Is it possible to get work with an electircan or firm without qualifications?

[PLW]

I am currently undertaking a domestic electrical installation course, which is a distance learning course. After I have completed the course I will be a fully qualified electrician with all the relevant City and Guilds qualifications. At the moment I only have a CSCS card which I have used in the past for labouring jobs. I want to gain on-site experience working with an electrician or firm, but don't know whether or not it's possible without being qualified. I was wondering if anyone could give me some guidance, if it's possible, to get employment and experience, even if it's just to be a labourer for an electrician. Thanks.

 

[Pete999]

No disrespect Mate "after I finish the course I will be a qualified Electrician" you need to rethink you're strategy PLW

 

[PLW]

So having relevant qualifications doesn't quaify you. I am fully aware that, by no means will I just walk in as an electrican, I would start off as an electricans mate or similar to build up expereicne. Your answer was usless and not very helpful. I am looking to get as much experience as I can, and I need to look at my stratergy?

 

[Lee Gold]

No disrespect Mate "after I finish the course I will be a qualified Electrician" you need to rethink you're strategy PLW

I don't get what you mean by this ?

 

[PLW]

I don't get what you mean by this ?

Because I said I will be a fully qualified electrician, which I meant on paper, not by experience. He thought I meant I'd have all the necessary skills and experience which clearly isn't what I meant.

 

[Lee Gold]

Because I said I will be a fully qualified electrician, which I meant on paper, not by experience. He thought I meant I'd have all the necessary skills and experience which clearly isn't what I meant.

I know that mate I am in the same boat

 

[PLW]

Yeah, I just want to get myself out there and get experience so when I do qualify I won't have as much difficulty getting a job.

 

[Lee Gold]

Yeah, I just want to get myself out there and get experience so when I do qualify I won't have as much difficulty getting a job.

I always get told, it's not what you know it's who you know. Which in this case it's both but experience is the key we need

 

[Pete999]

Because I said I will be a fully qualified electrician, which I meant on paper, not by experience. He thought I meant I'd have all the necessary skills and experience which clearly isn't what I meant.

You gave the impression in your post that after you had competed the distance course you were taking and passed the course you would be a qualified Electrician, you never mentioned in your post that that was a paper qualification did you?
I meant what I said no disrespect, but how on earth can you complete a distance course and come out as a qualified Electrician, if I have touched a nerve, then I apologize, it was not my intention to down play what you are saying, just trying to say it like it is.
Better I keep quite on this subject, I think my views are well known

 

[PLW]

You gave the impression in your post that after you had competed the distance course you were taking and passed the course you would be a qualified Electrician, you never mentioned in your post that that was a paper qualification did you?
I meant what I said no disrespect, but how on earth can you complete a distance course and come out as a qualified Electrician, if I have touched a nerve, then I apologize, it was not my intention to down play what you are saying, just trying to say it like it is.

Maybe you misunderstood what I meant. With my distance course, I get sent all the theory which I study in my own time. I have tutors which I can contact at any time if I am finding things difficult, so its's like being at college only you do it from home. Once I have completed the necessary aspects of the theory I then go to the training centre to undertaken the practical training. The course covers the relevant and up to date qualifications with City and Guilds. So once I complete the course I will have the necessary qualifications to become and electrician. But as I said I want to get as much experience as I can so that when it comes to applying for a job I can say I have some on site experience. If that makes sense

 

[Pete999]

Maybe you misunderstood what I meant. With my distance course, I get sent all the theory which I study in my own time. I have tutors which I can contact at any time if I am finding things difficult, so its's like being at college only you do it from home. Once I have completed the necessary aspects of the theory I then go to the training centre to undertaken the practical training. The course covers the relevant and up to date qualifications with City and Guilds. So once I complete the course I will have the necessary qualifications to become and electrician. But as I said I want to get as much experience as I can so that when it comes to applying for a job I can say I have some on site experience. If that makes sense

That makes sense, perhaps a better explanation of the way the training was / is structured would have avoided any misrepresentation, your best bet would be to try and get a job as an Electricians Mate, to enable you to gain some practical experience, there may be some guys still working who can, maybe give you that experience, I myself have hung up my tools and retired so I am unable to help out in that respect, good luck.

 

[davesparks]

The course covers the relevant and up to date qualifications with City and Guilds. So once I complete the course I will have the necessary qualifications to become and electrician.

Not quite, you will have the qualifications in the theory or underlining knowledge or whatever they call it now, but you won't have the NVQ so will only have half of the qualification necessary to become an electrician.

Yes you will quite possibly be able to get a job now, ideally you need to get a job as a trainee or with an agreement that you will be given training. Be wary of 'electricians mate' as a job, strictly speaking it is a job as a labourer and won't necessarily give you any good experience or training/support.

There is no short cut route to gaining the practical experience and knowledge required to do any practical trade.

 

[PLW]

Not quite, you will have the qualifications in the theory or underlining knowledge or whatever they call it now, but you won't have the NVQ so will only have half of the qualification necessary to become an electrician.

Yes you will quite possibly be able to get a job now, ideally you need to get a job as a trainee or with an agreement that you will be given training. Be wary of 'electricians mate' as a job, strictly speaking it is a job as a labourer and won't necessarily give you any good experience or training/support.

There is no short cut route to gaining the practical experience and knowledge required to do any practical trade.

Thank you for you response, what do you mean by I won't have the NVQ?

 

[davesparks]

Thank you for you response, what do you mean by I won't have the NVQ?

The NVQ is effectively the qualification in the practical element of the job, it requires you to complete a portfolio of evidence of the work you have carried out on site covering a variety of different types of electrical work and also includes on-site assessment of you working plus you have to pass the AM2 practical exam.
Or at least that's what it was when I did it.

 

[PLW]

The NVQ is effectively the qualification in the practical element of the job, it requires you to complete a portfolio of evidence of the work you have carried out on site covering a variety of different types of electrical work and also includes on-site assessment of you working plus you have to pass the AM2 practical exam.
Or at least that's what it was when I did it.

Ok, that makes sense. At the moment I'm currently working towards getting:
Industry certification in Essential Electrics.
Part P defined scope.
C&G 2377
C&G 2382
Part P full scope.
C&G 2357 Level 3 NVQ
C&G 2392
C&G 2394 and 2395