Interesting statistics...

[D Skelton]

So I'm well bored right now! I've just been looking at statistics relating to the number of electricians operating in the UK compared to the number of electricians operating in the US and I've found something rather interesting, or at least it appears to be this way. See what you make of it...

In the UK, there are approximately 46k people registered with competent persons schemes. Approximately 25-35% of all electricians in the UK are qualified to NVQ3 or equivalent. Using these figures it could be suggested that 30k of those registered with competent persons schemes do not hold NVQ3 or equivalent.

There are roughly 200k electricians operating in the UK. The country's population is 63m. This equates to one electrician for every 315 people.

There are roughly 850k electricians operating in the US. The country's population is 314m. This equates to one electrician for every 370 people.

Now the bit that gets interesting is if you disregard 30k competent person scheme registered electricians operating in the UK presumed not to be fully qualified but operating as electricians. This brings the new total of electricians operating in the UK to 170k. This now equates to one electrician for every 370 people, the same as the US!


Now I know statistical evidence can sometimes be unreliable at best, but these results sure do paint an interesting picture lol.

Thought this would throw up some interesting debate. Any speculation? Anyone want to tear these statistics apart? Any input welcome


*I should point out that all statistics have been gained from what I would expect to be reliable sources, although that can't be guaranteed of course.

 

[amlu]

commercial and industrial sparks don't need to register anywhere
foreign educated sparks do not have NVQ... most will have qualifications from where ever they come from and do not bother converting it.
out of 370 people around a half will use a builder/friend/cowboy... not sure how it translates into statistics, possibly in more work for electricians

 

[D Skelton]

commercial and industrial sparks don't need to register anywhere
foreign educated sparks do not have NVQ... most will have qualifications from where ever they come from and do not bother converting it.

Can you clarify your point?

 

[amlu]

Can you clarify your point?

Bit more inputs to put in the statistics, may be easier to calculate the perfect formula.

 

[overskilled]

The old saying "lies, Damned Lies and Statistics"
Also give figures to a statistician and they can make them say whatever you want them to....

 

[thekingiam]

i haven't got nvq but equating me as not a spark is your own interperation some of us are a bit old for nvq's etc..

 

[thekingiam]

cant spell interpritation

 

[overskilled]

Interpretation if that helps? Almost right first time

 

[D Skelton]

i haven't got nvq but equating me as not a spark is your own interperation some of us are a bit old for nvq's etc..

Equating me to someone who equated you as not a spark is your own interpretation lol.

I never said you weren't a spark if you didn't have an NVQ.

Anyway, you're missing the point

 

[thekingiam]

you have beter spelling than me ime off, thanks lol

 

[Estimator]

Statistics...

Repeating an earlier post, can't they be manipulated to prove nearly anything..?

NVQ... I always thought it was short for Not Very Qualified...

 

[HandySparks]

In the UK, there are approximately 46k people registered with competent persons schemes. Approximately 25-35% of all electricians in the UK are qualified to NVQ3 or equivalent. Using these figures it could be suggested that 30k of those registered with competent persons schemes do not hold NVQ3 or equivalent.

There are roughly 200k electricians operating in the UK. The country's population is 63m. This equates to one electrician for every 315 people.

There are roughly 850k electricians operating in the US. The country's population is 314m. This equates to one electrician for every 370 people.

Now the bit that gets interesting is if you disregard 30k competent person scheme registered electricians operating in the UK presumed not to be fully qualified but operating as electricians. This brings the new total of electricians operating in the UK to 170k.

OK. If you're going to disregard 30k* who are registered with a scheme but don't have NVQ3, why aren't you disregarding the other 110k who aren't registered, making a total of 140k disregarded?

*Which assumes that the proportion of those with NVQ3 is the same for those registered and not registered.

 

[Engineer54]

The old saying "lies, Damned Lies and Statistics"
Also give figures to a statistician and they can make them say whatever you want them to....

Absolutely spot on!! Give the same statistics to two statisticians that have been given opposing briefs, and both can make those same statistical figures to support the brief they were given.

Life Lesson, ....Never, Never trust any statistics given in any shape or form unless you KNOW the person issuing those figures is completely independent of any organization and has no interest whatsoever in it's conclusions....

 

[Engineer54]

No such thing when i qualified as NVQ's.

Unlike in my day, i guess it's now about the easiest if not the only way to assess an electricians work experience. Alas retro NVQ's, outside of apprenticeship training, there is ample room for gaining such certification under false pretences...

 

[D Skelton]

OK. If you're going to disregard 30k* who are registered with a scheme but don't have NVQ3, why aren't you disregarding the other 110k who aren't registered, making a total of 140k disregarded?

*Which assumes that the proportion of those with NVQ3 is the same for those registered and not registered.

Because there is no such thing as a Electrical Trainee in America. I'm just attempting to level the playing field. These statistics do suggest that the US and the UK have exactly the same amount of electricians per head until you start introducing 5WWs into the market place. Or at least this is what I read into it.

There will be some people operating as electricians who are undergoing training, apprentices, mates, labourers. In America these will be licenced as so, here in the UK they will be graded as so. The only reason I brought up the NVQ was to take a stab in the dark at how many people registered with the scams are 5WWs as opposed to qualified sparks. I'm not using the NVQ as a bar for the rest as everyone will have their place in the electrical heirarchy.

Like I said though, I can't guarantee the accuracy of the statistics, I just thought it was interesting that in a marketplace without the Electrical Trainee, the number of electricians per head here and in the US is exactly the same.