Advice needed please - Becoming an Electrcian

[rhyswagstaff95]

Evening all,

I've joined this forum as i'm in need of some help and i'm struggling to get the specific answers to the situation i'm in.

A couple of years ago I finished my city and guilds 2330 level 3 and went on to work for a company that installs quarry prv systems. This didn't really involve much electrical work and the company wasn't the best, there was constant fear that the company would switch to contractors and paying us a salary for the little work we done didn't really seem justified. The work was mainly with thick armoured cable, done a bit of tray and basket work but nothing really detailed. Only thing I really got out of this was a IPAF license.. I didn't really learn a great deal. After this I work for a company as a mobile PAT tester which I didn't really see taking me anywhere and wasn't great pay. I give up on the electrics and went on to do a Access to Science course to try and change my life for the better as I couldn't see it going anywhere but due to unforeseen circumstances I quit my course in wales and moved back home to the west midlands.

I'm now 22, I've got my 2330, limited experience with electrical work and an IPAF license (for what it's worth). If I wanted to go back to electrics and get my gold card, what would be my next steps? I am really reluctant to have to do a 3-4 year apprenticeship as I would struggle to survive on the kind of wages they pay and I've already spent two years doing my level 2 and 3. I tried to find an apprenticeship last year however I struggled because of my age. My electrical knowledge right now is limited as it was a few years ago when I left college however I am very hands on and can learn things quickly, I'm not afraid of hard work so I know if I were given the opportunity to learn everything to get my gold card in two years I would. I was told by one college my 2330 is now practically useless and the only way for me to get my gold card eventually would be to do an apprenticeship but I would struggle due to funding.. is this really the only way? I've got no problem working 6/7 days a week to quickly pick up everything I need to know for the AM2 and I could easily read over my old text books to learn the theory side. The though of going back to college and working for £3ish a hour for 3-4 years really gets me down. All advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Rhys

 

[toast]

Just be persistent with applying for employment, even if it is part-time. Ideally I would suggest getting your 17th/18th edition qualification then progressing to the inspection and testing quals. But without hands on and retaining knowledge you are going to struggle.

 

[The Ghost]

Please look at this link it gives the 5 routes to being considered an electrician and being able to enter the industry as a bona fide electrician. Morris Services - Getting Started - http://www.morrisservices.co.uk/gettingstarted.asp A careful read and you should be wise to what you need to get to where you want to.

 

[mickfred]

You need to get a start somewhere . If it's been a while since your course chances are your going to need to freshen up on your basics . Spent a weekend designing a installation (cable calcs, volt drops , maximum r1+r2 etc so it starts to make sense again ) and buy a roll of twin and earth and some back boxes and cheap sockets , and start wiring them up on some old wooden board ( i know this sounds daft ) , because you need to get the feel with using hand tools again . Just for the record I think lads you age have had it harder in the Woking world than most other age groups (brought up to believe anything possible and sod all out there. So chin up and be ready if a opportunity turn up , best of luck )

 

[mickfred]

A nice story to make you feel better . Lad in work got out of jail 9 months ago got nicked in work 5 days ago for a charge (could get two years for ) from 4 years ago , which the police never got round to , has now been locked out by his bird told your never seeing you kid again, has not got a change from clothes , sleeping on my mates couch , his two front teeth start feeling loose yesterday and had them out today and my boss kickedoff at him for having the full day off and his hair is starting to go ( looks like a spiders back ) and he said only 25 . So could be worse

 

[PEG]

A nice story to make you feel better . Lad in work got out of jail 9 months ago got nicked in work 5 days ago for a charge (could get two years for ) from 4 years ago , which the police never got round to , has now been locked out by his bird told your never seeing you kid again, has not got a change from clothes , sleeping on my mates couch , his two front teeth start feeling loose yesterday and had them out today and my boss kickedoff at him for having the full day off and his hair is starting to go ( looks like a spiders back ) and he said only 25 . So could be worse

What a lovely feel-good story...i'm going to tell my nine year old,that,when he whinges about the temperature of his bathwater

 

[mickfred]

What a lovely feel-good story...i'm going to tell my nine year old,that,when he whinges about the temperature of his bathwater

well to be fair his front teeth are possible missing as well

 

[PEG]

I have a pal,whose dental practice is at Croxteth...i've never seen him on a pushbike...

 

[mickfred]

Maybe a armoured car

 

[westward10]

A nice story to make you feel better . Lad in work got out of jail 9 months ago got nicked in work 5 days ago for a charge (could get two years for ) from 4 years ago , which the police never got round to , has now been locked out by his bird told your never seeing you kid again, has not got a change from clothes , sleeping on my mates couch , his two front teeth start feeling loose yesterday and had them out today and my boss kickedoff at him for having the full day off and his hair is starting to go ( looks like a spiders back ) and he said only 25 . So could be worse

I am weeping for him.