Mate/Labourer/Trainee Work

[Knight499]

Hi All

I’m looking to get into the electrical industry.

I’m 41 years old and after a 17 year career in IT (and a huge change in personal circumstances) I’m looking for a complete change of path and a new challenge.

I don't like the idea of attending an “intense” course at a training facility so would like some advice on how to gain work as a trainee/mate/labourer to learn the craft.

I’ve never been one for learning from books alone and learn by observing and asking questions.

Any advice/guidance would be greatly appreciated or a job offer would be even better

I live in Thurrock, Essex

 

[Firstfixelectrics]

You can call ableskills and ask for a guided tour around their centre to see if it's right for you, while I was there i saw a few people that did that. Or you could just jump in and get on, it's not that difficult, I personally did the home study (you do need to have self discipline for that to work), then came into centre for practicals and exams.

 

[Firstfixelectrics]

I started off in a similar position, with no experience did 2365 lvl 2+3 at able skills in dartford. Course was good and it set me up nicely to blag that i knew what was going on when i started subbying after. I took on my mate to help me out last year and he did his quals at the same place but home study, just went in to the center for exams and practical. Not a bad option if you've got a job at the same time

Did you go onto your NVQ afterwards?

 

[juanmanners]

Thanks for replying mate.

I’m just conscious I have no experience at all and don’t want to waste my money.

It's pretty nerve wracking because it's hard to know what the right route to go is and it is a big wedge of cash you're putting up. I did a lot of research before starting the course to make sure it wasn't a big scam! If you are going to go that way though 2365 lvl 2+3 is what you need to start with, 80% of the guys on the course with me had no experience at all either. If a guy like you called me up now looking for work I'd be a lot more inclined to give him a go knowing he'd committed time and money to get properly qualified and I'd know when I was talking to him about technical stuff he wouldn't be looking at me like I was speaking Swahili

 

[Knight499]

It's pretty nerve wracking because it's hard to know what the right route to go is and it is a big wedge of cash you're putting up. I did a lot of research before starting the course to make sure it wasn't a big scam! If you are going to go that way though 2365 lvl 2+3 is what you need to start with, 80% of the guys on the course with me had no experience at all either. If a guy like you called me up now looking for work I'd be a lot more inclined to give him a go knowing he'd committed time and money to get properly qualified and I'd know when I was talking to him about technical stuff he wouldn't be looking at me like I was speaking Swahili

Thanks for the reply mate

 

[catdog1121]

After years in IT I changed from IT to be an electrician, as well as IT I also bought, refurbed and rented properties and was very hands on so had a lot of experience of doing some interior construction projects.. I know you probably want to dive in but to be honest you need both the theory and the practical, a lot of the practical skills has often very little to do with electrics..

As a now one man band I try to help people where I can and I recently helped a lad out doing the level 2, a 21yr old, he learned very quickly and I was getting him to do various jobs, but and here is the kicker I needed to supervise him, so I could do the job quicker, after a while I could get him to do some stuff on his own and in return I spent time explaining things to him.. So it was work experience rather than hiring him..

With no practical knowledge and no theory knowledge explain to me as an employer what you bring to the table compared to a 17yr old that I could pay like £90 a week on an apprenticeship and get paid by the government? I would have to pay you minimum wage and it would take me months and cost me thousands to even start to break even with you... I don't want to sound harsh, but if you had some theory you at least would not need talking through everything and could use some initiative, if you just want to know if its right for you ask for a day or so of work experience but even that is hard to come by as if your self employed if it slows you down it costs you money..

I often get emails asking me to take people on, for some reason IT guys seem to want to change to be electricians, I don't really ever want to take anyone on but if I did then it would be more likely a 17yr old.. I am almost 40 and the one thing I have learnt is being an electrician is a young mans game, you can do it as you get older but you definitely hear a lot more groans, personally I wouldn't want to be doing it much beyond 50.