Learnin multiple trades ?

[Freshstart2]

As some of you know i want to become an Electrician.
But is it worth learning another trade aswell to increase my opportunities ?

Thanks.

 

[Big n Daft]

Many maintenance jobs require you to have knowledge other than electrical.
Working on domestics will probably require you to have some knowledge of woodworking, plastering, and even plumbing and tiling.

All trades require some of that.
But sparks shouldnt hang doors, plaster walls or weld for that matter.

 

[Big n Daft]

The company I served my time with insisted your first year was spent doing electrical, mechanical fitting/machining and welding. Then you went in to your trade.
Over the years I’ve saved more than one fitters reputation by welding and the re-machining shafts and keyways. Once you learn it you never forget.
I’ve still got my Presto and Dormer workshop pocket books.

Same here, C&G pt1 in welding, mechanical and motor vehicle.
The purpose of that is to give you an understanding and basic knowledge of other trades, not give any qualification beyond that. In other words you then know when get the fitter in.

 

[Big n Daft]

was a plasterer then decided to be an electrician so double traded and never did me no harm

No problem with that if you hold proper quals for the job and can prove competance

 

[johnboy6083]

I've done a lot of pipe fitting and some plumbing as well as sparking, but I'm only qualified as a spark. Im nowhere near good enough to be a plumber, but I'm a reasonable pipe fitter. And there is a difference. I know my limitations but I'm always willing to do something new.

As for sparks not welding, when I carried out my training in the Royal Engineers, we were taught how to silver solder and how to braze and arc weld. All good skills for spark, although rarely used nowadays I'd still be happy to solder lugs on if I needed to, but with modern compression tools I doubt I'd ever need to.

 

[Big n Daft]

I've done a lot of pipe fitting and some plumbing as well as sparking, but I'm only qualified as a spark. Im nowhere near good enough to be a plumber, but I'm a reasonable pipe fitter. And there is a difference. I know my limitations but I'm always willing to do something new.

As for sparks not welding, when I carried out my training in the Royal Engineers, we were taught how to silver solder and how to braze and arc weld. All good skills for spark, although rarely used nowadays I'd still be happy to solder lugs on if I needed to, but with modern compression tools I doubt I'd ever need to.

We are on the same page really.
Would you prepared to prove competance in your other "trades" ......erm NO.
That is my point, we all "do a bit" in our general dat to day activaties. Thats how it should remain. Unless you do it day in day out, forget it or retrain, its not like ride'in a bike.

As a spark you should be able to solder a joint!!!!

 

[Des 56]

As a spark you should be able to solder/// a joint!!!!

I stopped ypur sentence at that point because my answer up till there is most definitely yes
The other bit which I take means a pluming fitting then probably no

 

[Apollo]

In this day and age it's better to diversify....

If you look at previous threads on this great forum most people are unhappy at the amount of work they get. I've said it many times Just being a sparky these days is not enough. you need to know everything about running a business....

Me my self I'm doing my plumbing quals as we speak and yes i'm competant, even more so than full time served plumbers, but that goes with all trades, been plumbing for alot of years now and only now am doing my quals to progress my other quals further. Before someone jumps on the bandwaggon i'm not interested in gas and never will be I'm moving in another direction that i feel is right for me. you dont have to be gas qualified to be a plumber!

As for some of the posts on here all ready all i have to ask is this. If you really worry about what other trades think then you need to rethink your business model, what is wrong with one person being multiple traded? Why shouldn't a sparky be able to rewire a house and then complete the job by tying in the redecoration, customers are more happy with just one company and one bill for the complete job!!!!

 

[Big n Daft]

In this day and age it's better to diversify....

If you look at previous threads on this great forum most people are unhappy at the amount of work they get. I've said it many times Just being a sparky these days is not enough. you need to know everything about running a business....

Me my self I'm doing my plumbing quals as we speak and yes i'm competant, even more so than full time served plumbers, but that goes with all trades, been plumbing for alot of years now and only now am doing my quals to progress my other quals further. Before someone jumps on the bandwaggon i'm not interested in gas and never will be I'm moving in another direction that i feel is right for me. you dont have to be gas qualified to be a plumber!

As for some of the posts on here all ready all i have to ask is this. If you really worry about what other trades think then you need to rethink your business model, what is wrong with one person being multiple traded? Why shouldn't a sparky be able to rewire a house and then complete the job by tying in the redecoration, customers are more happy with just one company and one bill for the complete job!!!!

Yes correct. The only issue I have is use the correct trade for the job.
Nothing wrong with being multiskilled , just have the correct quals and prove competance with the correct body.
As regards business model, yes I should worry if the kitchen fitter I've been working for gets Part P certified.
"Just being a sparky these days is not enough. you need to know everything about running a business...." It always been that way, your trade does not mean that you can run a business.

 

[Big n Daft]

As a spark you should be able to solder/// a joint!!!!

I stopped ypur sentence at that point because my answer up till there is most definitely yes
The other bit which I take means a pluming fitting then probably no

Doh!!!!!
Solder a cable joint or the like.

 

[Freshstart2]

Im definitely going to become an electrician but any idea a trade i should learn aswel ?
Thanks.

 

[Knobhead]

Same here, C&G pt1 in welding, mechanical and motor vehicle.
The purpose of that is to give you an understanding and basic knowledge of other trades, not give any qualification beyond that. In other words you then know when get the fitter in.

What’s the definition of a fitter?
“An electrician with his brain removed!”

If anything goes wrong it’s always the electrician that gets the call. You then have to decide just whose job it is. But 9 times out of 10 you’ll end up to your eyeballs in grease helping the fitter.

Get a good fitter and it went both ways.

A comical incident was the plant manager finding Dave the fitter changing overload coils in a starter. “Where the hells Tony he should be doing that!” “Tracking a conveyor in the grinding plant.”
We trusted each other, if either got out of our depth then a quick call and we joined up.

 

[Des 56]

Doh!!!!!
Solder a cable joint or the like.

Well,coming from mining
We would solder and joint all sorts,all sizes,bring em on I say
Irons were close partners of ours in those days

I would still cross my fingers though when I solder a copper water joint

 

[sparks_114]

I am an electrician and will always be one God willing and this is my take on the subject:

Every Qualified and skilled tradesman should know his own trade to a professional standard (by definition) and should know every other trade to a DIY level. Electricians are no exception and where this may prove practical is if you've damaged a small patch of decor by ripping the paint as you took the socket off the wall are you going to call a painter to sort it out for you?! Likewise if you've taken the boxing off to x-bond boiler pipes and the wood is a little damaged are you again going to call a carpenter out?! Now what about learning multiple trades? Well my answer would be why would you want to? Are you not happy with being a spark? Or are you one of those money chasers who keep changing their trade and even profession every time they see the greener grass on the other side? Or do you simply want to be a superman know it all where you take it as a hobby to know all or more than one trade? Take your pick. For me, like I said, professional spark, DIY level everything else, make sense.

 

[NMc]

Getting a good apprenticeship with a good company you should be given a good in sight into other trades. We sparks need to turn our hand to most things these days. remember each trade taken time to learn and it is better to be the best a one than ok at many

 

[Geordie Spark]

We are on the same page really.
Would you prepared to prove competance in your other "trades" ......erm NO.
That is my point, we all "do a bit" in our general dat to day activaties. Thats how it should remain. Unless you do it day in day out, forget it or retrain, its not like ride'in a bike.

As a spark you should be able to solder a joint!!!!

I can solder a joint in cable and in copper & lead pipe and I can roll a joint.