Update of the past apprenticeship quest.

[HumbleWorker 91RT]

Evening all,

I haven't posted in a fair while as I've been disheartened and annoyed. You may or may not remember last year I was asking if anyone was looking for a helper/mature apprentice.

Seems just under a year I've consistently rang around, posted little flyers in my local merchants and still got naff all, even offered to work for free.

I tooled myself up with some gear in case someone asked I could at least look enthusiastic etc etc. I don't get what I'm doing wrong?

I've laboured on building sites before got a valid Labourer CSCS card, can drive happy to work weekends,
Work my bo***ks off and not a sniff.

Why is it so hard to get into this industry?.

Any honest answers and ideas as to where I'm going wrong seriously massivley appreciated, I don't know how I seem to come across but I'm getting desperate.

 

[Pete999]

Evening all,

I haven't posted in a fair while as I've been disheartened and annoyed. You may or may not remember last year I was asking if anyone was looking for a helper/mature apprentice.

Seems just under a year I've consistently rang around, posted little flyers in my local merchants and still got naff all, even offered to work for free.

I tooled myself up with some gear in case someone asked I could at least look enthusiastic etc etc. I don't get what I'm doing wrong?

I've laboured on building sites before got a valid Labourer CSCS card, can drive happy to work weekends,
Work my bo***ks off and not a sniff.

Why is it so hard to get into this industry?.

Any honest answers and ideas as to where I'm going wrong seriously massivley appreciated, I don't know how I seem to come across but I'm getting desperate.

Don't mean to be dismissive, what training have yo undertaken?

 

[HumbleWorker 91RT]

Hi Pete,

That's not dismissive bud a fair question, I haven't got the money to pay for training. My job atm covers my bills, food, car, I don't have enough each month to pay for additional training such as tradeskill4u for example.

 

[JAWS]

All I can say is best of luck fella I hope you all the best.

I have said many times how hard it is to find work as a mate for an electrician due to nature of the work.

Its not like plastering etc where you can knock the muck up or bricklaying the same. I also think insurance come in to it also not sure but I would think their public liability will only cover themselves.

 

[Adam W]

Try working as a mate for an agency.

 

[suffolkspark]

Go to an agency as a labourer and try to gain contacts? Only way into this trade seems to be from the inside

 

[HumbleWorker 91RT]

When agencies ask me have I got any knowledge I'm honest and say no, labouring is labouring but as soon as it's for an electrician suddenly you have to be partly qualified in their eyes.

Apologies for ranting, I'm just narked that I didn't make the decision to do it when I was 16 and now it's like nah too late to join.

 

[Baker1988]

Dont be so honest mate, put on ya cv you have a little bit of experience nothing big (every one lies a bit on the cv) say you have 2nd fixed sockets or something small like that. Then go to agencys and say yes you can do this and that just to get your self on a site. It might not be the best way but your way is obviously not working once you are on site and they ask ya to do stuff ask them to show you there best way to do it and if they have any tips and they will probily show you how they second fix stuff so then you will know if not they will be other mates onsite who will show you i have shown many people before how to do simple stuff like a light switch or a socket it dont take much time.
Just give it a try mate i would if i was you at least then you can get your foot in the door and get experience.

 

[Baker1988]

Also its never too late i went to college when i was 23 and paid my self through college while working for agancys as a mate, i did not get my first actual job with a company till i was fully qualified. There was also a guy on my course doing the same as me and he was 52 so like i say its never to late.

 

[hightower]

It's hard because there's a tonne of people out there with more experience and qualifications than you. Hope it's not harsh but why would anyone employ you when they can have someone with experience and qualifications for the same money? Keep plugging away, as disheartening as it is and hopefully your break will come, but you really need to get some tickets under your belt somehow. How many books have you read on the subject of electrics out of interest?

 

[derek]

Firstly, never offer to work for free, all you are saying to a potential employer is "I am a mug with no self respect and absolutely no belief that I can help you increase your profits!" They may be too polite to say so, but that is what they will think.
If you don't have family or friends in the trade then hundreds of applications will probably be required to get that elusive first job as an electrician's mate.
Alternatively get back on site as a labourer, work your bollox off and show that you are a hard grafter. Work 7 days a week if necessary to pay your bills. On site you'll make contacts and if the sparks on site are impressed by your work ethic then they may offer you some work.
Look at labouring as the first step in your apprenticeship as you'll gain a wide variety of knowledge if you are observant and inquisitive, this will all help you to shape your CV with the kind of experience, knowledge and understanding that an employer will want to see.
I started off as a labourer and I slogged my guts out, then once I'd saved up enough money for the first year, went to college 2 evenings per week after grafting all day. The experience has I believe made me a better spark, as well as made me physically and mentally tougher which helps when you are dealing with the bigger armoured cables.
I wish you all the best in your search, persistence, determination and hard work will get you where you want to go.

 

[Adam W]

Also its never too late i went to college when i was 23 and paid my self through college while working for agancys as a mate, i did not get my first actual job with a company till i was fully qualified. There was also a guy on my course doing the same as me and he was 52 so like i say its never to late.

I did exactly the same when I was 25. Yes it was hard and I didn't get any electrical work at all until I'd finished the first year, and that was agency work, but looking back with rose tinted spectacles it all seemed so quick and easy, when in reality it was anything but.
I don't know how it works now but back then if you were claiming income based jobseekers allowance at the time of enrolment you got the course for about £40 instead of more like £400, or over a grand in the 3rd year. Since then I must have paid the government back at least 10 times over in increased tax and NI contributions.

 

[hightower]

Looking at about £7k all in, 2365 L2 & L3, 17th and NVQ

 

[Des 56]

You go for a mates job with a agency,you are honest,you don't offer any experience,you do not get a look in

Go to agency,tell them you have a shed load of experience as a mate, this time you may get a look in and hopefully you get the job

If you do get the job you will be working under supervision,your inexperience should not be too problematic, your electrical career is now on the road

 

[uksrevivor]

One of the problems i see here is that you have no electrical qualifications, your profile has no qualifications listed so i will take it you have none or are not studying any. You will almost certainly get no joy if you are not studying the required qualifications to work towards becoming an electrician. To put it bluntly why would any electrical company or agency employ you if you are not at college gaining the basic qualifications and showing a commitment to your goal. Get yourself into night school at a technical college local to you. Show you are actually on a recognised qualification course route and trying to achieve the required qualification and you may get more luck. One thing to consider and i have stated this before is that electricians in your area will almost certainly have taken the college route and worked hard to achieve there qualified status and may not recognise a Trade 4 Skills qualification as much.
Once you have started the course try putting yourself forward as an experienced construction site labourer who understands onsite working methods and health and safety and that you are trying to become a qualified electrician.