Becoming a electrician in few weeks! (Crash courses)

[sparkz]

I know a local guy, calls himself a handy man. His doing a Electrical Crash Course with Trade Skills 4 U. He was telling me his going to be more qualified than me because his doing 17th edition and also a Part P course. I believe learning the hardway is the best way. I attended college and did my 16th Edition an NVQ's for 3 years then worked on site for another 2 years as a aprrentice. Thats 5 years of studying. I dont understand how these courses work? How can they combine everything in such a small amount of time. Could someone explain to me what these courses invole?
At the end of the day i did mention to him he wouldnt last long on price work or even getting a job on a building site.

Appreciate your help....

 

[mrloy99]

I know a local guy, calls himself a handy man. His doing a Electrical Crash Course with Trade Skills 4 U. He was telling me his going to be more qualified than me because his doing 17th edition and also a Part P course. I believe learning the hardway is the best way. I attended college and did my 16th Edition an NVQ's for 3 years then worked on site for another 2 years as a aprrentice. Thats 5 years of studying. I dont understand how these courses work? How can they combine everything in such a small amount of time. Could someone explain to me what these courses invole?
At the end of the day i did mention to him he wouldnt last long on price work or even getting a job on a building site.

Appreciate your help....

I'm still learning and I've been at the game for 30 years.

 

[Stixicus]

it would be interesting to see the "pass rates" on these Part P courses - particularly ones run by profit-making training companies rather than colleges etc.
I suspect there will be a very, very high pass rate as I can well imagine they are "cramming" people to pass an exam and not necessarily to understand the principles involved and the reasons that they are so.

 

[wet string]

i did one of these 6weeks courses , i served an apprenticeship and worked in various electrical/electronic industries for 20yrs but wanted to go self employed as a domestic installer, yes its cramming based,and your head is spinning after 4weeks of study plus cramming at night,but its a good way of getting all the bits of paper in a short time, the practical work you do is far to short,fortunately i had plenty of experience, just didnt have up to date knowlede of the regs, 2391 sorts the chafe tho. some of the lads there shouldnt have been ,as far to thick and failed every thing, so wasted their money, not cheap.. its not easy either especially if no previous, now got to go and do my 17th, will it never end, all these largely
worthless bits of paper, part p has good intentions, but makes our game more expensive to the clients,who still have work done by cowboys to save loads,most punters arnt worried about a cert. untill part p is properly advertised and some way of enforcing it on clients is found part p will remain an expensive joke......on us.

 

[WarrenG]

Just to clarify, Part P is NOT a qualification.

Part P is a Building Regulation for electrical safety.
Planning Portal - Approved Document P

The course is to prove that you are competent to safely isolate the supply and remove for example a socket face plate by someone (say a kitchen fitter) who isn't qualified as an electrician but may need to do it in the course of their work. It isn't an electrical qualification hence it is only a short course.

Other that removing and repacing switch and socket plates there isn't much more that can be done because they are not qualified electricians.

Qualified electricians obviously don't need to attend Part P courses because they have far surpassed any competency levels within their years of training at a much higher level.

It is unfortunate that people get the impression that they can attend one of these courses and then believe they are a qualified electrician and its easy. This does happen and has caused may debates.

So the answer to your question is that there is no quick fix, continue as you are doing so and don't worry about a Part P course because your not going to need it.

 

[ezzzekiel]

one week course no previous experience needed will give you full scope cert to register for part p (guy who teaches says he only ever knew of one lad who failed the course)

 

[Spudnik]

And again.....

You can have all the qualifications in this trade but that DOES NOT make you a good electrician.

All you need to do is wait for the phone call from him to bail him out

I know what my answer would be.....

 

[aaronstuart]

I did one of these 4 week courses, because i had been in and out of the trade since leaving school (19 yrs ago), Did my 3 year apprenticeship, to the 16 th, but for one reason and another decided to go on my own, so decided this was a good option.

For me it was teriffic and would recommend it to anyone with electrical experience and wants to update qualifications etc....

But for total novices who think they can become a spark in 4 weeks.....NO WAY......

 

[wet string]

just dont get snooty about the likes of those who are trying to better themselves, like some do, as has been said, we are all still learning, iv met excellent domestic installers who are aware of their limitations so err on the side of safety and do everything to the book, and time served old lags
who cut corners and use old methods when they should know better.

 

[aaronstuart]

Not getting snooty i agree with what your saying.

Great if you're working with electricians and using this to improve at a quicker rate.

Agree some poor electricians out there..old school...but alot of good ones too

 

[Spudnik]

just dont get snooty about the likes of those who are trying to better themselves, like some do, as has been said, we are all still learning, iv met excellent domestic installers who are aware of their limitations so err on the side of safety and do everything to the book, and time served old lags
who cut corners and use old methods when they should know better.

Not the point.

I am all for people wanting to better themselves and learn a new trade, but when you have people like the OP knows then its not surprising when some time served sparks get a little edgy.

 

[wet string]

sorry didnt mean to imply anyone was being snooty,more of a warning to all against getting all superior . like you say good and bad in all trades regardless of the type of training received, a quality attitude to the work you do,and not being scared to stop and find out if theres doubts, counts for a lot, regardless of experience and bits of paper.

 

[Dave]

I don't think anyone was getting snooty here.......so lets not get carried away before we hit the enter key........


cheers lads..

 

[aaronstuart]

I have been in the trade for along time......but i find this site extremely useful when unsure about certain things.....

You never know everything and are always learning

 

[smoggy]

I did one of these courses a couple of years ago, yes it gives you the theory but when you go into the real world you have no practical experience, and that is one steep learning curve , Went back in Nov and sat my 2391, that was interesting I did pass tho, hard work and lot's of revision. I still don't call myself an electrician tho. when i have more 3 phase and commercial experience then maybe i will.