becoming a sparky...

[alarm man]

LOL, you know, whenever I tell someone I'm an electrician, they always say.... "there's good money in that"

i think they missed the WAS bit off..:dozey:

 

[Dcf]

At 25 the op is not too old to turn tack and try something else.unfotunately I don't think the sparky route is the one for him at the moment.ther is not enough work for experienced hands never mind trainees.
i agree with Adamw in the costs involved as well.think about all the hand tools you build up over the years and try to put a value on it, you would cack your pants if you tried to buy it all from scratch.never mind access equipment, testers,vans, power tools insurance etc etc etc.ther is no fast track to experience unfortunately,you either have it or you don't and without said experience your gonna get found out rapidly.as old timer pointed out domestic sparking is one bit of the sparky pie not the whole thing.
i get a bit peeved with some of the posts on here telling everyone they've got 2391 17th blah blah blah n the asking how to fix an immersion heater...do hey not show that in Electrical Trainee land?
sorry op i wouldn't bother at the moment.If I had to do a college course I would do a neebosh h&s might open a few doors to a better career.good luck

 

[oldtimer]

I think what we are al missing is 20 years you could not do this yet we are getting like the USA where you hold down 3 jobs and go to nightschool as well the only problem is everybody is trying to do this

 

[Dcf]

I think what we are al missing is 20 years you could not do this yet we are getting like the USA where you hold down 3 jobs and go to nightschool as well the only problem is everybody is trying to do this

Problem is old that 20 years ago we had standards.not this government backed mish mash of domestic installer nonsense.do u think that if yo applied for niceic registration 20 year ago with minimal experience that you would be accepted???i think not.
20 year ago a good all round spark meant he had dipped his toe in the murky waters of all types of electrical work not just one.
we WERE top dogs on site due to the vast knowledge you were expected to have of all tpes of electrical work,structures etc and were respected. not any more tho,cos everyone thinks its a piece of Pish this sparky lark eh?

 

[Adam W]

LOL, you know, whenever I tell someone I'm an electrician, they always say.... "there's good money in that"

Same. They always say 'plumbers' as well. I've heard there's good money in that too. Apparently you can earn up to £50,747 doing that.

 

[Dcf]

Slightly off topic but relevant to the standards point.
this week I did an inspection on a commercial property that the outfit I did my time with wired in 93.44circuits and not a fault on or grommet out of place.
goes to show what decent design materials and workmanship in the first place achieve.
compare the quality new build i did a a job on last week,probably wired by a chimpanzee
as I say standards

 

[Guitarist]

You only have to look at the joke that is kitchen fitting now. Two fitters come in for a few days, mess around with the sockets, terminal block plastered over etc., then a "qualified" electrician comes in to "sign off" what they have done. And the "powers that be" just turn a blind eye.

 

[egginyourface]

Go for plumbing and central heating mate. Electricians industry is a load of crap at the moment and for the foreseeable future

 

[madmac]

Electrical Trainee= Five week wonder!
DI= Domestic Installer!
BESNA= Building Engineering Services "National Agreement"!
Mob= Rogue Company not adhering to nationally recognised terms and conditions!
JIB= Joint Industry Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry of England and Wales
SJIB= Scottish Joint Industry Board
Unite the Union= The official electricians union for the protection of terms and conditions, safety and training of electricians.
ECA= Electrical Contractors Association of England and Wales and represents the interests of member companies.
SELECT= Electrical Contractors Association of Scotland.
HASAWA1974etc= Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 etc. This is an Act of Parliament and is an enforcing law under legislation.
EAWR1989= Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. This is a set of regulations designed to help the HASAWA1974etc to be implemented in the electrical industry.
BS7671:2008= This is the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations and is the basic standards required to be met by all persons carrying out electrical work and is used by HASAWA1974etc in court to show whether or not electrical installations were installed to the basic requirements deemed necessary under law.
Approved Electrician= This is a JIB/SJIB grade of a fully qualified electrician with a minimum of two years on site experience and has a full working knowledge of the BS7671:2008, EAWR1989, HASAWA1974etc, The National Working Rules for the Electrical Contracting Industry, has the skills to carry out a full range of electrical activities as required in all sectors, can run jobs, train apprentices and above all else is deemed to be "competent" under the eyes of the law!
JIB/SJIB Rule book= This is the bible for electricians working for a member company.
Ragged Trousered Philanthropists= This is the construction bible for all!!!
SCAB=

After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, and the vampire, he had some awful substance left with which he made a scab.

