Do you not feel that the term Electrical Trainee is derogatory

[NickD]

Using your examples, calling a Electrical Trainee an electrician would be like calling a PCSO a policeman, a legal secretary a solicitor or a GP's receptionist a nurse.

Yes, which is why I think the term domestic installer has a place. If one says the term doesn't exist then all you're left with is "electrician" and then people who feel they've spent a decade or two earning that title get narky about it being applied to someone who's spent a lot less time training. What I will say is that I think someone going in for the short courses with essentially no electrical knowledge is a recipe for disaster, probably.

 

[Rockingit]

You buy (literally) into a FIVE WEEK course, and feel WONDERful when you 'graduate'. Where's the poor etymology in that? Perfectly acceptable descriptor as far as I'm concerned.

 

[pepparz]

of course its derogatory, its a sarcastic term.

 

[Badged01]

I would hope that most people on the site, whichever route they have taken to get to where they are, are fairly thick skinned and able to handle some 'light' ribbing and stick!

 

[R G]

I would treat the term as a compliment , because they did it all in 5 weeks ,,, Lol,,,

 

[brman]

Personally I think the term should be banned. Not only because it is derogatory but because it doesn't mean anything!

Like others have said, whether you have done 5 weeks, 3 years or 20 years training doesn't mean you actually know what you are doing. I think I've said it before but one of the best engineers (and I mean engineer, not electrician or technician) I have ever employed had very limited training in the subject. Compared with one of the worst who had a doctorate.........

But regardless of the "if you haven't done a full apprenticeship you shouldn't be calling yourself an electrician" view the only reason the term Electrical Trainee is used is to be deregatory so if Marvo wants to stop handbag swinging and personal insults then ban the term!

 

[pepparz]

I think the term is only used by people who are jealous as Electrical Trainee have learnt in 5 weeks what others take 20 years to do

 

[NickD]

You buy (literally) into a FIVE WEEK course, and feel WONDERful when you 'graduate'. Where's the poor etymology in that? Perfectly acceptable descriptor as far as I'm concerned.

Last time I saw that argument being used was in attempting to justify the use of a four letter abbreviation of 'Pakistani'.

 

[Darkwood]

I think the term is only used by people who are jealous as Electrical Trainee have learnt in 5 weeks what others take 20 years to do

They don't effect my sector of industry but they have had a knock on effect of saturation of the domestic market meaning we now have actual experienced 4yr college taught sparkies sticking there noses into industrial installs when they clearly have no experience and are not competent to do so.

5week courses came out for those in similar sectors of the industry thus having electrical background and they wanted to transfer to been an Electricians .. due to a total abuse and mis-selling of the courses purely for profit we fine we have a flood of ill prepared and not competent 'Electricians' or DI's that ask the most basic of questions showing the true nature of the value of these courses.

So how can anyone even think that a 4yr course can be compressed into 5weeks and the result been a ready to go Electrician is a wonder to me - hence Electrical Trainee ...yes its derogative and on purpose to send a message that the short cut you want to or have taken holds little respect in the industry.

 

[NickD]

They don't effect my sector of industry but they have had a knock on effect of saturation of the domestic market meaning we now have actual experienced 4yr college taught sparkies sticking there noses into industrial installs when they clearly have no experience and are not competent to do so.

5week courses came out for those in similar sectors of the industry thus having electrical background and they wanted to transfer to been an Electricians .. due to a total abuse and mis-selling of the courses purely for profit we fine we have a flood of ill prepared and not competent 'Electricians' or DI's that ask the most basic of questions showing the true nature of the value of these courses.

So how can anyone even think that a 4yr course can be compressed into 5weeks and the result been a ready to go Electrician is a wonder to me - hence Electrical Trainee ...yes its derogative and on purpose to send a message that the short cut you want to or have taken holds little respect in the industry.

But you've identified two sets of people who do the short courses - those for whom it was arguably intended and are well suited, and those who shouldn't be allowed near it. The Electrical Trainee term tars both those sets of people with the same brush and effectively labels them both as Numpty With An MFT.

 

[pepparz]

Yes I agree darkwood. When I first saw these courses advertised I was shocked, it had taken me over 4 years of college and work experience to get the c&g certificates, how can someone achieve this in 5 weeks.

 

[Fox]

I think the term is only used by people who are jealous as Electrical Trainee have learnt in 5 weeks what others take 20 years to do

And then pop onto an internet forum to post a query as to why their £40 multimeter doesn't carry out an RCD test...

 

[Meggerman]

Yes I agree darkwood. When I first saw these courses advertised I was shocked, it had taken me over 4 years of college and work experience to get the c&g certificates, how can someone achieve this in 5 weeks.

I look at it more like an appetiser, with an NVQ3 for main course and a 2391 for dessert

 

[pepparz]

An NVQ isn't worth jack ****

 

[Meggerman]

an nvq isn't worth jack ****

nvq3 = jib gold card