Change of career

[Thomas240280]

Hi,

I'm a hard working 32 year old from Bristol, I'm looking at getting into the electrical game as I'm fed up with my dead end fork lift driving job. I decided I wanted to become an electrician after I had an electrician to install an extra socket in my kitchen and I seen how easy it was ( you just match colours ) and how much was charged for it. Can't believe how easy it was I even added another one onto it a few weeks later I drilled through the back of socket into the bathroom for wall mounted tv ( I know how cool is that) and don't worry it's no where near the bath im not stupid. It's works like a charm.

Anyway I'd like to get into the electrical game, what is the quickest route( and cheapest) ? And I'd like to be on a bit more than I'm on now (£10 ph) after seeing how much the electrical firms charge I also have a house and family to look after. Has anyone on here got room for a really hard working 32 year old?

 

[markc123]

Or look up C&G 2356 / 2357 apprentership courses 'or' full time courses and get a decent qualification and some actual respect in the trade.

 

[IT SPARKY]

IT Sparky, you think people can know everything in 8weeks?

4k, a complete joke - for a joke course.

Not everything, just enough to be safe, and go and learn, as I said earlier. We're all learning every day. The courses are not a Joke but intensive, you need to pay attention and be reasonable articulate and intelligent. . .Or you will fail...

 

[IT SPARKY]

And you still haven't answered my question, why is it a no-no to spur off a ring twice?

Go back and read my response...

 

[markc123]

Not everything, just enough to be safe, and go and learn, as I said earlier. We're all learning every day. The courses are not a Joke but intensive, you need to pay attention and be reasonable articulate and intelligent. . .Or you will fail...

Shouldn't you be teaching everything though? Whats the point in a course, that doesn't teach you the trade in full. Back to what i said a minute ago, the 2356 and 2357 are more credible and will give candidates a chance to suceed.

People do your courses though and then go self-employed pretty much straight away - and your freely admitting they don't know everything. This trade is F'd up.

We're all learning every day yes - but not the basics. Look how many threads are getting started showing bodged work, granted some will be done by proper sparkys that are just crap professionals but i wouldn't mind betting at least 60% are people who have done short courses / self taught diy'ers.

8weeks to be a spark is a joke on everyone who has gone down the correct and proper apprentership / full time full course route.

Doesn't matter how clever you are - what i learnt on my apprentership, i know full well cannot be taught in 8weeks no matter how clever you are.

Rant over.

 

[IT SPARKY]

He charged me £75 and was only there 3 hours, £25 ph I mean wtf?? What do you mean by spur? I haven't fitted a spur I have fitted a socket off a socket not a spur off a socket.

A 'Spur' is a Socket of a ring main.

Did He issue you with a minor works certificate?

 

[Octopus]

He charged me £75 and was only there 3 hours, £25 ph I mean wtf?? What do you mean by spur? I haven't fitted a spur I have fitted a socket off a socket not a spur off a socket.

Before you start dreaming of £25 per hour you need a course in business finance... and understand the implications of overheads, tax and NI (class 2 and class 4), no sick pay, no holiday pay, no bank holiday pay, no work, no pay...

 

[IT SPARKY]

Shouldn't you be teaching everything though? Whats the point in a course, that doesn't teach you the trade in full. Back to what i said a minute ago, the 2356 and 2357 are more credible and will give candidates a chance to suceed.

People do your courses though and then go self-employed pretty much straight away - and your freely admitting they don't know everything. This trade is F'd up.

We're all learning every day yes - but not the basics. Look how many threads are getting started showing bodged work, granted some will be done by proper sparkys that are just crap professionals but i wouldn't mind betting at least 60% are people who have done short courses / self taught diy'ers.

8weeks to be a spark is a joke on everyone who has gone down the correct and proper apprentership / full time full course route.

Doesn't matter how clever you are - what i learnt on my apprentership, i know full well cannot be taught in 8weeks no matter how clever you are.

Rant over.

I disagree. 8 weeks to learn the basics, and then go off to become an experienced spark 2-3 years including inspection & testing. Are you saying after doing you apprentership you recalled everything and once never referred to you regs' for guidance.

I believe its the attitude of the person becoming qualified and who's to say that and 8 weeker cant produce the same std of wor as someone who attended college. Apprentaships are great but not everyone will have time to go this route, doesnt mean thay are any less than you, it may mean that you pick up more hands on experience in you apprenticeship. but so will the other persons after going into the real world of work. They still need pass NICEIC/ELECSA to be able to self certify ...

