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Hi.
I am after some solid advice. I am a 47 year old ex chef who wants to retrain as an electrician. I know in a ideal world the best way into the trade is a 4 year apprenticeship but at my age that might be a bit difficult. I have been to see tradeskills4u in Crawley who seem quite professional and I am also enquiring into doing the same courses at Dagenham and Redbridge College although the difference in price is not that great which I am am surprised at. (level 2 & 3 City & Guilds)

Any further advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
Level 2 and 3 are what you want to be aiming for which is good. If you also want a JIB/ECS grade card in the future you will also have to complete an NQV3 and AM2 as well as the 18th edition regs course, so it depends what your final aim is. Experience is essential in this job and many employers will look for this as well as qualification, so a working training experience is recommended.
 
My advice is do what I did when I was 35. I’m now 47.

Level 2 and 3 city and guilds

Then do the 18th edition

Then do a domestic installers course.

Then work with an electrician as labourer for 2 years, and do some small minor works jobs for yourself.

Then you can get registered with a competent persons scheme as you will have 2 years relevant experience.

Then you can go on to do your 2394-2395

Then if your really keen you could do your 2396.

Be warned you won’t make much if any money for 3-4 years. And then it will be a gradual increase.

Do not do the 5- 6 week course that some colleges will try to convince you to do. At the end of theses short courses you are not qualified enough and the competent persons schemes will not recognise you as compitant to become registered.

Good luck.
 
Hi.
I am after some solid advice. I am a 47 year old ex chef who wants to retrain as an electrician. I know in a ideal world the best way into the trade is a 4 year apprenticeship but at my age that might be a bit difficult. I have been to see tradeskills4u in Crawley who seem quite professional and I am also enquiring into doing the same courses at Dagenham and Redbridge College although the difference in price is not that great which I am am surprised at. (level 2 & 3 City & Guilds)

Any further advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
All the very best with your aims Mate, and I hope you succeed, but remember along with the qualifications I hope you achieve come experience, so until you get these quals get as much experience as you can regarding site work, difficult I know, but everything in life is these days, good luck, hope it works out for you.
 
My advice is do what I did when I was 35. I’m now 47.

Level 2 and 3 city and guilds

Then do the 18th edition

Then do a domestic installers course.

Then work with an electrician as labourer for 2 years, and do some small minor works jobs for yourself.

Then you can get registered with a competent persons scheme as you will have 2 years relevant experience.

Then you can go on to do your 2394-2395

Then if your really keen you could do your 2396.

Be warned you won’t make much if any money for 3-4 years. And then it will be a gradual increase.

Do not do the 5- 6 week course that some colleges will try to convince you to do. At the end of theses short courses you are not qualified enough and the competent persons schemes will not recognise you as compitant to become registered.

Good luck.

What was the content of your domestic installer's course and what did it contain that level 2 and 3 did not ? I'm not being disparaging but genuinely curious. I thought these were made up of parts of the level 2 and 3 content.
 
What was the content of your domestic installer's course and what did it contain that level 2 and 3 did not ? I'm not being disparaging but genuinely curious. I thought these were made up of parts of the level 2 and 3 content.

The level 2 and 3 did not go into detail the notifiable aspect of jobs. Also it was a nice little reminder or overlook at what I had learnt over the 3 years doing the L2&3.

So TBH there wasnt much extra content, but I found it very beneficial to me personally because of the route I had taken.

Recapping cable calcs, zoning, testing, initial verification etc..
3 years of learning without the benefit of on job training I feel you need that little bit extra at the end because of the amount you are cramming in and forget.
During the time training I was working a couple of part time jobs just to tick finances over, again this is a distraction from focusing on learning.

Ideally working for a spark over this period would have been good, but I only managed to do that after finishing the L2&3 and domestic installer.
 
Hi,there is absolutely no reason,why you could not re-train,at any age,it is your ability to maintain interest and stamina,through the bits which may be unfamiliar.

We have done the so called 5 week course thing,before,and my feelings have not changed. You cannot take someone who may never have done any practical and/or theoretical electrical work,and make them competent,over a period less than the school summer holidays....Place that possible outcome,against the incredible cost,and it stacks up less.

That said,i do not doubt,on occasion,it assists individuals on their journey,but as a "link" in the learning chain,albeit a short and costly one.

I hope you find success,and that folk on here,can assist. You can read all these posts,without having to take any specific advice.

Remember! Two heads are better than one - even if they're sheep's heads ;)

PS; As a Chef,you are already mostly trained,for any generic site sparky.......making a right meal,out of anything:p
 
Go for it mate. I started as an electrician. Then completed an Instrumentation apprenticeship and Now working on Gas/Liquid turbines, Compressors and Gensets... Learning something new once again... Doesn’t matter of your age. I’ve got a bloke who’s 50 from a mechanical background currently doing he’s electrical... it’s all about attitude. The guy also has gained upmost respect from Coworkers. Don’t let age put you off.

Ps Dagenham was my Old stomping ground
 

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