Which path to take when Looking to train as Electrician

[Tazeem]

Hi all,

I am looking to train as an electrician but unsure which path to take.
there are several options and training centres but it's very confusing.
I am hoping I'll get some help here.
I was looking at the Part-P domestic installer and testing courses.
there seem to be two accreditations, one from Logic and the other one is with City & Guilds
Which is better?
any preferred training centre? (I am in London)

Here is what I accumulated and my understanding is that these courses will be needed in this order (correct me if I am wrong).
C&G 4555
C&G 2393
C&G 2382 -12
C&G 2392

I am currently in full time employment do any suggestions for evening or weekend training centres will be appreciated

 

[Chrisuk]

Hi all,

I am looking to train as an electrician but unsure which path to take.
there are several options and training centres but it's very confusing.
I am hoping I'll get some help here.
I was looking at the Part-P domestic installer and testing courses.
there seem to be two accreditations, one from Logic and the other one is with City & Guilds
Which is better?
any preferred training centre? (I am in London)

Here is what I accumulated and my understanding is that these courses will be needed in this order (correct me if I am wrong).
C&G 4555
C&G 2393
C&G 2382 -12
C&G 2392

I am currently in full time employment do any suggestions for evening or weekend training centres will be appreciated

Hi

I think if you have a spare £5700 you can pick one of the so called training centres, personally I don't them, I just did nearly 1 year doing evenings at college doing C&G 2365 but I've just got full time employment so will be starting an apprenticeship in September block release, I personally think this is the best route and doesn't cost nearly 6k

If your employment is not in the electrical industry I'd say do evenings at college, then in your final year do your nvq3 but it seems many are happy to fork out the 6k these days

Good luck pal

 

[shanky887614]

The 2393 is a pointless qualification, I think the 4555-04 is just a specification of an amalgamation of basic introductions to Electrical theory and practice.

This website may help you to assess the correct qualifications to obtain,
However note the 2330 is no longer available and has been replaced by the 2365.

The 2382 is one of the basic qualifications that is generally a necessity.
The 2392 (which should be withdrawn shortly and possibly replaced with something else) is a basic introduction to inspection and testing and can be used to progress on to the 2394.

misread

 

[Tazeem]

Unfortunately no I don't have £6K lying around. I work full time as a network engineer and my background is that I have a bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics engineering.this is something I want to take up on the side. Ideally I want to do evening or weekend attendance. I am competent enough to carry out the practical and just need a formal qualification and theoretical understanding to cover all grounds.

 

[Chrisuk]

Unfortunately no I don't have £6K lying around. I work full time as a network engineer and my background is that I have a bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronics engineering.this is something I want to take up on the side. Ideally I want to do evening or weekend attendance. I am competent enough to carry out the practical and just need a formal qualification and theoretical understanding to cover all grounds.

That's good that you don't want too do one of these £5700 home courses,I personally think it should be done via college
Call your local college, you could probably do 2 evenings per week and do the 2365 then you just need to do your nvq3 in your final year, but you need to be on site to complete that,

This is the only way I know, I've only been involved in this for a year

I really wish you luck

 

[Tazeem]

This is what I am considering:
Part P Training Courses in Kent
I am not sure how reputable the above mentioned company is bit they offer weekend training so it would be perfect as I won't have to take time off work.

Part-P course for Beginners (Weekends)
Course-1 (C&G 4555 & C&G 2393) 10-Days
Course-2 (C&G 2382-12) 17th edition 3-Days
Course-3 (C&G 2392) Inspection & Testing


Is there a validity period for these? i.e. do I need to renew skills every 5years to avoid losing qualification?

I still don't understand the difference between C&G and Logic accreditation

The cost by the way is £1595 and seems reasonable compared to others I looked at.

Any final words of wisdom or does this look good to you experienced people?

 

[Chrisuk]

I can't really say anything here that will help too much, if you want to be a qualified spark you will need a core qualification like 2365 or 2357 I think it is, and they take approx 3/4 years

2393 was already pointed out to be a pointless qualification
2382 is basic from what's been said


I know that 99% of sparks Who did the full 4 years and then some don't take to well to the short course route
now I'm not too sure what the ones are you mention but you said u are competent in doing the practical work, really we need someone with more knowledge to jump in but I think they will say get your core qual then the others

That's what I'd do anyway, just like I am doing!

