BHI Training - support and tutor feedback

[Waggy]

Hi everyone, I'm thinking of doing the Distance Learning Course (DLC) Technician Grade course with BHI - this is to round off my knowledge, as I am sure there are gaps - I don't know what I don't know. However, I am in two minds about if I need the support and tutor feedback which is £615 in addition to the course cost £725, which is quite a bump. My question is, is this something that is needed, how east/hard would it be to get through the course without it. What I don't want to have happen is that I pay for this and then find out that I didn't really need it, but if it will make a big difference than I will bit the bullet. I know a lot of this comes down to personal ability and experience, but if you could tell me how valuable you found it this will help me weigh the pros and cons.

[Neverenoughwatches]

52 minutes ago, Waggy said:

Hi everyone, I'm thinking of doing the Distance Learning Course (DLC) Technician Grade course with BHI - this is to round off my knowledge, as I am sure there are gaps - I don't know what I don't know. However, I am in two minds about if I need the support and tutor feedback which is £615 in addition to the course cost £725, which is quite a bump. My question is, is this something that is needed, how east/hard would it be to get through the course without it. What I don't want to have happen is that I pay for this and then find out that I didn't really need it, but if it will make a big difference than I will bit the bullet. I know a lot of this comes down to personal ability and experience, but if you could tell me how valuable you found it this will help me weigh the pros and cons.

I would like to see some comments on this Scott, its something I've also been considering for nearly two years now, i desperately need to get my finger out. You do need to become a member before applying for the courses, and after completing you can then put forward for qualifications relevant for that study. It might be that if feel you need tutor input you could apply for that during your study, you could contact them to find out more, I've spoken to Maxine and Donna in the past both were extremely helpful with my questions. Day classes are also available for anyone local thats a big bonus but not cheap, Upton Hall is only about 65 miles from me. Membership was about £150 / yr last time i looked. If you are serious personally i think its a good route to take. 

[RichardHarris123]

Unless the mentoring was in person / hands on, would it be any different to asking questions on here?  

[oldhippy]

From what I have been reading about the course on their site I think it is a waste of money and time. It will cover beginners as well as advanced it also takes in clocks so if you don't repair clocks that will be a waste.  

[Neverenoughwatches]

2 hours ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Unless the mentoring was in person / hands on, would it be any different to asking questions on here?  

No its not in person Rich, its just feedback on your course progress from an experienced watchmaker and someone to ask questions. 

2 hours ago, oldhippy said:

From what I have been reading about the course on their site I think it is a waste of money and time. It will cover beginners as well as advanced it also takes in clocks so if you don't repair clocks that will be a waste.  

The technician's course covers quite a broad spectrum of horology, so there could well be stuff that folks aren't interested in. If i remember right the second course has either a clock or watch route.

The courses are really just a quick and cheap way to gain some horology qualifications providing you're up to the job , without having to go to watch school,  though the UK does have 2 , one in Manchester and one at Birmingham Uni.

[oldhippy]

I certainly wouldn't call them cheap.  

[Waggy]

5 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

It might be that if feel you need tutor input you could apply for that during your study, you could contact them to find out more

Good thinking, I'll drop them a line and let you know what they come back with.

[rossjackson01]

Waggy

Observations

£615 or £720? If you are paying £615, then the jump to £720 is not that much. However, consider:- 

£720. Course with Tutor feedback.

£615. Course with WRT feedback.

Feedback is feedback. Not 'live' online. 

Main consideration. Doing the course to obtain qualification. Would the qualification be of monetary benefit? Will the Qualification enhance your business?

Personal note. Gosh, I envy you considering such a decision.

Would I like to do the course? Oh yes. Would it benefit me? Physically yes for expertise. fiscal? No. Too old and will never gain an income from watchmaking. Also, I have been in touch with BHI like you, and been informed that I will need a good standard lathe. Certainly an expense equivalent to the course. So, fiscal. Not  for me.

Keep the post going. I think you will be surprised how many are interested.

Ross

 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

48 minutes ago, rossjackson01 said:

Waggy

Observations

£615 or £720? If you are paying £615, then the jump to £720 is not that much. However, consider:- 

£720. Course with Tutor feedback.

£615. Course with WRT feedback.

Feedback is feedback. Not 'live' online. 

