Advice needed

[Spongebob]

Hi all, not sure if I'm in the right forum but I'm in need of some career advice.
I sat my city and guilds 2330 levels 2&3, my 16th edition and my test and inspect in 2007 as a mature student not on an apprenticeship. We did a small amount of practical in order to pass the course. I then had a job as a maintenance electricians mate for a year before being made redundant. Since then I have had a few small jobs with independent electricians to try to gain more practical experience. The maintenance job was all lamp changes so I gained no install experience.
I have found it extremely difficult to get work as a mate in order to complete enough practical work to be able to consider working on my own, I've even worked for free just to get my foot in the door. I am now wondering what to do to become fully qualified as i feel my qualifications are going to waste. I know I have to go back to college to do 17th edition, but does anyone have any advice as to where I go from here? I've had to take completely unrelated work for financial reasons as no one is willing to take on an apprentice.
Cheers for any advice

 

[baazab]

when you say testing is it the 2392 or the 2391

 

[i=p/u]

well all i can say is stick to what you comfortable with to start with and this will automaticaly let you go a little further each time 1.e add extra lights extra sockets, but as you in england you need other courses to even do this to standard.. do you still remember the basics of cable calulation and volt drop and other stuff..????

 

[Spongebob]

Hi I did the 2391 course and I am aware that for most work I need to be registered but I don't know at what point are you 'ready' to apply for registration. I don't believe I have enough experience on my own to warrant applying yet, it's getting that experience that's proving a problem. I seem to be stuck and don't want to have wasted my qualifications. Yet I know people who have done less than me and have managed to set up on their own and become registered.

 

[i=p/u]

aye its probably cnfidince your lacking, but to overcome this you need to be cocky oor let it take its course... if you have the courses well you probably only need to be shown once and do on yourself to be good enough to tackle yourself........


get on the ball and find that job which will teach either domestic/commercial or whatever you want to do......... get that job son!!whatever it takes

 

[baazab]

if i was you i would look for local electrical people and start working for free

 

[Spongebob]

Thanks for the advice, i have worked for free before but had to stop as I couldn't afford petrol to get to the jobs I suppose some of it is when I personally feel like I can do most stuff.

 

[baazab]

apply to jobs make a cv ready to send do something look around ,this what i use to do avery time i see a van with his electrical logo i take the number and phone them,this site is realy good for help and advice ,but you need to look for work