Retraining as an electrician

[brokethebox]

Good evening all,

there are countless threads around regarding just this topic, but I hoped you all wouldn't mind maybe helping me out a bit.

I'm 34, and have worked at sea for the past 10 years, so am fairly handy. For my, and my wife's sanity, I'm coming ashore, and looking to be able to retrain.

Being an electrician is attractive to me (I'm good with logic, and numbers, being a sailing boat skipper it comes in handy!) and wondered what your thoughts were on both the practical side (courses/hands on experience) and the future. Is it worth me investing a substantial chunk of money (£7500 if i sign up to a fast-track course) and time?

How does an older person go about getting that hands on time?

Many thanks in advance,

James

 

[Scott Hawks]

Very good Simon, wrong though...

 

[brokethebox]

You guys are nuts.

OK, last question for now then - does anyone fancy having me ride along in the south Manchester / north Derbyshire / East Cheshire area, to have a bit of a chat about work, let me see how it looks, how I might get the experience to do some of the recommended courses?

Regards as always,

James
James

 

[Razzmond]

Hi mate,

Im 26, retrained as a sparky having worked in offices my whole life. I went to college for two years (to the tune of about 2500) and started working as a sparkys mate. Nothing beats watching a pro. I have worked for a bloke who did a fast track course, and to be honest he didnt know anything. Good businessman, bad electrician. Those fast track jobbies can be dodgy in terms of what they actually teach you. Although thats not to say my college was alot better!

 

[shanky887614]

Hi mate,

Im 26, retrained as a sparky having worked in offices my whole life. I went to college for two years (to the tune of about 2500) and started working as a sparkys mate. Nothing beats watching a pro. I have worked for a bloke who did a fast track course, and to be honest he didnt know anything. Good businessman, bad electrician. Those fast track jobbies can be dodgy in terms of what they actually teach you. Although thats not to say my college was alot better!

college doesnt help you in the real world.

when it gets real he who improvises win XD

i got thrown in the deep end with shop fitting got given a set of old drawings on a job that was running behind with no shop fitting experience

 

[Razzmond]

Couldn't agree more.

college doesnt help you in the real world.

when it gets real he who improvises win XD

i got thrown in the deep end with shop fitting got given a set of old drawings on a job that was running behind with no shop fitting experience

 

[shanky887614]

im absoulely knackered now just done an 80hour week and not many days left to the job now so time to get cracking and finish it off.

shop fitting is alright to be fair, the one im on is the 2nd worst these fitters have worked on in 25 years ^^

shame im running around like a headless chicken not knowing what i need to get up and running first etc

 

[Razzmond]

I'll be honest mate I've never done it. Few blokes I know have done it and they rate it

 

[PEG]

What a load of bollox you need to man up a bit mate. Keep of the ale and get some exercise, my grandad was still digging coal out the ground at 63, and I can easily do a days graft and then go for a 6 mile run afterwards at 57.

...only just seen this...now i consider myself fit for my age,and can normally out-think,out-run and out-lift most i meet,at a third my age...but i will have to admit...i can't do 57...that's bobbing along :stooge_curly:

 

[shanky887614]

I'll be honest mate I've never done it. Few blokes I know have done it and they rate it

this job has many, many problems.

the floor is that far out that when closed the bog door has a 3mm gap under it but when its open its probably 25mm+

 

[Razzmond]

Do you mean when it's open compared to when closed?

 

[shanky887614]

Do you mean when it's open compared to when closed?

yes sorry, long day and not thinking straight

 

[hightower]

...only just seen this...now i consider myself fit for my age,and can normally out-think,out-run and out-lift most i meet,at a third my age...but i will have to admit...i can't do 57...that's bobbing along :stooge_curly:

Thanks mate, I was in a bit of a grumpy mood this morning, now I have to wipe coffee off my monitor.