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.
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.
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
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
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 !
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 #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
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 #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.
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 #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
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 #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.
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 #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.
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.
If you can get on the rail info structure plenty of work about 👍
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 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
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.
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.
DP.
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!
tazi vs the builders. a carp forum epic.
reminds me of this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1kJ609ixOk
fight!
In reply to Post #13
Don't say you can't because I know you can. Do a proper link you lazy git.
Don't say you can't because I know you can. Do a proper link you lazy git.
In reply to Post #13
Stay tuned as there's a lot lot more to come.
Stay tuned as there's a lot lot more to come.