I dont see the problem.

Sorry if this doesn't agree with you, I accept you opinion, but if you havent done the 8 week course don't knock it. That's all.

 

[IT SPARKY]

Before you start dreaming of £25 per hour you need a course in business finance... and understand the implications of overheads, tax and NI (class 2 and class 4), no sick pay, no holiday pay, no bank holiday pay, no work, no pay...

He's right, you will need lots of work and be busy to make it work.

 

[markc123]

I disagree. 8 weeks to learn the basics, and then go off to become an experienced spark 2-3 years including inspection & testing. Are you saying after doing you apprentership you recalled everything and once never referred to you regs' for guidance.

I believe its the attitude of the person becoming qualified and who's to say that and 8 weeker cant produce the same std of wor as someone who attended college. Apprentaships are great but not everyone will have time to go this route, doesnt mean thay are any less than you, it may mean that you pick up more hands on experience in you apprenticeship. but so will the other persons after going into the real world of work. They still need pass NICEIC/ELECSA to be able to self certify ...

I dont see the problem.

Sorry if this doesn't agree with you, I accept you opinion, but if you havent done the 8 week course don't knock it. That's all.

Not at all, but you've got a lot more credible notes to look back on, not just 8weeks worth. How do you go off and gain experience after your course then? Do you promise them a job under a qualified sparky to learn with the 4k they're paying you?

I agree, not everyone can get an apprentership - theres nothing stopping them doing the full time course though, exactly the same as an apprentership apart from NVQ3 and AM2. I'd employ someone with a fulltime course (minus nvq and am2) over someones who done a 8week course any day of the week - and 99% of other people would aswel.

These short courses are misleading, regardless of what you say. Promise the world deliver nothing.

 

[oldtimer]

Makes you wonder why I did 4 years and a further 2 to get approved status

 

[Robson689]

Makes you wonder why I did 4 years and a further 2 to get approved status

Exactly. All you have to do is match the colours up.

 

[Guest111]

Does this CLOWN know what a spur is? will someone define a spur for him? as clearly he thinks he knows but doesnt (socket off a socket not a spur off a socket).

 

[IT SPARKY]

Not at all, but you've got a lot more credible notes to look back on, not just 8weeks worth. How do you go off and gain experience after your course then? Do you promise them a job under a qualified sparky to learn with the 4k they're paying you?

I agree, not everyone can get an apprentership - theres nothing stopping them doing the full time course though, exactly the same as an apprentership apart from NVQ3 and AM2. I'd employ someone with a fulltime course (minus nvq and am2) over someones who done a 8week course any day of the week - and 99% of other people would aswel.

These short courses are misleading, regardless of what you say. Promise the world deliver nothing.

My Mrs. who's a Chartered Physiotherapist wanted to add this:

" as anyone who has completed a vocational degree / course / exams will be able to testify it is only after you have qualified that the learning begins. with over 12 yrs experience as a chartered physio I can guarantee that any NQP (newly qualified person) in any profession ( my point doctor physio engineer etc) that I know much more now than i did 12 yrs ago but I also know much less as I realise I know actually very little. There will never be a course for anyone who does a vocational profession that can teach you all you need. Anyone who sells that is lying and any professional that says that is lying. BUT dont knock those who are looking at learning a new skill instead support them and avoid the snobbery of my course is better than yours! I know plenty of crap physio's who have got a 1st class honours!! rant over"

Also why do you need your college notes when you have the Regs' + On-site guide ? ? ?

 

[oldtimer]

Exactly. All you have to do is match the colours up.

If I knew that i would not have wasted 5 years and 47 weeks lol (work it out)

 

[Big n Daft]

8 weeks doesnt even get you to the standard of a well trained 1st year apprentice.
IT SPARKY, you've followed the training co/scheme brainwashing to the max. Its not about training people, its about taking your money and filling full of your own self importance.

"Apprentaships are great but not everyone will have time to go this route, doesnt mean thay are any less than you, it may mean that you pick up more hands on experience in you apprenticeship. but so will the other persons after going into the real world of work."

These words sum up why it has all gone wrong.
You are a DI, a house basher. Your words tell me that you cannot begin to comprehend what it takes to be a well rounded multi disciplined electrician.