 

[Adam W]

It depends what you want to achieve at the end of it. Most electricians spend 3-4 years at college one day a week while gaining practical experience the other 4 days. If they're going to be working as electricians and not electrical engineers then a degree in electrical engineering is a bit pointless.
If you've come from an unrelated field and take one of these boil in the bag courses at some cowboy training centre, you'll be known as a 'boil in the bag' or 'cowboy' electrician; I've met a few of them - nice enough people and probably really good at what they used to do, but not much use as electricians and with a know it all attitude.

 

[Richard Burns]

The courses you link to will not gain you accreditation as a qualified electrician.
They are basic introductory courses for electrical installation.
Able skills do also do other courses for further progression, but at a greater cost.
Have search for able skills on the forum and it may give you some further ideas.


Electrical qualifications are valid for a long time but you may need to take further courses as the regulations change, hopefully only update courses to cover the changes.

Logic certification has a few courses approved by the JIB/ECS for progression to approved status.
City and Guilds and EAL have a greater number of relevant courses.
These are different qualification bodies offering similar course content.

As Adam W says it depends on where you want to be qualification wise.
You say you want to do small jobs at the weekends, but for whom and how safely and correctly do you want to do these jobs.

 

[Tazeem]

This is becoming more confusing.
Surely I don't need 3/4 years of college to learn this.
like I mentioned already that I already have a bachelor's degree in electrical and electronics engineering.
I am part way through my Charted engineering from IET. I work are a network engineer and fully aware of Electrical safety.
I have working knowledge of installing lighting curcuits, ring mains sockets, consumer units and electric showers etc. that are certified by qualified electricians.

All I need now is the qualification to be able to certify my own work.

 

[Adam W]

I don't know what you actually know or just what you think you know, but a lot of people assume they can 'do electrics' and just need to register or something, then 'shadow' an electrician for a week or so before going out and charging for their services, but it turns out they actually know very little.
I appreciate wiring buildings may not need a degree; it's not rocket science, but it's not network engineering either.

Why do you want to do this? Surely network engineering is better paid?

 

[Tazeem]

Why do you want to do this? Surely network engineering is better paid?

Not entirely about money but it's something I want to achieve and need direction to achieve it

 

[Morley2012]

Do as Chris has said with the evening classes of the 2365 level 2/3 get your 17th ed the finish off with the nvq3 and add the 2394/5 at a later date and once it's all over apply for your gold card.

 

[oracle]

Summit Skills set the standard for qualifications. City and Guilds, EAL and Logic have to meet their requirements, whatever number they badge their courses with

 

[Adam W]

I would imagine Tazeem has already dipped his toe in the water and given up by now

 

[TJ Anderson]

It's funny actually. I want to be a Network Engineer. I am an Electrician, so I just want the certificate so I can start working as a Network engineer. I have connected up my own wireless router at home.....

 

[oracle]

Do as Chris has said with the evening classes of the 2365 level 2/3 get your 17th ed the finish off with the nvq3 and add the 2394/5 at a later date and once it's all over apply for your gold card.

Unfortunately that is not quite right. Your 2365 level 2/3 qualifies you as an electricians mate. 17th Edition and Inspection and Testing will make you an electrical improver. In order to do the 2357 NVQ you still have to do a bridging unit. Now you can get your NVQ. Then you have to do the AM2 (Trade Test) This will make you Eligible for the JIB gold card as a qualified electrician.

A better choice would be to do the 2357 level 3 course which includes the NVQ, then do 17th Edition, Inspection & testing and AM2. This will cost you less and take less time, which is why colleges prefer to make you do 2365 level 2 and 3 without the bother of managing the NVQ. Then they make a bit more selling you the Regs and Testing courses.

If anyone disagrees please don't start an argument with me, go to the City and Guilds website, type 2365, look in the centre documents, find the "Disclaimer" (electricians mate), "APL" (Accredited prior learning) bridging course from 2356 to 2357. The 2357 is achieved by a combination of the Technical Certificate and NVQ.

The obvious choice is 2357, but it's your money and your choice

 

[Adam W]

It's funny actually. I want to be a Network Engineer. I am an Electrician, so I just want the certificate so I can start working as a Network engineer. I have connected up my own wireless router at home.....

I've heard there's good money in that. What's the best van for a network engineer and who do I register with?