Best way to become a qualified sparky?

[reactionmatt]

Hi All

now I know I might get a bit of stick for this but here goes, I want to become an electrician! I would like some advice on the best way of doing this. Here it comes, I am actually a qualified plumber/ gas safe registered!, I have been in the industry for 10 years, originally I wanted to be a spark, but no apprentice opportunities were available at the time, I then got offered a plumbing apprenticeship, and the rest as they say is history!. Whilst I enjoy my job (am self employed) I always have found electrical work more interesting and when I am around other sparks am constantly asking questions and generally annoying them . I have decided that whilst time is still relatively on my side (am 27), I would like to peruse a career in electrics. I am very aware that most electricians are against fast track courses, as am I, as in my job I come across these chancer cowboys claiming to be qualified because they soldered some pipe in a classroom or pushed some speed fit together, I know experience is key. Because of what I do I'm fortunate to know quite a lot of very good sparks, who I have told of my interest and they are more then happy to let me tag along with them (for free of course ) to get some actual experience. Basically I would like to know the correct way of going about getting qualified, I know that it could take a few years, but when I look online I only seem to see all the crash course rubbish which does not interest me one bit!! I'm fortunate that I am self employed and have a trade under my belt already which allows me to work around any training schedules, I also like to think that I would learn quite quickly as I am working in a similar field, ie drilling joist chasing walls etc, health and safety.
Any advice would be much appreciated thanks

matt

 

[telectrix]

college, evenings about 3 years for 2356 then am2 and nvq. sirkit breaker is your man. he teaches and knows all the courses.

 

[trev]

Your local tech college will be able to offer you the C&Gs you need mate. Sorry but I forget what the new numbers are.
Nice to hear of someone coming from the dark side wanting to do it properly

 

[telectrix]

first thing to learn is not to feed pipes through the holes that the sparks have drilled and not to route hot pipes alongside cables. there you go. you're half way there.

 

[halls1379]

2357 is the nvq isn't it??

 

[Darkwood]

Full apprenticeship s my opinion with block release courses... if you can't find one then this is an indication that there are already too many sparks in your area.....

Supply and Demand is key to any successful career so if as is for most areas your local scene is saturated for the domestic scene due to varying reasons from recession to the grossly mis-selling of short fast track courses.

You have the risk here of taking up courses and becoming qualified into a market thats already highly competitive with a disadvantage of no experience hence I can only recommend a full 3-4yr apprenticeship. You want to ask what the local hourly rate is for an Electrician and see if it appeals as in some areas the saturation of the market has driven wages down as well as quality of work.

PS when searching for an apprenticeship you actually hold a Ace in your pocket as any company taking you on can expand into both plumbing and Electrical services - cost effective for the customer and a key appeal for your position to be successful ... good luck!

 

[shanky887614]

Full apprenticeship s my opinion with block release courses... if you can't find one then this is an indication that there are already too many sparks in your area.....

Supply and Demand is key to any successful career so if as is for most areas your local scene is saturated for the domestic scene due to varying reasons from recession to the grossly mis-selling of short fast track courses.

You have the risk here of taking up courses and becoming qualified into a market thats already highly competitive with a disadvantage of no experience hence I can only recommend a full 3-4yr apprenticeship. You want to ask what the local hourly rate is for an Electrician and see if it appeals as in some areas the saturation of the market has driven wages down as well as quality of work.

PS when searching for an apprenticeship you actually hold a Ace in your pocket as any company taking you on can expand into both plumbing and Electrical services - cost effective for the customer and a key appeal for your position to be successful ... good luck!

have a look at renewable emegy companies, im thinking ground source heat pumps etc.

this is an area where your plumbing qualifications will help a lot