Main consideration. Doing the course to obtain qualification. Would the qualification be of monetary benefit? Will the Qualification enhance your business?

Personal note. Gosh, I envy you considering such a decision.

Would I like to do the course? Oh yes. Would it benefit me? Physically yes for expertise. fiscal? No. Too old and will never gain an income from watchmaking. Also, I have been in touch with BHI like you, and been informed that I will need a good standard lathe. Certainly an expense equivalent to the course. So, fiscal. Not  for me.

Keep the post going. I think you will be surprised how many are interested.

Ross

 

 

The tutor feedback fee is on top Ross.  Total 1335.00

In all honesty Ross and I'm not knocking it for what it is, but really just a back door qualification .

[Waggy]

To be honest I intend this course to round out my knowledge, I am sure there are big holes in my knowledge that I don't even know about, so this course is to become a more well rounded watch maker/breaker. I don't have any plans to leave my job and take up watchmaking as an income (but who can tell the future) so this would be more for personal gain and fulfillment. So I don't intend to do this course to increase my income but appreciate that I will end up firmly in the red after completing it, but I am fortunate that I can take the hit at the current time, but obviously don't want to be reckless and throw away money on coaching bolt-on if it's not required.  I've always pushed myself to learn more, hence the crazy situation where I have more letters after my name than in it.

[Neverenoughwatches]

17 minutes ago, Waggy said:

To be honest I intend this course to round out my knowledge, I am sure there are big holes in my knowledge that I don't even know about, so this course is to become a more well rounded watch maker/breaker. I don't have any plans to leave my job and take up watchmaking as an income (but who can tell the future) so this would be more for personal gain and fulfillment. So I don't intend to do this course to increase my income but appreciate that I will end up firmly in the red after completing it, but I am fortunate that I can take the hit at the current time, but obviously don't want to be reckless and throw away money on coaching bolt-on if it's not required.  I've always pushed myself to learn more, hence the crazy situation where I have more letters after my name than in it.

I go along with that Scott, its still a recognised qualification at the end of the day and no disrespect to anyone that takes that route and something that I'm seriously considering ( i have a few back door qualifications myself that enable me to do more in my trade legally ). The approx study time is around 400 hours which does fall well short of the 1800 1st year UK schooling and there cant be a comparison, but its a step forward in my book. I would contact them, a phone call if possible , i found both of the women heads at Upton really helpful. You might be able to add on the tutor after starting the course if you think you need it. Giz a shout when you've made some enquiries,  I'd be interested to hear if things are still the same.

[Waggy]

[RichardHarris123]

If you want to do it, go for it but I  wouldn't bother with the tutor. 

[Michael1962]

I am still thinking about the DLC course myself.

Once I convert the GBP to AUD and then add 2 plane tickets to the UK (1 for me, the other for Liz as we will turn it into a holiday as well $$$, it gets rather expensive for me.

There are no, I repeat no, other optiona for a course here in Australia that I know of.

[tomh207]

19 minutes ago, Michael1962 said:

I am still thinking about the DLC course myself.

Once I convert the GBP to AUD and then add 2 plane tickets to the UK (1 for me, the other for Liz as we will turn it into a holiday as well $$$, it gets rather expensive for me.

There are no, I repeat no, other optiona for a course here in Australia that I know of.

I believe there is a place in WA @Michael1962 , don’t know if they do online courses but some places do the BHI exam and assessments. I heard recently of Kalle Slapp of Chronoglide envigalating one student. A bit far to commute from Geelong but if they were able to help with the assessment it would be a lot cheaper.

 

Tom

Edited July 2, 2024 by tomh207
Additional comment

[Waggy]

So I think I'll go for the regular online course without the feedback option and instead lean on all my BFFs here to help out if I get out of my depth. Mrs W's christmas present to me, so will start it in the new year

[JohnR725]

22 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Upton Hall is only about 65 miles from me.

Such a short distance away have you ever thought of visiting as I think it is open from time to time for visitations. Then I'm pretty sure they used to have a yearly big event that always looked really interesting no idea when that would be though?

On 7/1/2024 at 3:31 AM, Waggy said:

Distance Learning Course (DLC) Technician Grade

 

19 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

he technician's course covers quite a broad spectrum of horology,

I assume if you're going take a distance learning course is there a list of what this course actually covers? It would be helpful for us to evaluate if we actually knew what the course listing Is which it seems like they should have somewhere?

