Approved tradesmen scheme

[dunscombe]

Hi, as I’m trying to grow my little business I keep coming across many obstacles namely trying to join a competent trade scheme. NAPIT seem to be the only one that suit my current situation.. has anyone any experience with these people as I’m finding it difficult to say the least! Or can anyone recommend an alternative. I don’t have my testing and inspecting ticket which rules my out of NICEIC!! I need something in place to get my work notified to council

 

[7029 dave]

It would though. If every spark said 'No, this is stupid and i'm not doing it. Let's see you police it, LOL.' they would HAVE to put sensible rules in place. You know like letting qualified men actually install basic circuits in houses without having to pay for it. The qualifications mean nothing if you can't use them to carry out the actual work they relate to.

IMO the qualifications should be 18th, NVQ, AM2, and full testing and inspection. Once you have those you should be able to touch any install you like without having to pay because passing them proves you know how to do electrics safely. The only thing i would change about this is i would make the 18th test an actual test of your knowledge on the regs and not just a 'can you find it in the book' exercise. It should imo be rolled into the inspection and testing qualification as they sort of go hand in hand.

If this isn't good enough, then instead of introducing stupid rules like schemes they should simply make the qualifications more in depth and harder to achieve.

You cant make the 18th a closed book exam, nobody can digest the whole book lol

 

[rewireIT]

You cant make the 18th a closed book exam, nobody can digest the whole book lol

Well no but you could instead for example have it as a part of the AM2 where you are given a made up customer spec and made to install it to regs, proving you know practical application of 7671.

'Customer wants upstairs and downstairs sockets and lighting, outside lighting, power to an outbuilding powering X circuits, a cooker, a shower, and a hive system for heating/hot water.'

And then you have a professional discussion after where you describe why you chose a 20a radial for the sockets in the shed instead of a ring. Or why you put all incoming cables into one entry hole. Or why you used SWA for the outdoor building. Or why you used a fused spur here and not there. What height did you put sockets and why? Why have you put labels on stuff?

 

[LukeD]

Well no but you could instead for example have it as a part of the AM2 where you are given a made up customer spec and made to install it to regs, proving you know practical application of 7671.

Thats a good point

 

[nicebutdim]

Well no but you could instead for example have it as a part of the AM2 where you are given a made up customer spec and made to install it to regs, proving you know practical application of 7671.

What do you think the AM2 is?

It involves installing to a given spec. You make a list of materials and get to work - obviously the installation must comply with BS7671.

Edit: To be fair you also suggest an element of design, which would indeed be a good addition to it.

 

[pirate]

I took my car to the main dealer due to an intermittent fault with the electrics. Ok, intermittent ones are a hassle...but the mechanic, sorry, technician, was finally able to replicate the fault...but his computer couldn't tell him what it was or how to fix it because the computer didn't have that fault code. Not the technicians fault, he is highly trained and has all the certificates for working on this vehicle.
In effect, he has his Domestic Installer badge and is "Part P" registered (?) (so glad it's not a thing in Scotland) but he has no idea how to fix the problem. I leave. It's a minor glitch and life is short.
A week later I went to a local tyre place, needing 2 new tyres. As I chatted to the proprietor I mentioned the problem I had with the electrics.
5 minutes later he came back and said it was fixed...a well known problem with these cars...
Experience? Yes. Paperwork and certificates? No.
Do a good job and be able to repel all those who question your work. If you do a good job, you need no backup. If you do a bad job, your scheme membership will not save you...nor should it.
Plough your furrow, but plough it well.

 

[ipf]

You cant make the 18th a closed book exam, nobody can digest the whole book lol

Chew on that, eh?
Too thick for me, too.

 

[rewireIT]

"Part P" registered (?) (so glad it's not a thing in Scotland)

So what is the script in Scotland if you want to do domestic work? No notifying?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

They just don't operate under the scheme anymore. All the cowboys who were allowed on before 2021 have lifetime access.

