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C

claret73

Not which way to tighten a screw!...
At a crossroads & got to start making some decisions. I've been subcontracting as a Mate, mainly to a Domestic Guy but also to a Retail Commercial Spark for past couple of years. Last contract finished on a private new build & as things have dropped off, took time out to figure out if I wanted to carry on. So, I'm after some pointers as to how I might be best served to progress if I keep hammering away at the Sparks route.

I don't know how keen I am to be travelling all over the country, chasing temporary weeks. (This may seem a lazy response, but it's not, I've done it for a while & I really want some settlement, as we all do I know) but if that's how I've got to keep the required experience coming, maybe so be it?

Or I can try local firms time & again for ad hoc Subbie or rarer than rare FT?

Or I have been thinking to stick with my Domestic and try & make a solid go of self employed properly. It'll never be a ransom but it's all for myself as long as I can turn a wage +...

I'm 39, did C&G 2330 Qualified 2010. Haven't done any qualies since, so perhaps I should look at getting some more certs in the bag? 2392/2391, Should really apply for my card. Thought about the NICEIC Periodic course & later courses for design? Maybe Tangent off into another area? Just have held off courses whilst things were tight.

Any Pointers? All appreciated if it's a size 9 following my backside!
 
Claret if you've qualified go for the spark's job not the mate's. design course could be an idea as could HND but it depends on which way you want to go
 
well for a start you dont need this `periodic course` from a scheme....to put it bluntly..its a con...PIRs/EICRs arn`t notifyable....dont waste your cash on crap like this...
 
many employers like the 2391....but its not a must....theres many an electrician around who is perfectly capable of carrying out EICRs and fully competent at testing...that dont hold the C&G2391....
 
If you think there's a good chance of work then i'd go self-employed. Thats what i have done but its very hard when you first start out so a part time job might be a good idea until business picks up
 
Cheers Guys...I do have 17th, just need to look at the amendment course. I've been doing a fair bit over the past few years of domestic testing, just got put off from 2391 as I never had the commercial exp of working on 3p boards. It'd be nice to get more into this TBH, just I've seen both sides of the fence. 2x Great Guys with lots of patience that have really taken me on & given me lots of experience and temporary where all hell breaks loose & it's not comfortable...just been hard to get the break where somebody has the same values as yourself...(not casting stones by any means!!!!)
 
Claret if you've qualified go for the spark's job not the mate's. design course could be an idea as could HND but it depends on which way you want to go

Cheers Trev, I have the paperwork just not the broad range of experience. Got decent grades in 2330 so never bummed around just for a Pass. But it's been hard to get the next break & step up...I did think about HND/HNC...Not sure where I could go with this though. I enjoyed the College time, made me realise what I had in me that I left behind at the school gates.

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If you think there's a good chance of work then i'd go self-employed. Thats what i have done but its very hard when you first start out so a part time job might be a good idea until business picks up
Cheers Jimmy! Encouraging...
 
I'd take the commercial work all day long.
Domestic on its own is a dead end with all the other traders fighting for every piddling little kitchen rewire.
As for quals , 17th regs is a must , 2396 design is gonna be pretty tough to be honest and pointless for working in the domestic sector.
Also consider practical training such as getting your Pasma or IPAF licences , make you much more desirable to the agencies.
 
I'd possibly go back to my College. They were bang on for Theory Tutors & I can always ask where I'm heading if I looked at it. Thanks for the advice. What I do know is nothing comes easy!! I used to commute from Dorset job, weekend nights to study 2330 at Saltash as that's who offered me the place. I then relocated to Midlands with a job (before the Sparks work) & spent 2 years at Worcester Tech, so some long days by the time I got back to Brum...
 
I'd take the commercial work all day long.
Domestic on its own is a dead end with all the other traders fighting for every piddling little kitchen rewire.

This is what I'm thinking, I could be a busy fool with either too many or not enough £50 jobs...What's the Pasma qualification Biff? Yeah, IPAF a 1 dayer...
 
This is what I'm thinking, I could be a busy fool with either too many or not enough £50 jobs...What's the Pasma qualification Biff? Yeah, IPAF a 1 dayer...

Erecting mini scaffolding towers - essential for working on building sites run by the big contractors - 1 day course around £160
 
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Cheers Jimmy! Encouraging...[/QUOTE]

Sorry mate, didnt mean to make it sound so scary. Thats just the way i did it, good luck anyway mate!
 

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