Any electricians on here?

[milkround]

I'm considering a career change. And have been thinking about what I enjoy. I have a bit of experience of electricity and enjoy it. I've done things like installing lights, sockets outside etc. I even started a PhD in electrical engineering. I have a fairly solid understanding of how it works. And I even have a fair amount of tools already (not specialist electical test equipment) - but big/small drills, half a dozen fluke meters etc most none specialist stuff a domestic spark would have.

I wondered if anyone could give advice on the best way to get started if I'm thinking about it? I'm probably too old for an apprenticeship (in my 30's). But I could possibly have other skills that a firm might be able to use whilst I am leaning 'on the job'. I can drive lorries, so can tow and drive bigger vehicles. I can operate cranes and have tickets for this etc.

Any advice or suggestions? I'm happy to take a pay cut for a few years if I go for this. But at the moment it's just an idea I'm figuring out. Cheers

[lyonspride]

Get 18th edition, you can do an online course for around £450, then you just go into a test centre, do the test and your a qualified spark.

Considering it myself as truly sick of being treated like crap in electronic engineering when I could do electrical stuff self employed, easier work, earn twice as much and not have to deal with all the sh*t. £20'000 worth of education down the drain and I recently threw out all my old course work from 20 years ago and just couldn't believe the complexity of what I had to learn, but f**k it, I just want to earn enough so that I can do what I love in my spare time, instead of doing it in a compromised way to make someone I don't like, rich.

If you want to do engineering at a high enough level to match a sparks wages, you'll have to move to somewhere like Germany.

[Teddy Lop]

lyonspride said:

Get 18th edition, you can do an online course for around £450, then you just go into a test centre, do the test and your a qualified spark.

this will prove you can reference the book but is zero practical worth.

OP where do you see yourself in 10 years, how do you envisage the job?

[milkround]

Teddy Lop said:

this will prove you can reference the book but is zero practical worth.

OP where do you see yourself in 10 years, how do you envisage the job?

I have no idea where I'll be in 10 years. In a dream world I'd be in Thailand drinking cocktails and playing golf. I envisage the job is often dirty, uncomfortable and a pain in the backside. But I enjoy practical things and working on new things. I can't see myself ever wanting to do site type work.

I have no problem with the wiring side of things. I'd not be so clever when it comes to ripping down a ceiling or internal walls apart and trying to put them back together. To be honest, if I was younger I'd go for an apprenticeship to learn that stuff. But I just can't see me doing that now.

I'm in a position where I can do the City and Guilds level 3 Initial and Periodic Inspection and Testing of Electrical Installations for free as I'm in Wales and I'm currently going agency work. They do it over about 8 days. Is this course any good?

They also have a PAT testing course and the 18th Editions Regs course. Any recommendation on any of these?

Edited by milkround on Wednesday 11th November 21:48

[lyonspride]

milkround said:

I have no idea where I'll be in 10 years. In a dream world I'd be in Thailand drinking cocktails and playing golf. I envisage the job is often dirty, uncomfortable and a pain in the backside. But I enjoy practical things and working on new things. I can't see myself ever wanting to do site type work.

I have no problem with the wiring side of things. I'd not be so clever when it comes to ripping down a ceiling or internal walls apart and trying to put them back together. To be honest, if I was younger I'd go for an apprenticeship to learn that stuff. But I just can't see me doing that now.

I'm in a position where I can do the City and Guilds level 3 Initial and Periodic Inspection and Testing of Electrical Installations for free as I'm in Wales and I'm currently going agency work. They do it over about 8 days. Is this course any good?

They also have a PAT testing course and the 18th Editions Regs course. Any recommendation on any of these?

Edited by milkround on Wednesday 11th November 21:48

You don't need qualifications for PAT testing and there has never been a legal requirement for it to be carried out, I looked into it quite closely at a former employer. Anyone can do it if they have the equipment and is generally competent.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-ap...

It started out with the right intentions, but most equipment does not actually need testing, of course many people don't know this so they're quite happy for someone to test "3000" pieces of equipment, of which only a handful fit the requirements. For example any double insulated appliance with no earth connection, cannot be tested, but these people "test" (put a sticker on) them anyway. It's a bit a scam industry to be entirely honest.

[lyonspride]

Teddy Lop said:

lyonspride said:

Get 18th edition, you can do an online course for around £450, then you just go into a test centre, do the test and your a qualified spark.

this will prove you can reference the book but is zero practical worth.

OP where do you see yourself in 10 years, how do you envisage the job?

