what is your target salary as a spark???

[tuckerkop81]

Right, bit of a sensitive subject here guys.....

How much money are you guys looking to earn, im not asking how much you earn now but would like to know what is your target that youd be HAPPY with ( realisticly ). Im asking as i find this quite interesting, some people are very happy with plodding along with life earning 12k, whereas some people would be over the moon with 18k.

Ill start to get the ball rolling.

As im unemployed right now, a cup of tea and a hobnob.
5 years down the line, with experience and qualifications complete 40 - 60k.

Thanks

 

[Adam W]

Frankly I'd be happy with 20k.

 

[somersetsparks]

I think as an employed spark in a steady company you can expect to earn 25-30k basic.
As a Contracting spark - 35-50k
Offshore 35-60k
Self-employed - well who knows suppose it depends on how much you wanna put in, I certainly think its alot harder work than any of the above options, and from my experience a lot of self-employed one man bands inflate what they earn so its very hard to tell!
Also you have to take into account accounts, sick pay, so I would not like to even put a rough figure on it!

Would like to say as well these are rates for pre/post recession, at the moment unless you are already employed I think these rates are a bit on the highside!

personally, I'd like to earn 50+ but thats cos i'm a greedy *******!

 

[Martin Bradley]

The most ive erned working? for someone was basic weekly pay of £1050 5 nights hrs 5 per night perm job. but left as man i got fat eating all the time, and watching people doing there jobs supervisors a lol.
but ave week most work has been from £550 to £800.
working for myself well well ?
but would be happy with £25k take home.

 

[cselectrical65]

I am an employed spark and earn 27K basic and get holiday & sick pay.

 

[RWJ]

I gross about £24,700 but have a good pension, health care, holiday & Sick pay, private use of van.

 

[nickblake]

Me enough to pay the morgage, feed the family and pay the bills , and may be a week away once a year , anything else would be a bonus

 

[Phil]

it really depends on a lot of things.
networking, good contacts, area, employer self employed. and also a bit of luck sometimes come into it, ie right time right place etc. there are quite often really good sparks who are out of work through no fault of their own and yet another with the same quals could be in work no problem. best thing i could tell you is not to expect to be doing the 40-60k but if it comes and you get it take it while you can.

 

[Marvo]

I'm not really a sparky as such I earn about half a mil per annum. I'd be happy if I took that amount home but the tax man takes his pound of flesh first.

I employ a qualified sparky who earns about ZAR150,000.00 a year 'take home', this is about 25% over and above the going rate for his qualifications but he's worth it. He's technically very capable, honest and a hard worker. He isn't a 'clock watcher' and he's had one day off sick in five years.

 

[nickblake]

Think we should all become bankers £900.000 Per anum cock it all up and then get a 5 million bonus

 

[lloyd1980]

most ive ever earned..... $2500 Aus dollars per week after tax ( rio tinto iron ore mine , yandi , northern australia) 7-12's
self employed house bashing at the min - work as hard as I did in the mines for sod all, be lucky to have cleared 20k over the year.
am ditching it hopefully very soon to go to iraq for a year, on returning im going to specialise in something, be it motor controls, gate automation or home automation or depending how many companies have sprung up PV

there is NO money in house bashing - Im totaly over it

 

[tuckerkop81]

right - One main reason I started this thread was to see if i were expecting too much and if my ambition met reality, after these few posts I see i am way off. However, I did not go to college for 3 years, plus no doubt another at least a years worth of studying ( 2391, part P, GNVQ 3 ) to earn less than 30odd k. If im honest i think id rather study for longer to reach my goals.

One thing that i find strange, the salary that sparks earn vary from one scale to the other extremely, and the qualifications arent on ratio with them.

 

[lloyd1980]

I know I am 2330 level 3, NVQ level 3, building regs level 3, 2391 testing and inspect. spent years gaining and 1000's spent
I totaly expect to earn more than 30K a year
hence the reason im diversifying

 

[tuckerkop81]

Diversifying????

 

[Phil]

Diversifying????

home automation, solar pv, etc