Is the English plumbing NVQ level 2 = to the Irish advanced certificate?

Hi all,

Im just wondering if anyone out there completed a trade certificate from abroad and had it converted to be recognized here, etc.? I saw a course in England that looks interesting. It is a 2 month city & guilds certificate in plumbing (training centre) which then allows you to complete the NVQ level 2 (site based work) in which you are assessed. This can take from 3 months to 24 months depending on your variety of work. Apprently after this you are a qualified plumber!? I had a ring around Fas, Fetac, National qualification Authority but they told me the NVQ level 2 in England is only equal to a level 3 here. The apprenticeship here which takes minimum of 4 years recieves a level 6.

Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Just a small bit of input, i was a brickie before i had an accident a few years back and did a 4 year apprenticship.....a total waste of 3 years 6 months. Basically i learned my trade in the first 6 months its just an excuse for cheap labour. I know a chap who did a 2 month course on bricklaying in the U.k came home with papers and is one of the best bricklayers i have seen in a while so i say go for it you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Nobody asks for your papers here in anyways once you can do the job they don't care. The only thing you will not gain doing the course is experience but that will come in time.

Just wondering if you had any luck with the plumbing course, and if you can answer my query wether it is possible to get assesed for NVQ city and guilds 6089 whilst working in Republic of Ireland. The overall quality of the underpinning courses (which you are talking about) 6129 (level 2 and 3) city and guilds certs which you can do by several providers looks good (level 3 i would say is as good as any qualification in plumbin). The curriculum of both the 6129 and the vocatrion courses 6089 combined seem to match curriculum with Fas and colleges.
I to am interested in doing the NVQ but can Only work in Ireland.