I'm one of those cowboys

Again for some reason we're equating not telling someone you've done work with potential danger. Why? Why would 'danger and problems result' from not notifying?

Even though you sound quite annoying you've got an interesting point ;-)

I thought about that today. Its really to do with the reason for notifying work and I'm embarrassed to say I'm not sure what that reason is.

I guess the notification system may somewhat decrease builders from carrying out major electrical work as they would be worried about the consequences of getting caught (my builder feels this way).

Perhaps it also encourages the installer to do a good job and not cut corners, as if the work has been notified it may be used as your assessment. If you don't notify it, some may become a little blasé as there's zero chance of anyone checking.

I'm clutching at straws a little though.

 

[davesparks]

If every spark said 'No, this is stupid and i'm not doing it. Let's see you police it, LOL.' they would HAVE to put sensible rules in place.

Who are 'they'?

And they wouldn't 'HAVE' to put different rules in place. Government and local authorities would more likely set up a marketing campaign pushing the importance of part P and notification to customers.
And you'd probably get a lot of customers not paying their bills because the lack of notification has prevented their job getting an LABC completion certificate.

IMO the qualifications should be 18th, NVQ, AM2, and full testing and inspection.

You're missing the most important thing, proven experience. A journeyman type system would be far better. Originally the JIB gradings achieved something of this nature but that has somewhat fallen by the wayside.

Once you have those you should be able to touch any install you like without having to pay because passing them proves you know how to do electrics safely.

Those qualifications are not enough to touch any install you like or to prove that you know how to do it safely.
Those qualifications would probably cover you for domestic and light/medium (non-specialist) commercial installations.

 

[davesparks]

The only thing i would change about this is i would make the 18th test an actual test of your knowledge on the regs and not just a 'can you find it in the book' exercise.

What would be the point of that?

An exam which assesses your ability to memorise nearly 600 A4 pages of text has no bearing on a persons ability as an electrician. You'd almost certainly drive out a lot of good electricians and end up with an industry full of people with great memories and lacking practical skills.

 

[rewireIT]

What would be the point of that?

An exam which assesses your ability to memorise nearly 600 A4 pages of text has no bearing on a persons ability as an electrician. You'd almost certainly drive out a lot of good electricians and end up with an industry full of people with great memories and lacking practical skills.

Yeah see other posts in this thread regarding your point.

 

[rewireIT]

Those qualifications are not enough to touch any install you like or to prove that you know how to do it safely.
Those qualifications would probably cover you for domestic and light/medium (non-specialist) commercial installations.

Are you purposefully pedantic just to be a contrarian?

I think it has to go without saying i wasn't insinuating that you could do your 18th, I+T and AM2 and then go out working on HV set ups or anything like that.

If you pass said quals you absolutely should be deemed qualified to touch anything domestic small commercial. If not then it's the quals that should be improved and upgraded. What would be the point of them otherwise? What shouldn't happen is people say what you say and then tell you they can cure it with a £500 payment to NAPIT. That's like when they still let me drive my car in the ULEZ and then pretend they've stopped my pollution because i paid them £12.50. It's nonsense.

 

[davesparks]

Well no but you could instead for example have it as a part of the AM2 where you are given a made up customer spec and made to install it to regs, proving you know practical application of 7671.

'Customer wants upstairs and downstairs sockets and lighting, outside lighting, power to an outbuilding powering X circuits, a cooker, a shower, and a hive system for heating/hot water.'

So you'd reduce the AM2 down to a simple exam in domestic work without even a basic 3 phase circuit?

 

[loz2754]

So you'd reduce the AM2 down to a simple exam in domestic work without even a basic 3 phase circuit?

There is indeed now such a thing as AM2D. For domestic only.

 

[loz2754]

I often think about jacking it all in because of all this crap. But I don't know what I'd do instead. I love my job. I just want to be allowed to do it and respected enough to not to have jump through so many hoops, just to line the pockets of the politicians and rule makers.