Saying "Hello, this is me".

[eccles291]

Ey oop!

I've been lurking for a while now and thought it was high time I introduced myself and outlined my plans... retraining for a career as an electrician. No throwing things at the back, please!

I've been a sound engineer in the film industry for nearly 15 years but the freelance world in this line of work is very hit & miss... more miss than hit for a lot of us in recent years. I've thought about retraining as a sparky for a while now and have decided that the time is right. I'm sick to the back teeth of doing a s*** job in a factory to pay the bills whilst vainly waiting for film work to come along.

With that in mind, I've decided to enroll at a training college to set me off on my way to becoming an electrician. I've been looking at PASS Training in Stockton for my courses but don't worry, I do not believe for one second that I'll be an electrician after a few weeks on an intensive course. (I'm a couple of years short of 40 with a young family to support so an apprenticeship and/or long college course really isn't a viable option for me). I aim to get my Domestic Installer/Part P qualifications under my belt and possibly PAT testing too (finances permitting) and then begin to learn how to become an electrician.

A good mate of mine is a builder and he's said once I've got my Part P he'll give me all the work he can, which is great. Especially as it will not only get me earning some money but I'll be gaining valuable experience too.

Meantime, I'm trying to work out which qualifications I really need first and look at starting to learn about 'lectrickery. I have no previous electrical experience other than changing the odd pendant light fitting/installing a dimmer switch at home. One of my previous jobs (whilst waiting for film work) was as a self-employed handyman so I know about pricing work up for a big job and hearing nothing back, invoices not getting paid on time etc. etc! Added to this I'd say I have general common sense and a decent aptitude for 'hands-on' work which will hopefully stand me in good stead.

Anyway, I've rambled on enough. If anyone can offer advice/help with my plans then I'm all ears.

Ta.

 

[Adam W]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[brucelee]

hi mate welcome to the forum

 

[Phil]

welcome to the forum

 

[Guest123]

Welcome along.

 

[jpmiff]

Hi

Welcome along

 

[mayfair]

Welcome m8, join in when you can .............enjoy

 

[CRAGS]

Hi and welcome

 

[Kamikaze]

Hi and welcome to the electrical emporium of pleasure.

 

[eccles291]

Thanks chaps. Definitely seems to be a friendly forum here.

Hoping to get loads of useful advice in the coming weeks/months.

Cheers.

 

[Sintra]

Hi & welcome.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

welcome.
There is no way to gloss this up so I'll tell you like it is, and you're gonna have to take it like a man. It's hard. Some find it harder than others. Get a good book, like The ones by Trevor Linsley. Read them, Ask questions about things you don't understand. Use YouTube, and this forum. And don't give up.

things are currently changing regarding qualifications and requirements. As it stands, You don't need to be a fully qualified electrician to be part of a scheme doing domestic work, but I believe that there are plans to soon require a level 3 qualification, possibly the NVQ 3. You will need the 2382 17th Edition Wiring Regulations qualification (2 hours/ 60 questions multi choice online). You can do this through Virtual College at home in your own time. Test arranged at local centre when you're ready.

You are too late to do the old City and Guilds technical Certificate 2330 levels 2 and 3. This has been replaced by the 2357, incorporating the NVQ 3. It is a level 3 qualification. I don't know what the entry requirements are, but unlike the 2330 which you could do whilst holding down your day job,by doing it at evening class, you will have to be working in the industry.

Working in the industry. Lets face it, you're not gonna get an apprenticeship at 40. And you can't afford to either. It looks like site work as a mate to start with (you'll need a cscs or ecs card), or as you suggested the domestic route. If you want to get the LABC to sign off your work (at a cost) then you can go and get some tools and bollok on tomorrow, learning as you go. If you want to sign off your own work, You'll need insurance, test equipment, previously issued certificates, some qualifications, and then you can enter a cut-throat and saturated market.

I hope I have tickled your taste buds a little. I know that there is a lot of information here and you must be thinking WTF? Ask your questions and hopefully after a while, an accurate picture of the industry and your options will crystalize.

and all the best.

Regards/

 

[eccles291]

Thanks Voltz, that's just the sort of info I'm looking for. I know it's not going to be easy but then neither is getting up at 4:30am for an early shift in my dead-end job where all I do is shovel powdered ingredients into paper bags all day long!

I wasn't aware that things are changing regarding the qualifications required in the industry (mind you I'm not up to speed as to which qualifications I need yet, or in what order I should get them) but reading through stuff on here will help me with that.

As for working in the industry, I'm hoping that the work my friend can give me will stand me in good stead and help me towards getting accredited with whoever I need to sign up with to help my career along. As far as the CSCS cards go, will I need one of those before I can work for my friend? Or can I get one because I'm working for him?

With regard to entering "a cut-throat and saturated market", I know all too well what one of those is like and there are nowhere near as many opportunities for work in the film industry as there are in the electrical field.

