Qualification Advice

[Jamie181191]

Hi just looking for some advice.
I am self employed I have completed my level 2 city and guilds and this guy had me running this jobs for him. On the 3rd job I done for him I made a mistake because of the lack of knowledge on the regs. Now I know the builders directly charged my boss 80 and I have written confirmation of that. The guy who employed me is making out that it cost him 370. I asked him for an invoice he said he doesn't have one because he discounted it off the bill for the client but not the builders. The builders claim they directly got cash from Andrew. I was wondering whether him making me run jobs without advise gives me a leg to stand, is breaking the law at all by making me run jobs without supervision and being under qualified. Good or bad news will be appreciated. Thanks
Jamie

 

[DuaneMHunt1976]

Im a bit lost here (probley down to my reading)

Your Self Employed (so sort your own tax and bills out yourself) Trainee (from reading your profile)
Being Self Employed you should have insurance.

Education to City and Guilds Level 2 guessing Electricals, (but in your profile you said level 3 and Trainee)

Cost of the Error 80 (Builder has said in writing, dosnt that come under data protection act giving out the information how much you charged someone else, then again i guess could said how much it would cost to do such a job) but the guy is claiming 370 and no invoice (it has to go via his books, so should be some kind of invoice) Not sure if you can ask for a copy of the invoice and say your insurance will want to see a copy, before paying up (well they mm might!)

 

[Darkwood]

Hi Jamie - Sorry about the situe' you find yourself in, this is my take on it but other comments may differ.

As a qualified Electrician 'self employed' it is your responsiblility to know your regulations regardless of you subbing to others, because you are working for another person who has taken on the work then he will have to pay the costs himself to the builder and then it is up to him to pass the costs to yourself or arrange other ways for you to compensate him.

I would in your shoes ask him to invoice yourself for the costs and give a breakdown within the invoice which will include the builders costs and his own.

When you sub-contracted to this company you did so on the understanding you were knowledged in the regulations and practices to do the work asked of you, if you have somehow had an agreement to be overseen while you gain the experience then you may have a argument but unless its in contractural form you really don't have a leg to stand on - are you insured for such mishaps?

 

[Jamie181191]

First off Thanks for the replies.
There was no contract. I am not insured, but will be looking into that. The thing is I have written proof before he took me on and I made it clear that I wasn't fully qualified I had just finished my level 2 and it was pretty much stating that I wasn't fully a competent electrician, and he acknowledged that in writing but still decided to put me on jobs running them, throwing me in the deep end, which was fine but I feel know he has just mugged me off with this one. He passed his lvl 2 no more than 5 years back and will know that in level 2 you don't cover any regulations. If I don't have a leg to stand on then I will just swallow it and move on...
But Again thanks for the advice

 

[Darkwood]

You cannot practice as a Qualified Electrician 'sole trader' in the public Arena without both adequate insurance and relevent qualifications to show you have undertaken the sufficient training to work with electrical systems keeping both yourself safe and the public.

Not having adequate qualifications will void any insurance you had and claims made against it, you can of course work for a company as a trainee, in this case the employer has to know what level you are and give you adequate assistance until you have gained the knowledge, experience and the qualifications to become an Electrician.

You will probably lose you employment there but you no longer are liable for the mistakes you made and the most he can do is drop you, he cannot charge you as he knows your not yet competent or qualified and it was his responsibility to ensure you were suitably supervised.

He's using you as cheap labour and its back fired... I'd walk and tell him to do one about the money as he was fully aware of the score.

 

[DuaneMHunt1976]

Find a Real Electrician to work with, Email and Post your CV with a Covering Letter POINTING out you are keen you have done the FIRST year already and WANT TO LEARN MORE

And get Education to a point that worse comes to worse that you an go Solo, but hands on training is dam good training than a college can tell you.

Not sure what bit you post in on this Forum but worth ago .. AREA .. EDUCATION.. and what you hope for .. what you have done..
I would look for a person who wants to learn (may of done bad at school but is turning it around at college)
And has shown keeness to do so, (by working for a bad boss trying to do the best he can)
Age wise, looking around 18-35 .. some young persons can be a pain, tho so can older ones .. catch 22 but i wouldnt want them right out of school personally

 

[shanky887614]

i got my apprenticeship by going through the nic website calling everyone nearby.

got some work experience with one then a friend of his wanted to take someone on so i got offered it