Would you have used a service like this?

[Sparky Ninja]

Hi all, I'll try to keep this brief...

I have been sparking, and testing for over ten years now. And have been teaching sessionally for the past few years also. Now some of my students, when they have done their 2330 and gone out on their own, have asked for me for advice here and there. So, as I'm self employed, I simply come to an agreement on what they're after and assisted them accordingly. Sometimes it's with help designing but often it's with NICEIC assessment prep and even more so testing and inspection.
The benefits of this have been that I have come to their site, their installations and assisted them with their equipment which has really helped build up their confidence. I've monitored their filling of forms, all paperwork being done with their branding.
I had a guy on Wednesday who, when I asked if the job had been notified, assumed his coming application for the niceic would mean he wouldn't have to notify. So I have arranged a meeting with him next week to sit down with part P in hand and some reference material and I will drill it into him till he is happy he understands. The company director has asked me if I can do this more regularly for his guys, including things like toolbox talks on things like safe isolation procedure etc..

So I am wondering if this would work commercially? Will electricians who aren't fully confident want a third party to assist where they can? Or will they be too proud?
I'm thinking more around the college leavers area at first.

All of my work would be anonymous to clients if necessary, as I'm not there to do the work as much as I am there to show by example to build up the electricians confidence.



So my question really is would anyone here have taken up on a service like this if they felt it would have been of benefit to them?
I'm just seek the impression of electricians who DONT know me...


Thx

David

 

[philip962]

I think it is a good idea it can only improve the trade I would be intrested for sure

 

[DurhamSparky]

your service would be greatly appreciated and yes i do belive you have just found a gap in the market!

 

[mnmwill]

I think a lot of people would find post qualifying mentoring a very useful thing. With the adult learners and the influx of people doing short courses it could be something that may well take off. I think everyone knows or soon comes to realise that working in the real world, on real installations as oppose to test rigs, is a hell of a lot different. Once you have finished your course, exams, etc. there is no real support when you need it, but if you had someone you could call on for the advice that you needed it could certainly help you on your way.

 

[Phil]

a mentor is an invaluable service, i had the benefit of having a real good guy that i worked with after qualifying and the tips and experience you can gain from someone in the real world is priceless. i myself try to pass on as much as i can to anyone who is happy to learn

 

[DiscoDave]

I think it's an extremely viable idea. You only have to look at some of the questions posed up here to see that even when you are qualified with experience there's always something else to learn.

good luck with it.

 

[Rikki Barrett]

Its always good to have someone who is certain/experienced/qualified more than yourself to check any uncertaintys that you find, especially after leaving college. My college tutor was a walking talking BRB, with experience to match, it was really handy to have someone like him to give you hard and fast answers. To have that contact/servce would be priceless.

I know a mechanic who does this for MOTs, customer brings there car and he checks it will pass the MOT.
Same principle I think.

 

[ezzzekiel]

just stolen your idea - thanks

 

[Guest123]

I feel you would need top line PI insurance....

 

[Sanke]

Hi widdler
Yes I think this is a great idea After recently qualifying & starting to look at a few jobs you soon realise how much you don't know I am lucky & have two separate electricians that I can call & get help but having someone to work on a job with me would certainly be something that i would consider

 

[Sparky Ninja]

I feel you would need top line PI insurance....

£634.76p per annum at the moment

 

[lloyd1980]

absolutley cracking idea mate!!!
I am fully qualified, am as qualified as I can be 2391 etc, in the college years the regs book seems second nature and quoting disconnection times etc is just as easy
as the saying goes if you dont use it you lose it, once youve qualified you just do your job or work and get used to doing things your way and forget the big red to an extent
I think a service such as yours would be a great thing, as im sure there are sparks me included who come accorss things from time to time where you are scratching your head, especially on fault finding, not so much on regs as you can ring tech support with the NIC
go for it
Lloyd

 

[juliapho]

This is really interesting! I would definitely use it! I would say to go for it!

 

[MNR]

I agree this is a good idea. The foreman on our company does this ( 35+ electricians ) ranging from straight out of there time to old timers. Me just qualified find myself calling him at least once a week to clear things up, and some people don't have anyone like that to clear things up brilliant idea.

 

[Guest123]

Would you be looking at financial gain via this enterprise Widdler???

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Would you be looking at financial gain via this enterprise Widdler???

It's not necessaryily trying to gain, more trying to help the industry.
My existing situation puts me in a position to observe many 'electricians' of whoms opinion to the way they apply there craft worries me. I see it also on the forums, which is why I am always involved with them.

Now I would much rather try to help other guys be great at there job, giving them the best I can from my experience, than just let them carry on in a manner where they are not assured or even confident in themselves.

Now I'm not saying my way of doing things is the way it should be done, far from it. However, I've got confidence in myself and my work. I have been taching for a number of years now, and it has developed a skill within me that enables me to translate jargon into the simplest applied examples.

The overall goal is for the electricians to benefit, and for all the creases to get ironed out in their understandings.

Financially I havn't even considered it. I've agreed a rate with one of my clients of £20 per hour and I have stuck with it. So for £20 per hour, I will come to your installation, carry out any necessary work like testing etc with your observation, and then you have a go. Then we'll go into anything else required. be it filling of forms, more testing, or toolbox talks on isolation procedures and part P etc..

I'm not looking to score from the worries and concerns of other sparkies, I want to get worries and concerns out of their heads so they can crack on.

 

[Guest123]

I'm just interested is all.

I'll send you a PM mate.

 

[kcr.kevin]

Fantastic idea . Anybody in Sheffield area willing to do the same?