Electrical course help

[crjones]

Hello I hope someone can help... My Boyfriend is American and wants to come the UK and train to become a fully qualified electrician. Which is the best course? Is the C&G 2330 level 2 and 3 enough? All the fast track courses are very expensive, which is the best one and are they legitimate? Because of his visa he can only study legally here for a 6 month period!! He is hoping to start a course in February... any ideas? I would be grateful for any advice possible. Thanks

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Firstly good evening and welcome to the forum......
Fast track courses to me are a con and should be avoided at all cost. They are not respected within the electrical community in the same way as a proper college course together with the short "add on" courses (2382 2391) etc so be aware of this before choosing. Of course its entirely up to yourselves which avenue you choose to go down but the only way to gain recognition within this trade is to go to college and learn from lecturers that have been sparkying and teaching it for years. This however is not enough, An apprenticeship is the way as its only by being out on site that you truely learn how its done....through trial and error and being shown (under site conditions) the right way to do a task to industry standards whilst remaining safety conscious......college and apprenticeship/site experience.....its the only way.........:wacko:.

 

[crjones]

Hi Thanks for your advice... at present he works in construction in US, mainly in electrics, therefore the course is so he can be qualified here in UK as US electrics don't carry across the pond... this why we have been looking at a short and intensive courses. unfortunately going down the route of college and apprenticeships at this stage is difficult due to visa restrictions... any thoughts?? :wacko:

 

[pushrod]

If your boyfriend can only study here for 6 months then a short course is probs all he will have time for- with the 2330 each level takes a year . As Glennspark said short fast track courses are not ideal for new entrants but in your b/fs case he already has the background so that would seem to be the best way. However as you have already found out the cost of these can be a drawback. The 2382 and 2391 are naturally shortcourses however and can be done more cheaply at colleges either as evening classes over several weeks or as a fulltime course over several days.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Hi Thanks for your advice... at present he works in construction in US, mainly in electrics, therefore the course is so he can be qualified here in UK as US electrics don't carry across the pond... this why we have been looking at a short and intensive courses. unfortunately going down the route of college and apprenticeships at this stage is difficult due to visa restrictions... any thoughts?? :wacko:

well with all due respect from what i have seen of american electrical installation work....well it leaves a lit to be desired and we run a much tighter ship here....

 

[robsparky1975]

If he is an electrician in the USA and is qualified then perhaps he might be able to do the C&G 2382(17th edition wiring regs)this is the standard to which wiring is designed/installed/tested and commisioned in the uk,and if he already does testing then the C&G 2391 inspection & testing course,both of which are generally a 1 week course each and should not cost the earth,if he has US qualifications on paper then its a matter of getting upto speed with the UK system,a bit like one of us brits going over the pond and trying to gain work in the US we would have to sit a few tests there,is he qualified in the US?

 

[fuzzydunlop]

Ignore Glenn, he means well.......

Unless you can get your BF over here on a more permanent visa (i.e one with no restrictions which in the current climate is unlikely unless you get a marriage/fiancée visa) a short/intense course will be his only option

However your still faced with the same problem after, as he'll never get a visa to work here as an electrician, unless you're married

Your probably better of asking the same question on an immigration forum

 

[crjones]

Thanks so much for all your advice... I know that he has some electric qual but not sure what they are and how they will be translated here... however the plan is to get married but for now until that time comes he wants to progress in getting qualified so that he can be available for work once we are hitched!!! the course we are looking at it is OLCI City & Guilds Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment (Buildings, Structures and the Environment) (2357), from what the chap said on the phone it apparently covers mostly everything, but i suppose he would say that!!! Any good?

 

[fuzzydunlop]

Have a look in the courses forum you'll find good and bad

I'm currently doing the equivalent course (the old version) and I can't complain

 

[crjones]

cheers will do!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Ignore Glenn, he means well.......

Unless you can get your BF over here on a more permanent visa (i.e one with no restrictions which in the current climate is unlikely unless you get a marriage/fiancée visa) a short/intense course will be his only option

However your still faced with the same problem after, as he'll never get a visa to work here as an electrician, unless you're married

Your probably better of asking the same question on an immigration forum

now now....

 

[fuzzydunlop]

cheers will do!!

One last thing, he'll do well to book all his courses within a six month period due to the high demand (at least in the London centres)

From paying I had to wait two months before the first course so get solid dates before you pay, as he may have to return home to extend his visa etc..

 

[Engineer54]

Your only about 12 months late, and have basically added nothing, that hasn't already been stated!!

 

[telectrix]

Your only about 12 months late, and have basically added nothing, that hasn't already been stated!!

he's american, what do you expect. 3 years late in 1914, 2 years late in 1939.................

 

[baz9799]

he's american, what do you expect. 3 years late in 1914, 2 years late in 1939.................

:rofl::rofl::rofl: