Electrician Training - clarification needed!

[edrobbo8]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum but have spent a good hour or so reading various threads and having a good look around. There's some very useful information on here but I am still struggling a bit.

I'm 24 years old, have had some jobs where I used my basic electrical knowledge such as Traffic Light engineer, Telecoms engineer, and automotive electrics.

I am looking to do my basic electrical training, and am thinking very seriously about the 4 week intensive course at Clarkson Evans in Gloucestershire.

http://www.clarksonevanstraining.co.uk/electrical-courses/intensive-electrical-course-4-weeks/

I am from Cheltenham but recently moved to London. I know Clarkson Evans have an excellent reputation.

I would like to know what people's thoughts are about the course, and whether this is a good way of going about trying to start my career as a Sparky. I really don't have the time to spend 3 or 4 years doing the apprenticeship, but can see the benefits of doing this, as I will be massively lacking in my experience but hopefully the knowledge will be there!

With the way the world is at the moment, do you think it will be very difficult getting work after I have completed the course? Is there much demand for sparkys in London?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give.

Ed

 

[malcolmsanford]

Not a lot, I think they tend to go down the self employed domestic installer route but our employment criteria is JIB approved with 2391-10 so whether it was a 10-day or 10-year course, that's what I need to see.

Gisa job I can do that

 

[IQ Electrical]

Gisa job I can do that

Ha, the immortal gisa job line, now they were hard times!

 

[malcolmsanford]

I knew quite a few Yossa's ahhhhhhhh good old days on site without the H&S brigade. In fact IQ I can't actually do the approved part now as they took that off my card when I upgraded from Gold. Sorry another CV to bin then

 

[tonys]

No disrespect taken! It is all very useful information, and I understand exactly what you are saying! You say about becoming more watered down, and I have read that commercial and industrial is 'real electrician's work' elsewhere on this forum, I would not just want to go about doing domestic installations for the rest of my life, and I think that like you say getting enough experience to get into the commercial and industrial would be a real challenge. What sort of work do you do tonys?

Hi mate, for starters I meet the criteria that IQ Electrical likes to see lol

At this moment in time, Ive just signed up with an agency to try and get on a contract which will last until 2016, its both commercial and domestic installations, maintenance, periodic test and inspections. Its work in social housing, nursing homes etc but I have not been told what the commercial work is.

Over the years Ive worked on Tesco stores, Office blocks, fast track projects on the underground in relation to fire protection and detection systems, domestic work, testing in BT buildings, loads of different stuff. Ive covered a lot areas and still don't know half of what some of the older folk out there know.

I'm at the stage where I want to pick what I want to do and where I want to work, but the way things are out there its not easy, but if I was honest and said I was desperate for any job and was prepared to travel a bigger distance and put up with peoples bull like you do when your learning I would not be out of work.

So you could say all the over supply of Labour is ruining my plans, so I'm going to run some ads in my locals and undercut the 5 day part p wonders and take their work lol

 

[IQ Electrical]

Yes Malcolm, you're out, no platinum-carded posers for IQ !!

Tony, go for it lad, "no job too small" lol

 

[Guest123]

Just seen a position advertised for a 'fully qualified' & 'compex trained' spark offering £13,000 per annum!!!!

 

[tonys]

IQ

I'm gonna lay about £500 and cover all the local papers for x amount of weeks. No overheads, van and all kit been paid for.

I'm not desperate, just want a bit of money to tick over until the big contract really kicks off. What do you reckon I should charge per hour and fix prices on consumer units to take all the work

 

[IQ Electrical]

Just seen a position advertised for a 'fully qualified' & 'compex trained' spark offering £13,000 per annum!!!!

I'm hoping that's a typing error then......

Actually, is that not below minimum wage?

M.W. is £5.93/hour

 

[malcolmsanford]

Yes Malcolm, you're out, no platinum-carded posers for IQ !!

Tony, go for it lad, "no job too small" lol

Na na de na da

 

[edrobbo8]

Not a lot, I think they tend to go down the self employed domestic installer route but our employment criteria is JIB approved with 2391-10 so whether it was a 10-day or 10-year course, that's what I need to see.

So what is the best way to get JIB approved? There are so many threads on this forum, and after reading lots of them it is easier to ask someone like you who obviously knows there stuff! I was going to do the 2391-10 as part of the course and then over time get my 2391-20.

Thanks for your help.

 

[IQ Electrical]

This is the JIB Electrician grade criteria: JIB Grading Definitions - Electrician Grade

This is the JIB Approved Electrician grade criteria: JIB Grading Definitions - Approved Electrician Grade

The 2391-10 is a must for Approved grade although I'm sure the grading panel would afford the same respect to 2391-20

 

[malcolmsanford]

What the JIB don't seem to tell is that to get approved you need a letter from your emploer/ former employer confirming that you have had or hold a supervisory role. I know this becasue in November a guy that worked for me contacted me to get me to sign of the JIB form and supply a letter on noted paper that he had been a supervisory for me.

 

[edrobbo8]

This is the JIB Electrician grade criteria: JIB Grading Definitions - Electrician Grade

This is the JIB Approved Electrician grade criteria: JIB Grading Definitions - Approved Electrician Grade

The 2391-10 is a must for Approved grade although I'm sure the grading panel would afford the same respect to 2391-20

Thanks for that IQ, just had a look at those links and it mentions you must have passed the 2360, wasn't this withdrawn in 2008? Is there a new version? Or are the JIB just a bit slow in updating their pages?!

 

[IQ Electrical]

Thanks for that IQ, just had a look at those links and it mentions you must have passed the 2360, wasn't this withdrawn in 2008? Is there a new version? Or are the JIB just a bit slow in updating their pages?!

Yes, well spotted, rather poor that!

I believe the 2357 is the latest incarnation, mentioned in my first post on this thread but it appears to be incomplete still....

http://www.cityandguilds.com/46797.html?search_term=2357

 

[Dean182]

What the JIB don't seem to tell is that to get approved you need a letter from your emploer/ former employer confirming that you have had or hold a supervisory role. I know this becasue in November a guy that worked for me contacted me to get me to sign of the JIB form and supply a letter on noted paper that he had been a supervisory for me.

I renewed my JIB card once i came out of my time, left it about a year. I had taken 2391 in my final year of my apprenticeship, work sent all my details off for renewal and my card came back approved. That was without a covering letter, or even there '2 year' period.