Tradeskills4u: Bronze Domestic Installer Course

[ElectricBob]

I've been seriously considering doing the Bronze Domestic Installer Course offered by Tradeskills4u at their Warrington training center. My objective is to become qualified to safely and legally carry out electrical work in domestic properties. I'm not currently interested in commercial or industrial work.

I've had a look around this forum and can see that Tradeskills4u has previously been a hot topic of debate on here with some mixed feelings. I'm slightly concerned by some of the advertising on the Tradeskills4u website and was wondering what people thought about these specific claims that they make in relation to the Bronze Domestic Installer Course:

"This 18 day course includes the training you'll need to be a qualified Domestic Electrical Installer and register on a Domestic Installer Scheme"

Is it really the case that you can do this and then immediately register (and get on) a domestic installer scheme such as NICEIC (assuming you can provide 1 example of your work).

"The skills learnt on this course will enable you to carry out all kinds of installations in a domestic setting. Essentially you will be competent and safe to work on any kind of domestic project, be that a house re-wire, extension or simple jobs such as new sockets and light fittings"

"Once you have completed this course you will have the skills, knowledge and qualifications to enable you to find employment or work on a self employed basis as a domestic electrical installer. In fact the majority of people who train on this course go on to set up as self employed domestic electricians."

Are you really going to be competent enough to immediately set up on a self employed basis after completing the 18 day course? This also just seems too good to be true.

So, quality of the training that they allegedly provide aside, are these specific claims valid or are Tradeskills4u misleading customers in their advertising for this course?

 

[Joshua]

Scandalous the way these training centers churn out DIs or Electricians on the basis of a few Photos in a Portfolio, time the training was overhauled, bring back proper Apprenticeships,

I agree. At the moment the best variety of work is on a construction site. But because you're forced to go self employed just to get through the door then the companies don't directly employ anyone apart from the office staff.

saying that my manager has no electrical qualifications but because he's done a 5 day SMSTS course he can supervise Electricians.
Luckily my manager has a lot of electrical experience and is very knowledgeable, but I think it's unfair that anyone with £500 can become a site manager.

 

[The Ghost]

what makes an electrician

Indeed the crucial question. For @ElectricBob see this; Morris Services - Getting Started - http://www.morrisservices.co.uk/gettingstarted.asp. Various luminaries in the electrical industry have come together to define just that answer as to what is an electrician. Clearly there is a demarcation between Domestic and anything up from that. Domestic being the lesser of commercial/industrial. Higher voltages and more exacting technical knowledge is required outside of Domestic electrical work. I think technically you may be able to say you are competent within the very limited role of domestic electrician very quickly, subject to having worked in the area for two years and studied on top of that within the framework of competencies above. However, you will see many people who have done what you are contemplating commenting on the fact that actually in the field, they do not have a clue when they are faced with something the course has not shown them. Experience being the key factor. No course 18 day or as one of the young men who work for me 3 years, can teach you the practicalities that experience offers. Effectively you will be practicing on peoples houses and taking a lot longer to finish work and find it hard to compete or earn. You may expect call backs from customers as there will be things you did not take into account. Does this course say you will be able to test and inspect your installation in 18 days? If so I do find that a bit of a stretch. A new installation is one thing, but as you will find older and really old installations present challenges that you can not imagine I can assure you. And most of the time that is what you will be working with. For instance old wylex rewirable fuse bridges, the max Zs values and factors to take into account when designing/testing a circuit. It will drive you crazy I should think, sometimes.

 

[Wilko]

Bronze Domestic Installer Course:
"This 18 day course includes the training you'll need to be a qualified Domestic Electrical Installer and register on a Domestic Installer Scheme"
Is it really the case that you can do this and then immediately register (and get on) a domestic installer scheme such as NICEIC (assuming you can provide 1 example of your work).

No, I don't think this can be correct.
Without other NVQ type qualifications the CPS rules require (afaik) that you provide evidence of relevant working experience over 2 years. The objective being that you work with an experienced Electrician and see how the learning is applied. Check out appendix 4 route 4 admissions -

http://electrical.------.org/building-regulations/eas/eas-15-362.cfm

 

[Leesparkykent]

No, I don't think this can be correct.
Without other NVQ type qualifications the CPS rules require (afaik) that you provide evidence of relevant working experience over 2 years. The objective being that you work with an experienced Electrician and see how the learning is applied. Check out appendix 4 route 4 admissions -

http://electrical.------.org/building-regulations/eas/eas-15-362.cfm

The schemes got around this by allowing the DI to do the 2393 exam

The 2393 is covered on days 6-10 of the 18 day bronze course

 

[Dan]

So is it the government that is allowing this then?

 

[Pete999]

The schemes got around this by allowing the DI to do the 1 day 2393 exam

By allowing the what Lee? you having trouble with your fingers today

So is it the government that is allowing this then?

Well they sanction all these schemes, but only after one of theirs had a nasty experience with a cowboy sparky.

 

[Wilko]

The schemes got around this by allowing the DI to do the 2393 exam

Yikes !!!
I trained down under so I did 2392 to get familiar with things back here. Bought the guide, read it, sat the exam. Took 15mins to rattle through 30 odd questions with open book. How could that be equivalent to 2 years work experience?

 

[Pete999]

Yikes !!!
I trained down under so I did 2392 to get familiar with things back here. Bought the guide, read it, sat the exam. Took 15mins to rattle through 30 odd questions with open book. How could that be equivalent to 2 years work experience?

That's progress for you Wilko

 

[DanielM]

year of experience = knowledge+skills
Although for skills there is no shortcut you just have to practice for knowledge there is: books! It's true you can't become an electrician in 3 weeks because it's just to much information but I don't see why a dedicated person should lose 4 years on apprenticeship because there is a lot of repetition and redundant tasks; more important is to have a good teacher and proper study materials witch indeed are hard to find.
Let me ask something: if you would have to teach your son/nephew/friend to be an electrician and have time, access to installations and books in how much time do you think he will get to 80-90% of your lifetime experience? I'm guessing 1-2 years max. It's not about time but quality!

And back to topic is this course worth the time and money? Not expecting to became an electrician at the end of it but getting closer.