Sorry to sound cynical, but we've heard it all before on here.
Guys come on here saying "I just want to get qualified enough so that I can work alongside an experienced electrician and I definitely won't be working on my own until I'm confident that I can do all the work to a high standard in a few years." A few weeks later, the same guys say "Just about to rewire a massive house from scratch and don't know how to go about it. Can you all help me please? Also, don't knock me, I have a wife and family to support!"
Sorry, but fed up of hearing it and also following behind these people.
Hi Guitarist.
Are you saying it can't be done?
Where would you suggest one who can't get an NVQ because he's been victimized and overclocked because teenagers are preferred, would start at?
Just wiring a ring main? A simple spur perhaps? Or just a one way switch lighting circuit?
I have a brand new house which is about to be built from the ground up by a mate of mine to which he was happy enough to ask me if I'd do it as he believes in me.
Off-course I gladly said yes and I'll be doing it for free just to built up my portfolio and for the experience.
I am currently with adds in Sains, Tescos, Asda and all local small convenience stores offering my services "for free" for any local company that want's an extra pair of hands on whatever spare time I have got just for the experience.
Now going back to my mate's house, the only thing I have put forward and he's well aware is that he will need to find someone that can and will oversee all at whatever stages he/she decides need seeing. After all once there's plaster up you cannot see what's behind it can you? And I am quite happy to this for the experience and I am pretty much sure an experience will be and most definitely, I am under no illusions, that this will not be THE CLASSROOM and will be a definite learning curve.
I know times have changed but I wanted to be a carpenter back where I come from (AZORES) and a carpenter I was at the age of 16. I started in this local workshop just helping and learning and by the age of 16 I was handed over my first full house to which I ha to measure all indoors and outdoors doors and windows, blinds the lot. I was trusted at that early age and I succeed. Certificates? I had one, the best one really, my boss trusted myself and my work. And one must be proud of it, I have been there, to where I grownup and have taken my wife, then girlfriend, to this street where she has noticed a door and she new that I done that as I still have a picture of it on my computer. That was my first main outside entrance door in mahogany. It's still there after 20 years.
Again certificates? My father left school when he was a kid at the age of 10 having done just year 4. He went on to work on the building industry. At the age of 20 he was building houses under his own name. Not only that, he would do the plumbing, the electrics, the sewerage system and he had no certificates. But that was then.
In today's society we are all consider to be to damn stupid? that we need certificates for everything! Sadly it's the world we live in.
On my level 2 just finished I had to be taught how to safely erect a ladder!!! If my dad was still about he would go mental with this. What has happened to common sense?
Maybe certificates is another way to increase public spending and a way I don't know to pay for a few more tutors and keep them in a job?
Once I achieve my qualifications yes, I will be a qualified electrician, experienced? Absolutely not but this is what has been laid ahead of us unfortunately.
To those of you that mentioned crash courses, I would absolutely run a mile from these. There is no way all that I have done in this level 2 that could possibly be crammed in a two or even a month crash course. Not to mentioned that these courses are a rip off as well.
Regards,
Albert
