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Johnn131

Hello I am looking for some advice on becoming a electrician, I am planning to offer to work for someone every other Saturday for free so I can get the hands on experience I need . I am very confident with wiring as I have done quite a lot at home my self.

What I need to know is are the online courses any good as I can only learn of an evening or on every other Saturday.

I just need some good advice please
 
You should sign up for a short course with any one of the many providers, they are very good value for money and in about 6 weeks or so you will be earning at least £50,000 a year, just like the rest of us. Welcome to the club.
 
Thanks can you tell me where I Need to start and what is best the online or evening course
 
firstly.... you wont find any body willing to take you on if you only want to learn on Saturdays!!

working weekends is banned unless some twit decided to pay my call out fee of £70

secondly....you will need to attend college at least 1 full day a week (during the week) to even get a look in to becoming a qualified electrician..

thirdly.... dont waste your money on a 5 week course.

and i made 50k last year!! however only 13k was actual money earnt!!!
 
Hello there. I can only work the saturday because I am full time work and looking for a new challenge.

Thanks for your advise . How long will a decent course take if I can only attend of maybe one evening a week.
 
A course which an employer will take seriously will take 3 years. They're usually 2 nights a week rather than one, or one whole day a week.
I think you'll certainly have a challenge on your hands trying to find someone to take you on every other Saturday, even if it is for free. An employer will want someone who is prepared to take the job seriously and dedicate them self to it, not just turn up every other weekend. They'd probably rather work alone than work with a liability.
 
There is no such thing as an online course to train as an electrician,you need to get to a college either 1 day a week or 2/3 evenings a week for 3 years,then after that there are add on courses such as inspection and testing and numerous courses on fire alarms,emergency lighting,solar and renewables,electricians are always upgrading and evolving with new technology,it requires a lot of dedication and lots of hours revising,exams etc,a 6 week course for someone with no technical knowledge is all well and good but the practical side of things obviously lets it down as there are only practise booths,the initial investment will be £1000s on courses.So if you fancy the challange good luck,graft and it will be worth it
 
I can see 'confidence with wiring', from someone without experience or training,
creating quite a few shudders. Read #4 and heed DS. With your current employment, time is the issue (and cost of course).
So many seem to think that doing a course teaches a trade. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 
i would say do yourself a favour and look at doing another trade for a challenge, i qualified 3 years ago gaining all the necessary qualifications to get the job i wanted to do and guess what?, i am now working part time in a well known d.i.y store i have tried applying for various companies without success, there are 100's of sparks newly qualified and time served on these web forum sites in the same boat as me and we took the right route into the industry by going to college for 3 years and attending the night school classes for the other qualifications and gaining as much knowledge as we could working with other sparks. i would suggest you speak to a career advisor at your local college the new electrical course starts in september called the 2357 its an electrical diploma course which has now replaced the 2330 but you will need to be in at least some sort of electrical employment not the occasional saturday in a month, do not get career advice from the companies doing the 5 week wonder courses as they will promise you the world just to get your money off you. hope this helps.
 
No one will train the opposition to eventually take their work off them. You wont get free college courses or any other ones for that matter, so you wont get a sparky to take you on unless you can contribute something to his business . Your best bet is to find a college that does evening classes and take it from there. Then when you have something to offer a sparky you may stand a chance.
 
Hi Johnn131
How old are you?
think about earning some money laboring in building trade.
Then while your earning go to night school/evening classes at college, over 3 years (goes quick)
Then try to make contacts while laboring, you'll be earning and learning at same time.
Dont try to do it too quickly, take your time, use the forums to learn as well (learnt more off this forum in a year than I did at 3 years of college) - although you need basics from college.
Then after 3 years at college your ready to start realising you actually know nothing and there begins a life of learning......wonderful
 
Hello mate I'm 43 and in very good health , I don't mind doing anything that helps me get some sort of trade qualification on the way .I'm open to anything on my Saturday off
 
Hello mate I'm 43 and in very good health , I don't mind doing anything that helps me get some sort of trade qualification on the way .I'm open to anything on my Saturday off

Sorry John, but if you've only got the odd saturday to spare, I think a football steward may be more profitable.
 
43 good age to start, college night classes are best imo. Theres no quick way in, you need to get in with someone not necessarily an electrician, as I said get in with builder or a refurb company as labor, turn your hand to anything to start with. I started as laborer / decorator, went to college in evening and then chuck myself in at deep end (with a little help).
Good luck
 
electrical installations can be a c*nt . so you need to take people with a pinch of salt and be on the ball and the whole lot can be achieved by working for somone else..

good luck whatever you decide and welcome to place where people know stuff about electrics and nothing else.. i=p/u doh'
 
Hello mate I'm 43 and in very good health , I don't mind doing anything that helps me get some sort of trade qualification on the way .I'm open to anything on my Saturday off

Got to say you have the right attitude. Go along to your local "Tec" they will be able to advise you better as things are changing all the time as regards courses. Best of luck.
 
2 days a month will not get you anywhere. As others have already said, the vast majority of us underwent a 3 or 4 year apprenticeship for a very good reason. Also, there is a world of difference between playing with the electrics in your own home, and going out into the big wide world. I wish you all the best, but now is not a good time to try breaking into the electrical trade with nothing but good intentions and a spare 2 days a month.
 

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