What is the reason to why next to nobody will employ new electricians?

[Mr Curnow]

Just wondering as I've been looking for employment in this trade for a long time, ever since I was on C&G level 2 I'd been looking for work, now I am on my way to becoming an electrical engineer, enrolled on a HNC at the moment, though I've sent out so many letters and so many emails, most people won't even reply but if they do it's always something like "I'm sorry, but we do not have any vacancies at the moment, we'll let you know when we do.", but they don't. And no matter how qualified you are, you will know some random idiot that has no qualifications and has a job simply because he knew someone, where as I have completed the qualifications and won't even be given a chance to prove myself, not that I'm expecting to be paid highly for what I'm going to be doing. I just want a career as an electrician/electrical engineer.

If it's "not what you know, but who you know" then I have lost hope for the world. Just putting peoples lives at risk if you don't have the qualifications.

 

[snowhead]

It's just the time we are in at the moment, employers in any field want people who will go flat out from the off.

My Son who was a Manager was looking for jobs related to his Degree for 2 years, 200 applications I believe, hardly any replies and only a couple of interviews.
He took an unskilled manual job somewhere where a Managers job may come up later, if things improve.

 

[Paul.M]

Boils down to supply and demand. The supply of out of work sparks is higher than the demand. Prices are being pushed down, conditions are getting worst and the time scale to do a job is reduced all for the sake of saving money.

 

[Mr Curnow]

What about electrical engineers? I've been searching for employment for this aswell but nobody is interested, I doubt the supply of electrical engineers is higher than the demand, electrical engineering isn't a common choice at university, I've heard they usually want people that have graduated but It'd be helpful If I were to have practice before I graduate, that would lead to more opportunities.

 

[Fin170]

In the same situation, only just scraping by doing odd jobs and working with a chap now and again. Lost count of the times I've lost opportunities on a 'who you know' basis

Call me pessimistic but I don't see the situation improving or a particular bright future in electrics, can't even look at the thousands it would cost to set up on my own + unworkable van insurance (£1500 for a y reg transit!).

 

[Amp David]

A chap on my street is a lecturer on Electrical Engineering at Manchester University.

Was chatting to him a few week ago about it, and his honest advice to anyone thinking to do a degree in it would be not to bother.

He summed it up as, you spend time and a small fortune doing the course, then you'll find there are no job for you.

Heres his website, if anyone interested Dave Southalls' Shed projects

 

[Silly Sausage]

Heres his website, if anyone interested Dave Southalls' Shed projects

What a lad! He's built a bar stool vehicle. Why can't I have neighbours like him.

bar stool racer

 

[Amp David]

Should of seen him whilst he was testing his one wheeled skate board.

He was up and down the street all weekend, it was hilarious:willy_nilly:

 

[frank3323]

If it's "not what you know, but who you know" then I have lost hope for the world. Just putting peoples lives at risk if you don't have the qualifications.

Mc Curnow - i dont see that happening to be honest, maybe housebashers? but i only see qualified sparks where i work, at the end of the day if i see a CV from 2 sparks, both qualified the same but one has been doing decent work for 10 years and one has not, i would always pick the one with the experience, as most people would, as for electrical engineering, i work for a massive company and the sparks with experience are paid higher than the engineers for that very reason. experience in doing the job. we have a saying here, the engineers can tell you what cable to put in. the sparks can tell you what cable to put in, put it in, test it, certify it and maintain it for a lifetime. its just the way of the world. i see young lads helping local company's for free to get a good reference and experience. i worked for 50 quid a week to start off.

 

[cobrauk]

You don't say if you have done on the job training or not but that would make a big difference to getting a job, we do have a lot of young lads who have put them selves through the course who are looking to get on the job training and we have taken them on in the past but only on first year money until they are able to do the job, we have a 26 year old working for us right now who had never done any electrical work other then on the course and he will tell you he didn't know nothing compared to what he needs to know to be able to do the job from just the course work, I will give him his due he is keen to learn and is picking things up very well.

 

[Octopus]

When times are difficult companies will always go for experience and cost. Why take somebody on who'll need a lot of training when you can have somebody who'll just need a small amount of "company" standards training.

 

[Mr Curnow]

Well I guess the problem is where you are located, I live in dorset and can find nothing but there are always advertisements for electrical engineering opportunities in the midlands, I also think maybe there will be more opportunity abroad, depends what country you live in. Maybe that is the case. I don't think you should simply give up on chasing a career you are interested in because there isn't much employment at the moment.

 

[Gavin A]

electrical engineers should probably be looking for work with the DNOs, as they're in the process of rebuilding the entire grid infrastructure of the country (well most of it), as well as being rushed off their feet with microgeneration applications, so there should be plenty of work there I'd have thought.

I know we just lost one of our team to go back to a former employer to run a team for them pulling cables in around the country for the undergrounding of the grid projects.

 

[Engineer54]

as for electrical engineering, i work for a massive company and the sparks with experience are paid higher than the engineers for that very reason. experience in doing the job. we have a saying here, the engineers can tell you what cable to put in. the sparks can tell you what cable to put in, put it in, test it, certify it and maintain it for a lifetime. its just the way of the world.

What are these Engineers, juniors that have only just graduated?? lol!!

Never heard such a load of old cods-wollop for years now!!! I take it your talking about an American company, I've worked with enough of the big names, to know their overseas pay/salary structure, and they doesn't bare any resemblance to what your reporting here!!

 

[frank3323]

u want me to send you my payslip and a couple of our chartered electrical engineers ones?? brit company. the graduates are paid lower than the tea boy! stick to sparking mate, more money, more work. like I said, best to get experience on a site, even for low pay.

Engineer 54, glad i gave u a laugh, but just saying how it is here.