Underwear, Knitwear & Associated Companies

[Ayupmeducks 1,728]

The year I finished my elec apprenticeship with the NCB in 1968, was the first year of practical tests, due to so many tradesmen finishing with high paper qualifications but useless on the tools and under pressure. Of all the ones in my class, we all failed, not because we didn't do the tests correctly, but because we didn't know how they wanted us to do the tests, ie like an advanced drivers class.

After we failed, our Instructor gave us the bad news, "You've all failed, BUT, you all completed the test proficiently.. " Then he said, we would be booked into a second retest in one months time.'

Then he told us how to take the test, "Tell me isolation procedures, tell me what you fine, tell me how you're proceeding to fault find, tell me procedures for removing power from a district etc..

We all passed with flying colours in the second test, couple of weeks later our NCB completion certificate came through and full tradesman's pay.

[plantfit 7,206]

National Vocational Qualification , get for anything from washing your hands to wearing ear protectors waste of time,

 

Rog

[philmayfield 5,506]

It's a qualification that nobody fails. You either pass first time or you're not quite ready for it so try again later.

[plantfit 7,206]

I think there are five levels, the first three are to show competence in what you do for a living,have a reasonable knowledge of where to get first aid treatment in the workplace, who to report to for information to do with the job you are performing, could be who to report to if things go wrong, the average level in the workplace is level three where you need to be able to provide writen evidence concerning health and safety in your work area,ie: where the first aid box is,who the first aider is,who to report an incident to, where the fire extinguishers are sited and what the different type are used for, Simple common sense stuff, as Phil said nobody fails, the candidates for the NVQ have an amount of time to answer questions like the ones written here.

The higher level NVQ's are mainly aimed at management and higher,they require more studies and more in depth evidence

 

Rog

[loppylugs 8,351]

Thanks guys.  I guess back  In 1966 when I finished my apprenticeship they just expected you to have a bit of common sense.

[plantfit 7,206]

Not sure about this bit LL but I think it was a Tony Blair's government idea to give everyone in the country a recognised qualification, trouble is if you go elsewhere with your "qualification" the new company you go to will put you through it all again so are they really worth it?

 

Rog

[FLY2 10,106]

I think it's National Vocational Qualification. I got one for lifting a box correctly when I worked in stores.

[plantfit 7,206]

Thats the type of task you could get the NVQ for Fly, nice cetificate and something to put on your CV

 

Rog

[FLY2 10,106]

Manual Handling, that's what the course was called. Sounds a bit unsavoury to me !

[Waddo 921]

I was teaching at the CITB when NVQs were introduced and in a very short time the instructors decided that the correct terminology for the scheme was Not Very Qualified.

[loppylugs 8,351]

Sounds very pc to me.  I think when most of us left school you did the job you were being paid for or you were out.

[Nic sharp 0]

Used to work at Meridian in dying and finishing 1983-1993. In the times when it was who you knew and not what. Awesome place and yummy breakfasts when on the morning shift. Loved the clubhouse with the snooker room downstairs and the factory shop was a room at the front with pasting tables and a few seconds t shirts on. Not forgetting the shop across the road for a cheese n pickle cob for afternoon snap. 

[Lauralouu248 0]

On 10/23/2017 at 10:32 AM, crankypig said:

My late husband worked at spray and burgass in the 70 s....the company had a few name changes,colwick dyers,basford dyers,Can't remember any other names but I think there was at least one more.The factory has long gone,but I think they left an old house standing as it was listed.I have a few photos of the inside of the dye house that my husband took when he knew the place was going to shut down.

It must be a very old place as I remember my granny saying she once worked there,at a guess I'd say that must have been the 1930s-40s .

Hi crankypig are you able to share the photos that your husband took? I think my grandad used to work at colwick dyers and I'm trying to retrace his footsteps with my mum, who will remember the place well. 

Thank you, laura

[LizzieM 9,272]

Welcome lauralouu248, Crankypig doesn’t get on here much these days but hopefully she’ll see your post.  

[radfordred 6,278]

I've often wondered why men's underwear is not sized like woman's bras? 

[philmayfield 5,506]

What cup size is yours then?

[LizzieM 9,272]

2 hours ago, radfordred said:

I've often wondered why men's underwear is not sized like woman's bras? 

If it was up to men to buy their own underwear all the Small sizes would remain on the shelves

[nonnaB 4,761]

All this talk of men's underwear !! My husband has some underwear made in Italy but with the brand name of Nottingham.

[benjamin1945 15,560]

Ah,,Bella nonna,,,,,,BELLISSIMA....from Bulwell............lol

[OLDIE 45]

Socram- could you be the work study guy I used to chat with at Marathon? I was a bandknife cutter, and I remember you going to NZ. Is it my imagination, or did you write to me from NZ. I think we were talking about job opportunities. Whether or not, I totally agree with your comments. More redundancies followed, then things settled for a while. Sadly the company was sold to Bentwood, part of the Stirling group. It became clear the plan was to close it all down and sell the premises. The building is now student accomodation. Like a lot of properties in Nottingham. 

And who remembers the signs at M&S, saying 90% of our goods are British Made?

[Arnold Mick 23]

On 8/26/2020 at 2:33 PM, LizzieM said:

If it was up to men to buy their own underwear all the Small sizes would remain on the shelves

What's all this talk about buying men's underwear? I bought a pair of second hand u/pants 20 years ago and they're still going strong! Wash 'em once a week, though, whether they need it or not. One day they'll be passed on to my lad.

[radfordred 6,278]

What was that ladies shop up Derby Road Roughtons or sumut? 

[Manstown 0]

Anyone here familiar with the Quartex / Quortex, Etams factory that was on Sutton road across from the John Cockle pub in Mansfield? I live on the estate and am really interested in the history but cannot find a photo anywhere. I have found loads of old maps and have a good idea of its footprint.  Would greatly appreciate any details, photos or any other info anyone here may have. Thanks! 

[Oztalgian 2,922]

On 8/20/2021 at 8:53 AM, Manstown said:

Anyone here familiar with the Quartex

T 

This picture is from a post by David Prickett in Past and Present Photos of Mansfield Facebook site. More info on there.

[Manstown 0]

20 hours ago, Oztalgian said:

T 

This picture is from a post by David Prickett in Past and Present Photos of Mansfield Facebook site. More info on there.

Thank you so much! I’ve requested to join the group to get more info