Which courses should I be looking at...

[Davey Martin]

I am totally unqualified as electricians go but with my current (manufacturing) job in jeopardy I am looking at courses to be come a qualified domestic electrician.

I have done light electrical work around the home in the past, most recently replacing a shower unit (very basic, I know)... but it got me thinking it's something I'd like to do as a career.

Which courses do I need to be looking at so I'd be able to carry out work in other peoples' homes and what sort of time frame for training would you say is reasonable? I had seen two courses, one being the Part P (which I gather is essential anyway and is done over 5 days) and the other being for a Domestic Electrical Installer which is a 4 week intensive course. With having a new baby, being out of work for a long period isn't really an option so short courses like these, if they're any good, would be ideal.

Am I on the right path or should I be looking at doing it differently?

Thanks.

 

[robbalaar86]

Find an adult apprenticeship. Or at the very least work as a mate. These short courses are killing the industry.

Start on minimum wage and work your way up. May take four years to finish but it will stand you in good stead for the future. You cannot become a spark in a total of 5 weeks. Not in my opinion anyway

 

[kingeri]

You cannot become an electrician of any type by doing these short courses. At best, you will be a 'domestic installer', but be warned that you will have trouble gaining any respect as a tradesman. Also, the market is completely saturated with people who have done just what you're thinking of doing. Actual electricians, such as myself, spent years doing apprenticeships and attending college.

 

[Davey Martin]

Thanks robbalaar86, 5 weeks did seem a little short to me as well, hence asking. Is there much likely hood of me being able to work as a mate with someone wihthout any sort of paperwork? I'll get looking into the adult apprenticeship route!

Cheers for your input.

 

[Davey Martin]

Thanks kingeri, I guess there's always going to be reasons to do it either way... but I'd much rather be a fully qualified electrician than someone that knows how to wire a light and has a bit of paper that says so.

Also, in response to robbalaar86 I would have no issues working for a minimum wage if it gets me the qualifications I'd require.

 

[robbalaar86]

Thanks robbalaar86, 5 weeks did seem a little short to me as well, hence asking. Is there much likely hood of me being able to work as a mate with someone wihthout any sort of paperwork? I'll get looking into the adult apprenticeship route!

Cheers for your input.[/QUOTE
You're trying to enter an industry that even the best are struggling in chap.

I would imagine your best best would be to get a local one man band to take you on as a mate. However it's tough there isn't a great amount of work.

You could try the agencies you'll need a cscs card at the very least to get in site.

Good luck with it chap

 

[markc123]

I am totally unqualified as electricians go but with my current (manufacturing) job in jeopardy I am looking at courses to be come a qualified domestic electrician.

I have done light electrical work around the home in the past, most recently replacing a shower unit (very basic, I know)... but it got me thinking it's something I'd like to do as a career.

Which courses do I need to be looking at so I'd be able to carry out work in other peoples' homes and what sort of time frame for training would you say is reasonable? I had seen two courses, one being the Part P (which I gather is essential anyway and is done over 5 days) and the other being for a Domestic Electrical Installer which is a 4 week intensive course. With having a new baby, being out of work for a long period isn't really an option so short courses like these, if they're any good, would be ideal.

Am I on the right path or should I be looking at doing it differently?

Thanks.

They are sh**!

Contact a local college and get on an adult learning program, or find work as an electricians mate and do a night course.

You'll be as qualified in electrics as Eddy the Eagle was to ski jumping otherwise.

 

[Davey Martin]

Thanks mark, think this idea will have to go on the backburner for the time being. Don't fancy the idea of not seeing the baby grow up. Priorities and all that.

 

[Floody]

You wouldn't really be missing out on the baby growing up to be honest. You'd work as a mate your normal week, and attend college 1 maybe 2 nights a week. I currently do this and don't feel Im missing out at all with my son. And my misses doesn't really resent it as she knows its going to work out financially better for us in the next few years.

hope you get it sorted pal, but if your secretly thinking about ignoring what people tell you about the 5 week courses, don't! You really would be wasting your money and time. I'm only in year 2 of my 4 or 5 year venture, and there's no way in hell would I be able to know what I know now in 5 weeks. I took me 5 weeks alone to master conduit bending...

remember: Work + night school = respected tradesman

 

[tomspark93]

You wouldn't really be missing out on the baby growing up to be honest. You'd work as a mate your normal week, and attend college 1 maybe 2 nights a week. I currently do this and don't feel Im missing out at all with my son. And my misses doesn't really resent it as she knows its going to work out financially better for us in the next few years.

hope you get it sorted pal, but if your secretly thinking about ignoring what people tell you about the 5 week courses, don't! You really would be wasting your money and time. I'm only in year 2 of my 4 or 5 year venture, and there's no way in hell would I be able to know what I know now in 5 weeks. I took me 5 weeks alone to master conduit bending...

remember: Work + night school = respected tradesman

Well Said, I currently work through the week and then attend college for three hours on a wednesday night. Just about finished my 2330 level 3 and hopefully looking to get my 2394 & 2395 booked in a few months. Confident with testing procedures, just need to brush up on my bed time reading skills and hammer in the info :90:

 

[Funky Gibbons]

Well Said, I currently work through the week and then attend college for three hours on a wednesday night. Just about finished my 2330 level 3 and hopefully looking to get my 2394 & 2395 booked in a few months. Confident with testing procedures, just need to brush up on my bed time reading skills and hammer in the info :90:

Hello mate I see you've done your level 2 how did find it ? I recieved my letter today from Liverpool Community College got an appoitment on the 17/03/1013 yhey've invited me in as part of the application process I've been a mate for 5 years now and looking to gets some qualifications I've got lots of experience of Industrial instullations, speaking of them Fasts Track courses I've never done 1 and I never will how can you be taught everything in 5 weeks it could take more than 5 weeks to master the art of bending steel conduit I honestly think a time served spark could teach you more in 1 day than any fast track course. You can always tell the fast track boys not many can bend steel conduit straight 90's are easy but when you've got to put kicks init and bend it round pipe's it can be tricky.

