I'm behind on my 2330 course, advice appreciated!

[sparky1983]

Hello people, I need a little advice.

I started my C&G 2330 course last year, day-release and am going into my 2nd year quite soon.

Speaking to my workshop tutor at college and looking through my logbook, it was explained that I had 2 years to complete all the Workshop Assessments/Exercises, so not to "rush". Hahaha, it wasn't a surprise. I'd already done a course at this college before. And to think I started the course 2 months late!

My company gave me a 1 week deadline to my a course placement (another story)

However, talking about the workshop exercises though, here is what I have to do and what I have to complete -

There are 3 "social skills" exercises to do, 6 "health and safety" exercises, of which one I've done 1. There are also 12 "wiring systems" exercises, of which I've done 2 (PVC Cable Lighting and Metal Trunking) and 6 "Inspection and Testing" exercises to do.

I'm a little worried. I was last finishing the 2nd half of the PVC Cable Power part (Ring Final Circuit & Spurs). So, by numbers I consider myself very much behind.

I could list all the exercises, but are there any exercises that I should aim to complete before others next year?

Oh, and another thing. Of the PVC Cable Lighting and Power exercises I've done, my tutor did not show an interest or emphasise any importance of completing or carrying out the relative tests on these circuits. As if to possible indicate that these could be done later??!! These circuits have been dismantled and I wish to know how the theory ties in with the installation, in front of my eyes!

Just lastly, last year my course was run on Mondays - 8 Mondays missed! Normally a situation, not here though My course could be run on another day next year, which I hope, but if it's Mondays again, does anyone think it's possible to catch up?

In my eyes, failure is not an option, but little did I realise, by numbers, how far I'm behind!

 

[tc3]

My advice is to read. If you do not spend time on the subject, it will show in all your results. There is no shortcut to time spent studying this subject.
Planned study is best, though easier said than done. Make a habit of picking up your books and trying to focus on a particular subject. The most important thing in self study is ask questions to yourself. For example. CONDUIT. ask youself as if you were explaining it to someone else
what is it?
what's it made of?
where would you use it?
what types are there?
what regulations do you need to know about it?
why would you use one type rather than another?


In answering these questions you will reinforce the knowlege you have and make you look for the answers you do not

I hope this helps, and wish you well

 

[sparky1983]

Thank you tc3, I shall pose those questions to myself when I get back to college next month, and continue to ask similar questions in class.

 

[tc3]

Hi Sparky

thanks for responding.
i can see that you have some challenges to succeed in your studies. it can be a challenge getting the right training and experiences to both pass exams and become a confident electrician.
what type of work does your company do?

it is luck of the draw in what company you do your training in and what electrical installations you are exposed to. domestic/commercial/industrial. same goes for the people you work with, helpful / not helpful.
same goes for your instructors at college, inspiring / not so inspiring.
ultimately it is down to you in how much you want to succeed.

as i mentioned before questions are the key to understanding a subject, however motivation is the key to bother to ask the questions in the first place. also how much time time you are prepared to try to answer the questions.

the most crude motivation is money, so a small example.
£10/hr x 40 hrs = £400, x 52 weeks = £20800, x 40 years = £832,000
£12/hr x 40 hrs = £480, x 52 weeks = £24960, x 40 years = £998,400
£14/hr x 40 hrs = £560, x 52 weeks = £29120, x 40 years = £1,164,800
add to this 10% to 100+% for overtime, specialist knowlege etc.
do you want to be a £10 spark or a £14 spark.

as a well qualified spark you have more choices in life. travel the country/world. say no to jobs you don't want to do, make your own job, etc etc.
the reason why tradespeople are payed more is that they have made a sacrifice of low pay initially, and are prepared to study, for the later gains.
if you have a good understanding of electrics you could do any electrical job.
do a search on Fish4jobs, jobsite etc. with the qualification you are trying for. see what jobs are out there, what they pay.
sorry to rattle on, had a few beers and going back to my days as an instructor.

best wishes

 

[Shakey]

Hi Sparky

thanks for responding.
i can see that you have some challenges to succeed in your studies. it can be a challenge getting the right training and experiences to both pass exams and become a confident electrician.
what type of work does your company do?

it is luck of the draw in what company you do your training in and what electrical installations you are exposed to. domestic/commercial/industrial. same goes for the people you work with, helpful / not helpful.
same goes for your instructors at college, inspiring / not so inspiring.
ultimately it is down to you in how much you want to succeed.

as i mentioned before questions are the key to understanding a subject, however motivation is the key to bother to ask the questions in the first place. also how much time time you are prepared to try to answer the questions.

the most crude motivation is money, so a small example.
£10/hr x 40 hrs = £400, x 52 weeks = £20800, x 40 years = £832,000
£12/hr x 40 hrs = £480, x 52 weeks = £24960, x 40 years = £998,400
£14/hr x 40 hrs = £560, x 52 weeks = £29120, x 40 years = £1,164,800
add to this 10% to 100+% for overtime, specialist knowlege etc.
do you want to be a £10 spark or a £14 spark.

as a well qualified spark you have more choices in life. travel the country/world. say no to jobs you don't want to do, make your own job, etc etc.
the reason why tradespeople are payed more is that they have made a sacrifice of low pay initially, and are prepared to study, for the later gains.
if you have a good understanding of electrics you could do any electrical job.
do a search on Fish4jobs, jobsite etc. with the qualification you are trying for. see what jobs are out there, what they pay.
sorry to rattle on, had a few beers and going back to my days as an instructor.

best wishes

wise words from TC3

i have rewired everything from houses to fire trucks

I have done fault finding just using a lamp and two bits if wire, and done fault finding using an oscilloscope

And i remember first starting out earning nowt, whilst my mates were working in factories on three times as much as me

good luck, and rememeber, you got to be in it to win it

 

[tc3]

wise words from TC3

i have rewired everything from houses to fire trucks

I have done fault finding just using a lamp and two bits if wire, and done fault finding using an oscilloscope

And i remember first starting out earning nowt, whilst my mates were working in factories on three times as much as me

good luck, and rememeber, you got to be in it to win it

did you use two pendants with pygmy lamps in series, taped together to do 415v with ? bending conduit in a wood block ? rawl chisels?
those were the days

 

[wayne]

tc3 is right being qualified will make life easier and more profitable..right now you have to focus
thinking how to explain a problem is useful

 

[sparky1983]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. To tc3,

My company is NICEIC registered and based in London. Our work usually involves doing "voids" and "remedial" work for one of the councils.

The work I've been involved in has been quite varied, but varied enough?

Firstly, I've been involved in rewiring new kitchens. This would involve installing a 2.5mm ring circuit, with spurs and sockets for washing machine, fridge, boiler aswell, done bonding on copper pipes for sink and sink taps and bath and bath taps aswell and installed a circuit for cookers in 10mm T&E.

I've also helped install new lighting circuits mainly through steel conduit in these flats, new power circuits through MT PVC mini trunking, extractor fans aswell and helped to install photocells for communal lighting on estates, through steel conduit.

I've used armoured, pyro and FP200 and although I'm no way completely competent in all these types of work, as of yet, this will be the type of work I do. We also fix/install intercoms, do "disability" jobs - flashing light/ ringing phone/ door bell for residents with various difficulties etc. And we've also worked on Fire Alarm systems.

 

[Andy M]

Out of Interest, What College are you at ?

 

[sparky1983]

College Norf Weezy. Actually, its the College of North West London (Willesden). It's only a 30 mins walk from home.