qualification enquiry

tommysgunns · Nov 4, 2012

ok fellas, i could read through every post on here regarding getting qualified and still draw a blank since everyone seems to be in a different boat. my story is that im 30 and have been working as a spark for 30 months now, started with no knowledge and have worked up to a good knowledge of domestic, good knowledge of commercial and fair knowledge of industrial electrics. my problem is that as much experience as i get if i dont have the right letters and numbers on my cv then i wont make the interview stage to explain what i know. i work for a one man band who also employs a qualified electrician, but who isnt keen for me to do the one day a week college course as he has already put 2 lads through this and he wasnt looking to do another so basically its down to me to get myself qualified. obviously inspect & test isnt a priority so im kind of looking for the best way to get qualified in my own time without costing myself 7k which is what ive seen on several websites? ideally looking for one place to do the lot but if i have to do in bits then so be it...

shagbite · Jan 30, 2013

i find it hard to believe they got graded without completing the technical certificates.

you're not confusing the tech' cert's with the nvq3 are you? if they completed their training before the nvq was introduced (1996?), then they could have obtained their gold cards through 'grandfather rights' which eliminates the requirement for the nvq.

i'm not calling you out on this; it's just something i've not come across before. i've never heard of anyone getting an electrician's grading from the jib without completing the underpinning knowledge.

Andrew Youll · Feb 17, 2013

shagbite said:
i find it hard to believe they got graded without completing the technical certificates.

you're not confusing the tech' cert's with the nvq3 are you? if they completed their training before the nvq was introduced (1996?), then they could have obtained their gold cards through 'grandfather rights' which eliminates the requirement for the nvq.

i'm not calling you out on this; it's just something i've not come across before. i've never heard of anyone getting an electrician's grading from the jib without completing the underpinning knowledge.

not trying to restart an old thread, just not been around for a while, turns out you were right one of them did have the old Part 1 and 2 before NVQs existed but the other lad only has 2330 L2, the 2356 and has an Electrician graded card.

shagbite · Feb 17, 2013

cheers, andrew.

tommysgunns · May 14, 2013

hi guys, just wanted to refresh this thread and clear my head of any doubts before i spend the next 3 years of my life doing evening classes twice a week. ive pretty much convinced myself, and have the application forms filled out, to apply for my tech cert level 2 starting in september at college. the thing im dragging my feet on is that every time ive spoken to my boss about this, and with it being evening classes it doesnt affect him, he seems to think that other than the qualification i will get, college is all but a waste of time. ive learned a hell of a lot over the past 3 years working with him, and he takes experience over paperwork any day of the week, so if anybody out there were in my shoes my question is would you go to college, at 31, for 3 years to get the quals, or would you simply learn on the job with the eventual plan of going self employed?? i understand that the quals will get me work for another company if needed, but doing a 17th course, inspect and test course and complying with part p would enable me to setup on my own with another few years experience? i know one route sounds cowboyish and the other route is the official way to do it but is the college really going to teach me things i cant learn on the job?? honest answers please guys and dont hold back

markc123 · May 14, 2013

Go the correct route mate, regardless of what your boss says.

Yes, the college route teaches you - with detailed diagrams most of the electrical industry, hense the 3years instead of 5week sham. You'll study everything, from industrial to domestic via commercial and even agricultural and you'll cover old containment that you may come across in older properties.

Which will be benefitial especially if you're wanting to go self employed in the future.