Electricians mate tools

[FoxySparky]

Hi all, I have been looking at a job as an electricians mate, but the employer says that we must have our own tools. I have the basics, Screwdrivers, hammer, tape measure, side cutters, wire strippers, and pliers. Now do I need anymore tools and if so which please, I want to be as ready as possible and don't want anything to stand in my way of a job. Thanks In advance

 

[Farmelectrics]

But volts yes college did teach me how to do containment cos I had to do and pass am1 and am2 trade practical skill tests along with half a dozen city and guilds exams to become a spark honest that's what used to happen lol

 

[dan86]

after post #35 this thread derailed! the OP now has the info they needed, and what we're left with is a bloody argument!

 

[john25]

lets just all hold our horses here:

an electricians mate is just that:
go fetch this, go get that etc etc etc
you dont take on a mate do you to teach em owt...
they are there to fetch, carry and pull cable.....
afrer seeing some of the dummys on sites i wouldn`t even trust em with that ....

it depends on the Mate & wether they are experienced to do any of the Jobs you're doing or are Willing to learn, I have never had a Mates Job where I just fetched and Carried or pulled in some Cable , except for any Special type of work where you need a Spark i.e working on a DB or in the Mains room etc I usually get shown a Job I haven't done before a couple of times ,then once I know what I have to do I.e making off SWA for Busbar Trunking ,Manufacturing Bends in Tray/trunking I get sent on my way & once I have done my first one i'll have the Spark check it over so he can see if it's done properly & if he's happy with it i'll crack on

But in all the Mates Jobs I have been on ( & I have had a lot of them) I have never been there just to fetch & carry, most of the Jobs I usually just get passed a Drawing for the Containment Work or outlet/accessory points & away I go because I was taught how to install it on my first ever Mate job by the Spark running it.

If you Google Electricians Mates jobs you'll see that they all want guys who know a bit of the Job.

 

[trev]

A mate is there to help the spark and it's the sparks discretion what he allows that mate to do. I've had some who I wouldn't trust to do anything other than carry my tools and foot ladders, others (obviously older, more responsible ones who knew their stuff) I'd almost trust them testing.
You cannot say that a mate is only allowed to do X, it's very foolish.

 

[john25]

If the mates want to learn are trade that's great then go to college and do it properly

And that's exactly what I did when the recession hit & The Work dried up back in 08/09 threw myself into full time college to gain the Quals needed to become a Competent spark. & left with the 2330/17th & 2392 & im doing my 2356 with XS training for the Gold Card

but the funny thing is when I first started doing the Mates Jobs I never wanted wanted to be a Spark I wanted to go on the Diggers or on the Docks but back then I wasn't old enough or had the money to do the Courses

 

[VoltzElectrical]

A mate is there to help the spark and it's the sparks discretion what he allows that mate to do. I've had some who I wouldn't trust to do anything other than carry my tools and foot ladders, others (obviously older, more responsible ones who knew their stuff) I'd almost trust them testing.
You cannot say that a mate is only allowed to do X, it's very foolish.

Thanks Trev, How lush must it be to take on someone keen and absorbent who, within a few months, you can trust to leave to do a tidy job. We are out there, just ask me and Glenn!!!

 

[trev]

I had one a 2 on consecutive jobs a few years back, Garry Gray and Mark Macklow. Both cracking lads and mad keen to learn so I gave them their head of steam and let them at it under supervision, neither of them had much confidence at first but a little push in the right direction worked wonders. Both are now qualified and are bloody good sparks.
If they'd been left to fetch and carry I don't know if they'd have done it.

 

[KAS1]

This is going to go down the lines of "What's wrong with SMA'S" for those who don't know SMA is Skilled Mechanical Assemblers which the employers wanted to bring in a few years back to do all Tray, Trunking, Bracketwork etc thus de-skilling the trade, we would of had the grades of "Glanders" "Terminaters" "Cable pullers" "SMA" the list goes on, in other words no "Electricians" left in the industry only "Supervisors" and a multitude of semi skilled labourers, which is the way is see the industry going now with "Mates with tools" Electrical Trainee etc lol

 

[GLENNSPARK]

so what you want is a a 'thick as **** labourer - bitch - tea maker, fetch and carry, suck up to your ---, negro 'yessir'. You and me BOTH would be no-where with that. In fact what we got was decent people who took us on, gave us a chance, saw us grow and absorb knowledge, gain qualifications,then, in your case, developed a swelled head and forgot your roots.

FFs Glenn, you only just got your card! Remember where you came from, and who helped you.

had that one a long time...

I know...its almost hard to believe isn`t it..

 

[trev]

Kas that's not what I was driving at, my point was that the extent to which you can trust a mate to do something can only be assessed on a case by case business. Some are bloody good, some you don't want anywhere near you because they're too thick to breathe.

You can't say they only do x. Yes, you're not going to allow them to do anything technical but for example if you've been working with one for a good while and he knows what he's about then he's going to be trusted to do a lot more than some thicko who doesn't know how to hold a hammer.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Thanks Trev, How lush must it be to take on someone keen and absorbent who, within a few months, you can trust to leave to do a tidy job. We are out there, just ask me and Glenn!!!

thats a nice comment Voltz.
thank you.

 

[KAS1]

Yep I stand corrected

Kas that's not what I was driving at, my point was that the extent to which you can trust a mate to do something can only be assessed on a case by case business. Some are bloody good, some you don't want anywhere near you because they're too thick to breathe.

You can't say they only do x. Yes, you're not going to allow them to do anything technical but for example if you've been working with one for a good while and he knows what he's about then he's going to be trusted to do a lot more than some thicko who doesn't know how to hold a hammer.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

thats a nice comment Voltz.
thank you.

Glenn, You OBVIOUSLY know what you are taking about. We all know that. All I'm saying (and Trev) is that we can't ballpark people into these places, especially as they are where we have come from. Both you and me have profited from exploiting the circumstances we have found ourselves in. I was a partially employed teacher - you were some some sort of steel worker - now, with dedication on our own part, and investion from people who believed in us, we have arrived in a a different place.