PHPI catches up with Logic4training’s ‘Lifetime of Training’ winner, Josh Scott, a year after he began his plumbing NVQ at the Northolt training centre. He’s come a long way since then and is feeling optimistic about his future.
Q. Last time we spoke you had recently finished your Plumbing Diploma. What have you been up to since then?
After my diploma, I started Logic4training’s MLP (Managed Learning Program) – training to be a gas engineer. I spent most of last Autumn at Logic’s training centre in Northolt, learning how to work safely with gas. There were technical lessons in the classroom and practical sessions in the workshops. After that I began working on my portfolio where you focus on work experience before you finally take your ACS exams and qualify.
For the portfolio you shadow a qualified Gas Safe engineer to put the skills you’ve learnt at the centre into practice and build your confidence. Over the months you become more independent – ready to take on a professional role as a heating engineer. I’ve loved it.
Q. Where did you work to build your portfolio experience?
I’ve been working for Belfor, a fire and flood restoration company where my dad and brother Ryan work. It’s been great. I’m employed as a Multitrader, so I’ve been working on all sorts of things as well as boiler installs.
My plumbing skills have been useful, and I’ve even done a bit of tiling, which is something I used to do before I started my training. It’s really good to be able to turn your hand to a range of skills and help out where you’re needed.
I’ve realised that when you’re starting out it’s good to have more experienced people around you. They give me support which helps me feel more assured about what I’m doing.
Q. What do you fancy doing next?
Although the first part of the prize is coming to an end, I get £1,000 worth of training a year for the next ten years. It’s fantastic! Logic4training is great, they’re always bringing in new qualification, so I’ll have a little browse and see what I fancy next. Heat pumps would be good, or maybe solar PV.
I feel very lucky to have the chance over the next few years to expand my knowledge and get the qualifications I need to develop my career. My Dad says it’s important to be adaptable these days.
I’ve also just bought my first house. It needs a lot of work doing on it, but I wanted to find somewhere I could put my own mark on and to be honest, somewhere I could practice my new skills! It needs a new bathroom, so that’s fine, I can do that, plus new flooring and decorating everywhere. It also needs a new kitchen, so I’ll have to bring Dad in to help with that. It’s a big project, but one I’m excited to be starting out on.
I feel so lucky that winning the prize has enabled me to learn a new trade and get a good job. I never would have been able to get a mortgage as a self-employed worker, so I have put the plumbing and tiling company I started up before I began my training, to one side for now. There’s plenty of time to think about what I might do in the future, but at the moment life’s good. I’ve got one more thing to cover for my portfolio – the flue on a boiler install – and then it’s back to Northolt for a re-cap before I sit my ACS. It makes me very happy to look back and think about all I’ve learnt this year.
Josh Scott won Logic4training’s Lifetime of Training competition in May 2023. The amazing prize will give him a wide variety of training and support so he can become a successful building services installer; from practical training to a new website, Checkatrade membership and even marketing support.
Once he’s completed his MLP, Josh will benefit from £1,000 worth of training every year for a decade.
