C&G 4141-01 tradeskills4U 5 days course

[telectrix]

@ OP. for what you want, you'd be far better off trying to get some work with a local sparks as a labourer, pulling cables etc. to start, then progressing through practical experience to connecting things up without causing bangs. also, you'll get paid something. winner both ways.

 

[littlespark]

The OP isn’t looking for a career in the magical arts, just a bit of knowledge.
he would spend longer than the 5 weeks pulling cables and learning nothing than doing the course.

If it allows him to do diy without the banging, then go for it.

 

[Vortigern]

You may well find your local college does DIY electrics course, or some local community hub. I should have a dig if I were you. Generally speaking I think it is true that a little knowledge can be dangerous. It could lead to you feeling confident to tackle something that may turn out to be a nightmare and give rise to danger. I think all in, or all out, not dithering in the middle personally. I have had about four trainees who have done all the three years at college and fast track courses. None of them have an clue when they come on site.

 

[davesparks]

Hi
I'm considering taking this 5 day course via Tradeskils4U

it's just to get a feel for electrics/ do my own DIY (swap a single socket to a double socket stuff)
(whilst I'm counting down time to start my new office job, in Dec)

My question is, to you need any experience to start this course
(i'm a complete novice , should I get some on-line training prior etc)

thanks

They will almost certainly teach the basics of installing new wiring and not how to alter or extend existing installations.
The practical work will likely teach you how to install wiring on perfectly flat wooden walls in a classroom and not how to do it in the real world.

Carrying out alterations, even simple ones, to an existing circuit is rarely as easy as installing a compete new circuit is. The chances of the existing wiring you are trying to alter matching the text book examples exactly is pretty slim.

 

[sloughrookie]

I have done this course with TS4U. I did it last year as a toe in the water to see if I would enjoy the learning environment after being out of school for so long. It's basically the first week of what you would learn on a L2/L3 2365 course.

First, the class room bit to learn about Ohms Law, cable selection, circuit breaker sizes etc. They explain cable zones and placements of sockets and fittings as per the On Site Guide. There's not too much info on the OSG material as this is covered more in depth on later courses.

You are also taught the importance and how to carry out safe isolation.

Then you are directed onto the practical part against a flat wall in a bay. Every morning before you do anything on the board, they run through safe isolation with you. You will be shown how to complete a ring final with spur, a radial circuit and a two way (with intermediate) lighting circuit with 2 lamps (ceiling rose). You are also shown how to perform the first dead tests on the circuits you have built.

At the end of day 4 you strip everything off the wall. Day 5 is the assessment and you are given a set of plans with measurements to follow. I can't remember the exact timeframe but I think it's 4 or 5 hrs to get everything built & perform the dead tests. Then everything is connected to the power and there's a functional test to make sure everything works as it should.

For anyone of a certain age looking to get into the industry, I think it's a good course to do without the layout of too much money for 2365 training. Re-learning new skills is not suitable for everyone, I witnessed this first hand by the amount of guys who did this course with me that failed. One guy even walked out half way through because he thought screwing bits of wire and back boxes to a wooden board was too much hard work.