Apprenticeship Tips...

[sjohnson93]

I'm about to start my electrical apprenticeship a week on Monday. I'm very excited but also a tad nervous. Was just wondering if anybody has any tips etc for me to ensure I really make a good impression at the firm I'll be working for. Anything would be great! THANKS!

 

[Jay Sparks]

You don’t say what part of the trade you’re going in to. Domestic and industrial are poles apart.
I’ll be honest, no one in their right mind would let me near a domestic installation, I’m industrial through and though.

Tony, Ill be honest, I would love to do industrial electrics but we only scratched the surface on it at college. We did stuff on motors but nothing like the real stuff you are used to dealing with!! Unfortunately, to go into industrial maintenance, I would need to complete a couple more units, on top of what I already have....along with a few years of practical experiance. I have great mechanical skills but doing domestic and commercial work, I dont use them that often. IfI was given the chance to work as an Industrial spark and to top up my training, I would jump at the chance.



Jay

 

[Jay Sparks]

College will tell you the right way to do things but being on site, you will learn the practical way of doing things.lol
If you can merge the two together, you will be ok. Also ask loads of questions....if you have a mentor that is willing to answer them that is.lol The sparky I worked for was a body builder and it depended on whether he had taken his royds or not, whether he would be helpfull that day..lol

 

[trev]

Maybe I was being a bit heavy

Don't drink pints at lunch during college.

You weren't being heavy at all mate. The whole point of this thread is for a complete newbie to get info, I don't think there's any such thing as too much info. It just has to be the stuff he needs to know, imho his h&s will be someone else's responsibility at first but as he learns he'll know for himself.

 

[stuartcourt]

last thing from me I say this to all my apprentices from experience, the only person truly worried about you safety is you, if you die the job will get done without you. Do not ever do anything you do not feel safe with.

 

[Jay Sparks]

The way H & S is changing these days, we are all still learning.lol I was on a sight last week where you couldnt use step ladders, no matter how tall/small they where. It was all mobile towers etc. Yet last Sept, for the safe contractor, I was using the 13 tread step ladders.....!! Its gone blinking mad. It makes a ten minute job last an hour.lol

 

[stuartcourt]

I agree they need to stop treating us like kids

 

[trev]

The way H & S is changing these days, we are all still learning.lol I was on a sight last week where you couldnt use step ladders, no matter how tall/small they where. It was all mobile towers etc. Yet last Sept, for the safe contractor, I was using the 13 tread step ladders.....!! Its gone blinking mad. It makes a ten minute job last an hour.lol

I was on a site once that disallowed step ladders but allowed the plasterer to work on stilts. WTF?

 

[brookster]

Depends where you work it's needed in some areas/cases where you or someone involved with you slips up you die.

[video=youtube;4bBvmPRqfmo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bBvmPRqfmo[/video]

What he is doing when winding is racking the breaker up, when the breaker reaches the bars (as far I as was told) is that either a spanner or part of the enclosure was between two phases.
This is a high voltage system not low voltage but the point is there to see, 440 is still very dangerous.

 

[Hawk81]

My tip is to get yourself a pocket sized note book and pen. Take notes and wiring diagrams if and when you can. Will be a good reference for you in the future if you are asked to repeat a task and you don't want to keep asking how something is wired ect.

 

[Jay Sparks]

I was on a site once that disallowed step ladders but allowed the plasterer to work on stilts. WTF?

Like I said trev, H & S has gone mental. I was once forced to wear a bump cap, gloves, high viz and steelys on site. Now I dont mind wearing most of the stuff but I was testing social housing all day and wearing gloves was just anoying...I ended up cutting the finger tips off...but what really peed me off was wearing the bump cap!!! These houses where occupied and most of the time the tennant was in there jarmers and slippers..lol How come they didnt need to wear PPE????? Bloody rediculous!!

 

[trev]

Like I said trev, H & S has gone mental. I was once forced to wear a bump cap, gloves, high viz and steelys on site. Now I dont mind wearing most of the stuff but I was testing social housing all day and wearing gloves was just anoying...I ended up cutting the finger tips off...but what really peed me off was wearing the bump cap!!! These houses where occupied and most of the time the tennant was in there jarmers and slippers..lol How come they didnt need to wear PPE????? Bloody rediculous!!

On a site for NGB a few years back, all the aforementioned PPE was required but you were allowed to cut the finger out of your gloves to make terminating easier. As I said before, WTF? I remember when I was in Saudi, some of the indian and phillipino idea of PPE was wearing flip flops

 

[Jay Sparks]

On a site for NGB a few years back, all the aforementioned PPE was required but you were allowed to cut the finger out of your gloves to make terminating easier. As I said before, WTF? I remember when I was in Saudi, some of the indian and phillipino idea of PPE was wearing flip flops

Ha ha ha, now Ive got a picture in my head of you with a lady boy!!!!lol But that maybe the red wine thinking.lol Sorry, thats Thailand!!lol
Im going to bed, im drunk.....lol

 

[trev]

Lady boys are somewhat frowned upon in Saudi mate

 

[Jay Sparks]

Lady boys are somewhat frowned upon in Saudi mate

So are eastern Europeans in Bradford but there still here..lol
Now I am really going to bed, ive just done my second bottle of red..lol
Night Yall!!

 

[44ALLAN]

I was taught a good apprentice is always busy. If you've nothing to do pick up a broom, tidy out the van or put the kettle on. Good luck mate.

Rubbish...............I used to get my head down for a few winks next to the spark who was kipping !!!
The broom was the 'alarm' 2 doors up from where we were ffs !
Get your priorities right man these guys need proper training fgs !