4 Week sparks

[rmaynard]

dont mean to cause a fight but what is the hype around the "4 week sparks"? i am myself retraining and have a done short courses, 3 days for my 17th and 4 weeks for my 2391. it just seems to me a lot of the blokes are against it, i do understand that a lot of timed sparks will be annoyed that people can become registered sparks overnight but i think the taring with the same brush is a bit off. i am starting the domestic installer vrq in july thus completing the basic steps to get registered with nic but dont think that makes me a bad electrician.

Rant over

Rob

 

[Paul.M]

I believe that its down to the persons abilities before, during and after the training and not for how long the training was for. For people coming out of the armed forces already with a good electrical background and doing a 4 week course to change over their quals and learn about the domestic side of things is a perfect course for them. Others coming into the trade from no experience and thinking they will become a good sparky in 4 weeks is a 100-1 shot. Some will make it a lot won't.

We need to ask ourselves "what is an electrician?" The regs say a competent person. This means with the quals and experience I have I would class myself as a domestic and small commercial electrician. I have no experience in industrial and I would then class myself as a mate. Doesn't mean I'm not a sparky, or the fact that I haven't paid jib to assess my abilities.

If you have just come out of the forces (like the OP) from being an electrical engineer and do a 4 week course to comply with domestic regs, you are a sparky in my eyes. If you have just come out of an unrelated occupation and do a short course I would class you as an inexperienced electrician/mate until such a time has passed that you are able to design, install, test and cert your own work.

 

[tonys]

This means with the quals and experience I have I would class myself as a domestic and small commercial electrician. I have no experience in industrial and I would then class myself as a mate. Doesn't mean I'm not a sparky, or the fact that I haven't paid jib to assess my abilities.

No mate, your an Electrician and if you were to end up on a job where you was not to sure of your abilities, you would not be alone and good honest Electricians (like me) would not have an issue of working with you and giving each other an hand to get on.

All the sites Ive been on over the years Ive never had a problem working with older and more experienced Electricians who have took a liking to me and helped me along with their knowledge and experience.

 

[Paul.M]

No mate, your an Electrician and if you were to end up on a job where you was not to sure of your abilities, you would not be alone and good honest Electricians (like me) would not have an issue of working with you and giving each other an hand to get on.

All the sites Ive been on over the years Ive never had a problem working with older and more experienced Electricians who have took a liking to me and helped me along with their knowledge and experience.

Thanks Tony, that's the problem with a grading system from all the schemes out there, not one is the same. If the EIC set out a definitive grading structure that all schemes follow everyone would know where they stud, electricians and customers alike.

I love giving and receiving advice on those little things that make a difference but college don't teach you. Eg lifting a floor board. Very basic skill in our trade but very important to get it right and looking good once back down. Same can be said for chasing out. What's the best tool and technique for this Victorian plastered wall or industrial brick. These are the experiences that people need and should ask for advice on site or on this forum.

If I worked along side you on an industrial site I would pay very close attention to every word you said so to learn more and not make potentially dangerous mistakes. Although I can rewire a house blind folded it doesn't mean I know what the fault would be on a 3 phase motor. The technical info is in my head but I would fumble through and probably do more damage. We need to know our own limitations but still try to gain knowledge for our next step on the electrical learning ladder. And it only be achieved with the help being passed down from the older, fully experienced electricians to the next generation. If not the only experience new sparks will get is from the college workshop and that would be a shame for the industry.

 

[tonys]

Paul

It don't matter what grade, or who you are, if a company or whoever is prepared to pay you to work as Electrician on what ever site or job then you turn up and give it ago.

Ive worked with guys who were brought up on heating control wiring, not just domestic but the industrial stuff as well, and they were mustard but were not the least bothered about what I knew, they would take you through the system and show you what went where etc

I had a generator guy come down on site and show me how to build changer over units for fire shutters etc. Then he took me under his wing and I worked with him right up to to the final commission of the generator.

Good Electricians don't really mind when another Electrician asks question, unless there stupid ones lol

Ive some good chats with IQ just lately, hes a good source for technical help lol

 

[SMB]

Good Electricians don't really mind when another Electrician asks question, unless there stupid ones

Cheers for that comment Tonys, and your above quote is just as it should be for sure.

Ive giggled over the last few days, whilst reading this forum, about people with 'attitude'.

Showing some respect talks acres (watch, listen and learn innit).

All the best.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

good quote today from a good spark. It's easy to make a mistake, and it's easy to ask. Which one would you rather do?

 

[SMB]

I think...showing respect and working hard is the answer.

Making friends with the people your working with helps too. I don't mean you have to go out and socialize with them, its easy to make friends without doing that.

Its about respect.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

indeed. Respect enough to ask. Respect enough to answer politely.