Is 47 too old to retrain as an electrician

[Guest77]

Am I wrong Mike.?It's bloody physical, I know there is some old sweats on here still bashing away fair play to them.!! BUT it's hard physical work for the young pups. lol

No your not wrong, it is hard work when you get older.

 

[Plonker 3]

You can argue that the short course route does not make you a proper electrician, and I agree with you there. I am also not doubting that an apprenticeship trained electrician is better.

However it is fact that you can complete short courses, sign up with a part p scheme and work domestically.

So there is a shortcut route to domestic work however unpalatable a seasoned electrician might find that fact.
The OP has asked a question and deserves to know that route exists, really it is the only option for someone his age retraining. I think happyhippydads post has summed it up pretty well.

But why do the short courses exist ? They dont do the standard C&G 2330 which i believe is the latest corse you at college to become a spark, all the short courses do is provide qualifications that are add ons to the 2330 like the 17th edition, inspection and testing even bloody PAT and a "Part P" course all of which combined have never and never will make a electrician of anyone on there own. So no the short courses are not a option to becoming any type of electrician [RANT OVER]

We managed over a hundred years to be perfectly competent without them, even late comers to the trade knew they had to do a full course or they would be known as just a DIYer who did electrics.

 

[R G]

But why do the short courses exist ? They dont do the standard C&G 2330 which i believe is the latest corse you at college to become a spark, all the short courses do is provide qualifications that are add ons to the 2330 like the 17th edition, inspection and testing even bloody PAT and a "Part P" course all of which combined have never and never will make a electrician of anyone on there own. So no the short courses are not a option to becoming any type of electrician [RANT OVER]

We managed over a hundred years to be perfectly competent without them, even late comers to the trade knew they had to do a full




course or they would be known as just a DIYer who did electrics.

Most of these short courses were originally designed as updates and upgrades for Fully qualified Electricians ,going back just 10/15 years or so ago , it was stressed at these training centres that were springing up then that the short term courses were actually upgrades , and would ask certain questions to check , however since then with the advent of Part Pee , and money being the deciding factor theses training centres have seen a lucrative market in dropping any standards and going for the I want it all now market , so if you want to go into a customers house and tell people you are a qualified Elecrician , and they want to see one to do their work then think again what you should be doing

 

[trev]

Am I wrong Mike.?It's bloody physical, I know there is some old sweats on here still bashing away fair play to them.!! BUT it's hard physical work for the young pups. lol

I'm 52 and still plugging away, I can still out graft lads half my age who, by rights, should be able to leave me gasping for air in the dust clouds they kick up.
I was asked a couple of weeks back why I'm still at the coal face at my age, why was I not driving a desk somewhere telling lads where to go and what to do and I had to say that I still love doing what I do

 

[7029 dave]

I'm 52 and still plugging away, I can still out graft lads half my age who, by rights, should be able to leave me gasping for air in the dust clouds they kick up.
I was asked a couple of weeks back why I'm still at the coal face at my age, why was I not driving a desk somewhere telling lads where to go and what to do and I had to say that I still love doing what I do

Fair play to you Trev, when I posted was thinking of you and Tel. lol

 

[andyelectric]

Firstly part p existed to try and stop diy work on domestic electric work. And as an attempt to stop many untrained 'electricians' operating. If you think joe public used to ask to see a gold card I think you are mistaken.

The schemes and the training they have invented has created a new semi competent subclass, aka Domestic Installer. You would say not an electrician. I would say an electrician with specific limited knowledge and variable experience. Doesn't matter, it is here to stay and I doubt the government will have a change of heart.

If you can accept that a 'domestic installer' exists then revent your rant to the low standards upheld by the various schemes.

 

[davesparks]

Not even semi competant! They are fully incompetant but with the added problem of having been convinced by the training scams that they are competant.
And they are conning the general public in to thinking they are competant !

 

[R G]

Conning being the word here , the con you were subject to is being presented to the public..

 

[andyelectric]

Not even semi competant! They are fully incompetant but with the added problem of having been convinced by the training scams that they are competant.
And they are conning the general public in to thinking they are competant !

But that is the fault of the training, the fact no basic electrical knowledge is required beforehand, and the low standards of assessment. All due to the fact the schemes rake it in.

If a basic level of electrical knowledge was required before training, perhaps via a pre course assessment the courses could then focus more on installation techniques. And then more stringent assessment would ensure those popping out the other side would be of an increased competence. Added to this, the scheme standards could be raised to ensure those who actually wish to be 'part p' actually have a reasonable level of ability.

Perhaps the rules could be changed so a gold card JIB electrician is able to notify without joining a scheme. (I suppose in a way the jib would be the scheme).

 

[trev]

Think we should lay off the 5WWs on this one lads, we're supposed to be giving advice to the OP.
OP, Don't become a Electrical Trainee. Please.

 

[PEG]

I'm 52 and still plugging away, I can still out graft lads half my age who, by rights, should be able to leave me gasping for air in the dust clouds they kick up.
I was asked a couple of weeks back why I'm still at the coal face at my age, why was I not driving a desk somewhere telling lads where to go and what to do and I had to say that I still love doing what I do

Hear,hear, fair play,i think back of when i was going up and down ladders with a bottle of oxy....crazy how H&E has caught us up in such a short period. I can STILL do it today....but it would be for money or to impress my sons :icon12: I am a firm believer in age not being a barrier to anything. Health is the new equity. That said,you do have to accept we all have limits as time goes on,not least,i would have guessed,the financial risks associated with a new venture at the OPs' career stage. If you are capable,willing and want to,go for it.:icon12:

 

[7029 dave]

Hear,hear, fair play,i think back of when i was going up and down ladders with a bottle of oxy....crazy how H&E has caught us up in such a short period. I can STILL do it today....but it would be for money or to impress my sons :icon12: I am a firm believer in age not being a barrier to anything. Health is the new equity. That said,you do have to accept we all have limits as time goes on,not least,i would have guessed,the financial risks associated with a new venture at the OPs' career stage. If you are capable,willing and want to,go for it.:icon12:

But I can't crawl under floors anymore Peg, too bloody fat. lol

 

[PEG]

But I can't crawl under floors anymore Peg, too bloody fat. lol

THAT,is very apt...was under my own yesterday,dragging in new,and removing old VIR and conduit...i think my subfloor has raised a few inches from the last time i was under there...unless...:icon12:

 

[andyelectric]

Nip. I think you need to provide more info as to what you mean.
If you want to become a fully fledged electrician, competent to work domestically, commercially, industrially, agriculturally then there's a lot to learn. I do not think it is practicably viable for you to become sn electrician if this is your wish. Though if you are already financially secure it could be done.

If you wish just to work domestically there is a different route, but one that I would not advise without an electrical background and which most apprenticeship qualified electricians would rail against. There are many reasons why they feel the way they do, dangerous work by incompetents being the most valid. But it is still an option.

 

[Engineer54]

No-one noticed that he joined this forum 4 years ago. He's a train driver with 4 kids on 40K+ a year and was asking the same question 4 years ago. If he had similar aspirations at that time he hasn't done anything about it and i doubt he'll be doing anything about this time either!!??

Typically yet again he asked a question and then promptly disappeared, over 3 hours ago, so still can't be that determined to become an electrician....