Electricians mate job description....

[alexb]

Hi all,

I recently passed my 2382 exam and have registered with the ECS and i've seen a few electricians mate jobs are available in my area and i'm considering applying for them as i thought this would be a good way to build up experience and learn more before looking for work as a domestic electrician.

I only have a rough idea of the kind of tasks that an electricians mate would be expected to take on so i just wondered if anyone here has any experiences or advice to share + a bit of a description of some of the tasks involved?

Cheers!

 

[rmc86uk]

Electricians mates are there to assist the electricians with installation. It all depends on what type of electrical work you will he doing be it domestic, commercial or industrial. I'm assuming domestic you would be chasing walls out, and help pulling cables round the house. Commercial you would be assisting putting containment work up such as tray, trucking and conduit. Pulling armoured cables in etc. The trouble is getting electrician mates jobs you would usually have to have experience, its like the chicken and the egg really!

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[Richard]

I'v always found the idea of an 'Electricians Mate' a strange concept to be honest. When I started, I started as an apprentice and worked towards being an Electrician and have always been involved in all aspects of the job, not just parts - and this has been the same for all members of staff. We're a pretty small team, but maybe with bigger firms its different.. I don't know.

 

[rmc86uk]

I do agree with what you say.

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[Adam W]

It depends who you're working for - some companies might just have you sweeping up and making the tea, others might give you a chance to do something a bit more interesting like show you how to do conduit or 2 way lighting, others might expect you to basically be a 'sparks on the cheap' who they can leave to get on with it.

 

[Knobhead]

One thing to keep in mind is not to go beyond what you are comfortable with.

In industrial maintenance it’s unusual to come across mates now a days.
The company I served my time with the mates would after training be expected to do lighting repairs, minor lighting installations. Dave my mate was great when we did any trunking work as he could gas weld, all those fiddly odd bends would be welded and then sprayed. Another string to his bow was he had been a fitter’s mate before joining me, I learned a lot from him as well.

A mate’s rate of pay was based on his skills. Some I will admit were useless.

 

[oldtimer]

Horses for Courses and it depends on how you approuch the job years ago in Scotland you would only find an electricians mate in a factory and not in industrial commercial electrical contracting as an apprentice was seen as cheap labour but that all stopped when Thatcher came in and I always remember a guy on TV in the 1980s warning that if she did not correct it then there would be a massive skills shortage in 20-30 years time funny how Thatcher is remembered and he isnt anyway we are going the same way as the USA a Master electrician or Approved over here with a mix of electricians , mates and apprentices in other words cheap labour to do the majority of the work and a main guy to supervise and sign it off

 

[Electricalserv]

An electricians mate is a labourer!!! Basically anything your told to do you do! Some companies recruit under the title 'mate' and then employt someone with more than mate quals paying him a lower rate and useing his wiring skills etc. Others are just looking for a general labourer to do the donkey work

 

[oldtimer]

I always remember my dad getting a washing machine put in and he got the plumbers mate to do it when I asked why did you not get the plumber my dad who was a blacksmith said the mate was a better plumber funny old world.