Is there a "proper" way to become a domestic installer?

[RAW85]

I need some help please...

As I've read on this forum the 1 week course are a big no no. I want to learn properly but can't live on the electricians mate's wage whilst I learn to do the NVQ.

I want to learn a new skill as the job I'm in looks bleak for the future ahead. I don't think the company will close any time soon but I doubt I'll be working there until my retirement.

The domestic installer route seems the right path as I would be looking to do domestic maintenance a day a week (i currently work 4 long days a week) to gain experience but is there a "proper" way to become a domestic installer? I.e college course?

Thanks

 

[sedgy34]

to the op do as little and less cost to yourself as long as your competent, do the domestic installer "tin hat on"

 

[Adam W]

IMO you can learn the theory in a college but the "proper" way to train is on the job working as a mate.
Taking shortcuts with your training seems like falling at the first hurdle.

 

[johnboy6083]

Don't set your ceiling as a domestic installer (I hate this term by the way).
Get yourself a job as a sparks mate, the pay isn't bad (£9-£11.30 per hour, the last rate is what my firm pay unqualified mates).
This way you get experience in not only electrical work, but also the culture of the industry, which is worth just as much.
try your hardest to get as much varied experience as possible. It will pay you dividends throughout your career. Specialisation has its benefits, but versatility will keep you working when the specialists twiddle their thumbs.
with a good base of electrical experience, you can move into a specialism later on, but with the knowledge and confidence to know you can do most things.

 

[shanky887614]

Don't set your ceiling as a domestic installer (I hate this term by the way).
Get yourself a job as a sparks mate, the pay isn't bad (£9-£11.30 per hour, the last rate is what my firm pay unqualified mates).
This way you get experience in not only electrical work, but also the culture of the industry, which is worth just as much.
try your hardest to get as much varied experience as possible. It will pay you dividends throughout your career. Specialisation has its benefits, but versatility will keep you working when the specialists twiddle their thumbs.
with a good base of electrical experience, you can move into a specialism later on, but with the knowledge and confidence to know you can do most things.

your right there. there is a guy on the same firm who also looks after 5 or so off the bosses houses from block paving,gardening,plumbing to electrics

he will be busy till the day he dies. the rest are electricians (i say that cause work varies)

 

[Engineer54]

There is no such thing as a ''Domestic Installer''. This is just a made-up term, to enable scheme providers to allow the untrained and inexperienced into and to the detriment of our industry!!

I've said it before and i'll say it again, ...if you cant or won't put the time and effort into learning this trade/profession then look for some other career path. Preferably one where you can't damage person's or property. There is no quick fix or path to becoming a competent electrician, no-matter what anyone tells you otherwise!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

There is no such thing as a ''Domestic Installer''. This is just a made-up term, to enable scheme providers to allow the untrained and inexperienced into and to the detriment of our industry!!

I've said it before and i'll say it again, ...if you cant or won't put the time and effort into learning this trade/profession then look for some other career path. Preferably one where you can't damage person's or property. There is no quick fix or path to becoming a competent electrician, no-matter what anyone tells you otherwise!!

Yes there is, check out the NICEIC website.
Fitting new Radials & RFCs in a new build or rewire whathaveyou, it's not hard, a few weeks training, anyone can do it.

It all starts going a bit peculiar when faults rear there ugly heads...

 

[Engineer54]

Yes there is, check out the NICEIC website.
Fitting new Radials & RFCs in a new build or rewire whathaveyou, it's not hard, a few weeks training, anyone can do it.

It all starts going a bit peculiar when faults rear there ugly heads...

No there isn't i'm afraid, as you just pointed out by stating '' look at the NICEIC website'', ....NICEIC, made this term up, in reality there is no such thing, it's a fabric of their marketing imagination, nothing more and nothing less!!

The NICEIC are famous for making up their own rules, none of which are worth the paper they are written on!!

In fact, every qualified electrician in the UK should be aggressively fighting against the use of this fabricated term. It is only doing you more harm the longer it's in use. Unless your OK with being classed as an improver/mate and paid as such!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

Previous post was slightly tongue in cheek Eng!

Re-read the last line.
And don't worry, I'd rather give a Traffic Warden money for no reason whatsoever, than give NICEIC a penny.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I work three 12.5hr shifts a week in a reasonable well paid (boring) job which pays the bills. The other days I am a domestic installer (completed a 6 month course - 1 evening a week at college) - only just started really and I get about one job a week.

It gives me a huge amount of satisfaction when I have added an extra socket for someone or fitted an outside light. Sounds a bit silly, but it does. The scary thing is though I am legally allowed to completely rewire a house which is just crazy as I dont have the experience for this and wouldn't contemplate it.

Even though the domestic installers course should be banned (or perhaps have some severe restrictions on the work you are allowed to carry out) I think you should take advantage of it as it sounds suited to what you want to do. At least with my 6 months course I spent hours and hours in my shed practising, I cant get my head around the 5 week intensive course though as it just doesn't give you time to take it all in, so I'd recommend college one evening a week. But these time served electricians on the site will scoff at my '6 month course' and I dont blame them, it's a bit like comparing a ----- cat to a lion!!!! I know I'm a :kittykay:

Good luck with whatever you decide :smiley2:

 

[Engineer54]

They should be well and truely banned, ....Full Stop!!!

 

[Guest112]

please don't gom into the "domestic installer" route, it's a shoddy excuse of being called "competant" by the rubbish companies that are ruining the idndustry themselves, you will never be competant as a DI and you would have wished you did a full C&G, don't waste your money on a course, do it properly or not at all.

alternatively go and try another trade, thanks

 

[Knobhead]

This board is full of inexperienced (pseudo) electricians that at the first sign of something out of the ordinary or a fault immediately resort to their mobile and start posting on here. They have been let loose on an unsuspecting public without adequate knowledge to deal with what are “real life” electrical installations. You want to go down the domestic installer route, it doesn’t just end there, there will be different situation you will have to contend with. Electrical work doesn’t end at new builds, you will have to deal with alterations in many forms. OK the job may be to extend a lighting circuit, you’re first problem is to try to work out what the previous electrician has done. Some have different ways of doing things and some of them aren’t logical, perfectly safe, but just not logical. You will get involved with central heating systems, not all will be wired as per the manufacturers suggested way. You’re going to have to work out just what has been done.
With a structured training system you would have mentors to push you in the right direction to draw your own conclusions. You will not get that from any short course.
OK I’m old fashioned and not domesticated. I was one of our companies approved apprentice trainers. I was lucky in that this gave me the chance to pick out some of the more unusual jobs to give the lads with me the chance to get to grips with what they would have to deal with once out of their time.
Some of you that know me on here may be a bit surprised to know I was like mother hen with the lads. Never took an eye off them without them knowing. The guys that trained me were exactly the same. It’s amazing the number of times I thought I’d pulled a fast one, only to be pulled up by John or Rodger the charge hands.
Please think very seriously about what you want to do and the path you take.

 

[Guest55]

There is no such thing as a ''Domestic Installer''. This is just a made-up term, to enable scheme providers to allow the untrained and inexperienced into and to the detriment of our industry!!

i imagine you'll be mightily upset to hear there are plans for the JIB to bring out a "domestic installer" graded esc card ?

dont worry , its not going to be gold ;-)

 

[oldtimer]

There has just been a piece on the BBC news channel with the ECA saying its illegal to fit a new CU or shower without using an approved electrician what he did not say was that the Schemies are badging the Electrical Trainee thats caused the problems in the first place.

Think I will rip up my gold card emigrate to Poland and return as an "approved" electrician

 

[Tesla1980]

Go to college one day a week on a proper course and get yourself out there working as a mate with experienced electricians or you could do a couple of evenings a week which equates to a day and get out there all week with competant electricians. Do electrical installation levels 2-3, 17th edition, testing and inspecting and in the future you can do the NVQ 3 with an employer when your more competant. The best route is apprenticeship route but they are very hard to find indeed good luck