Moving from Domestic to Industrial

[Chris Hex]

Hi
I've been working for Domestic clients for some time and I'm considering branching out to do Industrial work. I'm faced with the fact I don't know what I don't know, if you get my drift, so I'm after some advice. What other qualifications would you suggest above and beyond the below list.

City and Guilds
2382 - Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671 17th Edition of the Wiring Regulations 2008.
2393 - Building Regulations for Electrical Installations in Dwellings
2392 - Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification
2394 - Initial Verfication and Certification of Electrical Installations
2395 - Periodic Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations

Thanks

 

[LeeH]

The skills you require cannot be had from any C&G course, you will have to learn them from others at the coal face.

The same would apply for an 'industrial' spark knocking plastered walls about. I wouldn't make a penny doing houses. I'd take 3 times longer then you would to rewire a house.

 

[Leesparkykent]

You don't have any core underpinning knowledge qualifications just add on qualifications. You should look at doing 2365 level 2&3, AM2 and NVQ level 3 if you want to further your personal achievements (qualification wise).

 

[Chris Hex]

The skills you require cannot be had from any C&G course, you will have to learn them from others at the coal face.

The same would apply for an 'industrial' spark knocking plastered walls about. I wouldn't make a penny doing houses. I'd take 3 times longer then you would to rewire a house.

Thanks for the reply Lee. With your advice I'm not sure what my next step would be. I'm not going to shut my successful Domestic business and go and work for someone else. Pretty disappointing to hear that, is the only option.

 

[Chris Hex]

You don't have any core underpinning knowledge qualifications just add on qualifications. You should look at doing 2365 level 2&3, AM2 and NVQ level 3 if you want to further your personal achievements (qualification wise).

Thanks for the reply Lee. 2365 looks like entry level stuff. I'm already qualified and have experience beyond this level.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Thanks for the reply Lee. 2365 looks like entry level stuff. I'm already qualified and have experience beyond this level.

Yeah but from the list of qualifications you've posted you don't have any core underpinning knowledge qualifications just qualifications that would usually be done additionally to the core ones. You would not be considered qualified in the eyes of the JIB as you would not be able to get an electricians grade. Along side my contracting business I also have a side line carrying out energy efficient lighting (daylight harvesting, presence detection etc) in industrial premises. Many of the factories we work in when you have a site induction you have to prove your qualified by producing your certificates or JIB card as they wouldn't want/allow a short course "electrician" loose on their electrical installation. So if you want to do industrial work I would gain the basic qualifications to allow you to be graded as an electrician first.

 

[Chris Hex]

Thanks for the advice Lee

 

[Silly Sausage]

I'll second Lee's post.
I was let loose on Chemical and Pharma sites as an Instrument Tech with none of your qualifications, but, I did have a degree in Electrical Engineering!

Maybe think about about expanding into the Commercial sector?

 

[Chris Hex]

I'll second Lee's post.
I was let loose on Chemical and Pharma sites as an Instrument Tech with none of your qualifications, but, I did have a degree in Electrical Engineering!

Maybe think about about expanding into the Commercial sector?

Thanks for the advice

 

[the bootneck]

Many years ago I started on a pharmaceutical site. On the same day a guy who had just came out of the RAF after twenty odd years with qualifications as long as your arm. It turns out he could not put a nut in a monkeys mouth. Six months later I saw him off shore with a clip board in hand checking my work. The moral of the story is what do you want to do in the industrial world, install it or test it? There is a lot of money in testing!

 

[kenneth_cohan]

Hello Chris

I am a Vocational Instructor and I train electrical and mechanical contractors in industrial electrical maintenance and fault-finding skills. However, I work for a company that has its own training department for off-the-job training and so any new employees requiring additional electrical/mechanical training isn't a problem.

So, you need to look for a company that has its own training facilities and willing to give you the training you need. Alternatively, you can pay for the courses you need but these can be quite pricey. It's practical experience you need; not more qualifications!!

Cheers

Ken

 

[LankyWill]

Id say you don't need qualifications just experience. I was once a solid house basher on large developments as an apprentice. I then had a go a industrial and found it to be a slightly slower pace and more thoughtful and now do the occasional plant work. If you want to learn more, keep your ears and eyes open and read some of the posts in this forum. Listen to the old boys as well as they had a more varied apprenticeship then we get these days, that said the apprenticeship route gives you all the underpinning knowledge its up to you to figure out the rest. I now enjoy industrial more as i am learning again, if i am stuck a quick call to some old boy in the office will put me right on sit. Never be afraid to ask is my motto.

 

[7029 dave]

When I started my apprenticeship, Electrical work was just that, everything.As Lanky said just get some experience in that field, do you know fellow sparkies in that field.?

 

[westward10]

You cannot buy experience, unfortunately that takes time. Domestic work is a tiny drop in the ocean and there is no short cut to gaining it.

 

[KennyKen]

Industrial all day long.. You can actually take pride in the work you do without the fear of a supervisor up yer ---. If there's not a lot of industrial construction work then commercial follows suit.

 

[GMES]

Try and get some experience with an " Electrician " that does Industrial work, There is lot more to industrial than Domestic JMO

 

[Cbuk2k2]

Bizarrely in my experience it's a lot easier to get into industrial instrinent/electrical work than say become a scaffolder or rigger where there seems to be a legal requirement to be qualified. You may find going from domestic to an industrial maintenance role a fairly steep learning curve due to the variety of kit you will encounter. PLCs/valve actuators/motors/DC/HV/rotary converters

 

[Squid]

Industrial all day long.. You can actually take pride in the work you do without the fear of a supervisor up yer ---. If there's not a lot of industrial construction work then commercial follows suit.

I remember my time on industrial sites, you get the drawing from the office and get sent up to an area of the 4th floor then the apprentice can get the conduit/tray/metal trunking/drills/screws etc etc while you look things over.

 

[elsparko]

I remember my time on industrial sites, you get the drawing from the office and get sent up to an area of the 4th floor then the apprentice can get the conduit/tray/metal trunking/drills/screws etc etc while you look things over.

you got drawings? :O lucky sod

 

[Squid]

you got drawings? :O lucky sod

Come on Terminal 4 doesn't look "that" bad.........