Help with qualification requirements for adult Electrician with no NVQ

[Dan.Sydes]

Hi all,

I am new to the site, so apologies if I am posting in the wrong area. I desperately need some help / advice regarding electrical qualifications or proving my experience as an electrician.

I have work employed and self employed as an electrician now for over 12 years. I was never given the opportunity to complete a NVQ or registered qualification over the years and now times are hard and it is an employer market I am finding it very difficult to find employment as everyone asks for full NVQ or apprenticeship. I do have 17th wiring regulation ceritifcate.

Being over 30 and I am finding it very difficult to find any helpful information regarding what I could do to help with regard to getting the right qualifications or proof of my experience / knowledge as an Electrician.

I think because of my age the NVQ route is out, however I would be most grateful for any advice regarding what I could do to get some sort of official quali or card or anything that proves the knowledge and experience I have as an electrician. I am finding it so hard that not having these numbers on my CV negates the over whelming experience I have as an electrician.

 

[telectrix]

have you considered going self-employed?

 

[malcolmsanford]

Hi Dan welcome to the forum and I sympathize with you. Unfortunately you are quite correct in what you say with regards to paper qualifications and your lack of them. Is the 17th certificate the only one you have?

Going books on I'm afraid will be difficult as you will most likely be going up against many guys that have these paper qualifications.

Are you trying to get the JIB card?

Have you thought about taking a short course and becoming a Domestic Installer and getting registered on a Part P scheme.

 

[Dan.Sydes]

I am unsure how I could do that without test & inspect or NVQ. I have worked contract self-employed many times through contractors, but not on my own.

 

[Dan.Sydes]

Hi Dan welcome to the forum and I sympathize with you. Unfortunately you are quite correct in what you say with regards to paper qualifications and your lack of them. Is the 17th certificate the only one you have?

Going books on I'm afraid will be difficult as you will most likely be going up against many guys that have these paper qualifications.

Are you trying to get the JIB card?

Have you thought about taking a short course and becoming a Domestic Installer and getting registered on a Part P scheme.

Hi, thank you very much for your quick reply.

I really just want to do whatever I can to firstly make my CV look more desireable and potentially look at working for myself if that is possible at all.

I only have the 17th yes and the standard CSCS card. Back in the day it was so easy to find work & quali's were not always required, but different story now.

Can I get a JIB card with only 17th? As that may help. But I agree going back to school full time now is not really a choice for me.

Domestic installer option sounds interesting, is this an option for me? I guess its a paid course? Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks Dan

 

[malcolmsanford]

No problems Dan ask away mate.

About the only thing you may get JIB wise with just the 17th is Adult Trainee/Mate but the JIB itself will be of more help.

Yes the DI course would be an option for you but your looking at quite an investment of 3-4K for the course, I'm sure that there is finance available. After that as Tel said you could go self employed in the Domestic Market.

Wish there was more of a crumb of optimism I can give Dan, but it's tough now in our game, and without the paper qualifications even toughter

 

[dagrat]

As Malcolm and Tel said, going the self employed route is probably the best option. However you can still carry on and get the relevant inspection and testing qualifications while being part P, as I seem to remember that the schemes give you a year to qualify

 

[Deleted member 26818]

As I understand it, there is no restriction on age for obtaining an NVQ3.
As it stands, it is very unlikely that you would be able to obtain a JIB card without the NVQ3 other than as a labourer.
My understanding is that to obtain a trainee card, a Lvl 2 qualification is required.
You may be able to join a competent persons scheme without an NVQ3, but without any other qualification other than the 17th, I would expect that you would have to undertake some form of Part P course.
If you obtain an NVQ3 and also mecome a member of a competent persons scheme, you may then be able to obtain a graded JIB card.

 

[Dan.Sydes]

Thank you all for your help. I will have a look at the JIB card options and see what is out there.

I will also look at this competant persons scheme, I have not heard of this before and it may be helpful to me.

Thank again all for your advice.

 

[gizmo]

Call me silly, maybe i've read this post wrong, but are you saying the only electrical qualification you have is the 17th edition ?
If you're saying you don't have NVQ's, but other qualifications, then the JIB will issue you with a card still. I don't have NVQ's, out of my time when they were getting more popular

 

[Dan.Sydes]

Call me silly, maybe i've read this post wrong, but are you saying the only electrical qualification you have is the 17th edition ?
If you're saying you don't have NVQ's, but other qualifications, then the JIB will issue you with a card still. I don't have NVQ's, out of my time when they were getting more popular

Yes I only have 17th edition, no NVQ's or other courses. So I don't think I can get a JIB card. Looks like I need to go back to college! Eeeek!

 

[gizmo]

Yes I only have 17th edition, no NVQ's or other courses. So I don't think I can get a JIB card. Looks like I need to go back to college! Eeeek!

So if all you have is 17th edition, and no other qualifications, how can you say that you're a sparkie ? A Sparkies mate maybe, but not a Sparkie surely ?

 

[Dan.Sydes]

So if all you have is 17th edition, and no other qualifications, how can you say that you're a sparkie ? A Sparkies mate maybe, but not a Sparkie surely ?

Well I suppose based on qualifications alone I am not, but in terms of experience and knowledge I am a sparkie and have more knowhow & capabilities than any college leaver with the required C&G numbers on their CV. But hey thanks for feeling the need to point that out!!!!!!!!!

 

[Quinnysparks]

Have you thought about doing the C&G 2330 levels 2 & 3 on an evening or weekend at college? Bit of a ballache, but it's an option.

 

[RJT_94]

Hello Dan, if you are thinking of going down the self employed route and after a form of qualiforcation to prove your competencey without going back to college for a year and it costing you the earth you could consider napits certificate of compatence (fs1) you can normaly get this by completing a few days or so of testing and inspecting and proving your competent in the trade basicly. If you have been working in the trade a while it would be worth looking at it as an option for proving your competencey in the trade. The fs1 is also a why of joining napits self cert scheme as you wont need any other qual if you have you 17th ed already. You do have to retake it every 5 years though. Certificate of Competence Assessment - NAPIT Training