My own personal circumstances mean that I am currently retraining in the electrical sector... I am a mature student at the age of 40...and I have got 20 years of electronic engineering experience, as well as 7 years of study through C&G , ONC and HNC qualifications in other engineering disciplines.
I am now retraining through the Part P Domestic installer, 17th edition, and C&G2395 inspection and testing courses over the period of a few months of courses. My previous engineering training and experience mean that making engineering calculations for ohms law...voltage drop...transposing adiabatic equations and likewise are all second nature. Also, with my skills and knowledge learn't from previous BTEC and C&G courses within engineering, it means there are a lot of 'transferrable skills' which are common to both industries...
I am also going to become a member of one of the competent schemes...get my insurances...and ensure everything is above board... However, I am not under any misconception that I am going to be able to walk straight into customer premises and start doing full house rewiring, or carrying out full periodicals... or taking on large scale jobs. On the contrary...I am organising to go out on the tools with a fully trained spark for a few months to gain the essential practical experience before making a decision to go out on my own...
I understand everyones comments (and anger) on this subject...and that there are also many cowboys out there currently practicing bad electrics ... However, i don't think it is appropriate to group everyone in the same bracket... who decide to retrain and to take their hand to this route of training...there are also many experienced and clever guys that are taking this domestic installer route of training !