Advice if possible

[smillsey]

Hello everyone,

It would be greatly appreciate if you could give me some advice, as i have only spoken to colleges and training centres so far and really need to unbiased advice and info.

I'll introduce myself first off.

I am currently in the raf as an avionics/elecrical aircraft technician. By the time i leave (2 years from now) i will have a HND in Electrical engineering, along with my NVQ3 and Tech Cert Level 3 in Avionics/Electrical Aircraft Engineering.

Now i am at a crossroads in my life i suppose, not really looking forward to going to to nasty places like i have in the past. I need to make a decision.

Now i know these "Become an electrician quick" courses are frowned upon by many, but i have a mortgage to starting from the bottom really isnt an option.

I have been looking at a course which includes.

City and Guilds 2382-10 - 17th Edition Wiring Regulations
City and Guilds 2377-12 - Portable Appliance Testing
City and Guilds 2391-10 - Inspection and Testing
City and Guilds 2392-10 - Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification
Emta Awards Limited (EAL) Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers
Construction Skills (CITB) - Essential Electrics Module

Do this leave me short not having level 3 2330, will my hnd count for anything at all???

Would i be best getting the 2330 (or its replacment) under by belt? My brother has dont the level 2 2330 and i cant see anything in it that i would benefit from.

The inclusion of the CITB essential electrcis module confuses me, what exactly does this give me? As with the above quals am i right in thinking i cannot do anything in the commercial sector? Would i be restricted to Domestic Only, in the raf i went through a 4 1/2 year apprentiship scheme, then i started my hnc/hnd so will have done 7 years electrical training. I really feel i need the experience now and i dont want to just do a 2330 if there is no need.

As a last note, my long term goal is to go into buisiness with my brother in the air conditioning arena. who is an air conditioning engineer. Have i got any hope of gaining the quals in order to Sign for Airconditioning wiring in a commercial environment.

I would never insult an electrician by pretending to be something im not. My plan to do get my domestic quals this year. Get some experience under my belt domestically to gain confidence, first for free as a mate, then on my own. Ultimately going into buisiness with my brother, this would include performing the necessary tasks of wiring in split systems, some of which are 3 phase,

or is the pipe dream of being allowed to install and sign for commercial air con installs not going to happen, unless i want to do a time served apprentiship.

I am sorry for the long post, but this is my life im messing with so i just want to get all of the ins and outs , i thanks you for reading my ramblings.

Regards, Scott

 

[acat]

Forget PAT testing you will probably never use that. As for the cost of becoming a domestic installer dont really see the point of that either as once you are set up with your brother you will probably never use that again either so why waste money on it.

If you have done your 22 years then you are entitled to resettlement courses. Last I heard ableskills was the only approved training centre for ex services. Give them a ring and outline your qualifications and experience to date and they will guide you as to what courses are best for you and thats before you part with any cash or use up resettlement entitlement.

Good luck

Chris

 

[dufjax]

Right first off...

Welcome aboard

I wouldn't worry about 2377 to much as it won't help you become a spark, plus there's now lots of companies out there charging on 75p per item and you'll never make money out of it.

Not sure on the CITB to be honest, only heard of it a few times.

Obviously you might want to do the 2392 before 2391 and the 2931 is a qualification not all (even experienced) sparks have
I would recommend the EAL course having done this one myself when it first came out and there was hysteria in the business about "being put out of business " if you didn’t take it. Thought you needed it to comply with Part P
2382 17th edition I think is ESSIENTIAL
2330 – You’ll (most likely) need this if you want to do more than domestic.


Hope this is of some help, don’t hesitate to ask if not




Cheers

Jim

 

[smillsey]

Thanks guys, well i wasnt interested in pat testing either i will see if it can be removed from the course.

@acat

If we going into a house and it needs wiring into the the circuit rather than just plugging in then the part p will be worht doing, plus if i do it i can get some experience before i leave. Im only 24 so no 22 years under my belt, i will have £3k to play with in learning credits when i leave and can take any course as long as its level 3, plus i can go to any college/training provider.

@Jim

Thanks jim, yes i will do 2393 and 2391. But im worried about this 2330 situation. Im happy to do it distance learning as the hnd isnt really that hard. So i could still fit it in.

I was hoping i wouldnt have to.

Do any of you know where we stand with regard to the wiring of air con units in fuesboards (sometimes 3 phase) ?

If we can avoid paying for something we can do i would definately go for it. I would never pretend to be a commercial sparky, as the air con wiring is so simple it would be much more efficient if we could sign for everything ourselves. But what actual quals do we need for this wiring "signature" if its commercial, as part p wont cover it.

MAny thanks, sorry if im not making sense

Scott

 

[acat]

Could not agree more if you are going to do domestic work I was just thinking that if you do the air conditioning you wont be doing much domestic and by the time you have paid for the course, paid for the competent person scheme you are looking at about £2,500.

You wont get that much work on the domestic market unless you have a council contract that will involve further cost as a lot of them require CSCS cards, constrctionline accred and chas accred to name a few, so in reality you are looking around £3000.00.

The rest like 17th edition tools PLI etc you will need no matter what you do. Its all the extras that cripple you and of course all the course providers will not mention this to you. Try and get yourself on a business link course its free and will give you all the other problems you will have ie taxation marketing business plan. Really you need to do a lot of research while still in the RAF so that you are not wasting time an money when you leave.

Everyone on this forum will help with anything you come up with while doing your research.


Chris

 

[smillsey]

I will look into that thanks acat, that buisness link course i have heard of that.

My brother has that cscs card i'll be honest i havent looked into it i was just aware it existed.

Now the course provider reckons we can install and sign for the electrcial wiring with the quals he's doing with them but im not sure. Else there wouldnt be a need for a JIB gold card sparky would there?? And there is a need else it wouldnt be so hard to obtain! Or am i wrong and we will be able to install the aircon along with the wiring all the way to the consumer unit....

the electrcial quals he will have are

CITB RE:5
17 edition
C&G 2330 level 2

Many thanks,

its just the wiring issues with the air con in commercial im worried about