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Don't think anyone is "dissing" the short courses sparkychick. Its the freedom and confidence it can give to someone who has spent a very short time in training and doesn't understand the dangers to themselves and others that is in discussion.
I don't understand why everyone thinks we are sharing a negative viewpoint
The reason people get irritated is because whenever this subject comes up, there are blanket statements made that imply we're not competent. It certainly gets right up my nose because of what I've seen and experienced since I started my business and I've lost count of how many times I've not waded into the debate, instead sitting back biting my tongue so to speak.
I'm not saying all short coursers are brilliant, because they aren't, but we're not all incompetent idiots either. Just as I'm not saying all apprenticed sparks are garbage, because they aren't, but they aren't all brilliant either.
As for the freedom and confidence it can give someone... if someone is stupid enough not to realise their own limitations, their route into this industry is not going to change a thing. That's if they go and do any form of training at all. They will still go out there and do bad work, but more often than not when bad work is posted it's not long before there is an implication that it's the efforts of a short courser.
Just the other day I witnessed some fine work from a large local firm that's been around for years and years... cracking job, isolating a lighting point that's no longer needed with PVC tape... nice one! Not the first time I've witnessed their amazing standards. And for some balance, I had to tighten all the factory connections and incomers on a new consumer unit installed back in June by someone I believe to be a short courser. Again, not the first time I've encountered his bad work either but a cracking example of how to flagrantly lie on a schedule of test results. Do they understand the dangers they are leaving behind? Clearly not, or it is simply they just don't care. I truly believe it's a combination of both and no amount of training will fix that kind of attitude.
Accept that there are good and bad sparks entering the industry through both routes and don't lump all the bad stuff out there on those of us who went the short course route and we'll all get along just fine.
it's all amatter of degree. once upon a time sparks were looked up to as the senior trade. why, because if a wet-pants gets it wrong, the cat gets a bath. joiner gets it wrong, the cabinet falls on the worktop. sparks gets it wrong, someone dies.
Quite, which is why whenever I encounter a situation I'm not 100% comfortable with, I come and here and ask for advice. That's where the 'anti short courser' sentiment and comments can be a problem. Surely it's better to have people come here and ask questions knowing they won't get abuse than coming here seeing 'short courser bodger', 'boil in the bag sparky' etc. etc. and leave, thus missing out on an opportunity to learn from more experienced people?
I guess the TLDR; for this post is:- Don't tar us all with the same brush, we're not all incompetent and many of us actively want to learn and improve by soaking up knowledge from more experienced people. Those who don't will never come to forums and ask because in their little corner of the universe they already know it all and are capable of anything.
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