in defence of the time served spark

[MDJ]

We are getting a lot of stick from short course guys at the moment telling us we are miserable old gits and part of an old boys club. I would like to apologise for taking 4 and a half years to become an electrician on block release at college and with on site training, to add also with a further 2 years under supervision to get approved status which then meant we could work alone. I appreciate times have changed and we are out of date and past it, taking 6 and a half years to get approved which is possible in 5 weeks today seems a little silly I know, we are living in yesterday years, we only know about things that today would not be seen much due to the invention of twin and earth and part pee building control regs and apologies again to the short course takers. We are not a bad bunch even if our old city and guild qualifcations are considered to be laughable in todays high tech exam courses. It wasn't our fault the Achievment mesurement and city and guilds were around back then, apologies for being out of date and out of touch, we may be past it but we did have it once and may still be able to work on Domestic properties today with further training.

Profound apologies from us the older generation who didn't do Modern short courses .

 

[Pete999]

And what is wrong with being a grumpy old git???

Anybody here have a problem with that?? :angry_smile:

From one grumpy old git to another, no mate no problems at all

 

[Geordie Spark]

IMO, I think early 1980's and generations before had best times out of this industry,!! geez all them yesterdays lol, bet it was a mare though working in the early 70's with that copper crisis, all that ali yuk.

My trade (Engineering) started going south in the late '70s just at the time I landed a job as a Training Instructor and thought I was set-up nicely for the rest of my working life .....

 

[mayfair]

When i left school I had a good choice of apprenticeships to apply for in my area, Redifussion, Lecy board, Coles Cranes, Reyroles to name a few I wonder how many take on in the north east now?

 

[2na]

Surely no one is simple minded enough to think all time served electricians are brilliant and all short course electricians are rubbish?

Just thinking back and coming up with a rough figure I reckon 20% of the time served blokes I have worked with or seen working have been poor at best. Of that 20% some have been downright dangerous, one to the point where he was thrown off site. All of them had a JIB card to wave about too.

I guess it all comes down to people, some are conscientious, some don't give a ----.

It does all come down to the people doing the work, conscientious or not, at least if they are qualified and take the time to learn they can make the decision whether to do it properly or not. If you haven't done the time in the industry, and tried to learn it to you could be out making mistakes without even knowing. You'll never get rid of the cowboys, but watering down the many good sparks out there just makes you part of the problem.

 

[MDJ]

Just think though, in 20 years time there will be no time served sparks left, or the ones that are will be old and crippled lol, That said the training must be good today, it takes 5 weeks and we older sparks get hammered for moaning about the new generation, this thread was an apology to them for us being different and past it :uhoh2:

 

[telectrix]

When i left school I had a good choice of apprenteships to apply for in my area, Redifussion, Lecy board, Coles Cranes, Reyroles to name a few I wonder how many take on in the north east now?

worked for redifussion in the early 70's. sadly they are no more. they went down the route of pay for cable TV and lost most of their customers.

 

[Geordie Spark]

When i left school I had a good choice of apprenteships to apply for in my area, Redifussion, Lecy board, Coles Cranes, Reyroles to name a few I wonder how many take on in the north east now?

Well I'm not really sure about the leccy board but all the others on your list have gone so there's not a lot left.

 

[Pete999]

Just think though, in 20 years time there will be no time served sparks left, or the ones that are will be old and crippled lol, That said the training must be good today, it takes 5 weeks and we older sparks get hammered for moaning about the new generation, this thread was an apology to them for us being different and past it :uhoh2:

I actually met that Woman back in the 80s I could tell a story but it brings back too many bitter memories

 

[gnuuser]

Deskilling to fill the gaps is just a stupid way forward and it will eventually ruin this industry.

yep 2 words describe it (cannon fodder)

i agree with you all its the need to demonstrate competence that guides me in any decision
if a Electrical Trainee displays a zeal for learning and actually listens to you then he/she is worth training.
but to be designated as qualified yes thats a sore subject and it opens them up to litigation

 

[nickblake]

there's got to be a 2 week brain surgery course out there some where ........

 

[Breaker]

We are getting a lot of stick from short course guys at the moment telling us we are miserable old gits and part of an old boys club. I would like to apologise for taking 4 and a half years to become an electrician on block release at college and with on site training, to add also with a further 2 years under supervision to get approved status which then meant we could work alone. I appreciate times have changed and we are out of date and past it, taking 6 and a half years to get approved which is possible in 5 weeks today seems a little silly I know, we are living in yesterday years, we only know about things that today would not be seen much due to the invention of twin and earth and part pee building control regs and apologies again to the short course takers. We are not a bad bunch even if our old city and guild qualifcations are considered to be laughable in todays high tech exam courses. It wasn't our fault the Achievment mesurement and city and guilds were around back then, apologies for being out of date and out of touch, we may be past it but we did have it once and may still be able to work on Domestic properties today with further training.

Profound apologies from us the older generation who didn't do Modern short courses .

Apology accepted. Does that mean your going to stop being miserable now.

 

[Guest55]

i predict that by the year 2023 all electrical training will be replaced by simply downloading a mobile phone "sparks app" from the place that sells the crazy frog ringtone - thereby creating the 5 minute wonder.

and all certificates shall be issued via a text message from C&G saying " Yay ! you've passed ! you're not such a loser after all "

thus we will enter a period of mankinds evolution where Electrical Trainee's will be revered as ultra qualified god like industry leaders , rulers of all they survey !





an old skool installer will remain in cryogenic stasis just in case a pyro job crops up.

:-D

 

[ian.settle1]

Tell me about it! Bloody awfull stuff. My first big job on the works as an apprentice, all Al cables.

But I can assure you the plant still hasn’t spontaneously combusted even though the 14[SUP]th[/SUP] was in place then. We just ignored them, they were for amateur house bashers. We were real electricians and worked to M&Q.

Thought thats where we all went when we retired

S*** thats B&Q isn't it

 

[Risteard]

burnt... steak.... bloody philistine.... steaks should be rare to medium rare.

Always blue. I like to be able to drink my steak.

 

[mayfair]

Redifussion still going m8 the now make flight simulators believe it or not

Well I'm not really sure about the leccy board but all the others on your list have gone so there's not a lot left.