Discussion
Not sure whether this is for Jobs section or S,G&S.
Decided to widen my horizons a bit to be able to take on a wider selection of jobs. Currently I deal with WiFi but covid put a short end to jobs presently. I'm due to start an electrician course in January too as it's something I've wanted to do for a while now.
Wanting to get some decent certs under my belt that are recognised. City & Guilds seems a good place as it's widely accepted, so I'm going to try and do a PAT testing qualification with them also.
I've had to change a few things with regards to my target market for my business and feel this may be a good way forward. Finding a cabling cert is a little harder though. I know how to cable basic RJ45/11, but having a cert makes it all the more easier as I work on establishing myself.
Anyone shed some light into the best ethernet/coaxial/fibre courses and the benefits of going for said course?
Decided to widen my horizons a bit to be able to take on a wider selection of jobs. Currently I deal with WiFi but covid put a short end to jobs presently. I'm due to start an electrician course in January too as it's something I've wanted to do for a while now.
Wanting to get some decent certs under my belt that are recognised. City & Guilds seems a good place as it's widely accepted, so I'm going to try and do a PAT testing qualification with them also.
I've had to change a few things with regards to my target market for my business and feel this may be a good way forward. Finding a cabling cert is a little harder though. I know how to cable basic RJ45/11, but having a cert makes it all the more easier as I work on establishing myself.
Anyone shed some light into the best ethernet/coaxial/fibre courses and the benefits of going for said course?
Where are you looking at working? Domestic, commercial? Large 'site' projects or smaller stuff? I do AV stuff and have no qualifications or certs and have never been asked for them.
Getting an electrical qualification can take some time and can be expensive, do you want to do electrician work?
Getting an electrical qualification can take some time and can be expensive, do you want to do electrician work?
Initially it's all smaller stuff. I understand this takes time and if rather get there organically.
The electrician course is something I am going to be doing part time whilst working.
The PAT testing course was a couple of days but gives a cert.
Wasn't sure if any short courses were available that were of benefit in regards to cabling just to make me stand out.
The electrician course is something I am going to be doing part time whilst working.
The PAT testing course was a couple of days but gives a cert.
Wasn't sure if any short courses were available that were of benefit in regards to cabling just to make me stand out.
I wouldn't pay for a course unless it was an industry body
& recognised rather than a manufacturer.
I suppose if you had no knkwledge it would be a useful start point, but don't expect it to instantly open doors and generate business.
Happy to talk through the smart home implications if you'd like.
V
& recognised rather than a manufacturer.
I suppose if you had no knkwledge it would be a useful start point, but don't expect it to instantly open doors and generate business.
Happy to talk through the smart home implications if you'd like.
V
Yes, unless you are a total novice and know nothing about network cabling, I doubt a basic course will be of much use. You could get most of the same info following some Youtube vides.
I'm not sure getting qualifications will help generate work. For instance domestic work, I doubt any customer will be interested in, or understand any qualifications you may have. They just want their internet/TV/Wifi to work. Word of mouth and recommendations win here.
More commercial work, then yes, a qualification may get you in the door. You really need to decide what type of work you will focus on. Will you be happy pulling miles of CAT6 on a building site? Will you be happy punching down 10s/100s off cables into a patch panel? Crawling around on you hands and knees punching down terminations in floor boxes?
Electrical work. A lot of the work is 1st fixing cables, chasing walls, lifting floor boards, crawling around in lofts. Or on the commercial side putting up cable trays and trunking, dragging armoured cables through risers. Is that what you want to do?
I would advise focusing on a market you want to work in, maybe specialise in a particular discipline, a particular product that needs specialist installation and programming, something you can earn money doing.
I'm not sure getting qualifications will help generate work. For instance domestic work, I doubt any customer will be interested in, or understand any qualifications you may have. They just want their internet/TV/Wifi to work. Word of mouth and recommendations win here.
More commercial work, then yes, a qualification may get you in the door. You really need to decide what type of work you will focus on. Will you be happy pulling miles of CAT6 on a building site? Will you be happy punching down 10s/100s off cables into a patch panel? Crawling around on you hands and knees punching down terminations in floor boxes?
Electrical work. A lot of the work is 1st fixing cables, chasing walls, lifting floor boards, crawling around in lofts. Or on the commercial side putting up cable trays and trunking, dragging armoured cables through risers. Is that what you want to do?
I would advise focusing on a market you want to work in, maybe specialise in a particular discipline, a particular product that needs specialist installation and programming, something you can earn money doing.
Thank you for your input chaps. Much obliged.
My working life has so far focussed on IT hardware/support. I've had a desire to get the electrical training done to widen horizons. I enjoy that type of work also. Seems as though there's more of that type of work which I'll be able to do from start to finish (if that makes sense in regards to hardware installs also).
The cabling qualifications is also something I've been wanting to get into with fibre/coaxial/RJ45 as I understand the technology. Having worked with broadband suppliers early on, I progressed to networks and eventually WiFi surveys.
I have PM experience also, so feel this is a natural step in being able to get qualifications and eventually bid for projects myself as I grow/my company grows.
Any information here is vital to direct me to be honest.
My working life has so far focussed on IT hardware/support. I've had a desire to get the electrical training done to widen horizons. I enjoy that type of work also. Seems as though there's more of that type of work which I'll be able to do from start to finish (if that makes sense in regards to hardware installs also).
The cabling qualifications is also something I've been wanting to get into with fibre/coaxial/RJ45 as I understand the technology. Having worked with broadband suppliers early on, I progressed to networks and eventually WiFi surveys.
I have PM experience also, so feel this is a natural step in being able to get qualifications and eventually bid for projects myself as I grow/my company grows.
Any information here is vital to direct me to be honest.
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