gives you information on how to make your home more energy efficient.

DECC clarified that people who want to use solar PV towards obtaining an EPC rating of D would need to “have the solar panel system installed, conduct an EPC and then apply for the FiTs scheme. The EPC must be sent with the documentation relating to registration for FiTs.”

Tariff Rates

The tariff rates are exactly as DECC confirmed on January 19, as laid out below:

*The on-going FiT legal disagreement means that an assurance for this particular rate cannot be guaranteed. However it is worth noting that 43.3p kWh will be paid for all systems that were registered between December 12 2011 an April 1, 2012 due to the government loss of the recent appeal.

This tariff level is subject to change come July 2012 and the rate will depend of the level of capacity installed during March 2012 and April 2012. The new tariff options are outlined as below:

The outcome of the appeal, although lost, has allowed the government to take the appeal to the Supreme Court. This has bought them time and allowed further uncertainly to spread across the market. Should the case reach Supreme Court, it should formalise the tariff rate for those homeowners who had PV installations during the 12 December 2011 & 1 April 2012 period. Should the government win, and this is doubtful, the homeowner would receive a rate of 21p kWh for the rest of the guarantee period which currently stands at 25 years. Should the case be thrown out and the appeal lost, the homeowner will receive the higher rate of 43.3p kWh for the rest of the guarantee period.

Either way April 1, 2012 is certainly a date for the diary for anyone interested in the outcome but hopefully the result of the Supreme Court appeal should be announced before this date.

DECC's proposed mechanism for changing tariffs after July will include an automatic baseline transgression of 10% every six months, which can be triggered early if deployment exceeds pre-determined levels. The system will be reviewed annually to ensure that it is performing well against its objectives.

Announcing the new changes, climate change minister Greg Barker said:

"Our new plans will see almost two and a half times more installations than originally projected by 2015 which is good news for the sustainable growth of the industry. We are proposing a more predictable and transparent scheme as the costs of technologies fall, ensuring a long term, predictable rate of return that will closely track changes in prices and deployment."

Some of the other changes:

The reduced tariff rate of 21p kWh will remain in effect from 1st April 2012, for domestic sized solar panels with an eligibility date on or after 3rd March 2012. Other tariff changes will apply for larger installations.

From 1st April 2012, a new ‘multi-installation’ tariff will be set at 80% of the standard tariff. This will apply to existing installations where a single individual or organisation is already receiving FiT subsidies for other solar PV installations.

Due to the ‘unlawful’ cuts that were first ruled on the cuts in December 2011, the government have said these changes should bring "transparency, longevity and certainty,” we’ll see…