TECHNICAL TRAINING NEWS
» Download a free 2010 Year Planner» International engagements
» Scottish Highlands Partnership
» Technical Training support WorldSkills UK competitions
» NEW Courses for 2009
» Electricians Guide Books Updated to the 17th Edition
» 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
» City & Guilds 2391 Update
» Cancer Research Shops learn about PAT testing
» Technical Training Solutions' trademark
» New Courses - Developed in 2006 and 2007
» Visit one of our Exhibitions
» Technical Training now based in Rochester
» Electrical maintenance skills course goes from strength to strength
» Where's the competence in skills training?
Free 2010 Year Planner
We've created a 2010 Year Planner which is free to download. Click here to download it now.
International engagements
From time to time Technical Training are given the opportunity to travel overseas to provide training courses. In 2009 we had the pleasure of teaching in three overseas locations: Gibraltar, Mauritius and Montserrat.
The Gibraltar engagement was for part of the MoD Defence Equipment and Support Organisation (DE&S) based in Gibraltar. A mixture of civilian and service candidates learned about the IEE's Wiring Regulations, PAT Testing and the Electricity at Work Regulations and are now progressing on to the inspection and testing of electrical installations. For more information, go to MoD DE&S
The Mauritius engagement was for the Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Contractors Agency (MEECA). The candidates learned about the IEE Wiring regulations. For more information on Mauritius, go to the government of Mauritius' internet pages Government of Mauritius
The Montserrat engagement was for the Physical Planning Unit, part of the Government of Montserrat. The candidates learned about the EAW Regulations and the IEE Wiring regulations. For a news story published by the Physical Planning Unit on the event, go to Government of Montserrat
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We also attract candidates from all over the World to our courses in Rochester - the following is a recent quote from a candidate who travelled from Malta to attend one of our courses:
"Continuous professional development is important in any technical environment. My work as a lecturer in a further education college requires me to keep up to date with practical techniques and skills in an ever-changing engineering world. I felt the need to enhance my hands-on skills to keep abreast with modern engineering practices. I must say that Technical Training has more than exceeded my expectations. I came across this training company through an internet search. The course I opted to follow was Electrical Maintenance Skills for Instrumentation Personnel (Course 120).
Besides being highly professional in their respective fields of expertise and in the delivery of the course, the staff at Technical Training are extremely friendly and supportive. The courses focus a lot on hands-on training; something which I was looking for but did not quite succeed in finding elsewhere. The learning outcomes are clearly defined from the start so the student knows where s/he is heading to. Furthermore, the courses employ equipment developed themselves, used to simulate real industrial sytems.
It’s definitely a great experience in Learning by Doing as the company’s motto states. I am really satisfied by the service and hospitality offered and will definitely consider Technical Training Solutions for my next professional upgrade."
Claire Seguna, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, MCAST Malta.
Scottish Highlands Partnership
Technical Training Solutions and T3UK, the trials, training and test facility in the Scottish Highlands at Thurso, Caithness have set up a partnership to provide engineers in the Highlands and Islands of the North of Scotland with training on the 17th edition IEE Wiring Regulations and the City & Guilds Inspection and Testing courses, as well as access to all our other courses. This on-going partnership enables engineers in the area to gain these essential qualifications and skills without having to leave the county.
Helen Mackay, Director of T3UK said "We've linked with Technical Training, who have one of the best records of success in the UK for the tough 2391 exams and the range of engineering skills courses from abrasive wheels to PLCs is exactly what our local engineers are looking for. Partnering with Technical Training means that we can ensure the delivery is absolutely spot-on".
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For a description of the IEE Wiring Regulations course, go to
Course 310 - IEE Wiring Regulations
For a description of the C&G Inspection and Testing course, go to
Course 340 - Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations (C&G 2391-10)
For more information about T3UK's world-leading trials, training and test facility, go to www.t3uk.co.uk
Technical Training support WorldSkills UK competitions
Technical Training have been providing training for entrants to the WorldSkills UK Electronics competition. Electronics Faultfinding has been recognised as an area of expertise that the competitors benefit from and they have therefore been attending a variety of training courses targeted to provide them with the skills and knowledge needed to achieve success. Technical Training have also been providing help with the judging at the UK competition.
Gareth Humphreys MBE, WorldSkills Electronics expert said "We see the Electronics training that Technical Training Solutions provide as absolutely essential to the success of our competitors".
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The importance of these competitions to the UK has been recognised by government and other sponsors: Skilled people are vital to the success of the economy and to succeed in these careers they need to be highly skilled and therefore highly trained. It is widely recognised that the UK's skills are not world-class and that they must be if it is to achieve the economic and social goals that we all aspire to.
