Wasnt quite expecting such comments...
Theres a couple of points id like to make here, I only said I wanted to do domestic work, no intention of ever doing anything other than that.
llandrillospark - I have got "proper recognised City & Guilds qualifications" thanks. You also say "tendering for a contract you wouldn't have a chance against city & guilds guys", I have got C&G, plus I am never going to tender for anything as I am doing domestic work only in my spare time.
No I am not ex MOD, I am a 30 year old who has run a successful datacomms and Internet business for the last 12 years, built from nothing, which now turns over £500k+ per year. So yes I am spending my own money on this.
I am not suggesting people with years of experience may have seen more things and know more, but at the end of the day, we all have to start somewhere. You could turn it around and say someone who has done electrical work and successfully for 20 years who is equally as good as you make out, then does a 5 week course to get the quals to get NIC etc, then you call him a cowboy for doing a 5 week course. I agree someone who has been in the business for years has more experience, but come on, how much brain power does it take to change consumer units etc, really, its hardly rocket science.
Ill list my qualifications for you to entertain yourself with.
City & Guilds Level 3 Award 2377-22 - in the In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment
City & Guilds Level 3 Award 2377-32 - in Management for the Maintenance of Electrical Equipment
City & Guilds Level 3 Award 4141-02 - in Electrical Installation Work within a Domestic Dwelling
City & Guilds Level 3 Award 4141-03 - in Fundamental Electrical Science and Technology for Installation Work
City & Guilds Level 3 Award 2382-12 - in The Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671: 2008
City & Guilds Level 2 Award 2392-10 - in Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification
City & Guilds Level 3 VRQ Part P Building Regulations
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City & Guilds Level 2 Award 3667-02 - in Copper & Fibre Communications Cabling in an Internal / External Environment
City & Guilds Level 3 Award 3667-03 - in Designing & Planning Communications Networks, Internal and Underground Environments
Fibre Optic Association Certified Engineer
Fibre Optic Industry Association Accreditation
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CCIE - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert
CCNA - Cisco Certified Network Associate
CCNP - Cisco Certificate Network Professional
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Server+
CompTIA PDI+
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA Project+
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UKATA Category B - Non Licenced Asbestos Remover
CITB - Health, Safety & Environment Test for Managers & Professionals
Ok and top of this im about to do the City & Guilds Level 3 2394 & 2395, once I have done these, ill also do the 2396 as well, just to top it off.
And no, I cannot do " PLCs Motor Control" whatever that is, because i do DOMESTIC ONLY.
Engineer54 - Your comment of "what do you call ''structured cabling experience''", well I have owned a data comms business for 12 years, and proficient in fusion splicing and do structred cabling in peoples homes and businesses on a weekly basis. I am extremely competent in IT and data cabling. I am not an idiot.
The only reason i wanted to do these electrical courses was for my own satisfaction and also do do domestic electrical work in my own time as a change of scene when I feel like it.
I think the thing here is, theres a lot of people who did it the old fashioned way who yes, no doubt are good, but equally dont appreciate people like myself who also do a bloody good job of things, coming along having done a 5 week course stealing their business and under cutting them. At the end of the day, the world has changed and how things happen, the way you become a domestic installer now, is to do a 5 week course. yes they might well be easy and teach you how to pass an exam, but at the end of the day, I have a bit of paper that says i can do it, i get work, do a good job and people are happy.
Even my neighbour who did it the old fashioned way has said I can rewire his dads bungalow this year and sign it off as i have all the kit and Part P etc, he has no kit any more and cannot sign it off. And also, my uncle, he replaced my father in laws consumer unit and various other things 18 months ago, and he has been doing it for 35 years and qualified etc, he is a cowboy, left a total wiring mess. Just because someone says they have been doing something for years does not mean they will make a better job of something.
Rant over...
