another career change thread... sorry

[thereof]

Hi all, apologies for another thread, I've done a search of the site and there's loads of info on here, but I'm finding bits here there and everywhere so thought id ask in relation to my situation.
I'm looking to leave my current employment, which is well paid, but I've had enough. I'm looking to go down the electrician route as I want a trade, always have done, but didn't do it when I left school. I'm now 35. becoming an electrician is something ive always been interested in, I really enjoy hands on stuff, and don't really fancy plumbing. its also something that will help me in a long term goal for a business id like to have one day.

Ive read a lot of different things about intensive courses vs college courses. ive looked at 2 college courses near me, starting in September, and applied for them. one is city and guilds, 1 day a week and will be 2 years for level 3 and another 2 years for level 3. the other is an EAL course, but 1 year for level 2 and 18 months for level 3. are city and guilds qualifications better, or is it much of a muchness? The 2.5 year course suits me better time wise, as if I'm where I am for another 4 years, I might murder someone, just wondering if the city and guilds holds more weight. id also be looking to do the level 3 NVQ and AM2 qualifications afterwards.

obviously the intensive courses cost more, and are intense, so a lot of information to process. but I am pretty good at maths, hands on experience working with cars and fixing stuff, various DIY, and I learn quickly. I'm also well aware that hands on experience is worth 10 times class room experience, and would be looking to get experience before jumping into anything, working for free and with mates or mates of mates to learn. but ultimately, would an intensive course be detrimental to me going forward, ie peoples opinions of me? Id be looking to go solo eventually.

cheers for your help

 

[telectrix]

AFAIK, either EAL or C&G levels 2 & 3 are acceptable to then go on to AM2 and NVQ3, which is where you need to be to get a JIB card, although the card is not necessary if you want to stick to domestic stuff. i'ts more for employers stipulations for industrial and also for building site access.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Think seriously before giving up a well paid job, especially if its warm and not a dirty one, crawling around in lofts and outside in the garage in the rain is not fun, especially in winter.

 

[thereof]

Thanks for your replies. Its well paid mate, but not well enough for me to put up with it much longer. Ive disliked it for a while, but recent events have lead me to hate it, and its only getting worse. Its something ive been thinking about for a while so not a knee jerk thing.

 

[thereof]

AFAIK, either EAL or C&G levels 2 & 3 are acceptable to then go on to AM2 and NVQ3, which is where you need to be to get a JIB card, although the card is not necessary if you want to stick to domestic stuff. i'ts more for employers stipulations for industrial and also for building site access.

So people
Looking at wualifications will look on both the same way? Theres no bias towards C&Gs?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Thanks for your replies. Its well paid mate, but not well enough for me to put up with it much longer. Ive disliked it for a while, but recent events have lead me to hate it, and its only getting worse. Its something ive been thinking about for a while so not a knee jerk thing.

Not trying to be a smart a**e, but perhaps its a change in attitude towards your current position that is needed rather than a dramatic change to going back into training for a completely different environment and a poorly paid few years, I have no idea what your commitments are, but at 35 I assume you have a few, are you and your dependents prepared for a lowering of you current life style, I am sure you have thought this change through, but do you have enough put by to tide you over the first few lean years.

One further thought have you spoken to your employer about how unhappy you are in your current position?

 

[pc1966]

If you are unhappy in your current job then you need to change.

That does not necessarily mean jumping full-time in to training if it would present problems for family life, etc, as you might look at a variation on your current job elsewhere that would also allow part-time training to get you to where you want to be.

If it were me I would look at qualifications leading to a JIB card and so having options open beyond the domestic installer market, as that seems to be a bit of a race to the bottom. But this is not my main work so other here can hopefully chime in with helpful advice.

 

[telectrix]

If you are unhappy in your current job then you need to change.

That does not necessarily mean jumping full-time in to training if it would present problems for family life, etc, as you might look at a variation on your current job elsewhere that would also allow part-time training to get you to where you want to be.

If it were me I would look at qualifications leading to a JIB card and so having options open beyond the domestic installer market, as that seems to be a bit of a race to the bottom. But this is not my main work so other here can hopefully chime in with helpful advice.

domestics is a race to the bottom. round her I'm competing with £120/day "electricians". even with minimal overheads, that's less than shelf stacking wages.

 

[thereof]

Not trying to be a smart a**e, but perhaps its a change in attitude towards your current position that is needed rather than a dramatic change to going back into training for a completely different environment and a poorly paid few years, I have no idea what your commitments are, but at 35 I assume you have a few, are you and your dependents prepared for a lowering of you current life style, I am sure you have thought this change through, but do you have enough put by to tide you over the first few lean years.

One further thought have you spoken to your employer about how unhappy you are in your current positi

Ive been where i am for 13 years so given it a fair go. Im a police officer, which may help understand why i am looking to leave. Ive tried various different things in there. its the way overall that we get treated, cancelled days off, missed events, constant control over what you can and cant do. I earn a lot of money through overtime, but that means a hell of a lot of time at work. If i dont move on now ill be stuck there. Its literally just the pension that was keeping me there, and i have another 22 years to do to get that. I have no dependants currently so now seems a good time to make a move.
i can stay there and do the course part time, so i wont be left short for a while.
I would be aiming for JIB before i took the plunge full time

 

[Mike Johnson]

My step father went from police office to security office for one of the major banks in the city, regular hours very good renumeration and a fabulous pension that my mother inherited when he keeled over on Kidbrook station on his way hove from work one evening, he always said it was the best move for him with less stress and nice people to work with.

 

[Zerax]

My step father went from police office to security office for one of the major banks in the city, regular hours very good renumeration and a fabulous pension that my mother inherited when he keeled over on Kidbrook station on his way hove from work one evening, he always said it was the best move for him with less stress and nice people to work with.

Kidbrooke can be a killer... especially at rush-hour !

 

[Zerax]

It's interesting that working as a police officer, equips you with skills that are totally useless on the outside. I've had a few chats with family members who are close to retiring from the Police and are wondering what to do next... Remember that for most, they retire on a full pension after 30 years service (now changed for newer entrants)... so they can be retired before the age of 50 !!... and it's not easy to see what they might be good at.

I reckon some of the more useful skills are filling in forms, making tea and how not to upset someone.

 

[thereof]

Its a lot of transferable skills, but skills on paper are always beaten by experience. Problem is the promotion aspects are limited, you need to pss exams, worded in some language only known to the person writing them, and are aimed at academics. Being good at your job means nothing, and its the reason why its getting so bad. ---- police officers making even shitter managers. But they want yes men and the system is weighted towards them.

 

[thereof]

My step father went from police office to security office for one of the major banks in the city, regular hours very good renumeration and a fabulous pension that my mother inherited when he keeled over on Kidbrook station on his way hove from work one evening, he always said it was the best move for him with less stress and nice people to work with.

Very much this. I just dont want to wait 22 years for that to come round

 

[brianmoooore]

worded in some language only known to the person writing them, .

The same people write the wiring regs. All started with the 15th