Training as an electrician, advice please.

[No skills]

Hello all,

I've been seeking a way out of my current work for quite a while now (3 years or so), a change in employer and work place a couple of years ago (roughly) had distracted me for some months but the need for change has been nagging at me badly again.

The only way forward that I can see is to re-train (so to speak) as an electrician, specifically as a domestic installer first then progress with my qualifications for the rest. I do a small amount of first and second fix now (tested by a sparks after) so it's not a huge leap into something I haven't done before.

Has anybody else done this recently? Is there anything to look out for on these courses that is a must?

I will have to do this on a weekend/part time basis which some places seem to do, there's a place in Maidstone that's within reach for this without me having to have accommodation over night.

It's going to be quite the big investment for me really, best part of £3000 for just the domestic installation bit - loads more for the rest. Something I've got to save for really, nerves I think

Any thoughts or experience you would like to share?

 

[n0legs]

Not advice but a question.
Is your intention to work for yourself or work for someone?

There's a lot more to the electrical world than just electricians.

 

[MMUK]

I'd recommend looking at industrial electrics rather than domestic. Much less hassle, mush less paperwork and you don't need Part P.

 

[Mcluma]

My son did it

I put my son on a course so he could do the work and sign off of all the electrical work we were doing on our house refurbishment

He did the course in chessington with the builder traing centre

 

[ChrisR]

Just bear in mind that it is a trade/profession that you will never stop learning, if you keep your mind open.

I spent my whole working life (50 years) in industrial electrical engineering, and I consider I was still learning, up to the day I retired. That was the end of April 2008, and I miss it every day, it’s a great trade.

Take care and good luck for the future.

Chris R.

 

[doorframe]

No Skills, am I right that you are in Thurrock? I did my 236 and 239 at Thurrock College. 3 yrs eve classes (20yrs ago). As a subby, I never bothered with Part P and quit site work 10yrs ago. Best decision I ever made.

 

[Bale]

If you start applying for courses or a job, I'm thinking you'll want to change your username :wink:

Pete

 

[No skills]

Hi all, thanks for the replys.

Nolegs, I think once I have done the installers course I will start doing some additional private work and see how it goes - I certainly have no problem working for a company - on the other hand if I could get enough work to go self employed I might give it a go. Why did you ask?

Mmuk, wouldn't I have to do the whole lot (c&g) before I could do that? If so then I can afford to do that in one hit, hence the domestic course and then progress.

Mcluma, good for him - has he taken it further for employment?

Chrisr, thanks - I do like to learn new things. Closed minds a dead mind and all that

Doorframe, yes I am - ironically its been 20 year since I was at Thurrock college doing my Btec. I will have a look and see if they still do anything of interest.

Bale, I don't know - one skill isn't really much better than no skills

I need to do a lot of research, please keep the discussion going if you have things to say

 

[n0legs]

Hi all, thanks for the replys.

Nolegs, I think once I have done the installers course I will start doing some additional private work and see how it goes - I certainly have no problem working for a company - on the other hand if I could get enough work to go self employed I might give it a go. Why did you ask?

I've been in the electricity industry for 30 years and I've been asked why I haven't set up on my own.
My answer has always been "look in the yellow pages, that's my competition". It may be a negative way to look at it but it is true, there's a hell of a lot of people doing it professionally and loads more DIYing it. I was never prepared to be a busy fool.
I don't actually do any domestic or wiring of the little stuff, most people believe the electricity industry begins and ends with electricians, even though I've been more than qualified for a long time.
Get onto your local DNO, I think it should be UK Power Networks from the hints to your location I've picked up , see what they've got to offer. If they're not taking on ask who their contractors are.
Depending on how you're inclined there's----- Electrical Fitting, Cable Jointing, Overhead Linesman, Engineers positions, Protection Engineers, HV and EHV positions, Metering Engineering, etc and then at the bottom of the heap is Electrician :lol: ( I'm gonna' get some flack over that)
Then there's electrical generation.
There's more positions you will probably like better than being an electrician and many are far better paid.
I started, thinking I wanted to be a spark, but I'm soooooooooooooooooo glad I was moved into another area.
I still see some of the lads I started with, the sparks are boring miserable b*******, the fitters are fat from drinking so much tea and the linesmen all crippled up in some way :lol: :lol: :lol:
Me, well I tangled with the beastie way too much and ended up head shot :lol:
Well I've had my say and I hope I've given you a little more to think about.
Here endeth the lesson, good luck.

