Hello, my name is Ben, and i.... am a five week wonder.
I have never tried to hide this fact, i joined this forum knowing full well that once i walked out of the door from my "training centre", i was in fact hugely under experienced and was terrified to start work. Since that day, i have sought help for almost every issue i have faced via this site, and have never faced any abuse from the guys who have helped me. Now, two years later, after grafting my arse off and being completely open to criticism and advice from all creeds and angles, i feel a pretty competent. I have achieved my 2/3 year apprenticeship by understanding that i will never have learnt everything and by asking for help.
I genuinely feel this forum has taught me more then i learnt at my 8 week course.
At the time i decided to take the course, i had no idea about other routes available, i had a son to feed, and bills to pay, and saw the option to the learn a trade that i naively felt was a good and stable option. I left with a level of understanding that gave me a platform to develop on. Sure, some Electrical Trainee's are looking for a quick sign off to go out and do poor work, but by generalising and saying we al a bunch of incompetent cowboys is the same sort of prejudice that would lose you a few teeth if you were stood in the wrong place and applied it a little differently.
there is a lot wrong with the short courses, no one is standing against that, but not everyone has had the oppurtunity to put up 3 years to learn the trade the "proper" way, i left university and was rejected from the police, again, due to severe prejudices within that organisation as i had all my limbs, faculties and was not a homosexual, i wasnt allowed in without waiting 5 years. Not so ideal when money is an unfortunate necessity of life. I opted to learn something applicable instead.
I now work as a plant manager and have worked hard to get here and do the job i do and continue to apply what knowledge i have to my job when i need to, and feel free to go over all my old posts, you will note i am far from the top of the tree and never afraid to ask.
The course gave me an opportunity to expand my career in different directions, the problem is you guys who have worked hard at college and earned your badges the traditional way, simply resent the short courses for undermining your hard work. Everyone can totally sympathise and understand that point of view. But like i have said so many times before on this subject, as it appears i am the only lad with the stones to step forward and confess to being a Electrical Trainee, that we are all in the same trade some way or another, why are attacking each other and constantly abusing each other.
We would do a whole lot better, looking out for each other, no matter what the back ground, and trying to put an end to the "sparks" who really are a cause for concern who show zero effort in bettering their knowledge and work practices and blatantly disregard the industry.
At the end of the day, and this is a poor comparison but bear with it, we don't hate on those who take intensive driving courses over 2-3 weeks and then are left to their own devices to drive on the roads, and lets be brutally honest, more people are killed on the roads each year then they are by electrical mishaps. They stil need some time to find their feet, but after time, who is to say they are any worse drivers than those who learnt over 8 months? Absolutely nothing. Ability is a mixture of effort + time + experience the road we all took to get there is a different story.
It's time to stop beating each other up, and get on with our own stuff. If i picked up a big re-wire next week, £8 large for the job, not one of you lads would turn me down if i offered you the work to help me out. That much i know for a fact.
My name is Ben. I am an (8) week wonder
