Newbie advise to domestic installer

[AAGT]

Hi

just wanted some advise as I’m thinking of a change in career and been looking into Electrican for a while

personally for me the 4-5 year route, level 2&3 city and guilds then 2 years work experience with the additional qualifications needed to get a gold card is quite a long proces.
And I would prefer to work self employed. Would a part time evening course or a intense 4-6 week course be enough ? After completing the c&g level 2 and 3 could I work self employed doing domestic work?
Thanks

 

[telectrix]

the 4/5 week courses will get you a qualification that willallow you to join niceic (or other) as a domestic installer.then you can go self-employed on domestic properties only. however, you would be sadly lacking in practical experience. it's not just about connecting wires etc.

 

[AAGT]

the 4/5 week courses will get you a qualification that willallow you to join niceic (or other) as a domestic installer.then you can go self-employed on domestic properties only. however, you would be sadly lacking in practical experience. it's not just about connecting wires etc.

So what would you advise in order to get the practical experience? Work alongside a qualified Electrican ?
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Also would you be able to certify your own work?

 

[Baddegg]

Assuming you joined a scheme you could certify your own work ( you could also do this through the council but it’s expensive) but you will drown without any practical experience mate...

 

[telectrix]

as i said. not just practicalities of installing cables and equipment, it's lifting floorboards without wrecking them; patching holes in ceilings so they can't tell that you've been;and a whole host of other things.

 

[AAGT]

So what would be the best way to get the practical experience other then work as an apprentice?

 

[davesparks]

So what would be the best way to get the practical experience other then work as an apprentice?

There isn't another way really.

You can't learn a skilled practical trade in a classroom.

In a classroom you will always be working in perfect working conditions, you won't encounter the incredible amount of weird and wonderful situations that exist in the real world and you won't learn how to deal with them.

A short course will teach you one way of doing things, it won't teach you any of the flexibility required in the real world.

If you want to learn to do site work doing basic new build houses on big new developments then that can probably be learned in a shorter period of time. It's wiring up a lot of identical buildings to a pre-defined spec, someone else does all the calculations, design, thinking, inspection, testing.

 

[telectrix]

forgot to mention repairing a water pipe you drilled, to avoid the wet-pants extortionate call-out charge.

 

[Midwest]

You could get qualified as you've said, but before that see if you can work for a small company whilst doing so.

I did some subbying for a small company, that had self employed sparks working for them. Took on a guy, such as yourself. Even paid towards some of his training. However he left soon after getting his quals, which pee'd off the company.

However, I pretty much did the same thing many years ago, after I finished my apprenticeship. But the contracts manager was an arse, and had me driving around jobbing when I was still an apprentice, even to the extent of using my own car. So they had it coming. But I'm not bitter

 

[ipf]

But the contracts manager was an arse, and had me driving around jobbing when I was still an apprentice, even to the extent of using my own car. So they had it coming. But I'm not bitter

After forty odd years?....you don't sound it!

 

[Dartlec]

Hi

just wanted some advise as I’m thinking of a change in career and been looking into Electrican for a while

personally for me the 4-5 year route, level 2&3 city and guilds then 2 years work experience with the additional qualifications needed to get a gold card is quite a long proces.
And I would prefer to work self employed. Would a part time evening course or a intense 4-6 week course be enough ? After completing the c&g level 2 and 3 could I work self employed doing domestic work?
Thanks

Some of it depends how well you already know the basics, how quickly you can learn, how practical you are and how willing you are to recognise your limits.

I got into it via the short course route in 2006, registered with a scheme and was able to make a living as I built up experience by doing the small local jobs that large companies often don't want to do. This was back when a lot more was Part P notifiable, (though still widely ignored of course..)

Just be aware it's not a path to wealth though, as the smaller jobs often have less profit on them and you might be competing with 'handymen' who will cut corners. But build up a good base of satisfied clients with the small jobs and they will call you back the next time.

There is the option of working for local estate agents too, who can sometimes bring in plenty of work, but won't want to pay much for it - It can be tedious (or horrifying) but it can also be a good way to get the experience.

The biggest skill is knowing your limitations and only taking on work that you know you are able to do - and knowing when to seek advice from others, or even esteemed online forums...

Nowadays there are a lot of good Youtube videos (and plenty of bad) which can probably teach as much about the practicalities of actually doing domestic work as any amount of classroom work - though of course you need a good grounding in the regulations to start with.

Then there's the whole lot of pros and cons that come with being self-employed....

The truth is that the practical experience can only come by working with someone else, or doing it yourself - and no course of whatever length can do that unless it includes genuine on-site experience, which is unlikely.

 

[AAGT]

Hi there hope everyone is safe

I’m still looking into this and have come across this company

https://www.options-skills.co.uk/electrician-courses/nvq-electrical-training-course/

I know it’s a 6 week classroom base course but reading reviews there some people who have come in as a new entrant and completed it, then gone onto apprentice works experience, am2 etc

I’m 35 and don’t really want to do the evening college route, also with this company the find you apprentice work with your jib/ecs card.
They say you can build your portfolio in a year but may take upto 3 years

has anyone done one of these short courses or completed there portfolio in 12 months ?

thanks