Free online learning for adults: click here
Free online learning for adults: click here
Find out more about our Brickwork, Carpentry & Joinery, Electrical, Plastering and Plumbing courses first-hand.
Plastering
“The course is really practical, so you get to learn by doing it yourself. I’ve always wanted to learn a trade, and Nescot has such a good reputation. The Plastering tutors are really good, and because they’re so experienced they can give you good advice from their own experience.”
Carpentry and Joinery
“To work in carpentry you need to have good attention to detail, and that’s really drilled in to us from the beginning. The lessons can be complicated at times, but the teachers are really good at explaining things. If you don’t understand then they will always find a different way of explaining something, and they always make it relevant so you can see how a theory will apply in real life on a job. The facilities at Nescot are great – we have everything we could ask for. Next year I’m going to do Level 2, and then I’m hoping to do an apprenticeship, because I like the idea of combining college and work. My long-term goal is to have my own business.”
Electrical apprenticeship
“I like studying Electrical because it’s a good mix of skills. You have to use your brain a lot, but it’s also a really practical job. At the moment we’re working on designing the electrics for a hotel, which is complicated. We have to plan out all the lighting and cabling and where the circuits start and end, but we also have to think about making adjustments for the swimming pool area, because of the water, and whether there’s enough electrical capacity in the kitchen for the number of hotel guests. I’m doing an apprenticeship, which I’m enjoying because I like the balance of studying and being on-site. I’d recommend Nescot to anyone, it’s a great place to learn a trade.”
Plastering
“I’d had some experience plastering and I knew I wanted to study it at college. I chose Nescot because everyone says it’s the best college. We’ve been working with sand and cement, multi-finish and plasterboard, so we get a lot of variety. The teachers also talk about the other trades, and how we’ll work with them when we’re on-site. The course is rewarding because you can see how much better your technique is getting, and plastering looks amazing when it’s done well. I’m planning to work full-time as a plasterer once I finish my Level 2 qualification, and Nescot is definitely setting me up for a career in construction.”
Plumbing apprentice
“I never planned to be a plumber, but I was working in the office for Smith and Byford and I was really interested in what the engineers did. I looked at studying part-time, but I knew I needed the practical experience too, so doing an apprenticeship made perfect sense. The course can be hard at times, but the teaching is great and my employer is really supportive. I work with a great engineer, and he encourages me to do as much as I can on our jobs and that builds my confidence as well as my skills. The facilities at Nescot are amazing, and all the teachers are really experienced. They set high standards for our work, but that’s good preparation for work. I really enjoy being a female plumber. You still get a few people who think it’s a man’s job, but I’ve never been made to feel like that at college or at work. I want to work in domestic gas at first, and then specialise in commercial in the longer-term. Plumbing is a great trade because it’s versatile, and although it’s hard work it’s really rewarding.”
Construction Skills
“We study brickwork, plastering and carpentry and joinery, so we get a good foundation of skills and we learn about how the trades work together on a job. It’s a good way of working out which trade would suit you best. I’m hoping to study Electrical next, and then to do an apprenticeship.
“I have Developmental Language Disorder, which affects how I communicate. I went to a specialist school before I came to Nescot, so coming to college was a big change. Nescot is big and it was a bit overwhelming at first, but there’s lots of support. I have support in the classroom and for exams, and the teachers are really good at using different strategies to support me and to make sure I understand.”
Carpentry
“I chose Carpentry and Joinery because it’s a really versatile trade – there’s lots of ways to specialise, and lots of different types of work you could do. I want to do site carpentry in the future. We’ve worked on lots of different types of projects to help us get more experience, and that also helps you to think about a career path, too.
My favourite projects are when we work on orders for people or companies. Last year we made planters for Banstead Village in Bloom, and at the moment we’re making two benches for a business in Epsom. It’s rewarding to make something that’s going to be used, and it’s good experience, too.”
Brickwork
“Brickwork is a great trade to have. People always need bricklayers, and learning Brickwork first is a really good foundation for other trades. When we’re learning a new technique the teacher shows us how to do it, and then we work independently from a plan. The teachers come and check your work and guide you if you need any help. It’s a good way of working, because you get more responsibility than school so you feel more confident in your own skills, but the teachers are really quick to help you if you need anything.”
Level 2 Electrical
“I knew I wanted to have a trade, because you’ll always be able to find work. Electrical appealed to me because there’s a lot of variety. At the moment we’re working on our circuit boxes in class, which is the foundation for everything else we’ll be doing. The teachers are great – they’re really good at explaining new things. My tutor is a qualified electrician, so he’s always giving us examples of how things work on-site, and what you’d do in a real-life situation. In the future I want to do an apprenticeship, because you get to work and keep training, and I know that the college helps students to find a placement if you need them to. There’s a lot of support here, so I’d definitely recommend Nescot.”
Level 3 Plumbing Apprenticeship
"The teachers here are all trained plumbers, so they can tell you about how things work on-site. I started studying full-time and I’m now doing an apprenticeship with a big commercial company, working on a large site in London."
Level 2 Brickwork
"The best thing about Nescot is the teachers. The teachers speak to you with respect, and because they treat you like an adult you act like one. I’ve learnt a lot from them. I feel more confident in what I’m doing now. I’ve got a job outside of college, and when I finish my qualification I’m hoping to be there full-time.
It’s a small group, so we can always ask for help if we need any. The facilities are great too – you’re working like you would in the industry."
The teachers have all worked as plasterers, and some of them still do, so that really helps. Plastering can be messy, but I really enjoy it. I like working with my hands, not spending all day in a classroom reading from books. When I started at Nescot I’d never done plastering before, but I’ve improved a lot and I feel more confident about what I can do.
Harley, Level 2 Plastering
I would recommend studying part-time to anyone. I was a nursery nurse for nine years, and now I’m training as a Plumber. The course is difficult and demanding, but if you’re prepared to put in the work the teachers will support you all the way. I’m planning to start my own business in the future, and I’m definitely learning the skills I need.
