Thread: Serious Doubts About Fibre / Cabling Jobs “CTTS�

Yea it does help if you do have prior knowledge, we had mainly marines, para's , and infantry and only a few techs, the techs found it pretty stright foward, but for the bulk of us cause its all new to us it was pretty diffucult.

Originally Posted by bootneck01

Yea it does help if you do have prior knowledge, we had mainly marines, para's , and infantry and only a few techs, the techs found it pretty stright foward, but for the bulk of us cause its all new to us it was pretty diffucult.

Agreed, I didn't have a technical background either except that of a Signaller in the infantry. The maths part of the course, although not essential to pass, was crazy as the level they are teaching it was higher than many service personnel(me included)would have reached at school!!

I'm about to start a nice job on the tube fitting the new Automatic Train Operation equipment to the lineside - Northern Line.

I still belive that it is a good course, but its pretty hard to find a job in this present climate.

Specialconstanable is your new job to do with telecoms from ctts ? what does it involve where did you find out about that?
I am still searching, it seems most of the work is down south, very little of it, is up north

Now in the middle of the PON week. Instruction levels very good however chances of ever using the skills learnt still appear very slim. Am still shedding tears over amount of money spent and the feeeling of having made costly mistakes in my resettlement planning upmost in my thoughts. Advice to anyone about to start the process. Dont listen too much to the CTP advisor and fully evaluate the financial aspect. A 7 Grand course still amounts to over FOUR grand in real terms from your pocket. Think of all the useful things you cound spend that on, rent, food, nappies etc. Still good luck for the future fellas.....

My hubby done his resettlement at ctts 2 yrs ago. To be really honest..Dont put you credits into this. He hasnt had steady work, as for the coms agencies..ha they are a waste of space. My hubby has been waiting to start a contract for home office IN APRIL 2008, it got put back then he got a call to get all his paperwork in and send copy of passport by end Nov, yip it still to this day hasnt happened. hE HAS DONE CAT5/6, SDH and surveying, got himself an online course at £2000 and still cant get anything. Stay away from following agencies in our opinion FP,EM,OM, PP and B, they advertise jobs that dont exist

Is there any success stories ???? lol

I am ex royal sigs and did the course in early 2007. Didnt do too badly out of it, had to find my own work placement since it seems that relying on other people is definitely not the way to go. Ended up on DII in NI, however the rate was 180 a day so werent bad, until we were told that we had to provide ALL tools, we were told basic hand tools, combi drill etc, which soon turned into sds drills, core bits etc, and a good sds cost a few hundred quid. Worked for the foreign office, going worldwide, however, had to wait over 3 months to get the few grand expenses owed (still paying off the interest on my credit card) and now working at AWE in aldermaston outside reading subbying to Honeywell via electranet. The rate is 140 and sh*t. for obvious reasons. 140 x 5 = 700. or is it.

140 quid to the tax man (20%)
140 quid on digs
100 quid on fuel (210 mile drive on mondays and fridays)
50 quid on food (if your lucky)
20 quid on replacing tools, drill bits etc.
100 quid weeks shopping for a family of 4

which leaves you with 150 to cover mortgage/rent/council tax etc. so in effect you are working for nothing

done some research of late, the rates sound good but on a rate of 140 a day, and there only being 261 working days in the year, by the time you have taken your 20 % off for tax then a further 20 % for digs, then another 5 grand for fuel for the year.

Annual salary = 16K a year, with tools and car repairs to come out of that, is it really worth spending thousands of pounds on a course that is gonna get you a job which pays less than the asda warehouse. I think not. I may have a good job coming up on the radio side of life, which may, hopefully allow me to find the funds to do my master plumbers qual and corgi since there is a severe shortfall of plumbers plus its 60 points towards australia. Worth thinking about if you are getting out soon

Originally Posted by cunnie1979

I am ex royal sigs and did the course in early 2007. Didnt do too badly out of it, had to find my own work placement since it seems that relying on other people is definitely not the way to go. Ended up on DII in NI, however the rate was 180 a day so werent bad, until we were told that we had to provide ALL tools, we were told basic hand tools, combi drill etc, which soon turned into sds drills, core bits etc, and a good sds cost a few hundred quid. Worked for the foreign office, going worldwide, however, had to wait over 3 months to get the few grand expenses owed (still paying off the interest on my credit card) and now working at AWE in aldermaston outside reading subbying to Honeywell via electranet. The rate is 140 and sh*t. for obvious reasons. 140 x 5 = 700. or is it.

