How does one become an electrician?

[Deleted member 105166]

Are you making fun of me or is your post serious?

He's not making fun of you, he's a good egg.

 

[sonny]

Also how much is the rent,food and the electrician courses at the beginning of your training?Are they expensive?

 

[markythesparky]

Well now.... I did about 5 years of training in total, including the two City & Guilds courses, and the the C&G tearing as cert course. The regs updates etc etc. And even now it continues.

But nowadays I would say you could do the four week course, but a set of insulated screwdrivers, a pair of pliers and a roll of electrical tape and Bobs your mentor. YOU ARE AN ELECTRICAN!

I wish you well in your new career and more so I wish your clients even more luck!

 

[PEG]

I'm disillusioned with my lot...i too,want to be an "electrican"

 

[littlespark]

There has been some sound advice in this thread, and some jokes.
If you can work out which is which you’re half way there

 

[Baddegg]

^ sound advice

 

[Squid]

I'm disillusioned with my lot...i too,want to be an "electrican"

Why, it's a rubbish career, train to be a CISCO engineer instead.

You will be on a rubbish wage having to pay out money for rent/food/travel with no backup or help if things go wrong.

 

[oracle]

To get properly trained you need a level 3 qualification an NVQ and AM 2. If you are under 25 and British the level 3 certificate is free in college but quicker and very expensive at a training centre.

 

[sonny]

maybe 3-4 weeks of college but in between you are out learning the practical side with the company you are employed with.

What do you mean by college?I thought electricians are non-college graduates.I don't understand what you mean here.You need a college degree to be an electrician?Please explain me!
Also if it's 4 years why do you have to go to college?I'm confused right now.Do you become an engineer after you graduate college?Is that what you mean?

 

[sonny]

But nowadays I would say you could do the four week course, but a set of insulated screwdrivers, a pair of pliers and a roll of electrical tape and Bobs your mentor. YOU ARE AN ELECTRICAN!

You become an electrician in 4 weeks.Now this doesn't make any sense anymore.

 

[sonny]

Sorry I don’t have a clue what EURES is mate. I’d probably try and get in contact with firms local to where you’d like to set up home and go from there

Are you an employer?

 

[Pete999]

You become an electrician in 4 weeks.Now this doesn't make any sense anymore.

You can say that again Sonny

 

[sonny]

You can say that again Sonny

Is it 4 weeks or 4 years?

 

[markythesparky]

You become an electrician in 4 weeks.Now this doesn't make any sense anymore.

It didn’t make any sense ever! Not just anymore!

 

[sonny]

It didn’t make any sense ever! Not just anymore!

Well you said you become an electrician in 5 years and now you're saying that you become an electrician in 5 months.Do you have a bit of logic in your reply?

 

[markythesparky]

n

Think my reply went adrift somewhere sorry

There is a ‘five week wonder’ course that. As far as I understand, is aregs course only. ‘This enables the partaker to become Part P registered. Yes, go figure!?

These FWW’s come out thinking they are qualified electricians.

The ‘real’ course will be three years or so plus other courses such as testing and certification and regs updates.

 

[Pete999]

n

Think my reply went adrift somewhere sorry

To recap Sonny, you obviously haven't heard of the Term 5 week wonder, where by someone suddenly decides they want to become an Electrician, because they realise they are in the wrong job and want a change, so they pay their money and enroll in a 5 week intensive course, trying to learn all the theory, and practical skills an Apprenticeship used to provide.
Now don't get me wrong Mate this will, and has worked very well for a few people, who turn out to be very good electricians.
I admit I don't know the detail of how this is achieved, because personally I don't agree with this system, ( far to old to change my views now) but if this is the way you want to go in your career then search the internet for the myriad of training courses promising you the Earth.
Once you have passed (graduated) from these courses, you are allowed to join one of the Competent Persons Scheme CPS as an example NICEIC, NAPIT. ELECSA, there are others who will gladly persuade you to part with your hard earned once per yer, on joining a Scheme, or scam as they are sometimes called, you are permitted to sign off on your own work.

 

[oracle]

At a Further Education College they teach Electrical Science and technology (along with hairdressing, art etc. in other departments of the college .
Level 2 usually takes 2 years and level 3 another year. Level 3 includes the Wiring Regs and inspection and testing.

Either during this time or after it you can do your NVQ level 3. This is work based on the job learning so you will need to be employed. At this point you should be able to pass the AM 2 (trade test)
Don't be tempted to take the 4 week wonder course as a Part P domestic installer. Not if you really want to be a good electrician and not a bodge it and scarper chancer

 

[Simonpotts1]

Dont know if they still do it,but i did my training on a 2 year intensive colleve couse whilst i was on disability &in & out of hospital for 18 months reconstuctive surgury following a burn injury.this was 5 days a week for a year with a few weeks farmed out to a local company for on site experience.year 2 consisted of 2 days at college & we were supposed to sort ourselves out for the rest of the week.i went from college straigjt into the large commercial sector,straight in a deep end,learned very quickly.i dont know if such a thing is available now with the 3 & Electrical Trainee courses on offer,its 20 years since,but something may be available better than a wetpants course.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

Sonny, whilst you haven't indicated your age or whether you have commitments at home, being realistic here, your enquiring as to how much food and rent costs whilst you're training suggests you may need to carefully look at how you are going to finance a move to the UK, paying to live and paying for training whilst you have no income. If you want something even half decent, you will have to pay a couple of months rent upfront. If you do a 4-week course, that alone is going to cost you circa £3,000, + allow £200 for books. Then you need to get a job as a mate, to start earning. Throwing all that into the melting pot, I reckon you need to have around 52,000 Leu (£10,000 GBP) saved that you are prepared to invest in what could be a life changing decision.

In the meantime, start learning from reading the forum posts and trying to understand some of what's being discussed. Buy an 18th edition regs book and familiarise yourself with it in relation to some of the topics on the forum - that will put you on the front foot.

Good luck.