Intensive Training Q's and guidance

[sparky wannabe]

Evening,

I am looking for some guidance.
I am going to be taking my c&g 2382-10, 2392-10, and EAL 006, starting in Aug and finishing in Oct. Could anyone point me in the right direction for books, learning aids that may be of use before I sit the course and exam? Please post if you have found anything useful while training etc.

I see alot of people here are retraining to become an electrician so this might help out some other people aswell.

Cheers in advance,

 

[Shakey]

Shakey,
I expect the courses are being run by the Forces Resettlement Training Centre at Aldershot.
They provide 17th ed, 2391 and the Dom Install EAL course to service leavers.
Whilst I share your trepidation about intensive courses, most service leavers managing to get on these (well oversubscribed) courses have a service background in Electronics/Electrics, and these courses allow a servicemen to leave with some "civvy" quals to help the transition from service life.
I did however think that entry onto the courses required some previous experience....clearly the earlier poster is green as grass. (Maybe him looking for a suitable meter is a little previous....i would think that the courses will be seriously hard for someone with little previous knowledge, and there's a good chance of failure?)
A little worrying perhaps that someone could be out there after four weeks training re-wiring an old dear's house...........
Randyrat

Randy, I am VERY well aware of what Aldershot offers! Just finshed a 23 yr stint in the RAF, and used the place myself

 

[Rob]

A little worrying perhaps that someone could be out there after four weeks training re-wiring an old dear's house..........

Indeed.

If I was you Sparky I would do your 2330 before considering buying test equipment. It will take you 3 years of work. Unfortunately this will take a little longer than the 4 weeks you are considering with the shorter courses.

You will also require more than 12 weeks on site experience. You will need to work throughout your 3 years training.

This isnt something you can learn from scratch over night or over a few months. Thats the bottom line. Do it properly if you want to be a good spark.

 

[sparky wannabe]

A little worrying perhaps that someone could be out there after four weeks training re-wiring an old dear's house..........

Indeed.

If I was you Sparky I would do your 2330 before considering buying test equipment. It will take you 3 years of work. Unfortunately this will take a little longer than the 4 weeks you are considering with the shorter courses.

You will also require more than 12 weeks on site experience. You will need to work throughout your 3 years training.

This isnt something you can learn from scratch over night or over a few months. Thats the bottom line. Do it properly if you want to be a good spark.

I understand what you are saying Rob. I appreciate that I am not going to become the worlds best electrcian over night. The reason I am buying test equipment is for my course. Granted 12 weeks isnt alot of time, but time isnt something I have alot of I am affraid. I might have an oppurtunity of work with/along side an expericened electrician before and after my courses. This will require me to buy my own gear. I dont plan on going out by my self and going to "re-wire an old dear's house". I am not naive and can appreciate that it all takes time. Unfortunatley these course's are my only oppurtunity I have to make a career change. I do, how ever, have faith in my ability to learn and to get things done right. I have a family and cant afford to take a massive pay drop to appretince wages. Been their done that when I was 16 as a appretince bircklayer on a YTS scheme paying £50 a week. Things might have changed since, I dont know.

I do plan on enrolling on the 2330 course. This is something I really want todo.

 

[Rob]

Hope it all works out for you. I didnt join the industry straight from school so I was a little older than the average 16 to 18 year old doing my training. I did it the "long way" and am glad I did. Get on the 2330 course in September and stick at it. If youve got family who support you then you will have no worries. Getting actual working experience is where many people find difficulty. You might find yourself having some rather sh!tty jobs from time to time in the early days but it will come good.

Knuckle down, dont take short cuts and you will reap the rewards. Might seem like an age getting through all the courses etc but it will be worth it. I speak from personal experience.

 

[randyrat]

Sparky Wannabee....
my apologies....(mebbees should learn to read)
I also am a service leaver so have similar problems....(entering civvy life without losing the house would be the major one).....theres no way in the world people such as us can afford the time on low training income.....hence the reliance on intensive qualification courses.
Knowing service people as I do.....we do have a remarkable attitude to learning, and a capacity for skills acquisition far beyond your everyday "Joe".
There are a lot of posters on here who are quick to slate this method of learning, (and in some cases I have to agree with them), but I'm sure most of them will also agree that there are a lot of "time served the long way" sparkies out there who are a danger to themselves and others....
Best of luck to you anyway......
Randyrat

 

[Shakey]

I am doing the courses with Steve Willis training, not aldershot.
I wont be going into the courses "green"
I have 12 weeks of work where I will be working alongside an electrician. As I have stated before I have done elctronics.
Once I have left the services I will also be applying for the 2330 course.
You obviously have some knowledge of service leavers and perhaps are one your self. If this is the case then you know as well as anyone how hard it is to go from military to civvy life.

sparky, whats hard about it?

sorry mate, but i thought it was a peice of p*ss.

I had enough, put my notice in.....had a job offer, then a few hours later a better one, started that and the following day was offered an even better one, so took that. then turned down the rest of the very promising interviews i had lined up

Too be honest i was shocked at the standard of some of the guys out there

I am putting about 10k a year more in my pocket than i was in the mob, and of course, without any of the grief

happy days

 

[sparky wannabe]

sparky, whats hard about it?

sorry mate, but i thought it was a peice of p*ss.

I had enough, put my notice in.....had a job offer, then a few hours later a better one, started that and the following day was offered an even better one, so took that. then turned down the rest of the very promising interviews i had lined up

Too be honest i was shocked at the standard of some of the guys out there

I am putting about 10k a year more in my pocket than i was in the mob, and of course, without any of the grief

happy days

Cheers Shakey,

That does give me a confidence boost. I think it just comes down to having a regular income and then going outside and hoping

And thanks Randy, I think I will pass my course I just want to make sure I get it right the first time

I shall post and let you know how I got on!