Well I've got a lot of experience, but don't have 18th (have 16th), so I cannot do it and cannot gain employment doing it.

I've applied to a lot of electrical maintenance jobs in my time, but these days experience won't get you past the agencies, only a worthless piece of paper will.

[TVR Tommy]

So I've made a move from the IT world over the Electrical maintenance I was 34 when I did this. Hopefully just about to finish my C&G 2365 level 3 night course at college end of December

To be fully qualified (paper work) as a domestic spark and get your Gold JIB card you need to do

C&G 2365 level 2
C&G 2365 level 3
AM2 test
18th edition regs test

So I plumped for the 2 years of night course. That's twice a week 3 hours each lesson. I think it would be possible to do an intensive course and pass. But it won't be easy and a good understanding both practical and theoretically in electrics would be needed.

Cost so far about £4000 then AM2 is around £600 and 18th around £400.

[Countdown]

lyonspride said:

Teddy Lop said:

lyonspride said:

Get 18th edition, you can do an online course for around £450, then you just go into a test centre, do the test and your a qualified spark.

this will prove you can reference the book but is zero practical worth.

OP where do you see yourself in 10 years, how do you envisage the job?

Well I've got a lot of experience, but don't have 18th (have 16th), so I cannot do it and cannot gain employment doing it.

I've applied to a lot of electrical maintenance jobs in my time, but these days experience won't get you past the agencies, only a worthless piece of paper will.

Why don't you get 18th edition?

[lyonspride]

Countdown said:

lyonspride said:

Teddy Lop said:

lyonspride said:

Get 18th edition, you can do an online course for around £450, then you just go into a test centre, do the test and your a qualified spark.

this will prove you can reference the book but is zero practical worth.

OP where do you see yourself in 10 years, how do you envisage the job?

Well I've got a lot of experience, but don't have 18th (have 16th), so I cannot do it and cannot gain employment doing it.

I've applied to a lot of electrical maintenance jobs in my time, but these days experience won't get you past the agencies, only a worthless piece of paper will.

Why don't you get 18th edition?

Covid for a start........

[Royce44]

Don't do it!

Rates are through the floor, constant ammendments costing hundreds to keep up to date, construction industry is just one big blame game, looking to sting the next person. Dry liners cutting your cables as its in their way. Permit for this, permit for that. No radios on site. 5 point PPE to take light switch off the wall

Domestic work is hard work to earn a good day, time wasters constantly asking to reduce your rates to an undeliverable cost. Kare doesn't want any cables installed but magically wants a socket the other side of the room, Facebook messages at 10pm asking for an outdoor socket quote but needs it ASAP!!!!!!!

Insurances/ULEZ/CC etc etc etc. Trades turned to crap now and wouldn't recommend anyone move into it.

Wading through a river of negativity trying to post some positives but nothing....

If you can handle the above then definitely become a sparks 😉

[lyonspride]

Royce44 said:

Don't do it!

Rates are through the floor, constant ammendments costing hundreds to keep up to date, construction industry is just one big blame game, looking to sting the next person. Dry liners cutting your cables as its in their way. Permit for this, permit for that. No radios on site. 5 point PPE to take light switch off the wall

Domestic work is hard work to earn a good day, time wasters constantly asking to reduce your rates to an undeliverable cost. Kare doesn't want any cables installed but magically wants a socket the other side of the room, Facebook messages at 10pm asking for an outdoor socket quote but needs it ASAP!!!!!!!

Insurances/ULEZ/CC etc etc etc. Trades turned to crap now and wouldn't recommend anyone move into it.

Wading through a river of negativity trying to post some positives but nothing....

If you can handle the above then definitely become a sparks ??

Advantage = Being your own boss

That to me outweighs most of the negatives, and a good spark can earn more than your typical middle management.
Honestly I mean you're not tied to a bad job, terrible colleagues, office politics or a c*nt of a customer, you can walk.

[greggy50]

I am not a spark myself but do indirectly manage some in my role in FM.

Your best bet would be to get an apprenticeship so you can be paid to learn effectively. Once qualified you will probably get about £28-33k in FM as a spark plus overtime and call outs etc. You will need to do AM2, 18th ed and a few city & guilds bits also test and inspect is a nice to have as well.

In FM ours are fixed and its normally nice none complex work such as EL testing and remedial If you work for yourself or on conatruction sites you can make a lot more I believe and most of my lads probably do the odd foreigner on the weekend no doubt to top their wages up.

Edited by greggy50 on Thursday 19th November 18:18