Retraining as an electrician

[brokethebox]

Good evening all,

there are countless threads around regarding just this topic, but I hoped you all wouldn't mind maybe helping me out a bit.

I'm 34, and have worked at sea for the past 10 years, so am fairly handy. For my, and my wife's sanity, I'm coming ashore, and looking to be able to retrain.

Being an electrician is attractive to me (I'm good with logic, and numbers, being a sailing boat skipper it comes in handy!) and wondered what your thoughts were on both the practical side (courses/hands on experience) and the future. Is it worth me investing a substantial chunk of money (£7500 if i sign up to a fast-track course) and time?

How does an older person go about getting that hands on time?

Many thanks in advance,

James

 

[SJD]

I suspect the majority of people on here will question the value of paying £7500 or whatever for some short courses, when you can do the same courses for a fraction of the price at a local college, albeit spread over a larger number of weeks, and/or evenings. I'm sure if you search, you will find plenty of posts about this.

 

[amlu]

17th edition course for the basic theory (around £500)
plus plenty of time spent learning the trade as an electricians mate.

 

[Simonslimline]

Good evening all,

there are countless threads around regarding just this topic, but I hoped you all wouldn't mind maybe helping me out a bit.

I'm 34, and have worked at sea for the past 10 years, so am fairly handy. For my, and my wife's sanity, I'm coming ashore, and looking to be able to retrain.

Being an electrician is attractive to me (I'm good with logic, and numbers, being a sailing boat skipper it comes in handy!) and wondered what your thoughts were on both the practical side (courses/hands on experience) and the future. Is it worth me investing a substantial chunk of money (£7500 if i sign up to a fast-track course) and time?

How does an older person go about getting that hands on time?

Many thanks in advance,

James

That's a large sum of cash for very very little in return.

To be honest with you, there are no shortcuts to becoming a competent electrician.

As has been suggested, try your local college for courses/advice. C&G 2365 or 2357 is what you would be looking at.

 

[markc123]

You can spend all this hard earned dosh on these courses that promise the world, albeit they say they give you the technical experience (which is to be desired when an apprenticeship can take 4years+)

However, out in the real world its all that more complicated than the pretty pictures of the Guidance Notes and Onsite guide. You can learn as much as you like paperwork wise, but when it comes to the graft thats when people can be shot down.

For instance, i've worked with people in the passed that don't have a clue how to lift floorboards (without butchering them) ... this has nothing to do with electrics but is a vital skill - especially if you have to cut them as well.

Hand's on experience is more important than any paperwork. You need to get work as a mate, and with doing these fast track courses you'll have a lot of potential employers overlook you (some may say unfortunately) so as above, a college route with evening learning is the best way forward.

You've worked hard for that 7.5k mate don't let it be robbed from you.

 

[Guest77]

Good evening all,

there are countless threads around regarding just this topic, but I hoped you all wouldn't mind maybe helping me out a bit.

I'm 34, and have worked at sea for the past 10 years, so am fairly handy. For my, and my wife's sanity, I'm coming ashore, and looking to be able to retrain.

Being an electrician is attractive to me (I'm good with logic, and numbers, being a sailing boat skipper it comes in handy!) and wondered what your thoughts were on both the practical side (courses/hands on experience) and the future. Is it worth me investing a substantial chunk of money (£7500 if i sign up to a fast-track course) and time?

How does an older person go about getting that hands on time?

Many thanks in advance,

James

No I would say no, and at 34 you are getting near the age where grafing for a living is difficult, in this trade some guys like Tel who are very good healthy sparks still earn a decent living, most sparks by 40 are usually running their own businesses or foremans and usually get into supervision rather than grafting, if you are fit then fair enough but paying 7.5 k at this stage and needing 3-4 years experience before being competant IMO you are close to being too old to start, JMO, Tin hat on.

 

[YoungBart]

If I was you I'd be more tempted to spend your cash on courses like SMST's, and other safety courses, with a view of going into site management , all the courses are fairly straightforward and not quite as expensive as retraining as a spark, I'm sure your work at sea. Would count for something

 

[7029 dave]

No I would say no, and at 34 you are getting near the age where grafing for a living is difficult, in this trade some guys like Tel who are very good healthy sparks still earn a decent living, most sparks by 40 are usually running their own businesses or foremans and usually get into supervision rather than grafting, if you are fit then fair enough but paying 7.5 k at this stage and needing 3-4 years experience before being competant IMO you are close to being too old to start, JMO, Tin hat on.

Your just telling him how it is Mike, and I agree. MO mind you.

 

[Guest77]

Your just telling him how it is Mike, and I agree. MO mind you.

Cheers Dave and it is great to see you you again buddy :waving:

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Get a CSCS card and get on site with an agency as a mate. You will learn loads. Then do your city and guilds qualifications at your local college at evening class. This will cost you a few hundred quid as opposed to a few grand, and you will 'earn as you learn' so to speak. Don't do 'fast-track' course as the learning curve is too steep and definitely too expensive.

