Where can you go after NVQ level 3?

[TigLad]

So I completed my level 3 in welding and fabrication 5 years ago, my company is willing to pay for a college course and I've been thinking about what options are out there, if I were to do a HNC then what would you be accepted to do following on from a level 3 in welding/fabrication?

If I don't go down that route the other courses I'd be interested in would be to do electrical engineering or electrical installations as I work at a large food manufacturing site where there's a range of options in things you can train up in.

 

[winchman]

Personally if it interests you I would look at Mechatronics as it covers 90% of the stuff on production machines
I wandered off course a few years ago and did some good safety qualification but you have to have a real interest in it or it can be hard

 

[Munkul]

HNC is a good grounding over vocational courses, there is (or was!) quite a bit of mechanical theory which i found very useful. Be prepared for some reasonably difficult math. The teachers can make or break the class for you, mind. I was lucky that we had a couple of very good teachers who had very interesting stories of past working careers.

I did my HNC at 18-19 after A-levels, and then went straight onto a BEng hons degree top-up, it served me well I think, I'd definitely recommend the path I took to someone else in the same position. Then got an MSc and now chartered. Doesn't mean anything much, but sounds good

 

[Kayos]

Have a think where you want to go with it.

I have just got my Nebosh construction, very specialised but also highly prized in some situations

I want to do building systems engineering but needs day release to college so not possible

Higher level NVQs are degree equivalent, that may be a big tick in some industries or a waste of time

 

[Brad93]

HNC always worth having

 

[TigLad]

HNC is a good grounding over vocational courses, there is (or was!) quite a bit of mechanical theory which i found very useful. Be prepared for some reasonably difficult math. The teachers can make or break the class for you, mind. I was lucky that we had a couple of very good teachers who had very interesting stories of past working careers.

I did my HNC at 18-19 after A-levels, and then went straight onto a BEng hons degree top-up, it served me well I think, I'd definitely recommend the path I took to someone else in the same position. Then got an MSc and now chartered. Doesn't mean anything much, but sounds good

What subject did you do at HNC mate?
I'm looking into what options there are at HNC that I'd be interested in and that would accept me following on from welding and fabrication.

 

[Munkul]

What subject did you do at HNC mate?
I'm looking into what options there are at HNC that I'd be interested in and that would accept me following on from welding and fabrication.

General engineering, I think. I'd say mechanical only, but I remember doing a bit of electronics and PLC programming as well.

EDIT: I've just had a look at HNC BTEC framework, there are a number of modules you can choose from, some of which will be available from whatever college you go to, some will not. You'll probably find a few that suit you though.

 

[TigLad]

General engineering, I think. I'd say mechanical only, but I remember doing a bit of electronics and PLC programming as well.

EDIT: I've just had a look at HNC BTEC framework, there are a number of modules you can choose from, some of which will be available from whatever college you go to, some will not. You'll probably find a few that suit you though.

Is there much practical work involved or is it all written work, I'm wondering whether I could do an HNC online as opposed to attending a college, which would be easier to fit around personal life if possible

 

[Munkul]

Is there much practical work involved or is it all written work, I'm wondering whether I could do an HNC online as opposed to attending a college, which would be easier to fit around personal life if possible

It's mostly, although not completely, written theory. I wouldn't want to learn it online, the maths stuff especially you want a good teacher helping you, but that's just me.

 

[TigLad]

Personally if it interests you I would look at Mechatronics as it covers 90% of the stuff on production machines
I wandered off course a few years ago and did some good safety qualification but you have to have a real interest in it or it can be hard

Yeah it does look interesting the only thing I'm unsure of with mechatronics is how much electrical/electronic knowledge I would need to have before starting the course

 

[Munkul]

Yeah it does look interesting the only thing I'm unsure of with mechatronics is how much electrical/electronic knowledge I would need to have before starting the course

Not much, if it's just one btec module. Its more or less an overview.

 

[winchman]

Not much, if it's just one btec module. Its more or less an overview.

If you are interested its not to bad if you are not it would be hard.
If you are interested I would expect you to be able to answer the following ( I use these on the Apprentices)
Draw me full wave rectification and explain what the capacitor does.
Whats the Pneumatic equivalent of a capacitor.
Whats a Transistor.
Who is Fred Dinbnah, Burt monroe and Joseph Bazalgette
Just remember I was Pigeon holed by the collage at 16 as a Fitter as they measured you on Maths ability, when in reality none of this is hard if you have an interest I feel engineers are born not made its the inner interest.
I love it when I have to tell the electricians how the inverter works, or the Hybrid drive on the compressor, I learnt it as it interest me.
You Tube is full of good and bad training to help get you started so give it a go what have you got to loose?

 

[Pete.]

If you are interested its not to bad if you are not it would be hard.
If you are interested I would expect you to be able to answer the following ( I use these on the Apprentices)
Draw me full wave rectification and explain what the capacitor does.
Whats the Pneumatic equivalent of a capacitor.
Whats a Transistor.
Who is Fred Dinbnah, Burt monroe and Joseph Bazalgette
Just remember I was Pigeon holed by the collage at 16 as a Fitter as they measured you on Maths ability, when in reality none of this is hard if you have an interest I feel engineers are born not made its the inner interest.
I love it when I have to tell the electricians how the inverter works, or the Hybrid drive on the compressor, I learnt it as it interest me.
You Tube is full of good and bad training to help get you started so give it a go what have you got to loose?

Those are pretty good questions though I don't know who Joe Baguette is maybe a French baker, and there's no requirement for a capacitor in a full wave rectification circuit.

 

[Munkul]

If you are interested its not to bad if you are not it would be hard.
If you are interested I would expect you to be able to answer the following ( I use these on the Apprentices)
Draw me full wave rectification and explain what the capacitor does.
Whats the Pneumatic equivalent of a capacitor.
Whats a Transistor.
Who is Fred Dinbnah, Burt monroe and Joseph Bazalgette
Just remember I was Pigeon holed by the collage at 16 as a Fitter as they measured you on Maths ability, when in reality none of this is hard if you have an interest I feel engineers are born not made its the inner interest.
I love it when I have to tell the electricians how the inverter works, or the Hybrid drive on the compressor, I learnt it as it interest me.
You Tube is full of good and bad training to help get you started so give it a go what have you got to loose?

yeah I know plenty of dumb electricians and clever fitters. But also, people only learn what they want to learn, or what the need to learn.
I know enough about electronics to have built a DIY engine ECU and wiring at component level, but I couldn't tell you much about rectification other than it involves capacitor smoothing and diodes to erm... chop the wave into only one side? Something like that
I have no idea who Burt Monroe or Joseph Bazalgette is, but I also don't understand why Fred Dibnah is important, other than as a celebrity? Don't get me wrong I love watching some of the stuff he did, but he's not as fundamental to engineering as say, Pythagoras or Newton.

 

[winchman]

You have the gist of the rectification thats enough.
Burt Munro was an old bloke who made his own Pistons from scrap and used cast iron water pipe to make his own cylinder liners. In 1967 he set a world record that still stands to this day, he was a brilliant engineer using very basic stuff. The film about him is great.

• In 1967, his engine was bored out to 950 cc and he set an under 1000 cc class record of 295.453 km/h (183.59 mph). To qualify he made a one-way run of 305.89 km/h (190.07 mph), the fastest-ever officially recorded speed on an Indian.[2] The unofficial speed record (officially timed) is 331 km/h (205.67 mph) for a flying mile.

Bazalgette sorted Londons sewers out with some very clever basic designs.
Fred well he was just a can do engineer show you what you can achieve in the garden with an understanding wife!