Thinking of retraining to be Electrician (plus data networking)

[carbore]

Hi, Im thinking of retraining as an electrician, mainly because there is not much work in my current careear in Corporate/Government IT down in Cornwall! (I currently commute to London). Also My grandfather was as sparky and so was my dad for a while. I also know that the regulations are ever more complex, but I don't have any worry about that sort of thing as im quite good when it comes to reading manuals etc.

Anyone know what the the training options are like, id need to do part time to fit around my current work (IT Contractor)

Also id think about doing data networking installs as well, Iv done a few CAT5 installs at home and small office, but nothing certificated.

[landy_bug]

hi, i trained as a electrician when i left school once qualified now work for myself but not on many wiring jobs, i now mainly do property maintenance as there are alot of sparkys in my area to compete with, also i don't think that there is all that much work available in general at the moment but it should pick up soon hopefully. it can be very rewarding as a job if you like a challenge, try and find some one who will take you on and train at the same time if you can cause you will learn more on the job than you can ever learn in a classroom, i don't do any networking so i wouldn't have a clue about that to be honest.

hope this helps a bit

chris

[dxmedia]

Either become a sparky or a network engineer.

I know a lot of people who lay networks, and only a couple who I'd say are any good. It isn't a case of crimping a connector on the end of some cat 6.

[winchman]

Being an engineer my self I see a big shortage of good electricians and fitters who can fix automated equipment, production / packaging lines etc.
The Younger people are not trained to the same standard people in there 40s are which is a shame.
I would stay away from domestic and learn industrial as then you can do both

[Saffy]

Being an engineer my self I see a big shortage of good electricians and fitters who can fix automated equipment, production / packaging lines etc.
The Younger people are not trained to the same standard people in there 40s are which is a shame.
I would stay away from domestic and learn industrial as then you can do both

aye that's the way we where guided as apprentices, industrial maintenance electricians with broad training then specialise in something. The first year full time EITB training for electrician also included electronics, fitting (bench - lathe - mill etc), welding and fabrication. My route didn't follow pure electrician but it was an excellent grounding and gave choices. Went into industrial engineering which was shirt and tie (but admittedly with rolled up sleeves and dirty nails). Then back to university for Mechatronics then Electronics which lead me into electro-mechanical-chemical international commissioning and service engineering within oil industry. But also uni had tipped me into an interest of I.T so followed that as a dual career choice and ended up doing Q.A on security projects.   Unfortunately couple of burnouts made me I ditch it all to live like a bum :D

[ChrisW70]

You're looking at least 2 years (assuming evening classes) before you get your C&G then data installation on top of that.
Problems we are finding with training is the lack of education establishments providing the correct course, our apprentices at the moment have to travel to Stourbridge from Solihull as that is the only college doing the course in the midlands.

The market at the moment is incredibly competitive, we're experiencing tender returns about 8% below budget estimates for projects and it looks like it's going to stay this way for at least the next 6 months for commercial work.

If you're looking at self-employed work doing small jobs like house rewires, extra sockets and data etc. you need to see what you would be up against in your area otherwise you need to be looking for a contractor looking to take someone in your position on, money wouldn't be brilliant until you're an approved electrician and the way the markets are, until they improve you could be out of a job quicker than you find one.

If you are serious in changing career then I would consider doing the night school / retraining alongside the current job and then look at what opportunities are available once qualified (sounds like you're thinking along these lines anyway) - that way the markets will probably have improved and more opportunities available.

[dxmedia]

A mate of mines just finished a 3 year course in being a certified sparky.

He's now working in a call center for the environment agency.

[winchman]

 Quote
If you are serious in changing career then I would consider doing the night school / retraining alongside the current job and then look at what opportunities are available once qualified (sounds like you're thinking along these lines anyway) - that way the markets will probably have improved and more opportunities available.Quote
Thats the best plan, but I would add you might have to take a few lesser jobs to start, but over a few years it will give you good experiance and lead to a better job

Oh isnt Mechatronics Fab, or am I sad???

[carbore]

ChrisW70

thanks for that info re C&G, can I do night school without a placement? Im thinking I need to maintain my income so provided im getting IT contracts, id be better off doing as much in the cassroom as possible so I can start off us far up as possible (as in not just unloading the van). Hopefully my DIY experiance would mean im not just sat at the back in a daze.

re prospect my thoughts are domestic, small industrial and farm. We dont have much big stuff down here although hotel builds etc (but id just work for a contactror on that for experiance).  Also I have a plot in Gloucestershire with planning for a house and some Barns on my farm that could be converted to holiday cottages, so plenty of scope there!

[ChrisW70]

You should be able to do a City & Guilds course without having an employer to put you through - as long as someone pays the course/exam fee's at the end of the day..!
Have a look round the net, I think it's the 2382 certificate you need (I think) plus you'll probably need a test and inspection certificate and get part P approval if you're going to be doing domestic work and certifying your installations.

[Mutz]

You will need 2391 for your testing and join either the NICEIC or Napit which is now recognised otherwise you wont be able to certificate your own work. A must if you want to be self employed.

Part P only covers you for Domestic.

Do the courses, get all the paperwork & hopefully by the time you get all that, the trade will have picked up.

Be warned tho most ppl want experienced sparkys.

Up till this year i have enjoyed being a sparky for nearly 40 years and have done all sorts of work, industrial, domestic, commercial, fault finding, testing, installations, rewires, petrol stations, hazardous areas etc etc etc. (I could go on & on)

Unfortunatly the building trade in genral is almost at a complete standstill and 8% less mentioned elsewhere is a moderate figure in reality.

The company i work for has cut the work force by 50% in the last 6 mths!!!!!!!

Good luck if you decide to go ahead.

[Lyndsey731]

Wish you the best of luck if you choose to do this, I've been doing it for 20 years, have been in the office for the last 9 and don't regret a moment of it, have to agree with everything MUTZ has said though it's tough at the moment, if you found yourself up against an experienced time served spark for a job your inevitably going to lose out. I wouldn't recommend being self employed to start with there is just too much that you have to know and it takes years to learn, if you look on the NIC website it will tell you everything you need to become affiliated and it's quite daunting. Getting yourself a place on a company where you can sit on peoples shoulders is the way forward, the more people you work with the more things you'll pick up. I don't know your age but I wouldn't worry about unloading the van! if you show an interest and have the ability to pick things up the lads will help you all the way, most apprentices that go to the shops, make the tea and unload the vans are the ones that are there because they don't know what else to do and you wouldn't trust with a pencil let alone tools with sharp pointy bits!!
Good luck

Gav