Advice for a new starter!

[Johno!]

Hi all, i am johno! from Essex.
I have been seriously thinking for a year now about a career change to become an electrician. I am now in a position to make this happen. Due to the recession my currant employment is not secure at all and i need to make some serious decisions fast as time is not on my side. These are my problems and ideas im thinking about:

• Cant do an apprenticeship due to my age of 27.
• college cousrse also a problem due to a house and wife to support (if no job, cant pay for it!)

I am leaning towards an intensive course at the moment but worry about the experiance i will gain from it? Will employies consider me? Will i get work straight away? (because of bills to pay) Which jobs should i be looking for when gaining the new skills? or which area should i start in to gain a good knowledge!
I am willing to take this risk for a long term future into a good trade but i am after some advice to point me in the right direction!

Thanks for your time!

Johno!

 

[Guest123]

Electrical Qualifications - Qualifications needed to train to become an electrician in the UK


Hi there.

I'll be brutaly honest with you, the electrical industry is completely saturated with 'newly qualified' sparks that have completed intensive training courses sold to them by unscrupulous training companies.

There are literally 000's of experienced sparks out of work at the mo, and all of them chasing the same jobs as everyone else including those that have completed one of these intensive courses.

I dont wish to dampen your spirits but this is the way it is, dont let one of these training companies tell you any different.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Listen to Lenny!

If you think that your current job is insecure, you'll be out of the frying pan and into the fire, not to mention £6000 or so out of pocket in the process, by choosing to enter this profession at this time, using that route.

Your best bet is to try to find work as a mate first, then see how you get on. The rtes aren't wildly different. Good electrical mates will always be needed.

 

[MKS]

Don't be fooled into thinking the intensive course will turn you into 'Qualified' It is a mere stepping stone. The old chestnut of not wanting to lose money as have bills to pay, does wear a little thin with me! I was at uni when I first started out, offered some work in holidays and never looked back! At uni, I was comfortably ok and a single parent to boot, taking that job (mate) meant a huge sacrifice for me as all help I did get suddenly dried up. However, I put myself through college, worked weekends to enjoy a bit life and still came out smiling! I guess you will get what you put into it, nothing comes easy and work is fulfilling if that is what you really want, not because you think it is easy! Just saying!

 

[Zeno]

Dont bother becoming an Electrician at the moment mate. The Scam electrical course providors are swamping the trade at the moment since the Competent Person Schemes started selling worthless certificates of Competence.

Become a plumber, the money is better, the training is longer but better in the long run.


There are more people taking C&G electrical courses than any other, 97,000 couses a year?

 

[Martyc]

Took my mate 3 years to do his c&g plumbing levels 1,2 & 3 in evening college. But I still had to teach him how to change a tap valve! And he's just passed his gas exams.... Safe to say I won't be asking him to do any work for me!

 

[sedgy34]

i would do as zeno says become a plumber but get into renewables

 

[Spark1979]

I think all trades are the same now, I've just done my gas qualifications, and served a 4 year electrical apprenticeship prices for jobs are at an all time low in my opinion even gas work isn't paying what it was