Advice wanted on retraining as an Electrican about courses and tools needed.

[Mad Mo]

Hi I’m looking at city and guilds 2365 parts 2 and 3 through trade skills for you. It’s over 16 weeks and wondered if this is any good? I’m 49 and having to retrain as getting made redundant in December so planning options in advance. I’m trying to build up most of the tools I’d need as working in a builders merchant at the minute so can save a considerable amount of money on the tools. Wondering about makes of tools ie Knipex or CK pliers/ screwdrivers etc. Also what power tools to get ie core cutters, drill drivers/ sds drills etc? Will I need a conduit bender, yellow fibre glsss steps ?and which are more usefull, any other recommendations on tools needed would be very helpful. Any other courses that I need or should go on? Any help greatly appreciated please

 

[PEG]

I recently completed my Domestic installers course with Trade Skills which certs you for anything Domestic, including signing off your own work with building control, I'm also registered wit NICICE, I recognise that I'm not an approved contractor and the guys that completed an apprenticeship have their own opinion, however at 52 years old I'm cert'ed to do anything domestically and I'm much happier than the past 37 years in a 6 x 8 office, Go for it, don't assume its easy though !!

To be fair,a 6M X 8M office,is a sizeable work environment

 

[elsparko]

To be fair,a 6M X 8M office,is a sizeable work environment

could be a 6x8 prison cell?

 

[Octopus]

If you do do it, make sure you have about £6K for your first year overheads, and you will be lucky to make much of a profit.

What hands on experience do you have of construction? plumbing? building? kitchens? bathrooms?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

difference is though in between those 50 weeks of college over 3 years, were on site putting the practical with the theory

Given the Op's age I reckon he would struggle to get on site experience, especially when they can pay a teenager a lot less than an adult would expect for the experience towards an NVQ or apprenticeship.

 

[PEG]

I accept the comments in relation to the OP's age,are given with respect and experience,but as we do not know him,it may not make a difference.
I am 53,and can out-lift,out-run and out-think,most put in front of me...whatever their age

What is more important,is his health,ambition,and previous similar experience.

 

[uksrevivor]

To the OP from my experience and im in my mid 40s a recognised technical college will always be far more respected by your possible future employer than the fast track route some other providers will provide. I have commented on previous posts on this subject in this forum. I started to retrain as a spark in my 40s and I attended a recognised tec college where all the apprentice electricians attended. I was classed as full time and it was 16 hours a week broke up into 2 days, 1 day practical and 1 day theory and averaged 7 hours a day.
Now if you can complete the 2365 City & Guilds level 2 and 3 diploma in 16 weeks on a fast track basis course then I take my hat off to you as the theory and formulas totally blew my mind.
The Apprentice electrician will attend a tec college normally 1 day a week and the theory and practical work is split into 2 parts over a morning and afternoon on the level 2 but the apprentice is working the rest of the week alongside qualified sparks gaining practical skills onsite and on the job. The level 3 apprentice attends 1 day a week but its mainly all theory and understanding formulas as they have completed the practical in there second year along with health safety etc.
Now lets take it you have passed your courses have level 2 & 3 and you now go into the commercial sector as an improver to gain experience you will be pretty much guaranteed to be doing containment or to put it bluntly be a metal muncher. This is where the apprentice who is only on level 2 will be in his element as you will not have been taught commercial containment on the practical aspect of your course and a good young apprentice is fitter faster and cheaper. Not all commercial jobs are on a single story level and it can be and more likely will be bloody hard work as the materials are delivered at ground level most of the time and we have to hump the metal conduit/basket/trunking to whatever floor we are working on the majority of the time. There is an art in putting sets in containment and its all experience related.
Hopefully this reply has not put you off it went on a bit i know but its coming from a mature mid 40s trainee electrician who had a previous trade and had a few ciders tonight.

 

[elsparko]

the way i see it is, anyone can learn the theory part of the job , but when it comes to onsite, nothing beats years of experience dealing with the problems that arise in domestic properties

 

[JAWS]

the way i see it is, anyone can learn the theory part of the job , but when it comes to onsite, nothing beats years of experience dealing with the problems that arise in domestic properties

I think its the same with any trade but unfortuantly not everyone can jump on to an apprenticeship hence why these training sheds are popping up everywhere.

I have said many of times its not like the old days where apprenticeship's were everywhere.

I completely agree with your statement regarding experience is key and that's 100% true but these days you can send 100 emails out to companies offering even to work for free as a mate to gain experience yet you will be lucky to hear from 3 of them and them 3 will most likely ask if you have experience.

 

[elsparko]

I think its the same with any trade but unfortuantly not everyone can jump on to an apprenticeship hence why these training sheds are popping up everywhere.

I have said many of times its not like the old days where apprenticeship's were everywhere.

I completely agree with your statement regarding experience is key and that's 100% true but these days you can send 100 emails out to companies offering even to work for free as a mate to gain experience yet you will be lucky to hear from 3 of them and them 3 will most likely ask if you have experience.

i think what i would do in OP situation is find a local 1 man band to assist on small jobs as he does his training

in my first 3 months i earned £2 an hour, when i was accepted into apprenticeship i was on £3.67 an hour, but this was relative to my skills and i was mainly an observer and carrier of things, an extra set of hands for the necessary but "crappy" jobs onsite

its like the military, a good teacher break you down to appreciate that even the smallest details matter, watch bad lads army, all of them complain about having to make their bed in a specific way, the officers come in and tip it all up and make them do it over till they get it right, early in my apprenticeship my boss would make me repeat jobs that i did not complete to an acceptable standard, now i have those good practices built in as almost a reflex, if i am not happy with something then i will make myself repeat it till it is acceptable, self discipline

at the end of their military career making the bed comes second nature to them, looking after your belongings becomes second nature, cant go to war without good boots, so better look after them

teaching old dogs new tricks can be done, but it will take marginally longer than teaching a young dog that has no built up habits already

older guys generally have families to support aswell, so living on an apprentice wage is not realistic

 

[elsparko]

the guys that run the recognised tech colleges are a good place to go to ask if they know of anyone hiring trainees, the work you do at college is like your first reference

 

[Mad Mo]

The course is intense and as said you get out what you put in, I was at Warrington so it was hotels for me, it blows your mind to start with but i enjoyed it. The hard work started when you pass, NICEIC set there own exams if you want to join and the first assessment is tough if you haven't picked up your testing during training, what lm trying to say is passing doesn't make you a domestic electrician, that comes in the real world, I'm learning every day.

 

[Mad Mo]

The course is intense and as said you get out what you put in, I was at Warrington so it was hotels for me, it blows your mind to start with but i enjoyed it. The hard work started when you pass, NICEIC set there own exams if you want to join and the first assessment is tough if you haven't picked up your testing during training, what lm trying to say is passing doesn't make you a domestic electrician, that comes in the real world, I'm learning every day.

Hi

 

[Mad Mo]

Hi is the NICEIC more exams and cost and did you learn enough on the course at Warrington to pass that and feel confident enough to do domestic jobs on your own?

 

[Mad Mo]

Hi[/QUOT

If you do do it, make sure you have about £6K for your first year overheads, and you will be lucky to make much of a profit.

What hands on experience do you have of construction? plumbing? building? kitchens? bathrooms?

 

[Mad Mo]

Hi, I’m a qualified cabinet maker by trade and most chippy work I can do ok. Working in a merchants ive picked up loads of tips etc on plumbing and can manage most basic work building wise. Also thought about doing the course then going into refurb on houses brought at auctions etc to subsidise first year after the course. What do you think?