change wanted! Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[chopper]

I've seen the light and I want to take the plunge and be a sparky. Whats the most preferred route. I worked in London and now Im 35 and I know it's a haul training up- not a problem for me anyway. I live in ******* and want to incorporate a hectic schedule to get going asap. I need to get some training and qualifications under my belt. Anywhere in *******/Kent worth a swipe? Know of a recommended course as starters where I can get on the ladder for recognised certifiction? Also, is it tough getting an apprenticeship at my age? Any advice welcome

[facwiz]

Go to evening college, i hope you like maths, you won't get an apprenticeship but don't worry, you won't need one, someone will employ you. Good luck and Good choice :)

[Add]

Hi,

I am also in the process of changing my career to become a sparky. Have a look at the thread called career change that I started a few months back.

Basically you will need to do the following :

city and guilds 2330 level 2 and 3
17th edition wiring regs ( need to do this next year earliest on 16th at the moment)
C+G 2391/2 testing and inspecting ( aim to do this in the 2nd year of the 2330 as it is a difficult course to pass)

While you are learning at the local college offer your services free of charge to a local registered firm who will give you the experiance you need to get started. Do this in your spare time if you need to hold down a full time job while you are learning.

When you are employed in the trade you will need to do the NVQ level 3.

You should be able to do the above at your local college either part time or full time ( I am doing the 2330 one night a week after I finish my regular job).

The wiring regs can be done over 5 days ( book time off work).

In addition to this I did a domestic installers course which can be used as a vechile to get into the trade and getting yourself registered with someone like NICEIC . See the website for requirements.

Good Luck

Add

[chopper]

Thanks for the responses..

I am due to sign on the dotted line this week and go on an intensive 20 week course to obtain my C&G2330 17th ed. in January. I found the course company via the C&G website so there shouldn't be any problems there. I aim to 2381 & 2391 course simulateously. Crikey!

As I am jacking in the daytime job to go domestic electric at the earlest opportunity, any additional thoughts welcomed.

thanks,
Chopper

[kbrownie]

HI,
Totally agree with above comments made, best route evening course 2330 level 2 two evenings a week, get good at maths especailly Transpossing formulas, check up on the electrical health and safety (EAWR).
Worry about doing regs in a couple of years as they are changing anyway in either Jan or April 2008 and plenty to learn before that. Get a bit of part-time work on weekend or the odd evening your not at college for hands on knowledge.
I come from West Yorks. so can't recommend any suitable places of learning for you, i'm sure they'll be construction based colleges nearby.
Get yourself some tools and make yourself a board with sockets, switches, lights etc.. To wire up, practise and test at home.
Recommended books; BS7671 iee regs, on-site guide and
Electrical Installations: 2330 Technical Certificate & 2356 NVQ: Level 2,
Basic Electrical Installation Work by Trevor Linsey
Good Luck enjoy and your studies
Forget the crash courses, how can anybody learn that much and be any good in that time?
KB

[Newcomer]

I'm 59 and have just done an intensive 3 week course (www.ableskills.co.uk)
which included a one week intro and preparation course, a one week EAL VRQ Level 2 for Domestic Installers, a three day City & Guilds 2381 (16th Edition) and a two-day City & Guilds 2377 Pat testing. It makes your brain hurt and gives you a firm grounding in the regs and and basic compentances.

What is DOESN'T do is make you an electrician. That's experience and what I've been doing is going out with experienced sparkies - sometime paid, sometimes not. There's a lot of practical stuff to come to grips with particularly in the case of older installations that have been added to piece-meal but perhaps not the most safety minded owners.

I'm now signing up with ELECSA rather than NICEIC simply because they were more flexible when it came to the assessment process and generally helpful. Customers don't give a hoot who you're with so long as you're insured, professional and try to solve their problems creatively within the regs rather than just go for the most expensive off the-shelf solution.

[ma876]

Hi newcomer, have you had your assessment by elecsa yet? if so what did it roughly enatail? I recently completed a similar course as you and am preparing to register with elecsa. I am currently going through the process of being made redundant and have thaught about gaining further experience by working as an electricians mate for a short time.

[shaun007hull]

I was an a sparkies mate for 4 years then i took the plunge and went to tech college for one day a week for three years at my own expense( paying for the course and losing a days pay) There a no quick ways of becomming an electrician, by doing all these silly courses you are just lining other peoples pockets. save yourself a lot of time and do it right. you'll end up doing the job but only getting paid as a labourer. It's all about the money, speculate to accumulate.