Who owns a grade card?

[Guest77]

Just wondering after seeing a few threads of late regarding them, I am aware it is a gold card today, out of interest who has a grade card of somekind? post up what you have, lets see how many on the forum is actually a card holder, just out of interest, it doesn't mean much, I know several brilliant sparks who never even did an apprenticeship, they are retired now though.


I will start, I am a JIB gold card holder with Site Technician stamped on mine, next please.

 

[Andy78]

I have a gold card that says I am an electrician. Well... it sort of expired a year ago and I won't be renewing it until such time as I feel I need it.
I used to work for a JIB company until redundancy and then self employment came about, which is why I had one, and why I don't need one now.

 

[Welchyboy1]

Gold card approved, not had to use it yet though, keep it up to date just in case

 

[Guest77]

Theres so much moaning on here and in industry in general about Electrical Trainee and then theres the JIB seeming to stand up in a small way to the downward spiral and they still get knocked. Yes people will get caught out, but if you are experienced and working in the industry a nvq3 will be a doddle, the money is a investment in yourself and your CV, after all if you dont have a NVQ3 you must hve done your quals a fair time ago, surely being a electrician merits spending that money on modernising your quals.

I started early eighties and got my NVQ3 no problem, I got mine by sending my A,B and C certs to someone in the early 90s, they then sent me my certificate, I think back then A,B and C was the standard, I have no idea what is the standard today.

 

[SJD]

Don't have any JIB card, and no interest at all in having one.

 

[jimjimjim]

Yar, Approved Electrician.

Jim

 

[Wiresandthings]

Im all for the JIB standing up and setting the standards, tougher the better, when it becomes a must have item it will catch me out and a great deal of others!! If i have to get one to continue trading then ill do whats required

 

[R G]

Its well worth keeping it up to date , I think its easy not to because you have to do the ECS test every 2 years and you need that to renew your card every 2 years ..

 

[telectrix]

did enquire once. told the lass my quals. "is HND same as nvq3", she asks. "no, it's equivalent to nvq4 or 5 " i says. " not on the list. might give you trainee" was the reply.

 

[wozz]

MJD pretty much the same but as there is no C course its just the design course and 17th i believe along with the usual 2360, now you alos need a H&S qual although a nvq3 does give you a couple of years grace. The references is the hard bit if self employed. Im not that fussed im employed as a technician, and hopefully the IET will agree with that when i get round to that aswel as my employer can help with that.

So can it be said from the early 80s a nvq3 was available to those willing/sponsored to do so.

 

[Guest77]

Its well worth keeping it up to date , I think its easy not to because you have to do the ECS test every 2 years and you need that to renew your card every 2 years ..

I agree, my view is I earned my card, I let it lapse once, never again, I went down to Bristol last year and took the CSCS exam and re-applied to get my gold card, I don't need a card and never will, but pride makes me want to have what I earned in my wallet, I will always keep an up to date JIB card with me from now on, I will retake the CSCS every 2 years and never let it lapse again, I am proud of my card, even though there are thousands of better sparks than me without one.

 

[KAS1]

Installation Technician on mine, I always keep it in date if I need it or not, it's the standard s far as I'm concerned hard enough to get, so to me worth keeping in date

 

[7029 dave]

Right tin hat on, many moons ago the JIB card was an union card nothing more nothing less.

 

[wozz]

did enquire once. told the lass my quals. "is HND same as nvq3", she asks. "no, it's equivalent to nvq4 or 5 " i says. " not on the list. might give you trainee" was the reply.

The nvq3 is on job training/experience which i believe is the part they want to see you can prove. Although i understand the HNC is a far higher level of education (i sat a entry exam for the course once and it was tough) does it actually require you to prove / show any experience?

 

[KAS1]

Right tin hat on, many moons ago the JIB card was an union card nothing more nothing less.

I think not lol

 

[R G]

Its easy to let it lapse when your busy and haven't got the time to do that test every 2 years , I didn't really realise how respected it is , i never needed it when doing my own work until I went on a site and had an induction and the guy asked for the ESCS card and I pulled it out (the card that is HA Ha) and it was passed round the room and shown to the Guvners...