UK Skills also organises the UK entry to the WorldSkills Competition, which challenges young people, teachers, trainers and employers to achieve world class standards. The WorldSkills Competition is the biggest skills competition in the world, and is an opportunity for competitors to represent their country and their trade abroad. WorldSkills is held every two years and brings together young people from almost 50 countries, to compete in 40 trade skills, for gold, silver and bronze medals. Medallions for Excellence are also awarded to competitors who achieve an International standard at the Competition. The WorldSkills Competition will be held in London in 2011.
In Calgary in September 2009 our candidate Mel Adlam achieved a Medallion for Excellence, making her one of only 7 medal winners in the electronics category in the World.
Locations and dates of forthcoming competitions:
WorldSkills London 2011: 6 to 9 October 2011 at ExCeL London
WorldSkills 2013: to be decided in September 2009
The UK's results from the past seven WorldSkills Competitions are shown in the following table:
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The Electronics maintenance course is used as the first part of the competitors' training.
For more information on Technical Training Solutions' Electronics course, please click
on the following link:
Course 210 - Electronics Maintenance
If you would like to learn more about the WorldSkills competitions, please click on the following link: WorldSkills UK
NEW Courses for 2009
2009 sees the launch of two new courses from Technical Training Solutions - the Air Conditioning course and the course on BS7909.
The air conditioning course is a short course covering the fundamentals of split air conditioning system maintenance, aimed primarily at people who need to perform first line maintenance of these systems in hospitals, hotels, care homes and large offices.
The course on BS7909 follows the introduction of a major update to this standard and will be of interest to all those involved in specifying, installing, maintaining, inspecting / testing or managing temporary electrical installations for the wide range of events where BS7909 applies - which would include, for example, local theatres, agricultural fairs, county shows, rock festivals and the UK 2012 Olympics.
For more information on these courses, please click on the following links:
Course 370 - Temporary Electrical Installations
Course 750 - Air Conditioning Systems
Electricians Guide Books Updated to the 17th Edition
The latest Electricians Guide to Good Practice (Red cover) was released in April 2009 and the Guide to Inspection and Testing (Yellow cover) in January 2009. Both books have been updated to reflect the latest requirements of the 17th Edition of the IEE Regulations, which came into force on July 1st 2008.
We find that many engineers carry the books in their toolboxes / vans / pockets, as their small size makes this possible. The books therefore now have improved bindings and construction, making them more rugged and suitable for long-term use.
Technical changes to the Guide to Good Practice include expanded definition and symbols, replacement of the 'direct' and 'indirect contact' shock protection methods with 'basic' and 'fault' protection methods, introduction of 'additional' protection (RCDs) into various new situations (socket outlets, concealed cables, etc), new reference methods for installation of cables, new correction factor for buried cables and introduction of several new special locations (exhibitions, solar PV systems, mobile units, fairgrounds and floor heating systems etc).
Other improvements to the Guide to Good Practice book include easier to read tables using shading and larger sized text and an improved and expanded index. The internet page for the book has also been expanded to show example pages from the guide and a new 'latest update' feature, allowing the very latest information about intended changes or improvements to the guide to Good Practice to be posted on the page.
Technical changes to the Guide to Inspection and Testing include changes to the visual inspection, - since the requirements are slightly different (concealed cables, changes to the inspection schedule, etc), slightly altered testing sequence (insulation resistance values changed, phase sequence and voltage drop tests added, RCD tests in separate test from the functional tests, etc).
Other improvements to the Guide to Inspection and Testing include easier to read tables using shading and larger sized text. The various forms (the Electrical Installation Certificate, the Periodic Inspection Report, the Minor Works Certificate, Inspection and Test Results Schedules) have all been re-drawn with example entries to allow for better use of the page and are now easier to read. A 'latest updates' feature has also been added to the internet page descriptions.
For further information about the Electricians Guide Books, please click here.
17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations
January 2008 saw the release of the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations. To coincide with this, City & Guilds updated the related qualifications and also introduced some new qualifications based on the 17th Edition.
Candidates who currently possess the 16th Edition qualification will be pleased to hear that they do not need to attend a complete 17th Edition Wiring Regulations course, as a City & Guilds approved 1-day update course has been created. This is accessible by anyone with an existing 2381 qualification (normally candidates who took the course in 2002 onwards would gain a 2381 qualification - those taken before are 2380 qualifications and do not provide eligibility to enrol on the update course). The update course is known as 2382-20 and the full 17th Edition course as 2382-10. Some candidates may benefit from attending the full course, regardless of this allowance.
