Whats the future hold for the electrician

[AP Electrical]

As the title says what's the future hold for electricians in general, reading today about the new 2397 Di nvq which in my mind just puts an even greater split in the electrical industry, there's talk of a jib card for this nvq also, is this the straw that will break the camels back, does this just make Di's actual recognised electricians ? Not looking for a slanging match just thought it could make an interesting debate as to where the general electrician will be in say 5/10 years time.

 

[needasparks]

All i can say is remember when your on holiday in spain and wherever you go you see lashed up electrics pubs, shops etc and its concidered the norm.
well get ready to see more here....................

 

[somersetsparks]

As far as I'm concerned, a domestic installer shouldn't exist, no offence to those that are. Yes you may be clouting walls most of the time but sometimes you may need some of theoretical knowledge gleaned from college. I.e. regarding TT systems etc. There is just to much overlap to divide between domestic and commercial/industrial. Im my book no-one can be a sparks in 4 weeks.

Just though I better add - this ain't a dig at the domestic installers - you are doing what you have been told to do / told you can do!

 

[alarm man]

good post ap,10 yrs time the industry will be gasping for air,its on its knees now,by that time most other trades will be in the same boat.

 

[AP Electrical]

I can't see it ending well they dumb it down much more and it would be harder getting qualified to flip burgers...

 

[johnboy6083]

I see the wages dropping, jobs being harder to come by, and skilled electricians being a rare commodity.
This is why I'm studying to be an elec engineer, as I feel that I will have a career, and a chance at a decent life with decent wages, not working all my life with nothing to show but bad back, knees ect and no pension

 

[dcelectrical]

we need some distinctions between commercial industrial and domestic and the stuff taught at college does not really prepare you for any of it, i am not sure that wheeling out housebashers is the answer and i also think it might end badly with the already fully qualified sparks having to go back to college to sit in a room and be taught on those small wooden boards again, maybe they could have a course on how to spot a properly qualified sparks for potential clients, i think a licensing system based on achieved skills would be more pertinant but i am not sure i could afford to pay for another governing body.

 

[dcelectrical]

who mentioned pensions > david is currently shifting from side to side in his chair nervously <

 

[ipf]

who mentioned pensions > david is currently shifting from side to side in his chair nervously <

Well, if the trade goes downhill as fast as pensions, we'll be going down the pan before retirement.

 

[i=p/u]

just pull your membership from schemes, make them un sustainable

 

[malcolmsanford]

 

[UNG]

I think we have to accept the days of the tradesman as we knew it are long gone

As for the electrical industry those who did their training by the recognised traditional methods have been badly let down by all parts of it in the dash for cash and the previous government with it's growth strategy in construction

When people realise that electricians don't earn £50k the rush for the 5 week courses will die

City & Guilds are the biggest culprits their course and exam structure is the main reason this industry is on it's ???? (fill as appropriate). Being able to take exams in the peripheral and additional qualifications without any core electrical qualification is the most laughable thing this industry has allowed. The "City & Guilds Qualified" doesn't have any kudos any more when IMO City & Guilds qualified has been destroyed by the quick course wonders

The JIB lost it's status within the industry a number of years ago and is probably only hanging on in the hope of an electricians licencing scheme being created

Part P and the competent persons schemes just show a lack of understanding of what is a qualified and therefore competent tradesman

Where we go from here is anyone's guess, the accountants in the larger companies have squeezed budgets to the extent that proper training is almost non existent and the proliferation of quick training companies have proved providing quality training doesn't matter how the instructors / lecturers can deliver at this level and sleep at night makes me wonder

As we are on the slippery slope heading into the abyss I'm unsure where it will end up as we get more complicated electrical systems and equipment and poorer training

 

[Fin170]

I think part p, 5 week courses and general dumbing down will eventually cut a large division between domestic electricians and industrial/commercial electricians, the former being paid reasonably well and domestic wages dropping with increased competition

I also wonder what increased information over the internet will do for the DIYer

Going to start 'adding strings to my bow' i think....

 

[AP Electrical]

Good comments pretty much on a par with my thoughts, UNG made a good point about the recognised route electrician being let down, this is what's been bugging me if a time served spark works mainly residential he might as well have just done the 5 week course which as far as I can figure includes the nvq portion as well, saves himself three years and gets earning within months, then after a year go approved contractor with nicky and start tending on some bigger jobs and start flooding the commercial sector also.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Think there are a few mores years for commercial/industrial as a Electrical Trainee will be found out very quickly in this environment.

Not just for the containment part as this area is mostly done by mates/teams now but technically. They will have to get a grasp of 3 phase systems, motor circuits, alarms, etc etc.

Rewiring an house is perhaps the most "technically" demanding and perhaps the most expensive installation in a domestic situation where a typical rewire would be 3-4K.

On commercial/industrial a lighting installation alone could be double that and training, knowledge and experience would all come into the pot of design, cost and implementation

I know from my experience in all domestic and mostly all light commercial I would not need to do any deign calcs at all, my training and experience pretty much carries me for this.

But even now in many instances I do have to calc things and unless you have been trained first and then acquired the experience to do these calcs, you could easily either over price and not get awarded the project or worse under price and lose thousands

 

[AP Electrical]

Think there are a few mores years for commercial/industrial as a Electrical Trainee will be found out very quickly in this environment.

Not just for the containment part as this area is mostly done by mates/teams now but technically. They will have to get a grasp of 3 phase systems, motor circuits, alarms, etc etc.

Rewiring an house is perhaps the most "technically" demanding and perhaps the most expensive installation in a domestic situation where a typical rewire would be 3-4K.

On commercial/industrial a lighting installation alone could be double that and training, knowledge and experience would all come into the pot of design, cost and implementation

I know from my experience in all domestic and mostly all light commercial I would not need to do any deign calcs at all, my training and experience pretty much carries me for this.

But even now in many instances I do have to calc things and unless you have been trained first and then acquired the experience to do these calcs, you could easily either over price and not get awarded the project or worse under price and lose thousands

With the advent of plug and play systems and factory manufactured modular systems I don't think it'll be to long before 95% of the job is downgraded to installer electrical trainee or not.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Are we not a few years off of that though AP for any kind of smaller installation.

Before I came back over here in 2010 I tested a new hospital in Kent and that was plug and play and I was chatting to the lads there and they were saying the same as you. I just felt though listening to what they are saying that it was good for larger designs where similarity was assured. But as soon as you had to "Bespoke" something as in say an individual factory you were having problems

I agree though mate, I'm fast becoming a dinosaur, where you now have software costing less than 100 pound that will do any cable calcs you want, and as you say plug and play will become cheaper and more versitile

I can see me sitting in a pub somewhere muttering into my drink .............in the good old days