New on here, looking for a career change!

[thezebra]

Hello all. I have spent a little time lurking on here just looking out for advice, but with so many courses and qualifications available I felt I needed some more advice!

I am 24 years old and currently unemployed. I left university in 2007 with a degree in Sound Technology, before moving into an office based job for 18 months. After getting bored with lack of opportunities and struggling to gain employment in the music industry, I decided that I needed a career change. I took interest in the electronics part of my uni course, so I have basic grounding in the theory of electrics, if not the practical side!

Do these short intense courses really work? From reading some of the threads, it seems some employers think these courses are no substitute for actual practical experience, and considering the amount of money these training companies are asking, I need to pick and choose my path wisely.

I have read up about the C&G 2330, Part P and 17th Edition courses and these seem to be the main ones that are useful, but would I be better off putting aside 2/3 years of my life and going to college to study these properly, rather than gaining a number of qualifications in a short timeframe?

I would want to work on the commercial or industrial side of things rather than the domestic front, and therefore would like significant training if I'm going to be spending thousands of pounds of hard earned money!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Rob Williamson

 

[BenElec]

Hi Rob
I have been an electrician for 2 and a half years working mainly domestic. I have gained most of my experience from practical experience but i have also done my college part. I worked for a year and a half as an electrician before going to college and i must say it has definitely broadened my knowledge. There are a lot of different aspects to being an electrician and a college has alot to offer, it might take time but if your a good learner and you put your head to it there are alot of fast tracks once you know what you are doing they may cost more than your budget but there is tons of opportunity out there for self employed electricians.
Trust me i know what im talking about, i do it.
Im 20, i am level 2 qualified becoming level 3 in a week i work with a friend who is also 20 and he is level 3 tester inspector for Napit just retaken his 17th edition, we run a company called Electro Energy there is good money to be made but you have to do a good job, clean and neat. Always remember if customer satisfaction. But i probably dont need to tell you that.
Best of luck in whatever you do.
Ben

 

[Des 56]

Consider the relatively new field of micro generation,this is an expanding sector, even as the general electrical sectors are reduced
Becoming a domestic installer or full blown electrician and spending lots of money at the moment may not be a wise move unless it was to prepare yourself for the upturn in the economy
There are a lot of very experienced( 4 and 5 year sparks ) seeking work and competing with them may not be the best at this moment
You may be more competetive in the microgeneration (after training) sector because the average spark is also new to this field and you would be competing on more of a level playing field
Domestic electrics is more about hands on experiewnce than technical know how and should not be too difficult to obtain the required certifictes,however the work has and is drying up

 

[thezebra]

Thanks for the responses! Des 56 - The microgeneration work does sound quite interesting, and renewable energy is obviously a hot topic at the moment. However how would I get into this field? Would I need to do the standard qualifications i.e. C&G and basically train as you would for a domestic spark?

Rob