The Inspection and Testing and Design courses (previously known as 2391 and 2400) will be known as 2391-10 and 2391-20. They have also been based on the 17th Edition of the IEE Regulations since 2008. There is, however, no need for holders of older 2391 qualifications to re-take the new 2391 qualifications.
Please call us if you would like to discuss the new qualifications, but please also look at the descriptions of the courses, listed under 'Electrical Courses' on the main menu at the top of this page.
City and Guilds 2391 Update
Technical Training Solutions recently extended and upgraded the City and Guild 2391 Inspection & Testing course so that its duration is now 5 days plus the examinations. The course will be provided in two parts, separated by a period of time to allow each candidate time for private study. The first part of the course covers the practical inspection and testing and is followed by the C&G practical assessment. Candidates are then issued with their private study pack which they can work on until the second part starts, which is normally a few weeks later. In the second part the candidates study the theory side of the course in detail and we spend a large amount of the time studying the typical C&G questions that they may be confronted with in the written examination, which is normally scheduled at the end of this part of the course.
The National success rate in the examinations is currently around 30% to 50% but our candidates do much better than this and Technical Training Solutions aim to have the highest success rate in the country for this examination.
For a description of the C&G Inspection and Testing course, go to
Course 340 - Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations (C&G 2391-10)
Cancer Research Shops learn about Portable Appliance Testing
Technical Training have employed their extensive knowledge and experience of Portable Appliance Testing and their competence-based approach to learning about the subject to enable Cancer Research South to perform safety checks on electrical appliances. This has allowed Cancer Research South to access a totally new revenue stream to aid in their charitable works by allowing shop staff to ensure the safety of electrical appliances and thereby to sell donated appliances which, before training, they were unable to accept.
Candidates are not expected to have any prior knowledge or experience of PAT testing or electrical work. All candidates are provided with course notes, help and advice about which model of PAT tester would be most appropriate for them and given on-going telephone support from Tech Training's technical staff. The courses are being provided on an on-going basis throughout 2006 and 2007 across the south of England. The training courses have been provided at cost price to Cancer Research South as part of Tech Training's charitable works.
Libby Dey of Cancer Research South said, "These new training courses will allow us to provide a valuable new service to our customers, as donators and buyers at the shops will see an improved service and ultimately the needy causes that we represent will benefit."
Technical Training have been treating these courses as the ultimate accolade for their 'learning by doing' approach: being clear about what should be taught, who the target audience is and ensuring that the candidates are able to use these skills for real when they return to work.
For a description of the PAT course, go to:
Course 160 - PAT: Inspection and Testing of portable electrical appliances
For more information about Cancer Research South's charitable activities, go to Cancer Research
Technical Training Solutions' Trademark
Technical Training Solutions uses a trade mark which was granted
by the British Patent Office.
The 'Learning by Doing' approach to training espoused by Technical Training has been the basis to all the engineering skills training provided over the years. This approach leads to better understanding, retention and enjoyability of the courses on offer.
The ancient Chinese proverb captured this idea:
'Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I'll remember, involve me and I'll understand'.
The logo reinforces this approach.
New Courses developed in 2006 and 2007
Tech Training are constantly updating their range of courses, driven either by customer demand or by technological change in the fast-moving engineering world. New courses created in 2006 and 2007 include:
Course 470 - Fire Alarms: For candidates involved in any part of the installation, commissioning, inspection, testing or maintenance of fire alarm systems.
Course 350 - 2391 Part 2: Design of electrical installations - Previously known as the 2400 qualification, the design of electrical installations is the pinnacle of the electrical installation series provided by City and Guilds. Sole traders seeking proof of their abilities and professional electricians employed by major companies who want to show that their skills have a relevance in the wider world will benefit from gaining this qualification.
Course 360 - Building Regulations for Electricians: This course has been developed for electricians who have completed their Wiring Regulations training but need to know more about how Part P (and other parts) of the Building Regulations affect electrical installations. For example, the structure of buildings, fire safety, conservation of fuel and power, access and facilities for disabled people are addressed in the Building Regulations, but are not specifically covered in the Wiring Regulations.
Course 830 - WAH Regulations: Working at Height Regulations are increasingly important to engineers working in the real world, where the day-to-day work often involves working from steps or ladders, and a sound understanding of the legal requirements and ramifications of non-compliance is needed.
Course 730 - Engineering Skills for Operators: These skills are increasingly important in companies where lean manufacturing techniques are being applied or maintenance cover by engineers for small day-to-day problems is limiting the productivity of the company.
