Struggling!

[Kingston555]

Hello,
I completed some C&G electricians' qualifications last month. Since then, I've been trying to get some on-site experience but, despite even offering to work for free, I've had no success whatsoever in trying to get my foot in the door anywhere. The only openings there seems to be are for experienced electricians. I'm 46, I live in south London but am happy to travel a bit if need be. I have my own transport. I'm just starting to wonder whether I've just wasted £2K, trying to make a career change. If anyone knows of any opportunities, I'll be glad for anything.
Thanks!

 

[shanky887614]

what course did you complete?

sorry to tell you but, there are a lot of apprentice trained electricians out of work that have been on the tools for 4 years.

im sorry but it is going to be hard to get any job as an electrician without any experince.

i would recommend joinging an agency as a mate, you will get your foot in the door then

 

[Leesparkykent]

Hello,
I completed some C&G electricians' qualifications last month. Since then, I've been trying to get some on-site experience but, despite even offering to work for free, I've had no success whatsoever in trying to get my foot in the door anywhere. The only openings there seems to be are for experienced electricians. I'm 46, I live in south London but am happy to travel a bit if need be. I have my own transport. I'm just starting to wonder whether I've just wasted £2K, trying to make a career change. If anyone knows of any opportunities, I'll be glad for anything.
Thanks!

What city and guilds qualifications do you have?

 

[Kingston555]

I did the following C&Gs:

Level 3 Building Regs for Electrical Installations in Dwellings (2393 Part P)
Level 3 Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671: 2008 (2382-15) 17th Edition
Level 2 Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification (2392)
Electrical Installations Work within a Domestic Dwelling (4141-01)

I'd be happy to work as a mate but, as I say, haven't been able to find anything like that. I'm very aware that, while these courses were very good, I don't know enough to venture out on my own.

 

[shanky887614]

I did the following C&Gs:

Level 3 Building Regs for Electrical Installations in Dwellings (2393 Part P)
Level 3 Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671: 2008 (2382-15) 17th Edition
Level 2 Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification (2392)
Electrical Installations Work within a Domestic Dwelling (4141-01)

I'd be happy to work as a mate but, as I say, haven't been able to find anything like that. I'm very aware that, while these courses were very good, I don't know enough to venture out on my own.

sorry but the part p is worthless, its an update course to a freely availible building regulation.

the 17th is a waste of time as it is an update course for electricians that trained to a previous version e.g. 15/16.

the testing isnt really worth much, the core qualifications you need to be recognised as qualified include testing and inspection sections.

dont forget you will be limited to small domestic as your course doesnt cover tpn (three phase) so you will be limiting yourself when you sign up with a scheme

 

[Leesparkykent]

I did the following C&Gs:

Level 3 Building Regs for Electrical Installations in Dwellings (2393 Part P)
Level 3 Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671: 2008 (2382-15) 17th Edition
Level 2 Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification (2392)
Electrical Installations Work within a Domestic Dwelling (4141-01)

I'd be happy to work as a mate but, as I say, haven't been able to find anything like that. I'm very aware that, while these courses were very good, I don't know enough to venture out on my own.

you will probably find work as a mate but not as a sparks due to these qualifications and lack of experience. As pointed out in another thread tonight these qualifications you have are add on qualifications to the core knowledge qualifications such as 2365 level 2&3 nvq3. As you have recently trained and not gone down the route of 2365 2&3 and nvq3 you would not be graded as an electrician by the jib and probably not considered one by most employers also.

 

[Kingston555]

So if these qualifications aren't worth much, and I can't get my foot in the door without any experience, that doesn't leave me with much.

 

[Leesparkykent]

So if these qualifications aren't worth much, and I can't get my foot in the door without any experience, that doesn't leave me with much.

If you are serious about the career Change then get yourself booked on to a city and guilds 2365 level 2 course.

 

[shanky887614]

So if these qualifications aren't worth much, and I can't get my foot in the door without any experience, that doesn't leave me with much.

sorry to say but many hundreds of people complete these courses every 5 weeks.

i think you will struggle to get your foot in the door unless you can make yourself stand out.

joining an agency as a mate would be a good idea but get your cscs card first

 

[Kingston555]

Thanks for the comments...I'll get down the dole office first thing in the morning.

 

[Kingston555]

Sorry, what's a cscs card?

 

[ImpededLoop]

Hello,
I completed some C&G electricians' qualifications last month. Since then, I've been trying to get some on-site experience but, despite even offering to work for free, I've had no success whatsoever in trying to get my foot in the door anywhere. The only openings there seems to be are for experienced electricians. I'm 46, I live in south London but am happy to travel a bit if need be. I have my own transport. I'm just starting to wonder whether I've just wasted £2K, trying to make a career change. If anyone knows of any opportunities, I'll be glad for anything.
Thanks!

Taking the positive bits from previous comments, you would probably be best to sign up with an agency as a mate to get you started. If you're willing to work hard and have the right attitude, you should be able to find something.

Longer term, once you've got some experience, you would be best to do a full qualification such as the C&G 2365.

Good luck!

 

[Selfmade]

I did a similar set of courses a couple of years back. You can go self-employed and do jobbing work which is what I do. In England you will have to register with NICEIC, NAPIT or similar to 'sign-off' work in bathroom etc (hopefully you are familiar with these requirements from your courses), but that should be possible with your qualifications. It will be a steep learning curve and you won't earn much, but it's rewarding. That's my understanding anyway.

If you want to get employed or work on sites then yes, you need to be a fully qualified electrician and/or have a CSCS card (forget what it stands for, but it basically lists your qualifications, health and safety training, occupation etc). But you could spend years getting those things and then still not get a job. In my experience you just have to be independent; it's the only option. Spend loads of time reading up on things you don't yet understand, do a good job, and you will slowly start to get a good reputation.

Most of the guys on here don't have much time for the short courses, and certainly I did see some people passing the exams who I would not let near any electrics if it was down to me! Also, I do think the course providers should be more honest about what you can and can't do with these qualifications. So in giving you this advice I'm trusting that you know your own limits.

 

[ian.settle1]

Also, I do think the course providers should be more honest about what you can and can't do with these qualifications.

Do you honestly think that these parasites who charge £2000+ for courses are going to tell you

"Oh by the way after we have charged you this amount for these courses you don't have a cat in hells chance of getting a job"

thus shooting themselves in the foot over the goose that lays the golden egg for them

 

[telectrix]

sign up for job alerts by email from jobrapido and indeed. specify electricians mate within xx miles of your location. a lot of the agencies use trhese sites to post jobs on. rullion is a good agency for sparks and mates.