 

[DTR]

No Skills, am I right that you are in Thurrock? I did my 236 and 239 at Thurrock College. 3 yrs eve classes (20yrs ago).

Doorframe, yes I am - ironically its been 20 year since I was at Thurrock college doing my Btec. I will have a look and see if they still do anything of interest.

I'm another Thurrock Tech veteran; I completed my HNC there in 2005

 

[No skills]

DTR, Well its certainly a small world

Nolegs, thanks - I certainly hadnt considered that part of it. I will have to research that a bit.

 

[stuartpaul]

No Skills, - have you researched all the possible funding that might be available to help you out? It's been a long time since I was involved in training (generally not electrical) but there used to be quite a lot of smallish grants etc. available.

It can be a real pain tracking some of them down and it depends how 'well off' you are in terms of sticking it out with your current financial situation.

Good luck and hope it works out for you.

 

[doorframe]

Well, I wouldn't bother going to the old Thurrock Tech. According to Google it's now derelict, AND WHAT'S LEFT BURNED DOWN LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[No skills]

Stuartpaul - Thank you, I will see if theres any loans or help available.

Doorframe - Ahh no the common room... Saw a video of it last night - there was another large fire a couple of weeks ago near us, theres a firebug around I think.

I've had a look at the local adult education places online and cant find any courses that are of much use to me, the place in Maidstone is still current favourite. But lots to look at and take in yet.

Cheers.

 

[lurker]

Not sure if this is any use but forget domestics. Get into control and instrumentation. We are always short of c& I lads.

 

[HOJ]

Just a question, you obviously enjoy working with wood, why go into House bashing?

I dont mean to question your reasoning, just curious, By the way I am an Industrial Electrician,
served a five year apprenticeship with Deritend in Luton, and studied at Welwyn Garden City College
to the then,"C" certificate.

 

[HOJ]

I obviously killed that conversation!

 

[No skills]

No mate, was doing a job application last night and I try not to post much during the day as using my phone to type winds me up

I don't have the experience to go be a site chippy and I don't really fancy it either - I think I'd have a go at some bench work but I would certainly have a lot to learn and also a lot to un-learn, anything I know about woodwork is self taught or picked up from others.

I think I can do the domestic installers course without too much problem, I have no testing knowledge but the practical side of things should be ok. Getting work to pay the bills is another matter

Please chip in if you feel like it, the discussions all good for me.

 

[HOJ]

No Problem,

My only obsevations are, that people I meet, having done the basic domestic course still dont have the knowledge
to do site work effectivley, whilst it isnt rocket science, they find it difficult to see the big picture
when first fixing and on several occasions have completely missed putting in cables, one weak point always
seems to be two way lighting circuits, and even more so if you need an intermediate switched circuit.

Testing is obviously a critical part to what you will do, the sooner you grasp the principals for that,
the sooner you will get a better understanding of how it all comes together at the end.

I gave up my Part P, too many costs and issues for me, what with registration costs, inspections, calibrations,
etc, let alone having all the test gear they insist on, not only to test the work, but to test the testers you use.

I do all my work under building control notices now, usually because there is one for the whole project any way.

Keep the questions coming, and good luck.

 

[No skills]

HOJ

That's interesting about the first fixing, there does seems to be a lack of foresight in some people - but without working experience its easy to forget things, cant beat actually learning on the job so to speak.

Is it possible to work in domestic electric's successfully without part p? One thing that appealed to me was being able to do the work without having to involve outside bodies/building control. If you don't mind (??) could you give a brief explanation of how that would work?

Thanks.