career prospects

[electros]

hello and merry Xmas!

I have read on the web, comments from electricians argueing that the trade of electrician is overpopulated and no more profitable. I have actually read that it's dead.

At the same time, I see numerous of vacancies for maintenance engineers electrically biased at several industries, paying very well. At reed.co.uk I see that such vacancies are significantly more that other engineering discipline vacancies and they don't attract too many applications (most below 10), which means to me that the prospects of finding a good job are very well.

But where is the truth actually? Do I miss something?

Thanks!

 

[Johnuk]

you will find them jobs are posted on 100's off sites and they always want multi skilled

 

[Pete999]

Or the 5wws aren't confident in applying???

 

[camerabloke]

Electrical Trainee shouldn't be allowed to apply

 

[Pete999]

Trouble is they do and foxtrot utopia when they get these jobs and give the trade a bad name

 

[electros]

sorry?
any translation?

 

[Pete999]

Trying not to get the Mods on my back Foxtrot (F) Utopia (U) up when they get these jobs

 

[electros]

what is foxtrot, utopia, Electrical Trainee?

 

[camerabloke]

Foxtrot=f
Utopia=up
Fu
F&@k up

 

[Pete999]

Nice you got it then

 

[electros]

anyone serious here?

 

[Pete999]

A Electrical Trainee is someone who takes the short cut to become "qualified" and has possibly not had the experience to take on a maintenance role, hence the f%&k up reference

 

[VoltzElectrical]

A Electrical Trainee wouldn't get the job in reality.

 

[electros]

ok, but what about the contradicting views regarding the prospects of a career in electrician trade?

can the electrician trade be so devalued and with very bad prospects, while at the same time the electrician maintenance trade to offer a great career?

 

[camerabloke]

The industry has been devalued because its so easy become part p and anyone can do it in 5 weeks. It's also due to the fact that the doors have been opened in the eu to allow immigrants the chance to work for less money. Electrics was once a prestige trade, now it's seen less so because anyone can sling in a cable and pretend they care about the customer and the regulations

 

[Pete999]

Depends what you are aiming for, you say Electrician in a general term, there are domestic, commercial and industrial installation Electricians and maintenance Electricians I have worked in all 4 areas and believe me it's not easy, a maintenance Electrician is a different animal all together, he.she needs to understand the processes of what he/she has to maintain, whereas an installation Electrician installs, tests and usually that's it. I started off as a house basher, did commercial and industrial installs and tried my hand at maintenance, and went into management, do I feel devalued? no

 

[Knobhead]

The best work ever is as a multi-skilled engineer. It’s not easy. Everything lies on your shoulder.

Electrical fault finding along with precision fitting were part of everyday life. If you’ve got the skill it’s great fun!


Towards the end I spent most of my time programming PLC’s and maintenance planning.

If you go in to industry, don’t expect to be where you thought you should be. It’s like shifting sand, constantly moving.

 

[electros]

If you go in to industry, don’t expect to be where you thought you should be. It’s like shifting sand, constantly moving.

can you elaborate please?

 

[Engineer54]

hello and merry Xmas!

I have read on the web, comments from electricians argueing that the trade of electrician is overpopulated and no more profitable. I have actually read that it's dead.

At the same time, I see numerous of vacancies for maintenance engineers electrically biased at several industries, paying very well. At reed.co.uk I see that such vacancies are significantly more that other engineering discipline vacancies and they don't attract too many applications (most below 10), which means to me that the prospects of finding a good job are very well.

But where is the truth actually? Do I miss something?

Thanks!

You will find that these maintenance vacancies require electronic skills as well as electrical and often also call for ONC/HNC qualifications. The problem these days, is that the industry training is basically revolving around the domestic sector and not the full spectrum of the industry, as it once did. Therefore as one would expect, a shortage of fully qualified industrial/large commercial electricians/technicians!!


The back door short course wannabe's have absolutely no chance of ever being taken on in the sort of positions you're reading about. There are quite a few around that think maintenance electricians just go around changing Flu tubes and changing broken/damaged accessories and the like. In industry you couldn't be further from the truth, the plants rely on it's maintenance staff on an hour to hour, day to day, week to week basis. The pressure can be unrelenting.


What i'm saying is, don't run away with the idea that because you see a vacancy in industry don't for a second think that you can automatically fill that vacancy, the required skill levels (including extensive fault finding skills) are/can be beyond most qualified electricians these days!!

 

[electros]

You will find that these maintenance vacancies require electronic skills as well as electrical and often also call for ONC/HNC qualifications. The problem these days, is that the industry training is basically revolving around the domestic sector and not the full spectrum of the industry, as it once did. Therefore as one would expect, a shortage of fully qualified industrial/large commercial electricians/technicians!!


The back door short course wannabe's have absolutely no chance of ever being taken on in the sort of positions you're reading about. There are quite a few around that think maintenance electricians just go around changing Flu tubes and changing broken/damaged accessories and the like. In industry you couldn't be further from the truth, the plants rely on it's maintenance staff on an hour to hour, day to day, week to week basis. The pressure can be unrelenting.


What i'm saying is, don't run away with the idea that because you see a vacancy in industry don't for a second think that you can automatically fill that vacancy, the required skill levels (including extensive fault finding skills) are/can be beyond most qualified electricians these days!!

tell me more about this and other attractive engineering pathways