Thinking of re-training

SarkySparky · Jan 25, 2013

Hiya,
I've read many of the great threads on here and decided to sign up.
Long story short: (really!)
I worked with an electrician for a short while on some domestic jobs, installs etc just before leaving school. I didn't end up doing an electrical apprenticeship although always had a keen interest and carried out my own jobs. I am in the middle of a partial re-wire on my house working alongside my trusted electrician friend. All the work has reminded me why i was considering doing it in the first place!
My current job as a computer engineer may be at risk of redundancy (lots of computer related jobs go off-shore for various reasons) and i was contemplating doing the electrical installers course whilst still working in my current role. I would like to have another skill under my belt and planned to be able to charge people for jobs in the evenings/weekends as and when they come up whilst gaining valuable experience after becoming qualified.
If my current job is made redundant i could then potentially have two avenues to look for work.

I appreciate with the current climate money is tight for everyone and not expecting to buy a Maserati after completing a course (!) but if i completed the City and Guilds course with Part P building regulations i could sign my own work off yeah?

What does this sound like to you? Good and bad points appreciated!

Cheers!

Guest55 · Jan 25, 2013

congrats , you are the 1000th person this week to have the same idea to start sparking cos the road to electrician glory is paved with gold and wonder and littered with training shortcuts.
thought it apt for someone called sarky.
;-)

KAS1 · Jan 25, 2013

That's a good point has anyone kept a tally, could be a thread called please register your interest here and you will be allocated a number and take a seat ...................

sjhall · Jan 25, 2013

I'll answer.
You never worked as a spark... You worked as a labourer.
Either A- do it properly, go college for 3-4 years while also doing on the job training

Or B - spend a load on a short course a chimp could pass, buy all the gear then realise your underpinning knowledge is so lacking its shocking, get no work, waste a load of money and generally fail.

Have a look around the forum,look in the testing and inspection part... You will realise it takes years to know what your doing.

Good luck

SarkySparky · Jan 26, 2013

Thanks for replies. I can see the forum is generally against these types of courses and you have your reasons.

Just to let you know, I didn't work as anything; I worked alongside my friends father who at the time was an electrician for 25 years (now 40+) because I was contemplating an electrical apprenticeship. I completed another apprenticeship and worked in that trade for 10 years.
I don't think you can buy experience because that's only something possible with time but it allows you to start something new and the rest is up to the individual I guess - that's what appeals to me. And no, I don't think it's a buy in to a rich scheme hence mentioning the Maserati ;-)