Plenty of jobs out there?

[n180]

Hi all,

I'm looking to become an electrician (career change). Looked into various training centres like OLCI, RFTraining, New Career Skills etc. They all claim that there's a massive shortage of electricians at the moment in the UK, that there should be plenty of work for a qualified sparky. But of course they would say that.

I want to hear it form you guys already in the industry (so that I can get some real info instead of a sales pitch), whats the market like these days? Is it easy for you to find work? Is there plenty of it out there? I'm talking about working for a company and/or working for yourself. Or are most electricians leaving the industry due to lack of work, or sitting at home twiddling their thumbs?

 

[DPhilpott]

I went self employed a year ago as i got so fed up with hunting for a decent job after my previous employer went bust. In such a tight market some companies i came accross didnt need to look after the blokes.. So didnt, and all the good companies i heard of didnt have job vacancies as the guys didnt leave working for myself is really enjoyable but a real hard slog for not alot of fruit.

 

[telectrix]

for every job going, there are 100 electricians ( fully qualified , time served ) after it. these training centres are, at best, liars. £50,000? forget it. agencies are asking for qualified sparks with 2330, 2382 and 2391 , paying £7 - £9 /hour.

 

[timbobelfast]

"agencies are asking for qualified sparks with 2330, 2382 and 2391 , paying £7 - £9 /hour."

At that sort of money it would be cheaper to stay at home!

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Or cut grass.

 

[mikemack00]

Would'nt recommend it either, apart from getting all the qualifications you need to do the job, there are so many other hoops you have to jump through, which often mean paying a shed load of money, i.e NICEIC, MCS membership, then there is the cost of all the tools you will need. The wage isnt great and if you want to go down the self employed route you will need your own van, main contractors like nothing better than to stich up the poor suby just trying to get by, by giving them all the work they don't want to sign off themselfes. If I could turn back the clock 20 years I would have been an air con engineer or a gas engineer.

 

[telectrix]

or smoke it.

 

[Engineer54]

Was looking at the on-line site of the Cyrus Mail newspaper last week, and noticed an advert for Faraday Training (or something like that) Seems they have a training course center in Limmersol now!!!! So i guess it won't be long before the Electrical Trainee boys will be operating in Cyprus too. They are Offering free seminars to get there claws into prospective Muppets... :smartass2: They may even be thinking along the lines of exporting Cyp Electrical Trainee's to the UK....lol!!! :evil2: :disguise:

 

[oldtimer]

Yep me thinks the bubble is bursting on this although to be fair its not the guys who want in who are to blame but these training companies. Just like when BG visits your house and they say the DB or CU as they say now is dangerous its only when you say put that in writing you get Could be dangerous So "earn £50k a year" turns into "earn potentially £50k a year"

So n180 at least you had the brains to check first but as I have always said its your shout

 

[DNS1]

Whatever you do, don't go with the likes of New Career Skills (hard selling rip off merchants)

I shopped around and found Able Skills in Dartford and it will cost me a quarter of the price that NCS wanted. Plus they also do the 2330, 2391 etc if you want to go for more than the minimum for domestic work.

 

[piratebillybob]

I dont know why people automatically go for these training providers. I got 2330 level 3, part p, pat testing, management of pat testing, regs and 2392 inspection and testing for £900 at my local college.

See what the colleges around you are offering.

There are so many factors that can make your journey either impossible or relatively easy.

i mean it depends on how old you are, if youve got any contacts in the industry etc

Do you want to just be a domestic part pee-er or a fully qualified electrician?

Doing the courses and passing them will be the easy bit. Finding a company to take you on to do your time onsite is darn near impossible.

I would also say the whole "theres a shortage of electricians" schtick is absolute BS.

 

[Strima]

There's a lot of rumours and BS floating around out there at the minute. Training providers are just after cash and getting their pass statistics in the high 90% area, hindsight in fantastic.

I left the Army last year and did the Electrical Trainee course (it was 6, does that make me any better?), got the usual Part P, 2382, 2392 and 2391. After sending out over 30 speculative CV's and applying for numerous jobs the best I can get at the minute is agency work which is sketchy at best. My agency averages around £12.50PH so not too bad for now, at least I'm out on the ground meeting time served electricians and learning skills every day and getting recognised for actually not being a know it all Electrical Trainee. I pride myself in doing a good job and providing good customer service and will always ask if unsure.

Having the qualifications is one thing, how you use them is important. If you fancy a career change then go for it, nothings stopping you but finding work will be hard until you get your foot in the door, it just takes one employer to 'give you a chance'. Good luck with whatever you decide and just remember, this time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires...

 

[Dean]

It's blatantly clear why people choose the 5 week course over the proper structured college method, because they get 'qualified' quicker and can start earning that 50k+ a year quicker! A couple of grand is a small price to pay when your going to make it back in just a few weeks work right?

 

[Kelrich]

I done my part p back in january hoping work would fly my way unfortunatly it hasnt its ticked over had some cracking work off a generous lad on here, Iam still working full time as a maintenance man in a factory which i do appriciate but want out, am gradually getting there tho got most my essentials van tools etc just need that 1 contract that will give me the courage to leave the factory i pray this will come just takes patience i suppose but if its want you want you have to chase it till you cant physically chase anymore, go for it mate

 

[piratebillybob]

I done my part p back in january hoping work would fly my way unfortunatly it hasnt its ticked over had some cracking work off a generous lad on here, Iam still working full time as a maintenance man in a factory which i do appriciate but want out, am gradually getting there tho got most my essentials van tools etc just need that 1 contract that will give me the courage to leave the factory i pray this will come just takes patience i suppose but if its want you want you have to chase it till you cant physically chase anymore, go for it mate

Why are you moving from a maintenance spark to installation? Im currently doing an apprenticeship as a maintenance spark / electrical engineer