Greetings from a new member

[Mark Bracknell]

Hi. New member here wanting a career change.
I have just spent the last few hours reading previous posts from people in a similar situation.
Nightmare.
My situation is i'm 34 with a mortgage and kids. While all my friends got trades from school i stupidly joined the army.
I gained an NVQ level 3 as a communication technician while serving so electronics, soldering, pulling cable, fibre optics and cat 5, using hand tools etc i was very good at. As soon as the toolboxes got replaced by laptops as technology advanced I hated it and left.

I'm now a shift worker and i NEED the wage to feed and house my family but also want to retrain as an electrician. The usual story it seems.

If i could learn the trade on my days off so i don't end up homeless that would be great but it seems i can only do that via college and mickey mouse qualifications from what i have read so far.

My questions are
A) Can i get the full NVQ level 3 while only working on site as an electricians mate 2 days a week?
B) Is there ANY way i can keep my current job to pay the bills but still gain a proper qualification as an electrician. For example, go to college one evening a week and spend 2 days a week as an electricians mate?

Not everyone knows what they want to do when they are 16.
Sucks there isn't a loan for adult learners similar to a student loan for uni types.

Thanks for a great site.

 

[Rpa07]

Mark, welcome to the forum. You'll find that most of the sparks on this forum are in bed by 10.30 so the replies will come thick and fast tomorrow. My usual advice is that anything is possible but it gets messy whilst undertaking it.
There are numerous threads all about the situation you are in and If you use a laptop or Pc click on the 'similar threads' that'll keep you on track. Have a good read and write ideas down.
Plan for the future whilst still working shifts by reading book after book on electrical installs and read wholesaler catalogues and watch good YouTube videos - Chris Kitcher and john ward to name two but stay away from 'photoninduction' we don't want you to learn bad habits.
If you do this for the next year your head will be right, try saving some money to keep you when you immerse yourself.
Read the forum as it is pure gold. Keep posting and as soon as you get a course sorted you'll be granted access to the trainee section. All the best .

 

[The Ghost]

Morris Services - Getting Started - http://www.morrisservices.co.uk/gettingstarted.asp
If you look carefully at the page linked above you will find it is a road map to entering the profession of electrician. At the moment there are five prescibed routes into being an electrician. If you are serious about being one then these are the accepted routes you can choose from. I suggest use the information to start mapping out a campaign for success in this field.
There are many routes to take within the accepted routes. Generally the time served electricians will treat with scorn and derision domestic installers, get over it. Commercial is great work, domestic is crap unless you are very fortunate. Anyhoo having decided your course there are some things to keep in mind. You will need experience to which end I suggest you advertise at your local electrical wholesalers and try for agency work in any spare time you may have. If you get site work thats another can of worms which will require certain cards indicating your grade and H&S knowledge. See JIB about that.
I understand there are on-line courses as well as local college courses. There are also mickey mouse courses. There are a lot of dissapointed people out there having paid thousands for these courses and beleived the sales talk they would be earning 30k a year and who are. Make sure you know what you need before signing up. Do you intend to work for yourself or for a company? This will also affect your choice of course. I hope that is of assistance.

 

[Mark Bracknell]

Thanks for the info. I will get reading tonight.
Initially working for a company would be best but working for myself is the end result i'm looking for.

 

[Pete999]

Welcome

 

[MODECSOFT]

Welcome

 

[Mark Bracknell]

Thank you.
Just read my post back and point A and B are basically the same thing. That's what happens staring at a computer screen for about 6 hours!
Read through the link above, found one college about 1hr from me that does the City & Guilds 2365 - 02 on a part time basis. Have to wait until August for full course details.

 

[Specialist]

Welcome Mark: Hope you succeed with what you want to do, it can be a hard industry to be in but a good one for all that. You might want to take a look at the JTL Electrical installation books, they explain things in plain English & certainly helped my daughter when she was learning the trade.