ECS card and me being thick!

[mattmoo1974]

Right here goes.
Self employed, know work so im going to do a bit of the dreaded agency work(Dont start lads please stay on topic)
All said Agency work wants a JIB card(Or rating at least)
Rang JIB, They said they changed it from Improver to "Trainee" levels 1 to 3.
They said i "should" get level 3(I dont really care as long as it doesnt say labourer<< Nothing wrong with labourer but to a agency muppet this means Idiot IMHO)
Right do i Pay ECS and then have to pay JIB for the H@S test? Am i thinking its the CSCS test but with the Sparkys card as a bonus
Or is this covered in my Inrollment fee IE £36?
Has any one done this of late?
As i say iv rung them a few times and they just seems they cant get you off the phone fast enough "Fill in the form and send cash" is the basic outline from them.
Has any one had any dealings with this of last(Please No guess work)?
Iv tryed looking on the JIB webby but i think you need to be a member of NASA to understand there site with ease
Many thanks for looking Matt

 

[VoltzElectrical]

you pay ecs for the test and then pay jib for the card. You might need someone to 'sponsor' your grade (ie sign the form to say you are the grade you are applying for).

 

[mattmoo1974]

JIB sent me to the ECS webby and thats where i started to get confused, It seems very 1 is in every 1's pockets these days.
And every 1s got there hand out
So volta im looking at 36 for ECS and probs the same again with JIB you think?

 

[Adam W]

I'm going through the same thing at the moment; I've just paid £42 to the ECA to book the ECS test, then as far as I know you have to pay £36 or so to get the actual card and the grading.

I don't think the form is anything like as clear as it could be - do you have to get someone to fill in section 10 (employer or sponsor endorsement and recommendation) if so who if you're self employed?
And what happens if you don't?

 

[mattmoo1974]

Novus section 9 above on the form covers the self employment part id say mate.
And that probs cancells section 10 or part of out.

 

[mattmoo1974]

The ECS card has a JIB rating on it tho :S
Now im even more confused

 

[VoltzElectrical]

I heard today from a guy who 'sponsored' himself, as he was self employed. i can't verify it though. I'll be going through this soon as my card runs out in Jan, and I need to do the test again and get a new card with all my qualifications on it.

 

[Adam W]

I could probably get someone to sponsor me if necessary; again I'd rather not get graded as a labourer if possible. If i sponsor myself can I recommend myself to be graded as an electrician without the NVQ3?
I'm guessing it would help to fill in as many sections as possible.

 

[mattmoo1974]

If you have nt got NVQ 3 mate you ll get trainee of some kind.

 

[brucelee]

are the JIB masons or some maad cult lol as they dont seem to want anyone to join or make out you need some special power or something lol

 

[Big n Daft]

Luke............feel the FARCE

 

[brucelee]

or are they X - men lol and some kind of mutants think the C&G are from the same planet lol

 

[VoltzElectrical]

no nvq 3 = no gold card, only trainee, and before anybody hijacks this thread with a million heard before comments. This is fact, and i don't make the rules and i'm not interested in your opinion.

 

[sparky1502]

voz u bitch u are intrested admit it
:59:

 

[Electricalserv]

The JIB want NVQ3 or a letter from god. If you want to work for a JIB company get the NVQ3. Otherwise there will be people looking down at you on site even though you could well be more experienced and a better spark than those walking round with a gold card in their pocket.

Thats how it goes with the JIB. Rightly or wrongly if you go into that world you play by their rules or stay well away. They do good for people who did proper apprentiships. But they don't look after people who took other routes.

Mattmoo. Maybe you are not being proactive enough in your search for work. You should be marketing your company left, right & centre. Have you put an add in the local paper? Have you had your car/van sign written. Have you sent letters to builders, Kitchen suppliers etc etc.


Some weeks are slow self employed but others are very busy for me. Last week I made enough to pay my bills and live well for a month alone.


What you put in is what you get out...also with a little luck involved.


If people don't know what you do and don't see you company telephone number your phone won't ring!