|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #22
Cheers mate. I have a few mates in the building trade so hoping I’ll be able to get a bit of experience through them. I’m in a position where I can stay where I am for now and do some work for experience on the side so I’m ok financially before I take the plunge.
May tap you up in the future for a bit of advice
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
I re-trained as a sparks at 26yr old... Did my C&G qualifications (including 2391 Inspection and Test.)
Practical experience is absolutely key, and no decent outfit will take anyone seriously without it... I started with a local firm just fetching and carrying etc, then very gradually worked my way up, eventually doing ten years in London, mostly on commercial sites...
I was self-employed as a subby and each time I moved contractor, I’d stick £5-10 on the day rate until eventually I was on full whack everywhere I went... Be careful though, as if you want full rate then you’ll need to know exactly what you’re doing, as the foreman could ask you to do anything, including switch rooms, 300mm armoured terminations etc, none of which are easy..! I found other sparks would rip the urine if someone wanted full rate but was useless - again, experience is key...
After a few years, I swore that by the time I was 40 I wanted to be off the big sites, as it’s tough work that takes its toll physically... Nowadays, I test lift control panels in a nice dry and warm workshop, it’s a decent number...
Am I glad that I re-trained? Yes, it’s given me a decent living and if you’re any good at it then you’ll always have work. It is graft though, and not for the workshy or lazy. Get stuck in, be keen to learn and you’ll get along fine. I always tried to help any of the apprentices who I was teamed with, and especially if they showed willing. Good luck, fire away if you need any info. 👍
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #10
Testing and inspection is not as hard as it used to be 👍
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #19
Good luck mate 
I twice typed a reply, got too bloody long  . Similar thought but plumbing, have seen it from the pov of a British Gas engineer who went self employed after 15 years, a newly qualified lad and my retired father in law who was life time served. FIL put me off, 3 adverts from studying/newly qualified lads in the pub vault, offered themselves as apprentice or free, they couldn't get work. Ironically the NQ lad on our road was/is a roaring success.
Also recently from a electrician who re-wired our house, retrained/qualified at 35, did 5 years commercial work for experience, got fed up with the travelling now SEP.
I did re-train, did my HGV2 then 1/flt/digi tacho, after a few months the Mrs drew the line at the hours, at least I gave it a go, should have done the plumbing
|
|
|
|
Cheers for the replies guys. Ive looked into it all a little more. Hopefully ill be able to get on an evening college course starting in september. I have 3 applications on with 3 different colleges. One is unlikely as its on one evening a week so will take ages. Got the choice of 2 colleges, doing 2 nights a week, one being EAL, the other C&G. Would rather the C&G but need to see what happens.
Pretty much ruled out the intensive ones now, spoke to someone today, was very pushy, quite intrusive about my personal situation, and also spouted wha fet like a load of **** to put me off the college courses.
Im a realist, and know through my current work that experience is 10 tomes better than any qualification, so plan is, level 2 and level 3 diplomas at college whilst carrying on where i am. After that, look at doing some work experience. Good thing with staying where i am for now, is that i can offer myself out to work for free to get the experience. Then do any bolt on courses, and start the NVQ, AM2 bits once i have a bit of experience under my belt
|
|
| | | mal | | Posts: 8910 |  | |
|
In reply to Post #17
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #16
Well done, my ageing eyes have problems late at night. My apologies.
BTW that will be the first and last time I apologise so now **** off 
|
|
| | | mal | | Posts: 8910 | | |
|
In reply to Post #14
It's there you senile old git.
Click on 'fight' .... 
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #13
Stay tuned as there’s a lot lot more to come.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #13
Don't say you can't because I know you can. Do a proper link you lazy git. 
|
|
| | | mal | | Posts: 8910 | | |
|
In reply to Post #11
tazi vs the builders. a carp forum epic.
reminds me of this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1kJ609ixOk
fight!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I know a sparky who is absolutely fcuking **** and issues safety compliance certificates when regulations have being broken. If he can do it I guess anyone can.
Edit - infact I know dodgy cowboy masquerading builders too that I’m sure would love to set you on. Well, they ain’t builders at all but just simply contract out the work to even bigger got no conscience how do they sleep at night vvanker5.
Phew, that feels a tad better.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
If you want to do a bit of house bashing then you will need inspection and testing qualification, which is very hard, I think it has a pass rate of about 40% from already time served sparkys.
18th edition qualification isnt particularly hard, everything you need is in the book, and is a multiple choice exam, I think you need 60% correct answers to pass.
Electrical engineering you can potentially do a college course, but may need somewhere to gain experience at the same time, but it's completely different to house wiring.
Best option would be to start as an electricians mate, gain some knowledge, then go for the exams. I'd like to say you can jump straight in, but unfortunately it's not quite as easy as that, which is probably a good thing
|
|
|
|
|
If you can get on the rail info structure plenty of work about 👍
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #7
A lot of commercial work involves piping and conduit so just as much cutting and bending metalwork as terminating wires. Without any previous experience 18th edition could be a challenge.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #6
I would say hands on training would be a must.
Try and find someone in the trade who is well thought of to give you the benefit of their experience. I’ve come across the occasional mediocre guy in some areas of installation, believe me you wouldn’t want to learn from them if you wanted much repeat work.
Consider what you might want to specialise in.
Everyone thinks of house wiring but there is also a lot of commercial work about.
Wiring a factory, greenhouse, boiler room, control systems etc call for completely different skills and you might find something that interests you more than some other areas.
Do some research and perhaps spend a day helping in a few different situations if you can. Even a day unpaid might gain you an insight and perhaps stop you going down the wrong road.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #5
My maths is pretty decent mate so not worried about that. Chessington is a fair way from me. Is that an intensive course? Ill have a look into it. I have a few mates who have mates in trades that im sure i could tap up for that. Not something id considered by hands on experience would make a lot of sense and probably teach me a few tricks of the trade. Cheers mate
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #4
Building trade skills centre Chessington, not cheap to qualify properly and your maths need to be reasonably good. Would help massively if you had someone to work for as a sparks mate while doing your courses.
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #3
Cheers guys.
An Intensive course would suit me much better, the sooner i can get out of where i am the better. Im just unsure of how good they are, and how well thought of they are within the industry. Waiting on a few phonecalls from training centres to have a chat with them about stuff
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #2
Around 15 years ago my brother went on a short intensive electrical course which was based in Sheffield ,it cost £1500 at the end of it , if you passed the theory and practical tests you could legally work on domestic and commercial buildings , although as any electrician would tell you , it takes years to learn how to get those wires from A to B without leaving a mess , it was popular with x services as they received a re -training grant !
I would ask him the name of the company , but he electrocuted himself and sadly passed away 14 years ago !
No , i just asked him , he will have a look to see if he still has any paperwork relating to the course !
|
|
|
|
In reply to Post #1
Somebody on here did it a couple of years ago but I can’t remember who it was
Might be worth looking in the vaults of this same section
|
|
|
|
Looking to leave my current job. Been there for 13 years and fed up of it. I want to learn a trade and considering training as an electrician. Seems to be loads of options for courses available online, but i have no experience in this field at all. Anyone have any advice, particularly on what courses etc to look at. And providers of the courses. I can stay where i am for now and carry on bringing a salary in so looking for an evening/part time course. Cant afford to do an apprenticeship, and probably too old for that mow anyway, im 35.
I know with covid etc, its not the best time, but If i dont start planning on getting out of where i am now, ill be stuck there till i retire.
|
|
NON Carp stuff