Qualifications, but no experience.

[thorpy]

Hello everyone, im 32 years old and I have very recently got my 17th edition, full scope part p and my pat testing qualifications. Im now studying for my inspection and testing and so on. My problem now is I need experience in the trade and cant seem to find anyone to give me a chance. Does anybody have any advice.

 

[Phil]

welcome to the forum. if your working full time try to offer yourself to a local electrician on weekend to gain experience. or if not have a ring round and see if you can get a start as a mate.
btw Falcon just off regent street is a really busy wholesalers and may well be worth asking if you can pop your details on the coffee machine

 

[Jez Wilkins]

Hi thorpy. There is no doubt that it is very difficult. I was (still am) in the same boat as you. I've found that the larger companies in my neck of the woods do not seem keen to provide anybody with work experience and, with the smaller/one person companies, there is the added (and very understandable) issue of not wanting to end up 'cutting their own throat', by helping to train up somebody who could later end up competing with them for relatively scarce work.

Probably not my place to say, but Phil's suggestions are good ones. yell.com (the internet version of 'Yellow Pages') is a good place to get contact details for Electricians in your area, if you have not already tried this source. My local County Council has a 'Trusted Trader' scheme and their website has a list for Electricians. Maybe your local council/County Council has something similar, if you have not already tried this?

Good luck in your search.

Cheers,

Jez Wilkins

 

[Engineer54]

Sorry, but you don't really have any meaningful qualifications to your name, so you can't actually call yourself qualified by any stretch of the imagination.

Again, i'm sorry, but i don't have any sympathies for those that choose to enter this industry via the backdoor, then get upset that no-one want's to give them experience. Perhaps now you realise that spending 17 to 30+ days at a training centre, hasn't in fact come close to turning you into anything approaching a qualified electrician!!

 

[robbalaar86]

Same old same old basically you cut corners to be an electrician. Think I may do a 5 week course and become a surgeon.

Sigh

 

[Octopus]

Beware of offering yourself to local chaps - they are likely to see you as a competitor!

 

[TheDJ]

Good luck to you mate hope you get the experience your looking for , unfortunately you will find out that probably more than 50% of sparks are Aholes with a delusional sense of self importance as demonstrated in a couple of your replies.

 

[snowhead]

Good luck to you mate hope you get the experience your looking for , unfortunately you will find out that probably more than 50% of sparks are Aholes with a delusional sense of self importance as demonstrated in a couple of your replies.

I take it you'd approve of all 17year olds having to write an essay on how good a driver they are and automatically get a full U.K driving licence.

 

[TheDJ]

I approve of anybody putting in hard work and doing there best at anything. This only comes with experience and trying to gain it , which he is obviously trying to do , so what part of that is it that you are so obviously annoyed about?

 

[chrish_1977]

Good luck to you, it is hard I had the same when I retrained, I was lucky though that someone was willing to give me a chance, best thing is just keep trying and someone may give you a chance, just keep reading as much as you can, and keep trying

 

[snowhead]

so what part of that is it that you are so obviously annoyed about?

Just because people have suggested the O.P may not be taking the best route into the trade, which I agree with, doesn't deserve a comment such as yours;

unfortunately you will find out that probably more than 50% of sparks are Aholes with a delusional sense of self importance as demonstrated in a couple of your replies.

 

[7029 dave]

The trouble is you here this a lot in this industry,qual first then learn later.What the hell is all that about?!!,when I started in this industry,you learnt at 16 went to college on day release or block,then hands on for the rest . Now good luck to the op if he can get his foot in the door,low wages etc!! .

 

[Engineer54]

Good luck to you mate hope you get the experience your looking for , unfortunately you will find out that probably more than 50% of sparks are Aholes with a delusional sense of self importance as demonstrated in a couple of your replies.

Spoken by yet another of the now many thousands of wannabe electricians that are too inexperienced and totally under qualified to be so idiots, that thinks this industry now owes them a living, after spending a few thousand on a 17 day bronze DI course!! Fortunately you're the only delusional Ahole around here!!

 

[TheDJ]

Wannabe electrician ?? I've been a spark since I left school at 16 and I am now 31 , work offshore and have been lucky enough to work all over the world , you do realise your reply does nothing to dispell my original reply and only confirms it. It's just seems to me that this is may be an English problem with you guys having things like Part P ?? I have no idea what Part P is btw. I shall reiterate for the sake of confusion , if someone wants to become a spark at 16,26,36,46 whatever as long as they are willing to learn , graft etc etc then good luck to them and all the best I have no problem with that , I learn every day myself and have been doing this since I was 16 and know nothing else , everydays a school
Day as they say , . .

 

[TheDJ]

I'm a just giving my honest opinion as I see it , that is all , we all have different experiences in the trade , and although you do not agree with my opinion I respect that you have given yours. I just think there is an overwhelming sense of arrogance in the sparky trade and I just don't get it that's all