Become an electrician in 4 weeks - Feedback needed.

[thomoose]

Hi everyone,

I am interested in hearing from anyone who has attended one of these "become an electrician in 4 weeks" course and how you are getting on since finishing. I don't want to hear from people that have spent 3 years on an apprenticeship only those who have attended one of these career change courses and would like to share the positives and negatives of the courses.

I know people think they are a waist of time and how can anyone become an electrician in 4 weeks but there are so many places offering the service, the demand must be out there and people must be doing it because the courses would not exist. I have managed to speak to a guy that did a 4 week course, managed to get get some work but felt he was way out of his depth but luckily he found someone else to work with and now 12 months later business is booming.

I would love to hear any comments because these courses are not cheap and I would like to hear some stories before I commit. My initial thoughts are they cant be that bad or City & Guilds would not give the qualifications.

Thanks

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I've been at it for over 30 years, and i still learn. Yes i have learn't a lot, but there is still a lot to learn. 4 weeks, no chance.

 

[mickys86]

The best way to go about it is to go college. I've worked 7 days a week most weeks for nearly 3 years to go to college one day a week and now I have a full apprenticeship I am still working 7 days.
The hardest part of becoming an electrician is getting someone to show you the ropes. I learned more from my boss than I did anywhere else and without that I believe it would've been a waste of time!

 

[Top Cat]

Just looked up this course from a firm near me. Electrical Training - Intensive Electrical Training | Electrical Training - Clarkson Evans Training - Electrician Courses sounds great to the innocent. £2250.00 +VAT!!!!!

DO NOT DO IT!

 

[Adam W]

These courses had their use, and that was for people like tonycoysh who already know the trade but haven't got the pieces of paper.
Unfortunately these training companies have expanded their markets by advertising that you can retrain in 4 weeks from barely knowing how to change a plug, then you will either be snapped up by a company or you can start your own company.

After the course you may be able to blag your way through your jobs if you're that kind of person, probably leaving a trail of destruction behind you, or you may be able to get work with an electrician friend (although you wouldn't have needed the course to do that anyway) but for most people looking to get rich quick the only people getting rich quick are the training providers.

 

[mickys86]

Just looked up this course from a firm near me. Electrical Training - Intensive Electrical Training | Electrical Training - Clarkson Evans Training - Electrician Courses sounds great to the innocent. £2250.00 +VAT!!!!!

DO NOT DO IT!

Seriously... £2250 + vat..... My college course has cost me around £2500(no vat) that's level 2 and level 3 and if you haven't studied for an nvq before then you are eligible for funding for the level 2!

it cost the same amount of money to go the better route?

 

[Engineer54]

Going by how the opening post was written, i don't think this guy is much interested in doing things properly at all. He wants to do as little as possible, to be able to go into peoples homes and start making money. In other words he only wants to know about success stories from those that have completed these buck-shee training courses...(are there any??) Certainly doesn't want to know about the needed work experience required at the end of these courses or the amount of chancers these courses are creating within our industry...

It's the attitude of these people that get me, everything has to be available to them, like Yesterday!!! How can anyone even think that they can go from stacking Tesco shelves to being a qualified electrician in 4 /5 / 6 / 7 weeks ...there commonsense must be completely out the door!!!. I doubt if most of these guys even have the Math ability to start a training course, where calculations are an absolute necessity...

 

[Top Cat]

Did the guy who wrote the opening post ever wonder why us electricians with 10, 20 or 30 years experiance go on to this forum?

It's becuase even after this amount of tme we don't know it all!

 

[Darkwood]

Im not usually a fan of mass ganging up on the OP but sometimes its the only way to give em a reality check, its possible to do all the theory pass all the exams on a good 2year course then walk in a house to rewire it and not have a clue how to approach the job or run the cables from A to B..... id say minimum of a 2yr college course with work experience tide in just to get the basics to be competent then spend the next 20yrs as i have educating yourself adapting to changing reg's and technologies and been here now where i am i still confess im still learning the ropes and never expect to know it all one day as its always a changing picture.

 

[telectrix]

going back to when i was a young sprog, ( don't say anything, malcolm!), there was a book out by bert weedon " play the guitar in a day". fat chance!!!. these courses are about the same level. you know a couple of chords, but jimmy hendrix, you ain't.