[RichardHarris123]

The museum of timekeeping is at Upton Hall, only open on Friday's between 10.30 and 3.30pm.

[rossjackson01]

52 minutes ago, Waggy said:

So I think I'll go for the regular online course without the feedback option and instead lean on all my BFFs here to help out if I get out of my depth. Mrs W's christmas present to me, so will start it in the new year

Envy is a terrible thing. Oh heck!  Yup. That's me. Wonderful lady. 

[Michael1962]

21 hours ago, tomh207 said:

I believe there is a place in WA @Michael1962 , don’t know if they do online courses but some places do the BHI exam and assessments. I heard recently of Kalle Slapp of Chronoglide envigalating one student. A bit far to commute from Geelong but if they were able to help with the assessment it would be a lot cheaper.

 

Tom

I can get someone to invigilate here as well. That isn't an issue.

However, there are 2 'must attend' Upton Hall examinations. They are at different times throughout the course, but I have asked and would be able to combine both exams into the one trip.

I have done a lot of looking online, but have not been able to find a course in Oz. There was a course that was running in Perth in WA and another in Ultimo in Sydney, NSW.

Both have finished I believe, due to a lack of interest.

I did also ask our government training people as well as to whether I could get assistance with costs so that I could further my education. If the course was in Australia? Yes. Because it is O/S? No.

[RichardS]

On 7/3/2024 at 5:01 PM, Michael1962 said:

I have done a lot of looking online, but have not been able to find a course in Oz. There was a course that was running in Perth in WA and another in Ultimo in Sydney, NSW.

Both have finished I believe, due to a lack of interest.

Australia has a scarcity of watchmaking training, but @Michael1962 I believe both of those courses you mentioned are still running.

Watch and Clock School of Western Australia are accepting registrations for next year (2025) according to their website. I was looking into their course options at one point but the logistics of me flying over to Perth to do a course wasn't going to work (I'm in Melbourne).

TAFE NSW still offers a Certificate III in Watch and Clock Service and Repair. Usually you would need to be doing an apprenticeship within the industry to be able to enrol, but I recall there being some way of taking the course without the apprenticeship.

I ended up signing up for the BHI distance course and have since been ambling along trying to make my way through all the lessons of the Technician grade. I haven't signed up for tutor feedback but as already mentioned this can be added at any point. A large part of the course involves learning about clocks, and many of the practical exercises start you off making small tools and clock components. Unfortunately various life factors have meant I've made little progress in two years. I also find myself using my free time to repair my actual watches rather than engage with the course - I seem to learn better when I come across a particular skill I need to learn or an actual problem to be solved in something I'm working on.

Edited July 5, 2024 by RichardS

[Michael1962]

I'll admit it was several years ago that I looked for courses in Australia so I am surprised to see something up and running again.

I may contact the NSW Take to see if there is any sort of option to do their course without having to attend constantly. I don't like my chances though. Maybe will be able to do the course in blocks. Getting to Sydney from Geelong isn't that expensive, but having a job tends to get in the way of taking off for weeks at a time.

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, RichardS said:

I seem to learn better when I come across a particular skill I need to learn or an actual problem to be solved in something I'm working on.

Thats how I've always learnt right from the start. Is there no time limit involved in completing the BHI course ?

[RichardS]

18 hours ago, Michael1962 said:

I'll admit it was several years ago that I looked for courses in Australia so I am surprised to see something up and running again.

I may contact the NSW Take to see if there is any sort of option to do their course without having to attend constantly. I don't like my chances though. Maybe will be able to do the course in blocks. Getting to Sydney from Geelong isn't that expensive, but having a job tends to get in the way of taking off for weeks at a time.

The NSW TAFE course seems a bit sporadic, it wasn't running when I inquired about it a few years ago. Be interesting to hear what you find out from them. It's disappointing there are no courses being run out of Melbourne/Victoria, I would have jumped at it.

14 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Thats how I've always learnt right from the start. Is there no time limit involved in completing the BHI course ?

It's taken me a long time to realise I'm a hands-on practical learner, after struggling through a number of different courses for various qualifications...

BHI are generous in having no time limits for when you choose to sit an exam or finish any of the Diplomas. Which is just as well at my rate of progress

Edited July 6, 2024 by RichardS