Thanks again for the info, it's much appreciated.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

You will only need a cscs/ecs card for 'proper' site work. i.e the kind run by major so called 'construction' firms (actually they are only construction MANAGEMENT firms). If you want to apply for jobs as a mate or labourer then you will need this card. It's simple though. You just google ECS test and the rest should be self explanatory. It's a 30 min multi choice common sense test that they send you the q/a book before to revise. This is not your major concern at the moment as you have outlined that you will be getting work from your builder friend.

A couple of questions spring to mind about this. Who is currently doing his work, and how will they feel about no longer being used in favour of you? The start up costs for self certification are not inconsiderable. Test equipment £500 ball park. PL insurance £150 Ball park. Books (regs) £60 BP. Scheme registration £500 BP per year. 17th edition regs exam £300-£400.

Scheme registration has it's own difficulties. you will need to have done two certificated jobs to show for your initial assessment. Quite how you do this is something I am not sure about (not being registered myself). How o you do two jobs when you are not scheme registered? (I hope others here can cast more light on it). Also, you might have to have 2391 Inspection and Testing, or other level 3 qualification. You should understand the difference between 'defined scope' and 'full scope' schemes. (see NIC or ELECSA websites).

The other option is to notify Building Control before you start the job. They will charge you a fee (varies) , inspect the job in stages, then test and issue the certificate. i have been told (but can't verify) that if they find anything wrong, you have to pay again for them to come out once you have put it right.

Have a good chat to your builder friend about what he expects from you and how much work he will put your way. Is he intending to accept your prices, or get other quotes?

MY advice, and you are free to ignore this, is to try and find some work for someone else as a mate £8-£10 per hour till you find your feet a bit with circuit wiring and connections and basic installation methods.

And keep asking questions.

Kind regards.

 

[eccles291]

Well that sorts the possible stumbling block of getting my CSCS card. Now you mention the typical content of the test ISTR looking at it in the past and thinking how straightforward it appeared.

As for my friend's usual choice of sparky - I honestly don't know who he uses, if he even has a 'regular' person. I know he's been let down on a couple of occasions by some of the tradesmen he's used in the past, although I don't know if this includes the electrician(s). He does house extensions, barn conversions, new builds, shop fitting etc. so there's a bit of variety of stuff. As for the amount of work I'll get from him, he's told me he'll give me everything he gets. He's one of my best mates and I've known him for years so I trust him when he says that. Nothing has been mentioned yet about how to price jobs but he was asking me if I could be qualified by April as he has a new build that needs wiring up. He said there was £7k in it but unfortunately I don't have the time to get the courses done in that time.

The initial course I'm looking to do at PASS Training, in Stockton, has these sections listed for their Domestic Installer package. The whole course costs £1795+VAT but I've also put down the prices for each section if done individually:

• The Basic Electrics course (3 days) £399+VAT
• Introduction to Inspection and Testing (2 days) £250+VAT
• City & Guilds 17th Edition 2382-10 course (3.5 days) £399+VAT
• City & Guilds Building Regulations 2393-10 course (1 day) £195+VAT
• Logic Part P for Domestic Installers course (6 days) £770+VAT

The 'Logic Part P' section is "Full Scope - VRQ Level 2" so hopefully that along with the 17th Ed. will tick some of the boxes I'll need. Any others that are required I intend to sort as I progress.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Beware these courses. Everybody on this site will back me up on this. There is no shortcut to being a spark. I'm not raining on your parade here mate, but there is a LOT to learn. PART P is not a qualification, it's the part of the building regulations that covers electrical installations in domestic dwellings. It won't qualify you to work on domestic installations, as you do not need to be qualified to do so. You only need to be COMPETENT. Hence Competent Person Scheme.

From where I am sitting, you are the best intended person, but I am slightly worried at what you are thinking about taking on. Barn conversions and shop fitting? And your only experience is changing a light bulb.

I suggest you buy the regs book BS7671 and the on site guide from Amazon. Look at the registration requirements on the Elecsa website.

I suggest you do the 17th with Virtual College. £399 inclusive and you can do it in your own time.

Don't bother with the rest for a minute, as I would hate for you to waste your money. But look, why don't you start a new thread to see what everyone else thinks. I am only one opinion remember.

You won't be looking at 7k for that new build, unless its MASSIVE.
Like I said before, have a PROPER chat with your mate about what's on the plate, and who he uses etc... Get to know the whole real situation.

Keep 'em coming.

 

[Phil]

quite well summed up by voltz. best advice before spending all your hard earned from me would be to try the job first before jumping in tbh.
i know this is not easy to do but i would encourage anyone to try to get on with an electrician as a mate first. you might decide you hate it and after the investment you will not be able to re coup the money back.
the courses you have mention will give you a basic understanding but you will really nee some on site exp before being chucked into the deep end.

 

[VoltzElectrical]

Please start a new thread, as I would love to learn from everyone else's experience and views. I'm sure you would too. Give it an interesting title though, to attract lots of responses. Mine included!

Best.

 

[knasher]

Thanks chaps. Definitely seems to be a friendly forum here.

Hoping to get loads of useful advice in the coming weeks/months.

Cheers.

Did you read the thread last friday about "what is an electrician????" To be fair it was a full moon!

It is a great site regardless of the odd hiccup

 

[gr181]

i just want to say hello to every one on here . graham