[telfordwindowclnr]

Hi everyone. There is a strong possibility that I can get the above course approved by City & Guilds. I have been talking to a friend of mine who puts ideas for training courses into formats accepted by City & Guilds. He has put together many courses that are approved by them and he is happy to help me put my ideas onto paper and help me through the process.

I know when I have mentioned this course in the past, the strongest objection I came up against was that it would be a Mickey Mouse qualification. I have kept shtum about it for a while, but have been ticking away on it in the background.

Also, people did not think there was a demand for spc.  has this perception changed? do people now realise that this will be an industry all of its own and that a qualification would be sensible?

I am assuming it would grab people's interest a whole lot more if it were a City & Guilds. This is the feedback I was given, so this is the route I have been pursuing. Now that I think there is a strong possibility this may happen, I again want to gather people's thoughts on it.

Positive and negative feedback appreciated.  

[Jim Waugh(Albright & Shiny)]

Id be interested I see it as an emerging untapped market..

[DG Cleaning]

The problem as I see it with it being a city & guilds is how much is there to learn about solar panel cleaning?
I know there are dangers associated with electricity etc.
But surely unless its padded out with a lot of paperwork I can't see the course lasting longer than a day at the most.
Which in my mind devalues the city & guilds qualification.
It took me years to get mine.

[Jim Waugh(Albright & Shiny)]

The way I see it , regardless of the effort. Its a selling point when you clearly know your poop when talking a customer into giving you the job. Knowledge is ALWAYS power !!!

[andyM]

The problem as I see it with it being a city & guilds is how much is there to learn about solar panel cleaning?
I know there are dangers associated with electricity etc.
But surely unless its padded out with a lot of paperwork I can't see the course lasting longer than a day at the most.
Which in my mind devalues the city & guilds qualification.
It took me years to get mine.

I would agree.
The first C&G course I did was 4 years long.
I later did 2 years C&G in another subject.
The courses included Theory, Practical with assessments and exams.
Anyone who has done a proper City & Guilds knows these mickey mouse jobs when we see them.

[PoleKing]

The problem as I see it with it being a city & guilds is how much is there to learn about solar panel cleaning?
I know there are dangers associated with electricity etc.
But surely unless its padded out with a lot of paperwork I can't see the course lasting longer than a day at the most.
Which in my mind devalues the city & guilds qualification.
It took me years to get mine.

+1. I'd be interested to see a proposed syllabus Steve...

[telfordwindowclnr]

Id be interested I see it as an emerging untapped market..

Not quite untapped Jim, but definitely emerging...

[telfordwindowclnr]

The problem as I see it with it being a city & guilds is how much is there to learn about solar panel cleaning?
I know there are dangers associated with electricity etc.
But surely unless its padded out with a lot of paperwork I can't see the course lasting longer than a day at the most.
Which in my mind devalues the city & guilds qualification.
It took me years to get mine.

Topics covered would include H & S, RAMS, work at height, development, communication, equipment etc. it would easily fill a day. But until I get ideas on paper, it is hard to know exactly how long the course would be.

[telfordwindowclnr]

The problem as I see it with it being a city & guilds is how much is there to learn about solar panel cleaning?
I know there are dangers associated with electricity etc.
But surely unless its padded out with a lot of paperwork I can't see the course lasting longer than a day at the most.
Which in my mind devalues the city & guilds qualification.
It took me years to get mine.

I would agree.
The first C&G course I did was 4 years long.
I later did 2 years C&G in another subject.
The courses included Theory, Practical with assessments and exams.
Anyone who has done a proper City & Guilds knows these mickey mouse jobs when we see them.

Lots of people mentioned C & G before. Can you think of a better route or format?

[Dave Willis]

Why does it have to be C&G or NVQ?

Why not just a certificate - proof of training?

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I think you should concentrate on cleaning them & your own business. You know yourself, 90% would be bollox anyway!

[Dave Willis]

Yer, but there's money to be made out of bollox - ask the impact bloke.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Yer, but there's money to be made out of bollox - ask the impact bloke.

Yes & that's what p****es me off, muppets thinking we're all mugs!

[Dave Willis]

I'm doing a Diploma in gutter emptying next year. It's a five year course.

If I pass that I might go for a degree in dusting!

[telfordwindowclnr]

I think you should concentrate on cleaning them & your own business. You know yourself, 90% would be bollox anyway!

My interests extend beyond physically cleaning panels, but in moving the industry forward as a whole. It may be 90% if you were doing it, but the people involved are professional course collators, administrators and assessors.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

I think you should concentrate on cleaning them & your own business. You know yourself, 90% would be bollox anyway!

My interests extend beyond physically cleaning panels, but in moving the industry forward as a whole. It may be 90% if you were doing it, but the people involved are professional course collators, administrators and assessors.

Whatever!!

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Another who's got a few big jobs & now wants to "educate" others!!

[niceandclean]

The problem as I see it with it being a city & guilds is how much is there to learn about solar panel cleaning?
I know there are dangers associated with electricity etc.
But surely unless its padded out with a lot of paperwork I can't see the course lasting longer than a day at the most.
Which in my mind devalues the city & guilds qualification.
It took me years to get mine.

Topics covered would include H & S, RAMS, work at height, development, communication, equipment etc. it would easily fill a day. But until I get ideas on paper, it is hard to know exactly how long the course would be.

Could this type of training be bolted on to an existing window cleaning/H&S course? Team up with Impact or Ionics?? Or maybe Ionics (www.ionicsolar.com) will be adding it to one of their courses soon themselves?

[deeege]

I think you should concentrate on cleaning them & your own business. You know yourself, 90% would be bollox anyway!

My interests extend beyond physically cleaning panels, but in moving the industry forward as a whole. It may be 90% if you were doing it, but the people involved are professional course collators, administrators and assessors.

Hahahaha.....

No seriously.......

Hahahaha.......

[DG Cleaning]

I think you should concentrate on cleaning them & your own business. You know yourself, 90% would be bollox anyway!

My interests extend beyond physically cleaning panels, but in moving the industry forward as a whole. It may be 90% if you were doing it, but the people involved are professional course collators, administrators and assessors.

I'll be a bit more diplomatic because you seem like an alright bloke Steve.
But a qualification in cleaning solar panels, really?
I'd concentrate on what your doing, you seem to be doing rather well.
These type of courses are a nice little gravy train especially if they get funding.
But in all honesty all these collators, admin etc love it when a new course comes along, it keeps them in a job.
Take a look at the impact courses everyone on here was raving about them (owt for nowt syndrome. )
As soon as they aren't free nobodies bothered.
That tells me they weren't necessary.