Alternative Career Paths And Options For A Spark?

[yid0]

Hi chaps,

I'm at a bit of a crossroads and need to pick your brains, if that's okay? Quick summary...

I completed my City & Guilds Level 3 in May 2011, have just finished my NVQ3 (certificate is in the post) and am doing my 17th edition at the beginning of December. I did odds and sods during my three years of college and registered self-employed (CIS) in July 2011. Have been subbing ever since in the commercial area of the trade (mainly office refurbs) and have also done a fair bit of domestic. I'm planning to do my Inspect & Test early next year.

Like many people pre-recession, I was sold a lie about the industry and took the bait hook, line and sinker. I thought I would get a few years experience subbing for someone else and then start my own business. Now I'm wondering where to go with my future. I don't reckon I'm cut out for being on the tools for the next 30-odd years (I'm 31 by the way), and I'm thinking about trying to becoming an electrical designer or maybe even an electrical engineer. I'm pretty good academically, I've already got a degree in an unrelated field and am willing to go through it all again if necessary.

Can anyone give me any advice on what I would need to do to pursue this? In terms of how long, what it will cost, what I need to do.

Thanks for reading guys. I really need advice.

 

[professional]

Hi chaps,

I'm at a bit of a crossroads and need to pick your brains, if that's okay? Quick summary...

I completed my City & Guilds Level 3 in May 2011, have just finished my NVQ3 (certificate is in the post) and am doing my 17th edition at the beginning of December. I did odds and sods during my three years of college and registered self-employed (CIS) in July 2011. Have been subbing ever since in the commercial area of the trade (mainly office refurbs) and have also done a fair bit of domestic. I'm planning to do my Inspect & Test early next year.

Like many people pre-recession, I was sold a lie about the industry and took the bait hook, line and sinker. I thought I would get a few years experience subbing for someone else and then start my own business. Now I'm wondering where to go with my future. I don't reckon I'm cut out for being on the tools for the next 30-odd years (I'm 31 by the way), and I'm thinking about trying to becoming an electrical designer or maybe even an electrical engineer. I'm pretty good academically, I've already got a degree in an unrelated field and am willing to go through it all again if necessary.

Can anyone give me any advice on what I would need to do to pursue this? In terms of how long, what it will cost, what I need to do.

Thanks for reading guys. I really need advice.

Exactly what were you told?

 

[yid0]

That there was a massive shortage of electricians in the UK and that they were making £100k-per-year etc etc.

 

[ElectekAir]

Im sorry that you are concidering a different path but wish you the best of luck.

As far as the "lie" but it is mainly your fault for not doing your 'homework' so to speak when i was concidering self employment i did not belive anyone in the industry and went to a few accountants in my local area and asked the question what other small electrical firms are truning over and i was really suprised with what i was told ( this was in 2002) as i was earning not much less money being employed.

I think that if anyone is concidering selfemployment and are already working they should get customers together by working weekends that way you dont have to work you choose to

 

[yid0]

Oh, you don't have to tell me it's my fault. My whole adult life has been a series of bad choices!

 

[Doc Hudson]

The first questions you should be asking yourself is what vacancies are there for the type of work you are hoping to do? There are numerous job search websites and it shouldn't be to time consuming for you to get a feel of what potential is or isn't out there. However you should keep in mind the basics of how most vacancies are filled within a lot of companies. Strangers do not normal walk straight into decent jobs, filling vacancies internally by offering promotion to reward good staff is still the main avenue for getting onto the more responsible job roles. Bringing a new face into a job that other internal staff could have done just breeds resentment to the existing workforce. So you need to be thinking, do I want to start at the bottom again somewhere? or do I have some specialist skills that other workers don't have that would bring justification to me been brought in over the heads of existing employees.

Doc H.

 

[professional]

That there was a massive shortage of electricians in the UK and that they were making £100k-per-year etc etc.

Ah, a very, very small percentage of the lies told by the training companies ....

 

[Revved Up Sparky]

The best job during a recession is, believe it or not, a binman..... because business is always picking up.

 

[Evans Electric]

Yido , I get the impression , right or wrong , that you've had a bash on the tools and for whatever reason it didn't suit you .

The only way I see of becoming what you want to become is to forget the manual side and begin gaining qualifications . How you fund all this is something I can't help with .

You must know that Electrical design or Engineer requires some heavy guage quallies which back in the day were..... following C&Gs ....ONC...and HNC .

I would guess these would cost a small fortune in college fees.

Someone like Sldewinder would know better than me .

PS Your choice of Avatar doesn't give the best impression TBH.

 

[ProDave]

What you are wanting to do sounds like what I did.

Started with apprenticeship, then working on the tools (industrial) then progressed through installation, testing, comissioning and eventually into design. At the same time doing day and evenings at college ending with an HND.

The difference, was at the time I had a good employer willing to provide the job opportunities and training, and to fund my courses at college. That's the bit you need to find. So you need to identify a company near you doing what you want, then talk to them about training etc. Expect to go in at the bottom and work your way up.

Then when I reached 40 I'd had enough of the pressure and responsibilty, so I moved north, jacked it all in and went back on the tools self employed and don't regret it.

 

[yid0]

Thanks fellas,

Doc H,

Could you recommend the best job search websites for our trade? Most searches I do end up taking me to private training websites or their affiliates. I spoke to the national careers service, but they aren't allowed to recommend any courses/training etc.

Evans,

Yes, that's right. It's not that I'm bad on the tools, I've been using tools ever since I was a teenager, but I just feel that I'd be more suited to a different role within the industry. I'm planning to do both the Inspect & Test and Design courses on the C&G 2391 in the new year, which should hopefully make me more attractive to employers. I'm thinking about an HND after that. My friend is currently being put through one by Mitie, who will promote him once he's done it. But he reckons that it costs about seven grand, which I can't afford on my own. So I think I'll need to do it through an employer.

P.S. Are you Celtic?! Sorry about the avatar, but I just love Gazza!

ProDave,

Yep, that sounds about right. Thinking that I'll do the 2391 and keep subbing in the meantime and then look for a company once I've got those qualifications. Sounds like an HND might be the best way to go.

Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[Evans Electric]

Celtic ! Celtic! Not growing up next to Villa Park I'm not !

 

[yid0]

What's your beef with Gazza then?!