Maintenance Electrican

[ellcapone]

Im a 24 year old fully qualified electrician with my inspection and testing quals. Ive been working at my firm for about 6 years doing industrial installing for a small firm (15 lads on site / 10 in office). I love what I do but i want to move on to the next step. After speaking with my boss he has said he wants to bring me into the office to become one of the operations/contracts managers however the opportunity is not anytime soon he thinks in a couple of years a place will open up. While I dont dout him with his promises Im keen to progress.

I recently applied for a maintenance engineers role at a local manufacturing company fixing breakdowns and doing preventive maintenance, there a good size and have around a 30 million pound turnover. They have offered me the job and have said they will put me through my mechanical engineering quals (NVQ level 3) and will then class me as a multi skilled maintenance engineer. This will also strengthen my electrical knowledge with PLCs and other control systems.

I was wondering if anybody has ever gone from being an installer to a maintenance engineer and if so whats it like?

Also do people think that doing mechanical qualifcations is more of a side step than progression? I dont know if having qualifcations in both makes me more employable to big blue chip firms or would they prefer somebody with higher qualifications such as HNCs in one field?

Any feedback would be great thanks.

 

[Flanders]

Whats involved in the maintenance job will you ve able to move up in tbe company to more a managment role or will you just be on the shop floor if its the shop floor then it sounds like more of a sideways move , If you are happy were you are currently working i would maybe give it that 2 years and move up within your company you are still young and the grass is not always greener .

 

[snowhead]

Do you want to move on to the next step or move on to earn more money?

Multi-skilled will get you more money

 

[westward10]

Maintenance ain't my cup of tea but if they are offering you paid for mechanical qualifications why not if you want this.

 

[ellcapone]

The new job would be working on the shop floor and engineers workshop using my electrical knowledge and the mechanical knowledge they teach me to ensure production progress . As its a much larger company the is alot of room for progression (engineering manager, electrical supervisor ect) but it would take a while. With my installation background I would like to think it could be possible to work up to being a site services manager or project management within the company.

The new job is more money but thats not really my motive. I personally just want to learn more and have a stronger CV to set me up with better jobs in the future.

But does being a multi skilled electrical and mechanical engineer for a big firm look better than a contracts manager for a small firm??

 

[snowhead]

But does being a multi skilled electrical and mechanical engineer for a big firm look better than a contracts manager for a small firm??

YES although I may be slightly biased

 

[ellcapone]

YES although I may be slightly biased

Thanks for getting back to me!

 

[7029 dave]

Nothing wrong in learning additional skills, if they are prepared to fund it, why not better money as well.

 

[Des 56]

You would improve your skills and knowledge ( both electrical and mechanical )you would during this time have more of an idea of the prospects of climbing the ladder in the role offered

With the added skills under your belt and the experience in the maintenance environment,you would be a likely candidate for building service engineering
It has a much brighter prospect than remaining as a 2 bit installation spark which now has its very content open to dilution if the employers get their ideas accepted.

 

[Midwest]

I have no idea about the qualifications etc, but it sounds like your current boss is stalling, whereas the prospective one is offering new skills & training. Get it in writing though!

 

[akwoody2]

I went from being an installer to a maintenance engineer 4 years ago, there's pros and cons from my experience. If your a worker who needs to be kept busy at all times then its not for you, there can be quite times and there can be manic times. I have found that i don't do all that much electrical work but i have had the opportunity to work on A/C, boilers, AHU's, Solar PV, ground source and plumbing. The skills i have picked up over the last 4 years i would have never got as an installer. I work shifts so i currently work for myself on my days off to keep a hand in the electrical trade so if i wanted to go back into installing i can without the drought. If they are offering you courses that will help you get to where you want to in your career then id go for it. Not many firms offer you courses these days unless its something they have to give you to keep you up to date for your job role. As Midwest says, get it all in writing.

 

[KennyKen]

Definitely having a larger skill sets makes you more employable.

 

[Flanders]

The new job would be working on the shop floor and engineers workshop using my electrical knowledge and the mechanical knowledge they teach me to ensure production progress . As its a much larger company the is alot of room for progression (engineering manager, electrical supervisor ect) but it would take a while. With my installation background I would like to think it could be possible to work up to being a site services manager or project management within the company.

The new job is more money but thats not really my motive. I personally just want to learn more and have a stronger CV to set me up with better jobs in the future.

But does being a multi skilled electrical and mechanical engineer for a big firm look better than a contracts manager for a small firm??

There is a lot more to learn as a maintenance spark, repairing machines blows my mind and its not for me ( I tried it once)but if you have a good fault finding mind then it could be the job for you , I've spoken to various maintenance sparks who love the challenge and fair play to them , they now just sit in nice warm offices ordering stuff from the RS catalogue and getting sub contractors in to do any big jobs , also as others have said it can't be bad to have additions skills and qualifications as it will always help you in the future.

 

[Pete999]

The new job would be working on the shop floor and engineers workshop using my electrical knowledge and the mechanical knowledge they teach me to ensure production progress . As its a much larger company the is alot of room for progression (engineering manager, electrical supervisor ect) but it would take a while. With my installation background I would like to think it could be possible to work up to being a site services manager or project management within the company.

The new job is more money but thats not really my motive. I personally just want to learn more and have a stronger CV to set me up with better jobs in the future.

But does being a multi skilled electrical and mechanical engineer for a big firm look better than a contracts manager for a small firm??

Is this new company a private concern, or some Government Department?

 

[ellcapone]

Is this new company a private concern, or some Government Department?

It's a private company. Just a manufacturing company similar to the likes of Nestlé and Unilever but not quite as big.