I did a course there, at Trade skills. And you cant blame the real sparks from disliking this sort of course when a real sparks does 4 years.
Ok, I am a learner, I want to test a whole bunch of stuff. I have been wiring things for years as we all have, but now have done written part of UK Part P (domestic installer) (which allows me to test and inspect) for no other reason than one electrician came to wire up my kitchen and did not know the regs regarding positions of socket outlets near the sink, had not heard of the On Site Guide, and another forgot to tighten the terminals on the main incomer and nearly burned the house down. Frankly I think the course falls short on testing and I understand that that training facility is now doing practical testing with hands on after a group of us voiced concerns.
As someone else said previously in a reply, you/I need a lot more knowledge to go and inspect and test ANYTHING.
I found it was well worth reading up on stuff first, get the On site guide and the Electricians guide to building regs, good elec wholesalers have them, and read ahead, makes the course easier to understand on the day. You need them on the course anyway for reference.
When you have done the course, you still have to do a practical with one of the bodies (ie NICEIC) or similar, like a simple switch change and a small ring circuit, then show them you know how to test it all, then you can do installations and sign off your own work.
We were told the alternative is not to do the practical, but to tell building control what you want to do beforehand, they then come and test it all at the end - see threads on the testing and inspection part of this forum.
I stand to be corrected on any of the above by the wise.
I am going to ask a whole bunch of dumb questions in the coming months, hoping the guys here can educate me.