Am I Too Old to spark (for older sparks)?

[eleclio]

Hi Guys any of the older generation had this problem with their grading.
I'm a time served Approved, or thought I was.
In the early 1980's I got my approved card from the SJIB.
During the last 23years I've worked in the Security Alarm industry.
I was made redundant dec2011, and am chasing the spark trade,
even for a sparks mate jobs to get me back in (I know things have changed).

:furious3:My problem is the SJIB & the JIB have no record of me ever being a spark.

Although I have the 15th & 16th IEE regs.
I'm about to sit my 17th (Full 3 day course) but now have my doubts if I'll
even get an Standard Electricians card.
(in fairness the JIB stated they would have to honour my full apprenticeship)
Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[UNG]

I think I touched a sore point there!

like you said so called competent.


These competent scheme providers are ment to be doing this at the end of the day to make this very dangerous weapon as safe as it can be!

I d agree that they are to interested in making money - I have seen that already!

The bigger problem are these prats!!! who are not registered and not going through LABC to do these jobs, and those of them who are issuing fake certificates - bring in 1 company (not the several they have now) which is run by government which has a national register of all electricians and the work they have carried out - on par of the MOT system which is in force now.

Then have it where people can complain about shabby workmanship and fake certificates to this one body - but think Im in my dream world because that will never happen now will it!


I know they are not government bodies, they are however approved bodies - simple mistype

I think you are digging an even bigger hole for yourself with your comments.

The approved government scams and LABC crap is stopping well qualified and experienced (to use your insulting wording) prats doing electrical work on their own property and for relatives and friends while the Electrical Trainee shell out a lot of money join a scam and then ask a million and one questions on this forum on how to do the work with little or no proper qualification and experience.

Many years ago you had to trade for 3 years before the NICEIC would consider you as an approved contractor now with all these schemes it's reduced to nothing. There are some who belong to these domestic Part P schemes that believe that being Part P has elevated themselves to being better qualified than the sparks in the industrial and commercial sectors, what a joke.

 

[Guest111]

Hi UNG this one is realy getting heated isn,t it?you sound a bit of an old hand like myself,do you think we are finding it more annoying because of our age,you know back in the day when things were done properly training wise,were as now it seems anybody can class themselves as a sparks after 5 minutes training so to speak?I had my mates son with me as he couldn,t get a placement and although I couldn,t take him to work with me all the time,his tutor said he was learning more with me than the others on full time placement in his words he said "I knew he was knocking about with an old hand as the stuff he was learning they dont teach anymore" anyway he passed all his exams and went on to get a full time job so it was nice to know that despite being an old git I still have my uses. All the best to you my friend we may be old school but there are times they,d struggle without us

 

[Engineer54]

I think I touched a sore point there!




I d agree that they are to interested in making money - I have seen that already!

The bigger problem are these prats!!! who are not registered and not going through LABC to do these jobs, and those of them who are issuing fake certificates - bring in 1 company (not the several they have now) which is run by government which has a national register of all electricians and the work they have carried out - on par of the MOT system which is in force now.

Then have it where people can complain about shabby workmanship and fake certificates to this one body - but think Im in my dream world because that will never happen now will it!

You don't want any of the scheme provider companies involved, having a National Register of Qualified Electricians, would effectively kick all of them into touch, as any electrician that held a Registered card, would be deemed competent, ...no further need for these providers!!

Yes i agree, the Government body that administer this kind of set-up should also be given the teeth to take action against any electrician or company that doesn't conform to the rules. But then they should also be setting standards high enough where Electrical Trainee can't just go from office work to 5 or 6 weeks later being deemed a qualified electrician. ...ie where they will also need to gain recognised experience of a minimal duration, and even then be classified as a probationary competent electrician.

None of this should be costing the working electricians an arm and a leg either, like these greedy providers are. A self financing National body yes, profit making No!!!
Yes lot's to sort out, but something to work towards....

 

[ruston]

Phil d , your post reminds me of the 2391 course I was on . The vast majority had no understanding of what they were trying to achieve and had little or no knowledge when it came to the practical.
Most of the older Sparks spent their time coaching them and explaining things to them in the workshop before the practical assessment came up.

Out of the 24 that started the course only 17 completed it and only 7 passed. All applicants satisfied the colleges entry requirements.

 

[UNG]

Hi UNG this one is realy getting heated isn,t it?

I think it is understandable when a minority of high and mighty Part P crew start using terms like PRATS

you sound a bit of an old hand like myself,do you think we are finding it more annoying because of our age,you know back in the day when things were done properly training wise,were as now it seems anybody can class themselves as a sparks after 5 minutes training so to speak?

I'm rapidly reaching grumpy old man status at least the old skill centre sparks qualified with a bit more about them, this niche electrical training that appears to be the norm these days is not producing good all round electricians who can tackle any electrical job across all business sectors and if forums like this ceased to exist god help them. NVQ's were the start of the decline IMO with the older guys being told their qualifications meant nothing without an NVQ 3

I had my mates son with me as he couldn,t get a placement and although I couldn,t take him to work with me all the time,his tutor said he was learning more with me than the others on full time placement in his words he said "I knew he was knocking about with an old hand as the stuff he was learning they dont teach anymore" anyway he passed all his exams and went on to get a full time job so it was nice to know that despite being an old git I still have my uses. All the best to you my friend we may be old school but there are times they,d struggle without us

I do wonder where this industry will be in 10 - 20 years time the way things are going

 

[Guest111]

Phil d , your post reminds me of the 2391 course I was on . The vast majority had no understanding of what they were trying to achieve and had little or no knowledge when it came to the practical.
Most of the older Sparks spent their time coaching them and explaining things to them in the workshop before the practical assessment came up.

Out of the 24 that started the course only 17 completed it and only 7 passed. All applicants satisfied the colleges entry requirements.

yes I worked for a chap once who was younger than me and kept going on about his 2391 and how good he was one day we had a fault to find and he didn,t know where to start when he asked me I just replied "you,ve got the 2391 and think your better than me you sort it out" guess what? he couldn,t lol

 

[ruston]

yes I worked for a chap once who was younger than me and kept going on about his 2391 and how good he was one day we had a fault to find and he didn,t know where to start when he asked me I just replied "you,ve got the 2391 and think your better than me you sort it out" guess what? he couldn,t lol

This was similar , they where full of confidence and really believed they knew what they where doing. Some had spent over £1000 pounds on courses and had brought along their new Multi testers, they had obviously been led to believe that they were ready for the course. (not by the college by the way) I't was't their fault , it's down to the scams that lead them to believe that they "can do it". I genuinely felt sorry for them when they realized they where out of their depth and had wasted a lot of their cash and had been completely demoralized.

 

[Tom 256]

when I did my 2391-52 it was the same observation, lots of young lads with AM2 and yet not a clue and needed help from those older guys pre AM2