Fed up with ECS, can anybody help?

[azznoble]

Hi all,

Since leaving the Army on medical grounds I have been unsuccessful in finding work in the electrical industry. I was an electrician (so to speak) in the Royal Engineers and gained various quals whilst in service.

I have been on here a couple of times to seek advice and followed it, but I have reached another stumbling block. I believe I would be best equipped with an ECS card to gain employment even on a temporary basis so I have been trying to get one. I have just done the Health and Safety multi guess test which I thought would be the last piece of the jigsaw.

After filling everything out on the site in 'MyECS' to apply for a card it seems that every option I select they say 'Your qualifications above do not support grading choice' even as low down as a Trainee level 2.

The quals I have are:
Level 3 2330, 2382, 2393 (Part P).

I want to work towards every other qualification but I can't do that sat at home, I need to be working in the industry to do things like NVQ portfolio, 2391 etc.

How am I supposed to get in with a firm to do these things if I can't get on site?

How do I get 'employer sponsorship' as a trainee if I don't have an employer (because I can't get on site). I totally understand that those 'fully qualified sparks' did apprenticeships fresh from school, but is that the only way? I chose to serve the forces and now it feels as if there's no opportunity to get the job I want (and have the knowledge to do).

Sorry for the long post,
Thanks in advance.

 

[JAWS]

Get a CSCS card instead that will get you on site.

 

[Andy78]

You won't get a graded card (electrician, approved electrician etc) due to lack of quals as you already know.

You won't get a trainee card unless you are enrolled on a course to achieve graded status. This could be achieved with the mature candidate route.
Mature Candidate Assessment | Joint Industry Board (JIB) - https://www.jib.org.uk/mature-candidate-assessment.aspx

You could get on sites with an ECS labourer's card or plain CSCS card to gain employment, or just apply for work with companies that don't require such a card as they don't do site work.

 

[MDJ]

Get a CSCS card instead that will get you on site.

As a labourer yes

 

[Strima]

Get a labourers card and use that to get on site. TBH site work isn't the be all and end all, if you can get in with a few local companies as a day rate contractor/mate/general brew maker to gain experience and work towards an NVQ.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Try applying for the card on MyECS, without asking to be graded.

 

[mikel]

where abouts in Manchester are you? have you tried approaching some local firms to see if they would take you on as an 'improver' or electrical labourer

 

[Anthony S]

Electrical Labourer Card or an Experienced Worker Card is all your get.

 

[chris gray]

Ancillary operative

 

[Anthony S]

Ancillary operative

Is the Electrical Labourer Card is it not

 

[chris gray]

I only seen the card saying ancillary operative

 

[the Dreamer]

I have had a an Electrical Labourer / Ancillary Operative (white ) card,but now its an Equipment Installer / ECS RELATED DISCIPLINE still white and no qualifications on the back. I had lengthy conversation with ECS about displaying my qualifications on the back but they didn't. They have it on record if anyone wishes to contact them, as if they will in the real world.