career change into the electrical world

[aaron99]

I've been working in the theatre / entertainment industry for quite a while, first in broadcasting then in live audio. I have worked freelance, employed in a couple of venues and considerable time abroad. I enjoy working on g(igs but really would like to have a guaranteed full tie job. I don't want to work in a school/college but the last couple of interviews I have been on with local authority venues) have really hinted they wanted a qualified sparks. I have worked with quite a few guys in the past who regard themselves as qualified, and some did work outside doing domestic stuff. I would like to go down this route.

Reading mant posts re C&G and reading bits and pieces on many forums, it now seems a very long road.

One post I noted suggested

•City & Guilds 2330 Technical Certificate In Electro technical Technology level 2
•City & Guilds 2330 Technical Certificate In Electro technical Technology level 3
(replaced by 2357?)
•C&G 2382 Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installations
•C&G 2392 Level 2 Certificate in Inspection, Testing and Certification.
•C&G 2391 Level 3 Certificate in Inspection, Testing and Certification.
•NVQ at level 3 in electrical installation (+ AM2)
•JIB card (+ Electrotechnical Certification Scheme)
•Competent persons scheme
–BRE Certification Limited
–British Standards Institution (BSI)
–ELECSA Limited
–NAPIT Registration Limited
–NICEIC Group Ltd.
•C&G 2377 Level 3 Certificate for the Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (PAT)

Perhaps realistic if you're 18 but I am fast approaching forty, is an apprenticeship a realistic path? I don't have dependants, but I enjoy my quality of life, equally I can see in the future that the money in theatre and music isn't going to get any better and a real trade to fall back on would be good.

What are the possible steps I should be taking. As an aside I really can't see the £3000 for 22 days courses being a very good move, but seems to be the sort of thing on offer. I'd consider my electrical experience pretty good, but probably with some gaps, but paying for a course from the absolute basics seems a waste.

 

[cablemonkey]

Getting the qualifications is the easy part. Experience is the key to this job. Can you get a job as a mate for a local sparks? Get some time under your belt as see if you like the work.

 

[Knobhead]

CM has hit the nail on the head. Experience, Experience, Experience every time. no way will you even start half way up any ladder even with a bucket load of paper.
I’m very sorry but it’s the way of the world.

I’ll be brutally honest. I’ve got letters after my name, more bits of paper that you could shake a stick at. These lads wouldn’t give me a look in at domestic work.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

but the thing is Tony ...is domestic work aint much mate......a lot of it`s banging boxes into walls and getting covered in dust when holesawing n all that.....yes theres design and thought goes into it (if done properly)..lol...but moters n transformers n all that are summat else mate..lol....

 

[Knobhead]

Cheers Glen, I'm on a bit of a downer at the moment.

 

[DNS1]

aaron,

your story is very similar to mine. I'm a former sound engineer, worked in live audio for a small company and then freelance. I loved working gigs, but there was never regular money coming in.

I've done a completely different line of work for years now, but always fancied doing something a bit more technically minded.

My ambition is to get my electrics qualifications and pick up some experience (I've already got a fair bit of house-bashing experience).

Eventually I'd like to combine my love of quality audio with electrics and install pro-audio systems for bars, clubs etc.

I thought the electrical experience I had from working on stage would be helpful, but to be honest, there's far more too it than i ever imagined!

 

[Wills]

I would certainly have a hard look at where you intend to end up, domestic/ commercial or industrial, and start as you intend to go on.

I did my apprenticeship with a one man band in the domestic sector, and while I know my way around a mansion with abit of confidence and can bluster though some technical commerical stuff, proper industry such as motors, contactors etc are a different kettle of fish entirely. I am painfully aware of my lack of knowledge in this regard, despite covering "everything" at college as part of a JTL Apprenticeship.

I knew a domestic spark who jacked in his job to work as a maintenance spark in the dairy farmers of britain plant in Lincoln (now demolished lol). He lasted 6 months ( more front than Brighton Pier), estops/ control panels full of contactors, motor gear boxes, video jets, PLCs the amount of knowledge needed is great. If you can hit the job walking then go for it. Confidence and a can do attitude counts for alot I think. (qualities I don't have!)

Good Luck, Wills.

 

[aaron99]

Many thanks, food for thought. I realize that what we do on stage is very different from the day to day electrical work, and would probably put your hair on end. I think we have a very high safety culture, but do have to make it work at very short notice. I would like to have a better understanding of multiphase work, earthing and generators I know what works, but if something is wrong I'm not sure I could fix it. I see what you are saying about paper qualifications but unfortunately they are needed for the pencil pushers.