Bpec or city and guilds, which is best??

[Dark horse Pete]

I'd like to eventually set up on my own one day, id like to be my own boss. But i have a long road in front of me yet kev! Lol

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Thanks Gavin, that's very useful info. I too was in the army myself as an rmp (dont hate me) When I left I joined the civy police... that was a mistake! Lol.

Had a couple of run ins with monkeys when in RAF, some very funny stories to tell!
well play the forces card to your advantage when looking for work... goes a long way...

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Ha ha, oh the stories I could tell you... good times, I do miss them. Yeah the forces card has done me well in every job ive had since. Although i leave out the cherry beret bit sometimes....lol

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Can I ask what you guys do in the industry presently?

 

[Des 56]

Can I ask what you guys do in the industry presently?

I am a jack of all sectors and probably a master of none

DhP What is your aim?
An electrician can cover so many different and varied tasks and sectors

You may then get advice on qualification and criteria that is specific to what you need

 

[Adam W]

BTECs might have come a long way but I would hesitate to employ someone with one - our apprentices are doing them and from what I can make out what they're doing at college has nothing to do with the NVQ, they're expecting me to try to rush them through the NVQ in a year; it seems to be a case of me showing them something for the first time then take a picture of them trying it for their portfolio. It's also called an "electrical engineering" BTEC, which filled their heads with glamorous visions of being electrical engineers when they've finished so they don't need to bother with piffling installation stuff, when it turns out it's what their NVQ is all about.

Those "intensive" courses are otherwise known as "domestic installer" courses and in most cases will restrict you to domestic installing. If you want to do commercial or industrial work you'd need an NVQ and technical certificate like everyone else; your personal circumstances don't change that.

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Des, I'm looking ultimately at inspection and testing maybe starting up a PAT testing company, id also like to look at the design and verification side of the business to as the idea greatly interests me. Trouble is i have zero experience and have yet to complete any qualifications. Hence why im asking you guys for advice

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Adam, I figured that I'd do a basic intensive course to get some idea of the industry, look at getting onto a part p scheme eventually. And then look to doing a nvq level 2 and 3 via a college on a part time basis whilst I'm working in the industry to get some experience.

 

[Adam W]

That seems like a convoluted, not to mention expensive way of doing things.
With the level 2 and 3 and the NVQ you wouldn't need anything any intensive course could offer you, plus you'd save yourself around £5k.

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Like I said Adam I'm new to the trade and open to any constructive advice you can offer.

 

[The Ghost]

With regards to £50 per day, and they must think you are born yesterday...The truth is if you don't know how to do the job, my take is you should be paying me to teach you never mind paying you. But we all know that isn't gonna work so a nominal sum is paid as presumably you would be doing something useful. The time it takes to induct you and watch you like a hawk until we are comfortable you won't kill anyone or bring the ceiling down is time out of a days work. Ok if the person has some nous and knows the tools at least, but it is hard to pay you more when you are a drag on the system. Until you can be left alone with say ok first fix that ring circuit, you aren't pulling your weight you are being carried. So don't be too quick to dismiss initial rates. They do get better as you progress.

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Ok nortigern, I understand where you're coming from. Ideally I would like to find employment where I can learn on the job, but realistically because of the initial low wages it woukd be difficult for me to be able to provide for my family. So it puts me in a catch 22 situation. I need to be able to come up with a compromise somewhere

 

[JAWS]

I'd say It's completely different in the electrician trade when it comes to taking a lad, I'm a dryliner by trade but I am changing Careers & im not that much older you.

At least I could hire lads to load in for me, mix up etc so there was no risk involved, most electricians I ever see are on their own & very rarely seen with anyone else.

 

[Dark horse Pete]

There's a one man band I know who is constantly advertising for an apprentice but never seems to be able to keep hold of them.

 

[Adam W]

It is a bit of a catch 22 - if you want to learn as quickly as possible you're going to need to be able to cover a range of different jobs with someone watching over you, and that will slow them down - my apprentice used to tell me he'd done it all before, then I left him to get on with things, which he messed up, and now he keeps telling me there's so much to learn.
They keep saying they're being used as cheap labour (1st year apprentices are on about £4.50/hr) but in reality it takes me twice as long to do anything when I have to explain what I'm doing and talk them through it, and worse still try to gee them into action.

I started out at 26 years old on £7.50/hr after a year at college, working on big sites where there were plenty of sockets to second fix, plenty of rubbish to be thrown in the skip and plenty of electricians who might have needed an extra pair of hands for an hour or so; a one man band might be reluctant to have someone following him (or her) around, would most likely prefer things done a certain way, and would be cautious about putting their name to an inexperienced person's work.

 

[Dark horse Pete]

I completely understand Adam, I'm not naive enough to think that by doing a few courses and a little practical work that I'll be a competent electrician. It took years for me to be a competent engineering craftsman, and it's quite a daunting realisation that I'm about to start at the beginning of the ladder again. The idea of the job really does interest me though and hopefully my determination and grit will see me through.

 

[not_today]

DhP .. have you looked into the advance learner loan? ... if you already have a level 3 qual you can get a student loan to pay for the course.

You would need to pay for your level 2 yourself. have you checked out thompson training in suffolk? its a distance learning course with 2 or 3 weeks at their training centre for the practical elements. the course is £1600. £600 deposit and £100 a month for 10 months.

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Hey not today, I have unfortunately still got a student loan that I'm paying off after doing parts of a uni degree in engineering so I may not be eligible for that one.

I am however just across the border from suffolk and I will certainly check out thompson training. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Hey not today, I have unfortunately still got a student loan that I'm paying off after doing parts of a uni degree in engineering so I may not be eligible for that one.

I am however just across the border from suffolk and I will certainly check out thompson training. Thanks for the heads up.

I think the advanced learner loan for level 3 courses is separate from normal student finance...

 

[Dark horse Pete]

Hey Gav, I'll certainly check that one out bud. Hopefully they're not linked... lol