Newbie: Would be grateful for any advice

[Thomas02]

Hi there,

I am new to the board and slightly nervous about posting this but I hope some of you will take the time to read it.

I finished a course at the end of May (yes, it is one of those ‘everything crammed in a short space of time’ crash courses) which I found hard work but enjoyable all the same. Since then I have had a lot on my plate but I am now ready to actively seek some work as a rookie domestic installer.

I now have the following qualifications and certificates:
Construction Skills Certificate in Essential Electrics
C&G Level 3 Certificate, Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment – 2377
C&G Level 3 Certificate, Building Regs for Installations in Dwellings – 2393-10
C&G Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671 – 2382-10
EAL Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Installers – Mods 1 to 9

I enlisted the help of a professional CV writing company who drafted me a covering letter which outlined the above qualifications and my willingness to work hard and learn.

So now I need to start applying to both large and small electrical contractors and hope for a break. I am no spring chicken, now in my mid-forties but I am healthy, willing to travel and also willing to work for virtually nothing just to gain some experience.

I still need to go back to the training centre to take both the 2392 and 2391 written and practical exams but would not feel confident taking either of these until I could gain some actual work experience.

I guess I am looking for some words of encouragement but in the current climate I have a sense of impending doom about my chances but I will try my hardest and might get lucky. Having spent almost £3,500 on the training I am definitely committed to making a new career out of it.

Can any experienced sparks offer any tips or advice? Any new starters in the same situation as me? Would like to hear from either and would appreciate any comments.

David

 

[telectrix]

might be an idea to try some agency work to get practical experience. depends where you live. the agencies up here suck

 

[dan_sparks]

hey there
first off good luck with your quest for exp/work, i am pretty much in the same boat as you, i did a course and ended up with basically the same qualifications.
On the downside these quals dont really mean much without the prac exp to back it up, and a domestic installer/part p cert is only really meaningful if you want to be self employed and part of a competent person scheme. You would then be able to sign off your own work. 2382 is great, but you need to have the practical skills to back this up, and any potential employer will know this.
A PAT testing cert only helps if the company you work for does pat testing, but in reality you dont need this for domestic work, who needs to pat test a household kettle??
My company threw in a essential electrics cert and first aid cert, all of which mean nothing really. The qualification any spark needs are 2330 2/3 and 2356, which is changing to the 2357 combining all three quals. Anyone looking to take someone on will want these or someone working toward these, what the money grabbers dont tell you is that the quals they give you is what you need to set up as self employed. Not to many of us are prepared or competent enough to do this, me included. Hindsight is a great thing, and i have started the 2330 level 2 via nightschool, whilst looking for a mate/improver role. Again good luck,

 

[malcolmsanford]

Quote Dickens " Speak to me words of comfort Jacob and I'm afraid like Marley it as to be " I have none to give"

It is a brave move of yours to do this in your mid 40,s and I admire you for that. I'm sure you would have noticed that on that course there were a lot of much younger guys who are now like you.

The 2392 and 2391 are obtainable without a great deal of testing experience if you really cram for it and I'm sure you could do that, but your looking at another 1000 pounds plus for these courses.

The chances of a company taking you on are slim, unless you know of someone in the business. Agencies are a route but again temp contracts are looking for experienced guys they are not going to pay agencies big money for unexperienced sparks.

This leaves you with the self employed route. This maybe the best option. If you know any sparks at all you can offer your help free of charge, it maybe they want you to chase a wall of run cables in loft but you will gain experience and enough to perhaps then do little jobs. It's not easy I know, but you have come this far so it's worth taking any chance you get.

 

[maddfridge]

hi there

i was is this position in the 1990s and then found the whole sparks scene was a closed shop no jib card no work.

i had to take a caretaker job for a year in nursing home and even with a c course qualification had to change light bulbs change sockets etc. Started to do small domestic jobs outside lights which bought in some cash to pay for other courses etc and gained experience approched garden centres for work putting in power to sheds, ponds etc garden lighting etc etc

Put cards in shop windows not everyone buys a paper!!
Flyers etc etc

as you have pat testing what about approaching estate agents landlords need all there electical stuff pat testing you may pick up tennant repairs etc

hope that helps

cheers

 

[Thomas02]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply and advice. I understand what you are saying about the quals I have got being good for going down the self-employed route but I need to gain a good deal of experience before even thinking about going it alone. I think you are absolutely right about the 2330/NVQ and that any potential employer will want to see that you either have these quals or at least working towards them. I still have an opportunity to enrol on a 2330 Level 2 part-time course at one of my local colleges. I’ve got until mid-October to sign up. I am however a bit confused about the changeover to the new 2357. Do you complete the Level 2 and then pick up from what would have been Level 3 in the 2357?

It is great to hear from people like yourself in a similar position to me. I really appreciate your help and good luck with your work search.

Cheers, David

 

[Thomas02]

Many thanks to all who have replied to me so far.
All help and advice is gratefully received.

David

 

[chrisb999]

im new to this as well and in a similar situation im 31 and have been working for the past 7 years doing jukebox installation in pubs and sites.i have spent 3 years at college and done c + g 2330 parts 1,2 and 3 and 17th edition.ive applied for a lot of jobs and sent my cv off to lots of companies but not had much reply.they say electrical works starting to pick up now so im taking a chance and leaving my job to persue some agency work to get some more practical experience and hopefully do a few jobs for myself.ive even been down to the local electrical wholesalers and left my details there.another option would be to get youre cv on recruitment agency websites and things like that.uve just gota keep trying. hope it works out for you. chris.

 

[Thomas02]

Hi Chris,
Looks like you have the relevant qualifications. I’ve gone down the short cut route but I don’t think it’s going to work for me because I need the experience and can’t go it alone for some time to come. Hope you are right about things picking up and yes, you have to keep trying. Good luck to you mate. David.

 

[dan_sparks]

Hi David
as far as im aware level 2 students will be able to migrate onto the new 2357, with any completed coursework going toward this, as will level 3 2330. This is happening via summit skills and this is where the delay of the new 2357 has come in. The problem we may have is that it still may be a work placed qual, like the nvq 3 (2356) so depends whether we can get on without being employed as yet. I hope so but anyway, i have been only 2 weeks on the level 2 and i think it will be very handy to back up my quals and knowledge, reinforces what i know, and goes more into the maths side. good luck david.