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Hello all,

Im hoping to change careers and have always been fascinated with the possibility of becoming an Electrician and understand is a long process and I'll have to start at the bottom.

Im thinking the best route is probably to try to become a sparky's mate and learn and study. I wish i did this as a youth straight out of school unfortunately i didn't I'm a 28 year old female and I'm prepared to study for as long as it takes.

The entry course i was looking at covers:
- City & Guilds 4141-01 - Electrical Installation Work within a Domestic Dwelling
- City & Guilds 2393 – Part P Building Regulations
- City & Guilds 2382-18 – 18th Edition Wiring Regulations
- City & Guilds 2392-10 – Inspection & Testing Course

Do you think this would be sufficient as a starting point to get me employment as a sparks mate?

Thanks in advance.

Louise.
 
Hello all,

Im hoping to change careers and have always been fascinated with the possibility of becoming an Electrician and understand is a long process and I'll have to start at the bottom.

Im thinking the best route is probably to try to become a sparky's mate and learn and study. I wish i did this as a youth straight out of school unfortunately i didn't I'm a 28 year old female and I'm prepared to study for as long as it takes.

The entry course i was looking at covers:
- City & Guilds 4141-01 - Electrical Installation Work within a Domestic Dwelling
- City & Guilds 2393 – Part P Building Regulations
- City & Guilds 2382-18 – 18th Edition Wiring Regulations
- City & Guilds 2392-10 – Inspection & Testing Course

Do you think this would be sufficient as a starting point to get me employment as a sparks mate?

Thanks in advance.

Louise.
that sounds like a short boil in the bag course to become a domestic installer. that just leads to self-employed house bashing.

to get qualified as an electrician, the course codes are:
2356. level 2 and 3,,,,core qualification
2391. test and inspection
nvq3 ans am2.... required to apply for JIB gold card.

during which time, 2382. wiring regs. and practical on site experience.

total time ... around 3-4- years
 
that sounds like a short boil in the bag course to become a domestic installer. that just leads to self-employed house bashing.

to get qualified as an electrician, the course codes are:
2356. level 2 and 3,,,,core qualification
2391. test and inspection
nvq3 ans am2.... required to apply for JIB gold card.

during which time, 2382. wiring regs. and practical on site experience.

total time ... around 3-4- years

Thanks.

How long before I can start work as an sparks mate or another entry level position. I want to leave the industry I'm in but need an income until I can make the switch.

My thinking was granted its a short course but it might get my foot in the door etc.

Louise
 
tryh agencies for elect.mate role. blagg it with telling them you have some experience. then learn as you go, assisting sparks.
 
How are your manual skills Loop, do you use power tools, hand tools and have you the type of thinking able to re engineer a solution to a problem when it inevitably rears it’s ugly head.
There is no doubt that you’ll need 2 to 3 years working as a sparks mate for the experience but you also need to marry the experience with the theory that you’ll learn at college.
If you do the head knowledge first you won’t be able tie it into practice.
I’d set out a 2 - 3 year plan toward learning and reading in your spare time, save a little money to cover you whilst you do your courses and advertise yourself to get a mate job.
Not easy starting from scratch but with enough will it’s doable. All the best.
 
The entry course i was looking at covers:
- City & Guilds 4141-01 - Electrical Installation Work within a Domestic Dwelling
- City & Guilds 2393 – Part P Building Regulations
- City & Guilds 2382-18 – 18th Edition Wiring Regulations
- City & Guilds 2392-10 – Inspection & Testing Course


Louise.


Hi Louise,

I'm sure your looking at TradeSkill4U by looking at that list?

The C&G 4141-01 is only useful if you have no wiring experince at all. Basically you will install a consumer unit, 2 lights (1 way, 2way switching) & a ring for sockets & a radial for a socket, all done in a small wooden cubical. A lot of money for this course & the C&G certificate is worthless as the 4141-01 is ratified by C&G as a course for TradeSkills4U.

I did my C&G 2392-10 through TradeSkills4U at Gatwick.
The Kewtechs were shall we say well used & abused (I used my own tester). The course covers theroy as well as learning how to use the Kewtech tester.
I would definitely recommend doing the C&G 2392-10 course whichever provider you choose, dont trust all reviews.
TradeSkills4U offered me £50 discount on my next course for a 5star review on TrustedReviews.

The C&G 2382-18 couses basically show you how to navigate through the regs book, they will also show you what to highlight & tab as these bit will most likey always come up in some sort of way in the exam.

This is a great forum to learn from & ask lots of questions

All the best

Michael
 
Thanks for all the replies.

The other option is the C & G 2365 level 2 and 3 diploma. It takes 30weeks full time and costs 7k which im prepared to pay IF it's worth it.
Either way id expect to start at the bottom because I'm sure no matter how much time in a classroom without the onjob experience its pretty much useless id guess.

I know I could also blag it and learn as a sparks mate but being a woman and poss 10 years older than others I think they might notice lol.

Louise
 
1. Buy a copy of the regs
2. Buy the text books for 2365 level 2&3
3. Learn them.

If you still like it at that point in time you'll have more info and be able to decide if you want to work towards a ecs gold card or getting onto a competency scheme.

As a girl in a male dominated business you'll actually be more welcome in some businesses and less welcome in others.

Medium/large sized business doing local authority and maintenance work would probably be more welcoming and female sparks I know enjoy working for them.
House bashers on new builds can be wa*kers and not so female friendly
 

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