Why can't I get an honest quote ?

[Deleted member 174758]

CITB

Yes, but they are a major part of the problem.

I have two blue card (level 2) "joiners" working for me right now. One has only just done his level 2, but did go to college for 18 months to get his NVQ, and that was on top of several years working as a roofer's mate, mainly on cut roofing. But he came (and us paid as) an improver, so I expected him to be green. The other was, I found out, a labourer before he came to this site, and frankly fiddled his blue card through an obliging "trainer". His knowledge is very patchy and whilst he has a goodish toolkit (well, all the cordless tools you'd ever want, but doesn't possess a set of levels or a single auger bit - and we work on structural stuff in the main), he has very patchy knowledge, is over confident as to his abilities (he is a "qualified" man, after all) whilst at the same time often being slow and having at best a haphazard approach to the job (good carpenters need to.be methodical and organised as well as generally being team players)

But they are both CITB (CSCS) qualified "joiners". And there's the rub - they set the bar too low, then don't even police that to ensure that unscrupulous types aren't "passing" frauds as competent tradesmen. Gawd help us in the future if this is what we have to look forward to!

Edit: To underline this, this morning I opened my phone news feed to be met by two adverts. The first was offering CSCS qualifications, "No time? No problem! Study on-line..." whilst the other guaranteed CSCS qualifications, "...no exams, no qualifications...". WTF? I have done several on-line courses (e.g.site management), but they always required proofs of experience, affit davits from more senior people and exam passes before the qualifications were ratified. I'm left wondering just how it is possible to become a qualified carpenter, plumber or God forbid an electrician without practical knowledge and experience. No wonder the trades are being populated with half-wits and morons! NVQ really must stand for "not very qualified"

 

[datarebal]

But they are both CITB qualified "joiners". And there's the rub - they set the bar too low, then don't even police that to ensure that unscrupulous types aren't "passing" frauds as competent tradesmen. Gawd help us in the future if this is what we have to look forward to!

Personally I think this reflects their previous employers

 

[albaPhenom]

Yes, but they are a major part of the problem.

I have two blue card (level 2) "joiners" working for me right now. One has only just done his level 2, but did go to college for 18 months to get his NVQ,and that was on top of several years working as a roofer's mate, mainly on cut roofing. But he came (and us paid as) an improver, so I expected him to be green. The other was, I found out, a labourer before he came to this site, and frankly fiddled his blue card through an obliging "trainer". His knowledge is very patchy and whilst he has a goodish toolkit (well, all the cordless tools you'd ever want, but doesn't possess a set of levels or a single auger bit - and we work on structural stuff in the main), he has very patchy knowledge, is over confident as to his abilities (he is a "qualified" man, after all) whilst st the same time often being slow and having at best a haphazard approach to the job.

But they are both CITB qualified "joiners". And there's the rub - they set the bar too low, then don't even police that to ensure that unscrupulous types aren't "passing" frauds as competent tradesmen. Gawd help us in the future if this is what we have to look forward to!

I’ve worked in roofing and cladding for 20 odd years and paid them thousands upon thousands of pounds and never had a single bit of benefit from them ... but then, they’re not really there to support our sector so it was an argument I didn’t want to get into.

Good to hear my suspicion of them as a mostly toothless entity there to draw money out of contractors holds some water.

 

[datarebal]

You can get grants .
Don't get me wrong , I don't like the idea of being forced to pay levies .. but I guess those in the office need to be paid