140 quid to the tax man (20%)
140 quid on digs
100 quid on fuel (210 mile drive on mondays and fridays)
50 quid on food (if your lucky)
20 quid on replacing tools, drill bits etc.
100 quid weeks shopping for a family of 4

which leaves you with 150 to cover mortgage/rent/council tax etc. so in effect you are working for nothing

done some research of late, the rates sound good but on a rate of 140 a day, and there only being 261 working days in the year, by the time you have taken your 20 % off for tax then a further 20 % for digs, then another 5 grand for fuel for the year.

Annual salary = 16K a year, with tools and car repairs to come out of that, is it really worth spending thousands of pounds on a course that is gonna get you a job which pays less than the asda warehouse. I think not. I may have a good job coming up on the radio side of life, which may, hopefully allow me to find the funds to do my master plumbers qual and corgi since there is a severe shortfall of plumbers plus its 60 points towards australia. Worth thinking about if you are getting out soon

Can you not claim tax back for digs and food if you are working away on contract? In fact you definitely can for your tools so the £140 tax is wrong.

My mate did his resettlement with CTTS after doing 25 years in the RN (and you can see his ugly grid on the been there, done that page :D ). I was speaking to him last night but I'll give him a bell tomorrow and see how he rated them for resettlement purposes. He's working with DII now and is earning a very decent wage (more than he was on whilst in as a SNCO) and has no need to touch his pension at all.

Finished 6 week course in feb. Jobs seem to be laying off at the moment. Just had 5 practically identical knockbacks all starting with a version of "in the current climate". At this rate an application to work as a naafi mong might have to go in to pay the bills. CTTS are basically preying on the vulnerable by selling their courses as current and as a good way into the telecomms market. If youre a 19 year old with no commitments maybe there are projects out there, but at the moment for a family guy the course has left a very sour taste in the mouth and I wish I had read this site before contributing a few grand towards Martin Cooks new Aston. Pass the word, AVOID this course and courses like it. All the best guys!

If anyone has quals for configuring CISCO gear PM me. I know of an agency who have some on and off work reconfiguring networks for HM Prison Service. You'll need SC clearance though. I believe this is part of the beat up before EDS get ready to do the next big refresh for HM Prison Service.

the 140 tax is not wrong. I do submit a tax return, and yes i get a rebate. however, since i am taxed at source that is why i am due a rebate. I have a very good accountant, and after shelling out a monumental amount, on kit etc, the rebate is not very good to be honest.

Dii rates are good providing its local, its no good if you have to shell out for digs etc day in day out, so if you are from the north, work in this industry is pretty non existent, which means a drive in excess of 150 miles in order to get to work. The lads i have worked with, when working down south saw sizeable profit at the end of the week since they lived there, but work down south is no good for the lads who live above warwick.

Back to the expenses. They are offset against your tax bill. You dont get the full amount back (unless you are the director of RBS) plus on top of that the inland revenue is constantly changing the rules on SUBBIES, their argument is how can you be self employed when working through an agency and so they look towards taxing you more, however they do not complain when you have to pay class 2 and 4 NI contributions.

Start a new job in 2 weeks, Fitting radios into vehicles (Just like being back in) for a considerable amount more than what I am on now.

have a meeting with CTTS on monday BUT having read all the bad press on here will more than likely give it a miss.

i am fully qualified sparky so will look for something else.

cheers for the info.

Yeah dodge it knocker, if I was a sparks and had all the relevant civvie equivalent quals (I'm assuming RE sparks are on par quals wise with civvies, Edition 17 on whatever it is)
Then I would use my resettlement grant to train in another artisan field, plumbing being a fine example! Have a mate who's a plumber and is rammed for work, so much so that I was thinking of doing a home study type course.

Besides which, knocker you're from Gods Corps, I dont know any ex RE who are not doing well in civvie strasse - me included

aye mate, fully qualified installation sparks & then some (airfield sparks/offshore sparks quals/AP quals).

agree that not many ex-corps struggle & i have a few companies waiting for me at present BUT it is cut-throat out there & having many strings to your bow is always handy.

just want something decent for resettlement rather than waste the money you are entitled to.

cheers for the info.