I looked at long distance courses when I started out as a mate after a career in education, but went with the night school route instead, and made good money working rather than spending it on scams.

You will be what is considered an 'adult-trainee' which is perfectly respectable. Once on a course, you can apply for your JIB card with that grade, with the (long term) view to getting the full 'gold' card once you have earned your stripes with the NVQ Level 3.

Good luck and PM me if you want more advice

Voltz

 

[GMES]

Mike to be fair what you say makes a lot of sense, it is hard slog grafting from the bottom up, it is a young mans game now, and you are also right that at 40 years old most have gone solo or took a less energetic role.

 

[Guest77]

Mike to be fair what you say makes a lot of sense, it is hard slog grafting from the bottom up, it is a young mans game now, and you are also right that at 40 years old most have gone solo or took a less energetic role.

Hello glenn, yes, I wouldn't want to attempt to stop the fella from becoming a Spark, but me and you and other experienced sparks know that grafting after 40 is a very fit mans game lol.

 

[markc123]

Hello glenn, yes, I wouldn't want to attempt to stop the fella from becoming a Spark, but me and you and other experienced sparks know that grafting after 40 is a very fit mans game lol.

You'll have to lay off the beer and pies at your beloved Gloucester games then won't you Mike :lol:

 

[sparksburnout]

Hello glenn, yes, I wouldn't want to attempt to stop the fella from becoming a Spark, but me and you and other experienced sparks know that grafting after 40 is a very fit mans game lol.

What a load of bollox you need to man up a bit mate. Keep of the ale and get some exercise, my grandad was still digging coal out the ground at 63, and I can easily do a days graft and then go for a 6 mile run afterwards at 57.

 

[marcus2610]

As someone who decided at 34 to retrain in this career, it's been the hardest few years of my life and i'm still not finished at 42. My advice as many others have said would be to complete the level 2 and 3 2365 courses at college, then do your 2382 wiring regs followed by 2394/2395 inspect and test. Whilst doing all that try and get on with someone for the experience, this is the hard part but essential, as you then need to complete the 2357 and Am2 which you can only do if your employed if you wish to become an approved electrician.

Don't set yourself up to fail on a fast track course, it's hard enough fitting a couple of days or nights a week in at college and getting the assignments completed alone. You just cant learn it all in such a short period of time and expect to fully know and understand what and why you are doing things.

You go for it...I did and love it.

 

[shanky887614]

to really put you off that shortcourse look at what your actually doing on it.

what parts of it? what do you gain from it and how can it help you.

the only useful part in most of these fast track courses is the 17th edition.

if you really want to do the short course ill give you a challenge buy a copy of bs7671 and read it. you will see how varied the trade is and how many different regulations etc there are you need to follow then there is the calcs and the physical experience e.g. how best to install it etc

 

[brokethebox]

Hi all,

many thanks for the different views. It's amazing to see the variation of opinion, thought that they all head in a positive direction, although that should be supposed from the fact you pay attention to a forum such as this.

It seems like the majority advocate finding a job as mate, and picking up the tickets as I progress, which does seem sensible, and I did have a few alarm bells ringing regarding the fast-track courses and the way you can't find much information about the companies who supply them at all.

I'll have a think,

Regards

James

 

[telectrix]

Hi all,

many thanks for the different views. It's amazing to see the variation of opinion, thought that they all head in a positive direction, although that should be supposed from the fact you pay attention to a forum such as this.

It seems like the majority advocate finding a job as mate, and picking up the tickets as I progress, which does seem sensible, and I did have a few alarm bells ringing regarding the fast-track courses and the way you can't find much information about the companies who supply them at all.

I'll have a think,

Regards

James

yep. as several posts have said. find work as a mate, either through agency or direct with a firm. do the courses 2 evenings or day release at local college. and as an aside to MDJ, you're never too old. i did my 17th at 65. and still do most of my own chases, although the domestic side is getting too much now. give me industrial for the next few years. it's less mauling. birthday next month, so that gives me another 6 years till i retire at 75 ( as long as DVLA renew my licence to run over cyclists).

 

[Guest77]

What a load of bollox you need to man up a bit mate. Keep of the ale and get some exercise, my grandad was still digging coal out the ground at 63, and I can easily do a days graft and then go for a 6 mile run afterwards at 57.

Okay where do you want to meet?

 

[telectrix]

What a load of bollox you need to man up a bit mate. Keep of the ale and get some exercise, my grandad was still digging coal out the ground at 63, and I can easily do a days graft and then go for a 6 mile run afterwards at 57.

you'e right up to a point, but sadly the red highlight shows your weak point. ale has no fat whatsoever, and not many calories. that's why we need to drink a lot of it. a recent study by some medical geeks has also come up with the finding that beer does not give you a "beer belly". it's the mcD's and other fatty fast foods that do that. so. eat salads and drink beer.