Advice

[Morley2012]

Hello, Im 22 and just looking for a helping hand.

I have been trying to get an apprenticeship for the last year but because I didn't get on with the school life I didn't get any A-C grades and no one will give me any time of day, I'm almost 100% sure I could do the job aswell which is the thing really P***ing me off even some of the sparky where I work have said I would make a great apprentice as I spend more time following them about and asking questions than I do my own job :tongue3: could you kindly point me in the right direction?



Thanks

E Morley.

Iv'e also posted in the jobs section but might be better off here if its wrong then please remove post.

 

[trev]

One thing I told my son when he was looking for his apprenticeship was, don't sit around and wait for it to come to you. Get yourself down to the college and enrol on to a course that will be relevant to what you want to do, in your case C&G 2330 L1 or whatever the hell it's called these days. This will show an employer that you are prepared to apply yourself to get to the goal you want without any pushing from them.
Good luck mate

 

[Jay Sparks]

I agree with trev. Enroll first then, send a letter to all the electrical firms around your area and explain your situation.
When I started college, I wrote a letter, printed about 20 copies off, then went on Yell.com and looked for local firms. I bought a book of stamps and posted my letter to all 20 firms. I got a couple a sorry but.......and a job offer as a mate. It wasnt an apprenticeship (I was too old) but it was 3 days a week and it gave me the practical experiance to go with the theory.

Good luck and as trev says, dont sit around and wait for the oppotunity, go out and get it.


Jay

 

[Guitarist]

The problem with saying that you didn't get on with school life, is that it comes across as not being able to cope with authority and being told what to do (Major parts of being an apprentice). If you are serious, find out what grades you need in the core subjects, study hard and retake them. That will show any prospective employer how serious you are. Nothing in life will be handed to you, so go out and prove you are worthy!

 

[Morley2012]

Thanks for the replies guys, It's not that I didn't have a problem with being told what to do, its that I didn't bother to do my homework and coursework that let me down because I though I knew best. Its been 6years since I left school so retaking exams seems weird lol

 

[trev]

Ahh the wisdom of youth. Been there done that mate.
Get your butt down to your local college and talk to the electrical guys there but be absolutely sure that this is the path for you before you go down it. It's a long hard road but it'll be worth it in the end

 

[Guitarist]

Unfortunately, following a sparky around and showing an interest will carry no weight. I left school 26 years ago, then had to do 4 years at college. Imagine how weird it was for me and many other electricians to take a 17th edition course and now be assessed every year for our part P membership! To get on the ladder you NEED the qualifications which employers are looking for. If you are serious, then you will overcome all obstacles.

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

You won't have to resit any GCSEs to get onto the 2330 course if that's the worry. At college they ask if you have the grades and can prove them. If like you you do not, they get you to do KeySkills which is a ridiculously easy, basic test in maths, english and ICT.

 

[Guitarist]

You won't have to resit any GCSEs to get onto the 2330 course if that's the worry. At college they ask if you have the grades and can prove them. If like you you do not, they get you to do KeySkills which is a ridiculously easy, basic test in maths, english and ICT.

I hope they include "understanding Adiabatic equations" in the basic maths test

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

If "You have 10 sweets and eat 2 of them. How many are left?" is an adiabatic equation then yes, yes they do.

 

[trev]

If "You have 10 sweets and eat 2 of them. How many are left?" is an adiabatic equation then yes, yes they do.

Reminds me of a joke, pm me if you want me to tell you it, it's probably not for open forum but it's not a sicky

 

[Adam W]

Reminds me of a joke, pm me if you want me to tell you it, it's probably not for open forum but it's not a sicky

I think someone posted that on here recently. May have been you. Did it start with a teacher asking if there were 10 birds sitting on a fence and you shot one of them how many would there be, the answer being 'none because the rest would fly away'?

Anyway, saying you're 'not good at schoolwork' and complaining that nobody will give you a chance seems like falling before you've reached the first hurdle. If I were in a position to employ someone I wouldn't if they had that attitude.
You won't get given these things on a plate, you have to go out and get them, and to persevere when you get knocked back.
As suggested enrolling on the 2330 will show willing and a 'can do attitude' which employers will want to see. Don't moan about the employers being at fault for not wanting to give you a chance because nobody wants to hear that, whether it's true or not. Likewise you will have to learn stuff, write things down, do sums and sit exams in a college environment in order to get qualified; there's no getting around that so you need to get used to it.

I called and wrote to 30-40 companies in my first year and didn't get a sniff of work until I'd passed my first year exams and managed to grab a bit of agency work. If the sparkies you're working with are that impressed with you, pester them for a job, or at least some electrical work. Again if you can tell them you've enrolled at college off your own back that will show them you're serious about it.

I make no apologies if any of this isn't what you want to hear - nobody said it was going to be a walk in the park, although it might seem like it looking back on it 10 years down the line.

 

[Taylortwocities]

 

[cogsey133]

Thanks for the replies guys, It's not that I didn't have a problem with being told what to do, its that I didn't bother to do my homework and coursework that let me down because I though I knew best. Its been 6years since I left school so retaking exams seems weird lol

Your school achievements needn't be a problem and i should know! I got pushed into the academic side at school so rebelled against it hence left with no formal qualifications.....passed the mod exam and got an apprenticeship and so am a fully qualified spark! I went back to college years later and am now qualified up to the hilt with two HND's and a masters degree in various things and a fist full of highers. I would suggest to you as others have done get yourself to college on a sparks related course then get out there and sell yourself to any companies in your area.

PS its never weird to retake your exams...you may even understand them better now! Also stop setting your self up to fail academia is all about having the right attitude and you will need the right attitude to succeed as there is a lot of academic stuff in our trade!