Age of those who can build a control panel and control a process

[smiley125]

So what level of control systems is the 'average' trainee exposed to in the UK? In five weeks, my entire class has an assessment and will have to wire up at the very least a latching contactor circuit. Anyone who can't do it perfectly is at great risk of having to repeat the subject at their own expense.

The average house bashing apprentice learns next to nothing about control in their years at college..it's left to the employer to teach, but many of those don't know it either...

 

[shanky887614]

The average house bashing apprentice learns next to nothing about control in their years at college..it's left to the employer to teach, but many of those don't know it either...

i did the 2330 and didnt cover any controls, covered dol starters etc.

did a lot on different types of motors in the last year

 

[D Skelton]

I was very lucky to have a real genius of a tutor in my third year. He used to help me and another with extra curricular studies; motors, controls, protective measures, gennys, plcs, safety circuits, deeper science and principles. He didn't have to, but he gave up his own time just to give people a better understanding of things than was required by the course. I have a lot to thank him for!

You won't get that with electricskills4u or any other similarly named short course training provider!

 

[Knobhead]

I suppose I was lucky in that my brother became an apprentice industrial electrician when I was 8. By the time I was 10 he’d built me a board in the garage similar to the boards modern apprentices use. He’d stripped an old control panel out at work and they let him have the gear. This board had contactors, timers and so on.

H&S, what’s that? All of it was 240V control 13A plug and no RCD. If I got a belt it was my bloody fault! Yes, I was working on it live.

Both of us are retired, if we were still talking to each other we could set up a training centre.

 

[Engineer54]

The average house bashing apprentice learns next to nothing about control in their years at college..it's left to the employer to teach, but many of those don't know it either...

That's because the whole curriculum now seems to be based almost wholly on domestic and small commercial installations, which was definitely not the case when i was doing C&G courses, the installation 236 C&G being just one of them. Controls were part and parcel of the job so were covered in depth...

But then the company i did my training with had it's own in house trade training school so we got an across the board training both at the school and on the shop floor. A few of the tutors being ex electrical/mechanical foreman (or similar) that ended their working days before retiring, (some were actually retired too) teaching at the company school. ....Happy days!!

 

[edexlab]

Well , after killing off this countries industry as some short sighted people in charge believed it was more economical to buy cheap throwaway quality from abroad ,rather than keep the quality this country used to be famous for, I guess the industrial side of the electrical training curriculum was in less demand!

I watched a good documentary a couple of years ago on the German engineering revolution apparently their engineering was a bit of a joke at the turn of the last century, to the point that buying German was worse than getting something from a 3rd world country but they turned things around, across the board by introducing their own quality standards and engineering ethics based above those of other countries, this included the training regimes and curriculums at schools and colleges,
unbelievable that here where engineering first began, its hard to find people with the skills required.
I've worked with several mechanical fitters that can't sharpen a drill bit!
Say no more!

 

[Rob Taylor]

Hi guys, Very interesting thread...I've been working with my boss for a couple of years who maintains and builds the odd control panel and plant etc.
I find it fascinating and feel that domestic sparks are missing out on so much!! The control and instrumentation in my eyes, is by far the most interesting work....especially when it doesn't work and you have to find the fault!!!
My boss is old & old school, lol 60.
I'm 28 and really want to learn as much as I can in the field...I've been looking around for panel building courses, so I can get some kind of certification....is anyone aware of one of these?
Cheers

 

[joel89]

You can do an NVQ but your better off learning yourself I'm 25, and do my own designing and building if somebody gives you a circuit drawing anyone can do it really if you can read schematics

 

[Jonspark]

whats the point in asking people who can build control systems how old they are?

 

[Bobster]

whats the point in asking people who can build control systems how old they are?

Have you read this thread?

 

[Jonspark]

Have you read this thread?

Isn't that whats been asked in the poll?

 

[Bobster]

Isn't that whats been asked in the poll?

It certainly is. He also explains why he's asking.

 

[Jonspark]

Might have been better to ask WHEN people acquired these skills as well as age

 

[Darkwood]

whats the point in asking people who can build control systems how old they are?

Its a poll to get an idea on the age grouping of members on the forum just probably out of interest, this particular industry is developing a massive black hole of skill shortages as the old retire and no-one to fill there boots .... if your interested yourself in the poll then by all means contribute to the thread but don't jump in with a comment like that as its just trolling... so what exactly is the point of posting such a comment!

 

[Knobhead]

whats the point in asking people who can build control systems how old they are?

Can you build a control panel from scratch?

I’m retired from the game and looking at the poll others can’t be far away. I fully understand why DW asked the question.