Course 530 - PLC Programming: This is a skill that few engineers get the chance to develop since the manufacturers of these devices do not conform to commonly-agreed standards and most engineers consequently believe that manufacturer-specific training is needed for each PLC that they are likely to encounter. Tech Training take a more enlightened view on this, since the specific skills needed to program a PLC are, in reality, platform independent. This course teaches engineers to program a range of common PLC platforms, leading to a more holistic understanding of general PLC programming techniques.
Course 460 - Installation of Renewable Energy Systems: Solar and wind power generators are the latest environmentally sound alternative to the world's energy problems and the social and governmental drive for their usage is increasing in pace. This course provides candidates with the ability to determine the best source of alternative energy, specify when and how they should be installed and understand how the electrical work should be performed.
Please click on the links for details of these courses.
Visit one of our Exhibitions
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Technical Training Solutions exhibit at various shows around the UK.
Many of the visitors to the shows are impressed with the range of equipment that we bring along to demonstrate the hardware used on the training courses for the delegates to practice with. Real industrial PLCs with moving conveyor systems, motor shaft alignment rigs, a range of electrical control panels and variable speed drive units connected to real motors are often displayed.
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Technical Training now based in Rochester
Due to the increasing demand for scheduled training courses, we moved into larger premises in 2004 at Rochester, Kent. Norwich House has several training rooms, each ideally suited for a particular range of courses, spread over three floors of the building.
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Candidates attending mechanical courses enjoy the use of a fully-equipped, bright and spacious workshop area, fitted out with heavy-duty workbenches, pillar drills, grinding machines, hydraulic presses, etc. Candidates attending electrical courses use the large seminar room which is fitted out with a practical experiments area, so that they can explore the technical issues that they are learning about on our custom-built low-voltage rigs. Other training rooms can be used for specialist courses like Instrumentation, PLCs and AC Drives.
Norwich House has a large car park where delegates can leave their cars in safety and within 5 or 10 minutes’ drive there is a good selection of three-star hotels, B&Bs, etc. Good transport links allow delegates travelling from anywhere in the UK to reach us easily. Delegates travelling to Norwich House are provided with straight-forward maps and instructions on how to get there by road, rail and public transport.
We look forward to seeing you at Norwich House soon.
Electrical maintenance skills course
goes from strength to strength
Now regarded as the industry standard for many companies, the electrical maintenance skills course (course 110) has been provided to over 5 thousand engineers in the UK and has provided many companies with increased flexibility and productivity and also enhanced the value of their maintenance teams.
Importantly, the course covers the legal aspects of working with electricity so that candidates really do understand what the dangers are, and when consolidation schemes are put into practice, they get the chance to practice their skills in a safe and controlled manner. The scheme can also be used to help employees decide when supervision is no longer necessary i.e. when competent.
The course is now offered in a three week, 4 day format totalling 12 days. Our latest course brochure provides more details.
Where's the competence in skills training?
Many modern skills training courses offer a certificate at the end of the course, but too often this is an attendance-based certificate which simply says that the delegate was actually there for the duration of the course.
Other training courses have a short multiple-choice examination, and delegates have to answer questions about the subject. This is useful for checking that the delegate has the appropriate understanding of the subject, but too often this is the only form of assessment that is made.
Skills training must lead to the delegates acquiring that skill, and for this reason training courses should have practical assessments, and this is what employers actually want.
When delegates return to work after having attended a course, many managers will automatically assume that they are now able to perform these new skills in the workplace, but from a legal point of view this assumption would have no basis, since there is no direct evidence upon which the delegate's competency can be determined.
If, however, the delegates had been given a practical assessment, then this could be used as part of the evidence for competency. The delegates would also need to be shown how the new skills they have learned would actually be used in the workplace, and therefore some degree of supervision and mentoring in the workplace would be needed to ensure that they are shown how to do this.
Courses which have practical outcomes are also more enjoyable for the delegates attending them, since they would be much more practical by their very nature - avoiding the long lectures and powerpoint presentations so often used on training courses today.
Technical Training Solutions provide courses that are skills-based and practical assessments are carried out by all the candidates. This means that at the end of any course provided by us, a candidate will have demonstrated an ability to perform a new skills that he/she was not able to perform before attending the course.
On courses where it is appropriate, we advise that the candidates use the consolidation scheme so that they can practice their new skills in their workplace under controlled conditions, ensuring their competence in a legal context and also providing the candidate and their supervisors and managers with all the evidence needed to support assertions about their competence.