DOMESTIC INSTALLER BARE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT

[seza]

Hi and happy new year to all,

Apologies if this has been asked before,

I have been around electrics all my life in a DIY capacity, learnt from competent electricians over the years,
Now I hope to gain the required qualification, my question to you is simply ...
What are the bare minimum steps I need to take to achieve that quickly and cheaply?

Many thanks.

 

[ipf]

@45140 One of the reasons the more seasoned electrician is disparaging about this entry method into the industry is precisely the problem you have highlighted. The short courses and training centres are generally in the business of misleading and ripping people off. They provide a smattering of add on courses and pretend that this is satisfactory then churn them out into the world thoroughly unprepared and unemployable for the industry.

Many short course electricians have started off with more reputable versions of this route with the understanding that this is a first foot hold into work and that many years of further education and learning are required to get up to an experienced standard. Most in the industry don't have a problem with that.

The reason the OP has garnered short shrift in this case is that they were interested in only doing the bare minimum, clearly not an attitude conducive to progression or competence in this industry.

I fear that a mandatory registration scheme will be bad for the industry as it would have to set a standard for what constitutes "qualified" or competent. I fear the short course industry, fully backed by and in collusion with the likes of the NICEIC, would have too much leverage and say in this matter and that standards would drop below the nearest thing we currently have as an industry standard, the JIB level of qualification, a full NVQ3.

I fear you are right in that the trade has reached such a low standard and fear even more it going into free fall in the current situation. I come across regular examples of these sub qualified 'electricians' entering the commercial and even the industrial sections of the trade. We read, in this forum, of regular 'domestic electricians' who stick to what they know and are happy with. Fair enough. Others get over confident, not knowing the full extent of knowledge required.
Thousands of sparks have served their time in the domestic zone and changed to industrial, we know, some good, some not so but it doesn't alter the fact that, during training, it did used to include a much greater variety of topics. These days it's a case of being able to deduce requirements from a reg book....and you'll pass your multi choice exam and walk away as qualified....as long as you pay your yearly fee.
When we talk about 'minimums', even they are falling over the edge, I worry.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Anyone can do electrical work.
I was about 12 when I started.
Problem is, what do you about notifiable work?
You need certain qualifications do join a scheme.
So you either restrict yourself to non-notifiable work, tell the householder that they’ll have to notify, or get the required qualifications and register with a scheme.

 

[DPG]

Anyone can do electrical work.
I was about 12 when I started.
Problem is, what do you about notifiable work?
You need certain qualifications do join a scheme.
So you either restrict yourself to non-notifiable work, tell the householder that they’ll have to notify, or get the required qualifications and register with a scheme.

You also need the skills/experience /qualifications to be able to test and certify your work. This is where people struggle.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

You also need the skills/experience /qualifications to be able to test and certify your work. This is where people struggle.

I seem to remember first being taught to test back in 1981.
Didn’t really start proper testing mine and other people’s work until 1982/3.
Qualified as an Electrician in 1985.
Re-qualified as a civilian Electrician in 1989/90.
Never bothered getting a testing qualification.

 

[DPG]

What I meant is that it's not just notifiable work that is the issue. All work needs certifying, even if it isn't notifiable.

 

[Luke105]

So, do we have an answer here or not?

 

[SparkyChick]

Do we have an answer with regards to what? The quickest cheapest way into the industry? Yes.. you probably shouldn't do it.

 

[KevinH]

Not really an answer but just my opinion....a "bare minimum" crash course in electrics wouldn't encourage me to rush out to hire your services.
If not done properly, electricity can kill!!
You cannot just learn years of experience from a quick online exam!
Most of us aged sparks have had to spend years in college and do a time served apprenticeship, fork out for registration and insurance fees, inspection and testing courses, not to mention all the test kit....so no such thing as a "quick cheap way" to become a spark. Sorry.
Go through the "proper" routes and you will feel more rewarded, and your customers will feel safer. It just takes time and money!

 

[peterhyper]

What I meant is that it's not just notifiable work that is the issue. All work needs certifying, even if it isn't notifiable.

I'm not sure what you mean that 'all work needs certifying'' because that isn't the case (I don't certify all work I do).

 

[Adrian1958]

All so negative, poor guy just looking for guidance on a badly worded question. Talking of qualifications , this week alone i have taking various calls from electricians : i quote;

Hello , i am the company electrician, just set our machine up on the server , now the printers dont work !

Hello just changed the battery on the control of our lathe , now the machine is dead.

Hello , i dont normally touch machine tools , changed a black box thing , now the machine smells if something is burning.

There are many electricians out there , trying to do something they are not qualified to do.

I helped them all in a polite professional manner .

 

[DPG]

I'm not sure what you mean that 'all work needs certifying'' because that isn't the case (I don't certify all work I do).

All work needs a certificate completing. Do you mean notify?

 

[Baddegg]

I like quite a few others on here am a short course (6weeks) domestic installer, I did it as an addition to my business and don’t regret it one bit, the domestic market is saturated with short course electricians so if this is something you are planning on making a living at id think twice.....basic minimum is as others have stated a few qualifications (not that hard to pass with a bit of studying if I’m honest) but please don’t think that after gaining the qualifications you can go and start earning, I promise you you’ll get to a job and things will go down hill rapidly if you don’t have the experience to solve the problems.
I have been involved at a domestic level for 3-4 years now and I still read this forum religiously day and night and am always reading though the BBB.....even simple things like filling out some certification can on occasion throw up more questions than answers!
All that aside it is doable if you put the work in but please don’t waste your money looking for quick money , it isn’t there...

 

[Toneyz]

I'm not sure what you mean that 'all work needs certifying'' because that isn't the case (I don't certify all work I do).

I think he means electrical testing, inspection and certification.

 

[DPG]

Spot on Anthony yes. I'm sure some people think that if work doesn't need notifying then it doesn't need a cert.

 

[peterhyper]

This week I've replaced a ceiling light fitting, a socket and a light switch and no cert was issued and none will be issued.