 

[telectrix]

You wouldn't really be missing out on the baby growing up to be honest. You'd work as a mate your normal week, and attend college 1 maybe 2 nights a week. I currently do this and don't feel Im missing out at all with my son. And my misses doesn't really resent it as she knows its going to work out financially better for us in the next few years.

hope you get it sorted pal, but if your secretly thinking about ignoring what people tell you about the 5 week courses, don't! You really would be wasting your money and time. I'm only in year 2 of my 4 or 5 year venture, and there's no way in hell would I be able to know what I know now in 5 weeks. I took me 5 weeks alone to master conduit bending...

remember: Work + night school = respected tradesman

bloody ell floody. i been bending conduit on and off for donkeys and still can't get a saddle right. should have had more practice when i was a whippersnapper.

 

[Floody]

Haha I'm no genius at it either. I'd love to find one tho....

 

[tomspark93]

Hello mate I see you've done your level 2 how did find it ? I recieved my letter today from Liverpool Community College got an appoitment on the 17/03/1013 yhey've invited me in as part of the application process I've been a mate for 5 years now and looking to gets some qualifications I've got lots of experience of Industrial instullations, speaking of them Fasts Track courses I've never done 1 and I never will how can you be taught everything in 5 weeks it could take more than 5 weeks to master the art of bending steel conduit I honestly think a time served spark could teach you more in 1 day than any fast track course. You can always tell the fast track boys not many can bend steel conduit straight 90's are easy but when you've got to put kicks init and bend it round pipe's it can be tricky.

Hi, I agree with about how you can't learn in five weeks etc.
As for how i found it, well I did my level 2 in leeds and I'm finishing off my level 3 in sheffield (the change is due to living arrangements not course quality). Now, If you have something about you which i'm presuming you do been as you have been working as a mate for 5 years then you should fly through it with out any hiccups. The course content isn't too hard and is at a farely slow pace so that everyone can keep up.

The majority of exams are multiple choice on a computer with a couple of practical assessments from what I can remember. I think the practical assessment involved mounting an 8-way C/U; a mock SWA supply, a Ring main in PVC conduit; A two-way lighting in Steel conduit wired in singles which then fed a light using fp200, and finally a clipped direct one-way light. That might sound a lot but remember it is all surface mounted on a ply wood board which for me was no bigger than 1.5m wide and 2m high. You had to also right a materials list and work out the mounting heights complying with BS7671.

Personally I found the level 2 a bit slow at times but equally i would reccomend it as the route to go down as a oppose to a fast track course. The electical principles part of the course (unit 202) was probably the hardest as this is where you learn the science behind it all and the formulas. Me being me though i actually enjoyed this as your actually applying the maths to something practical. If you Excel in this area instead of trying to blag your way through the exams it will set you in good shape for moving on to your level 3. I'm only saying that as i know a lot of people on my course got away with that and still came out with pass's and credits.

Hope this is of some help, rant over lol

Tom

 

[Tesla1980]

I would not bother becoming a domestic electrician mate the market is flooded with them stick to your current job most on here are domestic electricians

 

[Oh_Dear]

Hi, where did u manage to find a nightschool in Sheffield that offers this course, been looking for a while, looks like only option round were here is Donny college, n that's 2 days a week. Cheers

 

[philnorth82]

Hi, I agree with about how you can't learn in five weeks etc.
As for how i found it, well I did my level 2 in leeds and I'm finishing off my level 3 in sheffield (the change is due to living arrangements not course quality). Now, If you have something about you which i'm presuming you do been as you have been working as a mate for 5 years then you should fly through it with out any hiccups. The course content isn't too hard and is at a farely slow pace so that everyone can keep up.

The majority of exams are multiple choice on a computer with a couple of practical assessments from what I can remember. I think the practical assessment involved mounting an 8-way C/U; a mock SWA supply, a Ring main in PVC conduit; A two-way lighting in Steel conduit wired in singles which then fed a light using fp200, and finally a clipped direct one-way light. That might sound a lot but remember it is all surface mounted on a ply wood board which for me was no bigger than 1.5m wide and 2m high. You had to also right a materials list and work out the mounting heights complying with BS7671.

Personally I found the level 2 a bit slow at times but equally i would reccomend it as the route to go down as a oppose to a fast track course. The electical principles part of the course (unit 202) was probably the hardest as this is where you learn the science behind it all and the formulas. Me being me though i actually enjoyed this as your actually applying the maths to something practical. If you Excel in this area instead of trying to blag your way through the exams it will set you in good shape for moving on to your level 3. I'm only saying that as i know a lot of people on my course got away with that and still came out with pass's and credits.

Hope this is of some help, rant over lol

Tom

Wherein Leeds did you do your level 2? I've been looking at similar courses in the area and could only see one at the building college. Also would you recommend where you went?
Thanks

 

[James Thompson]

Best thing you can do mate is a 2365 City & Guilds course. Will give you all the electrical experience you will need.

If you visit the website 2365 to read up more about the course itself.

It is offered here under a distance learning scheme, so you can learn at your own pace. That way you won't have to miss a minute of your baby growing up.

Hope this helps!