 

[Guest111]

going back to when i was a young sprog, ( don't say anything, malcolm!), there was a book out by bert weedon " play the guitar in a day". fat chance!!!. these courses are about the same level. you know a couple of chords, but jimmy hendrix, you ain't.

Cheers Tel your post brought back memories?did you just see it or like me try it,boy you just made a happy man feel very old lol.

 

[thomoose]

I thank everyone for their comments but I have read all this before in other threads. I was only really looking to hear from anyone that had done one of these courses and how they were getting on. There must be 1000's of people doing them and I just wanted hear some stories from the horses mouth rather than someone who has done it by apprenticeship and has no experience of these courses.

I have no opinion on these courses and all I read is negative but if they are so bad why do they exist and why do people do them? If there is anyone out there who has done a couses and wants to share a positive or negative experience I would love to hear from you.

My question to all the experienced sparkes who served there 3 year apprenticeships and slate these courses - I am 37 and fancy a change of direction does any one want to take me on as an appretice? The answer is no so do I then take my chances and spend £3k on a course that will give me some therory and possibly a foot in the door with a firm that will take me on a a mate or soemthing along those lines. Imagine an apprentice that you dont have to send to college one day a week for three years? Maybe these courses do have a place for sommeone like me who wants to get a foot in the door?

 

[malcolmsanford]

Unfortunately there is very little chance of you getting a foot in any door by taking this course.

The paper qualifications you will receive will not even get you an interview, in fact I would go as far as to say that your application would not even get looked at, by an electrical contracting company

The best chance you have is if you could find a small firm or a sole trader that needs "a hand" and try and increase your skill base that way, but for that you don't need to pay 2-3k for a course, you either need to be in the right place at the right time. or know someone who knows someone who just happens this week needs a hand.

The industry as an whole is in a terrible situation, I don't think in the 40 yrs I've been in it, there as been so much pressure on it with recession, influx of foreign labour, and lack of training.

It is a noble pursuit you wanting to retrain and I applaud that, but we are all trying to tell you is that at this moment in time, apart from swelling the coffers of a training provider, there is little gain for you personally

 

[thomoose]

It is a difficult one as I have spent 10 years in an office, done quite well for myself but want a change and am fortunate enough to be in a position where I can afford a change if you know what I mean. I dont have age on my side and will consider doing anything to get my foot in the door. If a course in not going to help then I have to rethink my options. I have got a friend in the industry but he lives a good 60 miles away so working with him is not an option.

As I said when I started this thread the only person I have spoken to who has done one of these courses found himself out of his depth when he started working and the only way forward was to work with someone with experience. He was luck as he picked up the phone book and was lucky enought to find someone willing to work with him and teach him the pratical side of the job and his £4k course has paid off for him. I was hoping to hear some more success stories.

Thanks again to everyone,

 

[stan794]

It is a difficult one as I have spent 10 years in an office, done quite well for myself but want a change and am fortunate enough to be in a position where I can afford a change if you know what I mean. I dont have age on my side and will consider doing anything to get my foot in the door. If a course in not going to help then I have to rethink my options. I have got a friend in the industry but he lives a good 60 miles away so working with him is not an option.

As I said when I started this thread the only person I have spoken to who has done one of these courses found himself out of his depth when he started working and the only way forward was to work with someone with experience. He was luck as he picked up the phone book and was lucky enought to find someone willing to work with him and teach him the pratical side of the job and his £4k course has paid off for him. I was hoping to hear some more success stories.

Thanks again to everyone,

Hi mate

Like i said earlier, my experience mirrors your mate. I did one at ET4U and its woefully inadequate (but it does not matter where you go they are all the same) and you will only be able to do simple stuff. You will need a mentor no question, PM me and i will give you detail course details.

 

[beanstoast]

Id go down the 2330 route mate. Will take you 3 years to get up to level 3 though and thats 2 nights a week, but at least youll learn a hell of a lot more then what you would on a 4 weeks course and you'll get your moneys worth. You can then do your 17th regs and testing and inspecting.

I've recently just finished this route and also work in an office full time. I feel more then confident doing domestic work and this is what I plan to do in my spare time.

If I decide to switch full time all I'll need to do is a portfollio in the couple of years it will take me to gain enough experience to become a fully qualified sparky however at least I won't need to go college twice a week while learning a new job.