A scab is a two-legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a water brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue.

Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles.

When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and angels weep in heaven, and the devil shuts the gates of hell to keep him out.

No man (or woman) has a right to scab so long as there is a pool of water to drown his carcass in, or a rope long enough to hang his body with.

Judas was a gentleman compared with a scab. For betraying his master, he had character enough to hang himself. A scab has not.

Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage.

Judas sold his Savior for thirty pieces of silver.

Benedict Arnold sold his country for a promise of a commision in the british army.

The scab sells his birthright, country, his wife, his children and his fellowmen for an unfulfilled promise from his employer.

Esau was a traitor to himself; Judas was a traitor to his God; Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country.

A scab is a traitor to his God, his country, his family and his class.

Author --- Jack London (1876-1916)

NO SCABS!​

 

[oldtimer]

Same. They always say 'plumbers' as well. I've heard there's good money in that too. Apparently you can earn up to £50,747 doing that.

Where do I apply for one of those jobs then

 

[chrisgnewton]

firstly id like to thank everyone for their input/advice, some really helpfull and eye opening points. I work in a factory and we have a site services deparment, i asked the manager 'if i had the quals for a sparky but very little experiance, would you be tempted to take me on?' he was very reluctant to say yes just because of the lack of experiance, but like most of u said, you cant buy it or there is no fast track to get it. I feel its abit of a dead end down the sparky route, i also think im abit old for the apprenticeship? who wants to take on a 25yr old when they can have someone at 16? need to have a re-think mayber try get someone to give abit of an oldtimer a chance in wanting to learn a trade.

thanks everyone

chris

 

[Adam W]

If you want to become a sparky then do it, but for the right reason - it needs to be more a labour of love than a means to get rich quick, which isn't going to happen.

As you say it's not going to be easy either. I'm not talking about 12 hour days pulling cables in the freezing cold with the icy wind blowing through where the windows will eventually go, or finishing work and spending a couple of hours reading through your college notes when you'd much rather be watching telly (although you'll probably have to do that as well), I mean spending 3 years at college, passing all your exams then sitting at home on the dole for 6 months (or maybe 2 years) wondering what it was all for until you finally get the opportunity of 2 weeks work as a 'mate' lugging stuff around and sweeping stuff up for minimum wage.

Yes I did that, along with a lot of other people on the forum, but it's the sort of thing you have to do in order to achieve your goal.
I was your age when I started training.

 

[mickys86]

firstly id like to thank everyone for their input/advice, some really helpfull and eye opening points. I work in a factory and we have a site services deparment, i asked the manager 'if i had the quals for a sparky but very little experiance, would you be tempted to take me on?' he was very reluctant to say yes just because of the lack of experiance, but like most of u said, you cant buy it or there is no fast track to get it. I feel its abit of a dead end down the sparky route, i also think im abit old for the apprenticeship? who wants to take on a 25yr old when they can have someone at 16? need to have a re-think mayber try get someone to give abit of an oldtimer a chance in wanting to learn a trade.

thanks everyone

chris

I'm 28 and just finishing my level 3. I've worked 7 days a week, most weeks, for two years to be able to do this job. I found someone to take me on and show me the ropes one day a week. I did That For about 18 months and I've now been working for him full time since January. Yea its hard but I'm dedicated and I love what I do. I leave work on a Friday and afternoon and already look forward to what's got to be done Monday morning.

 

[chrisgnewton]

its got nothing to do with wanting to be rich or working for myself...iv done some work with a mate of mine who has his own business and i like the fact nearly everyday is different and learning new things, constantly being busy and having to use my brain work out/solve problems. i worked for him for a few weeks while he had big projects and domestic work and to be honest couldnt wait to get back to work the next day. i really enjoyed it and knew its something i wanted to do as a career.

 

[mickys86]

its got nothing to do with wanting to be rich or working for myself...iv done some work with a mate of mine who has his own business and i like the fact nearly everyday is different and learning new things, constantly being busy and having to use my brain work out/solve problems. i worked for him for a few weeks while he had big projects and domestic work and to be honest couldnt wait to get back to work the next day. i really enjoyed it and knew its something i wanted to do as a career.

So then y can't you go out with him one day a week whilst having a full time job to pay the bills. Two nights at college and in three years you would have your level 3, a host of tools and enough experience