Some total newbie advice needed!

[mdc_sound]

Hello!

I am a complete newbie to the field of electrics, and I am wishing to retrain in my career as an electrician (currently a qualified teacher). I am 25, and I'm already a little concerned as to the lateness of 'getting into the game' so to speak, and potentially competing against other eventual candidates who will be nearly 10 years younger than me.

I am based in the North East (Middlesbrough) and have looked/emailed colleges in regards to a training programme that will train me as a qualified electrician - with Middlesbrough college being the main option.

They offer two main training courses it would seem, and it is this that I can hopefully get some advice on.


Middlesbrough College - Driving Ambition, Inspiring Success

This seems a shorter route into qualifying at level 2, and I am unsure as to whether to apply for this course, or...

Middlesbrough College - Driving Ambition, Inspiring Success

This course - the traditional and longer apprenticeship route.



Any advice at all from anyone would be gratefully appreciated, and thanks for the time given for anyone to read this.


Michael

 

[Pete999]

Hi Mate
Is Teaching really that bad, why go from a rewarding career into the cutthroat stressful life as an Electrician? I'm not trying to dissuade you from trying to become a Sparky, what area would you like to get into, Domestic, Commercial ?or Industrial, although my thought are you are either an Electrician or you are not, but I'm old school and a bit wary of these short courses, but that' my take, others will disagree I'm sure.

Do you have any practical experience? good luck in what ever area you go into, I can't help with the new qualifications, as I did my Apprenticeship when Jesus played in goal for Bethlehem.

 

[telectrix]

Hello!

I am a complete newbie to the field of electrics, and I am wishing to retrain in my career as an electrician (currently a qualified teacher). I am 25, and I'm already a little concerned as to the lateness of 'getting into the game' so to speak, and potentially competing against other eventual candidates who will be nearly 10 years younger than me.

I am based in the North East (Middlesbrough) and have looked/emailed colleges in regards to a training programme that will train me as a qualified electrician - with Middlesbrough college being the main option.

They offer two main training courses it would seem, and it is this that I can hopefully get some advice on.


Middlesbrough College - Driving Ambition, Inspiring Success

This seems a shorter route into qualifying at level 2, and I am unsure as to whether to apply for this course, or...

Middlesbrough College - Driving Ambition, Inspiring Success

This course - the traditional and longer apprenticeship route.



Any advice at all from anyone would be gratefully appreciated, and thanks for the time given for anyone to read this.


Michael

you need both of those. level 2 followed by level 3. then go on to am2 and nvq3. then 2394 and 2395. you'll be an approved spark at 30.

 

[mdc_sound]

Pete, thanks for your reply.

Firstly, Jesus playing in goal - brilliant!

Second, teaching was something I wanted to do - until I did it. Working with children was brilliant but there was nothing I've ever done that has been as close to as stressful as that. I wanted to do something that gave me more time with my family, a common misconception is that teachers have plenty of time off, and I was sick of working up to 15 hours a day including weekends. I have no issue with grafting - I have worked in property maintenance as a labourer/mate, and have no issue with working the hours, but that was something else entirely.

As I said, I have worked in a domestic setting doing different things, and have laboured for electricians quite a lot - something that has made me want to pursue this myself. I would love to work in domestic for a start, and hopefully move to industrial or commercial somewhere down the line. I have contacts in the industry that can give me work eventually, I just want to qualify and get some experience under my belt!




Telectrix,

Thanks very much for your reply!

The first course I posted then, the 'Retrain to Electrical Installation Lv2' could be a starter, then go on to my 'Electrical Installation Lv3'?

Would you be able to give me a little more info on the am2, nvq3, 2394 and 2395 if possible? i.e. What type of course they are, would I have to go to a college or a different type of provider etc.?



Thanks both very much for your time, I can't explain how much I appreciate being able to speak to people who know a lot more about this industry!

 

[mdc_sound]

I think I'm going to go with:

Middlesbrough College - Driving Ambition, Inspiring Success

as this is a level 3 course and includes completion of NVQ. What else would I have to do after this course?

 

[Adam W]

One difference I can see with those courses is with the second one you need to be employed within the industry from the start of the course, to be able to complete the NVQ3, which is a practical, work-based assessment.

The AM2 (achievement measurement 2) is a workshop based assessment - a 'practical exam'.
The 2394 and 2395 are short add-on courses in inspection and testing, and electrical condition reporting. They used to be taught as one course (the 2391) but were split into two and given different course numbers, although a lot of colleges teach them together.