Hands-on engineering courses for people who want to build practical skills, from electrical wiring and maintenance to hydraulics, mechanical fitting and welding. Pick a course below to see what it covers, how it is assessed and the next dates.
electrical skills
About the course
This course gives you a basic working knowledge and practical experience of electrical installation in single phase and three phase.
It runs in two parts of 8 days each. Part 1 (Wiring & Testing) covers safety procedures, isolation and test equipment, then single-phase wiring: lighting circuits, the ring circuit and spur, and working from simple electrical drawings. Part 2 (Maintenance) moves on to three-phase motors and starters, including direct-on-line and star-delta starters, motor testing and control gear.
What's covered
Two parts of 8 days. Each date below shows which part it is.
Wiring & Testing (QPEO2/033)
- Safety procedures: isolation requirements, checking, test lamps, test meters and the clamp-on ammeter
- Working to simple electrical drawings
- Identifying, selecting, terminating and connecting cables and wires
- Lighting circuits: 1-way, 2-way and intermediate
- The ring circuit and spur, and testing the ring circuit to BS7671
Maintaining Electrical Equipment (QPEO2/037)
- Testing motors: resistance of phases, insulation between phases and to earth
- Removing fuses, locking off and permits to work
- Wiring simple, direct-on-line and star-delta starters and motors
- Checking starting and running currents
- Depending on your progress, wiring motors in sequence, a crane control panel, or motor and control gear from schematic drawings
How it works
- Part 1: Wiring & Testing8 days of practical training in safety, test equipment and single-phase wiring.
- Part 2: Maintenance8 days on three-phase motors, starters and control gear.
- Portfolio assessmentYou build a portfolio of your work throughout, and it's assessed when you finish.
- CertificatePass and you're awarded an EAL certificate.
Who it's for
Anyone who wants to gain electrical skills.
What you'll need
Your own PPE.
certificate of competence
About the course
This course gives mechanical and electrical fitters and maintenance staff a basic working knowledge and practical experience of combined hydraulics and pneumatics.
It's designed for people with no previous experience. Over four days of classroom and practical work you learn the standard symbols, build and test circuits, and get started on fault-finding and maintenance.
What's covered
- Safety procedures
- An introduction to CETOP (BS2917) symbols
- Hydraulic and pneumatic circuits
- Testing circuits
- Basic fault-finding and maintenance
How it works
- Four days of trainingClassroom and practical sessions with an Alliance Learning instructor.
- Portfolio assessmentYou build a portfolio of your work throughout, and it's assessed when you finish.
- CertificatePass and you're awarded an Alliance Learning certificate of competence.
Who it's for
Mechanical and electrical fitters and maintenance staff with no previous experience of hydraulics and pneumatics.
What you'll need
Your own PPE.
About the course
This course gives you a basic working knowledge and practical experience of mechanical and fitting skills.
It's for people who want to gain mechanical skills, and it suits both electrical installation and maintenance staff. You work at the bench with workshop equipment, then move on to alignment, drive belts and bearings.
What's covered
- Measuring and marking out, including datums, guidelines and angles
- Bench fitting: safe use of the drilling machine, pedestal grinder and power saw
- Filing surfaces flat and square, curved and angular
- Removing surplus material by sawing, chiselling and shaping
- Producing holes by drilling, reaming and countersinking
- Drill grinding, key fitting, and pulley and shaft alignment
- Drive belts, holding devices, and fitting and extracting bearings
How it works
- Four days of trainingPractical workshop training with an Alliance Learning instructor.
- Portfolio assessmentYou build a portfolio of your work throughout, and it's assessed when you finish.
- CertificatePass and you're awarded an Alliance Learning certificate of competence.
Who it's for
People who want to gain mechanical skills, including electrical installation and maintenance staff.
What you'll need
Your own PPE.
industry
sessions
About the course
The Level 2 Award in Welding is for anyone already working in the industry who wants to develop their welding skills further and move their career on.
It's a highly practical course, delivered in our dedicated Fabrication and Welding building. Alongside the welding itself you cover the underpinning knowledge of welding techniques and health and safety. All sessions are practical workshop sessions, though you'll need to do a little reading and research to answer the oral questions at the end. Support materials are available.
What's covered
You study one of these welding processes:
- Manual Metal Arc (MMA) welding
- Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding
- Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding
- The underpinning knowledge of welding techniques, and health and safety
How it works
- 17 weeks of evening sessionsPractical workshop sessions in our Fabrication and Welding building.
- AssessmentFive practical assignments, welding in the PB and PF positions, and one oral knowledge test for each process you study.
- CertificatePass and you're awarded a City & Guilds certificate showing your competence in your chosen welding process.
Who it's for
Anyone already working in the industry who wants to develop their welding skills and advance their career.
What you'll need
Level 1 in the welding process you want to study, and your own PPE.
About the course
The Level 3 Award in Advanced Welding Skills lets you take your welding further, moving on to complex welding work and quality control.
It's for anyone already working in the industry who wants to advance their welding skills. Like Level 2 it's highly practical and delivered in our dedicated Fabrication and Welding building, covering the underpinning knowledge of welding techniques as well as health and safety. Support materials are available.
What's covered
- Advanced welding techniques in practical workshop sessions
- Complex welding work and quality control
- The underpinning knowledge of welding techniques
- Health and safety
How it works
- 30 weeks of evening classesPractical workshop sessions in our Fabrication and Welding building.
- AssessmentFive practical assignments for each mandatory unit, and an online underpinning knowledge test of 30 questions.
- QualificationPass and you gain a City & Guilds qualification recognising your advanced welding competence.
Who it's for
Anyone already working in the industry who wants to advance their welding skills further.
What you'll need
Level 2 in the welding process you want to study at an advanced level.
Where you'll train
Alliance Learning
The Hurst Building, Horwich Loco Estate
Chorley New Road, Horwich, Bolton BL6 5UE
Frequently asked questions
Which course is right for me?
Electrical Wiring, Testing & Maintenance is for anyone who wants electrical skills, in single phase and three phase. Hydraulics & Pneumatics is for fitters and maintenance staff new to fluid power. Mechanical Maintenance builds bench fitting and mechanical skills. The City & Guilds Level 2 and Level 3 Awards in Welding are for people already working in the industry. Not sure? Ask us and we'll help you choose.
Do I need any experience?
Hydraulics & Pneumatics is designed for people with no previous experience. For the Level 2 Award in Welding you need to have achieved Level 1 in the welding process, and for the Level 3 Award you need Level 2.
Do I need to bring anything?
Yes. You need to provide your own PPE for the electrical, hydraulics, mechanical and Level 2 welding courses.
How are the courses assessed?
On the electrical, hydraulics and mechanical courses you build a portfolio of your practical work, which is assessed at the end. The welding courses are assessed through practical welding assignments and a knowledge test.
What certificate will I get?
The electrical, hydraulics and mechanical courses lead to an Alliance Learning certificate of competence. The welding courses lead to a City & Guilds certificate.
Can I get an EAL unit for the electrical course?
Yes. An EAL accredited unit of competence can be achieved for an additional cost and extra time. Ask us for details.
Can you train a group from our company?
Yes. Get in touch about group bookings or running a course for your staff. Send us a group enquiry.
Questions about engineering training?
Our commercial training team can help you choose a course, book a group or find the next date.
Send us an enquiry
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