Advice on route to take to become an electrician

[kme]

Sorry - think I`m the confused one now....

Given the C&Gs you have or are getting, where does this "NVQ evidence" come into play? I was of the understanding that there were two paths to take- NVQ or C&G. If I`ve missed something important........???????????Wet Fish:coat

 

[Zeespark]

Louis, if you have the 2330, dont bother with the Part P course, everything in it is covered by the 2330.

Andy

 

[boogaloo]

Hey Louis, it takes around 4 years to become an electrician. If you can't get an apprenticeship then you need to get employed somewhere as an electricians mate. During this time apply to the JIB for some sort of grading. Also, try to get some money together to take courses on night school (we are assuming you are working during the day) leading up to 2382-10 plus a practical exam I believe is called an AM2. If you complete these steps, 4 years working in the trade, college work completed, then I believe you could get graded as a JIB electrician.

Anything less than 4 years work experience then you are not an electrician, but an electrical employee. Do not be fooled by these fast track courses who con people out of their money by promising them they will be electricians. No-one in the trade is fooled.

There are too many people out there trying to devalue what was once a highly respected trade. For a long time it took 5 years to be able to call yourself an electrician (the union apprentice electricians in the United States and Canada are still 5 years), then it became 4 years, and somehow people started to accept 3 years. This is nonsense. The only exception I see to this would be military trade school.

I will state this again. Less than 4 years in the trade and you are not an electrician. I am sure this will annoy a lot of people here who may be looking for an easier way in, but the truth hurts. If you call yourself an electrician with less than 4 years in the trade then you devalue what it really means to be an electrician.

 

[louisIV]

Sorry - think I`m the confused one now....Given the C&Gs you have or are getting, where does this "NVQ evidence" come into play? I was of the understanding that there were two paths to take- NVQ or C&G. If I`ve missed something important........???????????Wet Fish:coat

What I've been told up to now is that the C&G side gets my paper qualifications (ie the theory) and the NVQ3 shows that I have mastered the practical side. This makes sense to me, particularly as I'm aware of how much more solidly I learn something if I'm actually doing it, as opposed to reading books about it.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 12:05 ---------- Previous post was made at 12:01 ----------

Louis, if you have the 2330, dont bother with the Part P course, everything in it is covered by the 2330.Andy

OK Zeespark. Useful to know - although I understand that if I have done the 2330, I can do a one-day 'top-up' course and take the exam for a fraction of the full course cost. (A fraction could be 95% for all I know though )

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 12:11 ---------- Previous post was made at 12:05 ----------

Boogaloo - I know what you're saying. One thing I've come to understand since setting out on this re-training is just how much there is to know. As someone has pointed out on another thread, there's qualified and there's competent - in the legal and practical senses of the words.

I'm not on a fast-track course, though I almost got suckered into one back when I first started looking into how to train up. I'm not finding the college a problem - I'm consistently in the top three of my class, but I need the practical experience.

LIV.

 

[steptoe]

What I've been told up to now is that the C&G side gets my paper qualifications (ie the theory) and the NVQ3 shows that I have mastered the practical side. This makes sense to me, particularly as I'm aware of how much more solidly I learn something if I'm actually doing it, as opposed to reading books about it.---------- Post Auto-Merged at 12:05 ---------- Previous post was made at 12:01 ----------

OK Zeespark. Useful to know - although I understand that if I have done the 2330, I can do a one-day 'top-up' course and take the exam for a fraction of the full course cost. (A fraction could be 95% for all I know though )

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 12:11 ---------- Previous post was made at 12:05 ----------

Boogaloo - I know what you're saying. One thing I've come to understand since setting out on this re-training is just how much there is to know. As someone has pointed out on another thread, there's qualified and there's competent - in the legal and practical senses of the words.

I'm not on a fast-track course, though I almost got suckered into one back when I first started looking into how to train up. I'm not finding the college a problem - I'm consistently in the top three of my class, but I need the practical experience.

LIV.

exactly, up until a year ago I hadnt been qualified for a long time, I never held a 16th, only a 15th and then a 2391 to 16th, but not a 2381,

then again, some(a lot) would still say Im not competent either. :slap

 

[Bane]

Sorry - think I`m the confused one now....Given the C&Gs you have or are getting, where does this "NVQ evidence" come into play? I was of the understanding that there were two paths to take- NVQ or C&G. If I`ve missed something important........???????????Wet Fish:coat

This has been a bone of contention for myself also and the amount of lecturers I ask is also the amount of different answers I receive.

Apparently the NVQ Level 3 is work based evidence to support you as being competent. You can only partake in the NVQ (C&G 2356 I believe) if you are in the industry.

Basically, you are assigned an assessor who is required to visit you on site at least once every 13weeks ( a good one will see you every week at least), will observe you working, ask you some questions, take photographic evidence of whatever you are doing etc. Then he compiles a report and a 'plan of action' (next visit, would like to see you doing trunking, example) which you both agree to and sign.

All this 'evidence' etc goes towards compiling your log book which consists of 8 units covering:

Safe systems of work (Health and Safety)

Different types of containment (Trunking, conduit, basket etc)

2nd fixing

If anyone wants the full list, let me know.

Once you've completed your log book, you gain the NVQ.

The problem is whether or not you actually 'need' the NVQ L3. I think without it you are not actually classed as approved.

As for the AM2, again, I hear that if you have 5yrs practical/site experience you don't actually need to do it but I just take it as a given that I will be doing it.

Don't take everything I've just said as gospel. Just what I hear/am told.