Domestic Electrician course sought

[Julian Moore]

Good afternoon.I am having a mid life crisis and wish to change career path as I have not been happy in my job for a long time
I am looking to do an electrical course in view to becoming a self employed domestic electrician. Im looking for a course long enough to give me the knowledge and skills needed,
Can anyone please tell me what course I should be looking for (is it part P) and if anyone could recommend any course providers too.
Many thanks
P.S Im in the midlands but willing to travel to do the course.Thank you so much in advance.

 

[rolyberkin]

It is difficult, you can run the gauntlet of Facebook and have idiots who want to pay you £500 for a rewire, try leaflet drops and adverts in local magazines etc. I went fully self employed in October and had three months when it was absolutely manic, then after Xmas I have been dead quiet, I am now at the point where I am starting to quote on some general building and handyman jobs. You can go down the route of trust a trader etc but in my local area there are about 30+ electricians on there and it all costs. It is not easy to start up, once your name gets out there I am sure (hope) it gets easier!

 

[Wilko]

Hi - I started out many moons ago working with dear old Dad, did apprenticeship and then moved out into office design work in related things. Coming back to installation later in life has been hard but fun. My thought is you need to get working experience, as its a practical craft. If you do it and like it then you'll be able to do the book learning part I reckon.

 

[Des 56]

I went fully self employed in October and had three months when it was absolutely manic, then after Xmas I have been dead quiet,

It is not easy to start up, once your name gets out there I am sure (hope) it gets easier!

Advertising can be costly and may be hit or miss generating work
Keep a positive outlook roly as far as quiet periods go,eventually you will find that past clients will tend to recommend you to their contacts, family members or friends,these may then become your clients passing on your name
It does take time but its like a self generating merry go round, the more you do,the more clients that are around creating your work
I have been self employed since the early 80s and have never needed to look for work,as you have experienced,your merry go round just needs a push every now and again

 

[WillWX]

Unfortunately, I don’t believe a short course is enough to just put you at a level where you’re happy to go and work on an electrical installation within someone’s home.

The company I worked for never got round to putting me through college, however I worked alongside an electrician for over 3 years, without that hands on experience and that guidance, I don’t beleive I’d be where I am now. The courses just don’t give you enough. When I did do the relevant courses, I was re learning everything I’d already learnt off my own back and was really surprised at how much I actually knew.

When doing the physical work, one thing leads to another and you find yourself reading up regs every day and learning off your own back, that alongside an experienced electrician as guidance, in my opinion is what’s needed to become “competent” enough to touch someone’s installation.

Sorry to come across negatively, but I hate the idea of someone chucking away a decent job and to not end up where they expect.

 

[telectrix]

agree. it's a all vety well to be able to quote the max. Xzs for a perticuler MCB, but if you can't run a cable from A to B in a compliant manner, it's no use.
edit: xcus trhe spelling. been up all nite, and had a beer brekky.

 

[satori]

The future is not as bright as it appears you think it will be.

On November 4th, 2016, I was made redundant, I knew it was coming and spent a lot of time (seriously, a lot, I had been 32 years in a desk-bound job) researching my future prospects. I decided that becoming an electrician would be a change, a chance to do something practical, and would be as lucrative as my previous job. I did a 16 week course with TradeSkills4U, I felt the course was comprehensive, well structured, and, at the end I had all of the qualifications to get my NVQ 3, and call myself an electrician - apart from the experience. I'm working toward the experience now, and it's going to take a while - I'm 9 months into what I think is going to be 3 years getting enough experience to be able to complete my NVQ 3 and only then be able to call myself an electrician. In the mean time I'm being paid as a labourer, and that doesn't pay what I'm used to. My redundancy is diminishing, it may not last the remainder of the three years.

You're talking about Domestic Installer, from my experience it's a job title looked down upon by electricians, you won't be an electrician and you'll be competing with people who know so much more than you, and have skills you'll never develop due to not having exposure to certain aspects of the job. From reading here, and talking to colleague sparks, as a Domestic Installers your best prospect will be to find employment with a kitchen fitting company, your prospects as self employed are virtually nil.

All of these companies offering courses are out to make money. Yes, you can get where you want to be, but the work involved is much, much, much more than these training companies will have you believe.

Have your eyes wide open before you commit yourself to anything.

 

[Pete E]

Im presently driving trucks and the unsolvable nights working until midnight and being brain dead behind the wheel is doing my head in.

I would love to do what you are doing, but feel I've left it way too late (I'm 52)....

Given that you are a qualified truck driver, I would think at least you could do driving agency work while getting yourself set up in the new career? The pay might not be brilliant, but it might be enough to keep the wolf from the door...

 

[Dave Rudderham]

I'm on the path now, even with experience in the Electronics, Data, Telecoms and Domestic/Light commercial I still opted for the full 2 years worth of Level 2 and 3. Level 2 was very easy for me, Level 3 was a little bit better, made me think more because I've done very little with 3-ph systems. I've still finished them months early. I just wanted the paperwork to back up the experience.