Hi There

[toddyj99]

Hi all

My name is Todd. I'm currently working in the freight industry. I am thinking about doing a domestic installer course beginning of next year. It will be a 4 week course but I'm worried o won't be able to secure employment after the course. Advice would be great

 

[ProDave]

The 4 week courses were designed for somebody who was previously trained as an electrician some time ago.  to bring them up to date with the current regulations, so they can register under the part P schemes.

There is NO WAY that you can learn in 4 weeks all that you need to know to trade competently as an electrician. Otherwise most of us would not have wasted 4 years of our lives doing an apprenticeship.

You are right to be worried.

Do you think I could train as an HGV driver in 4 weeks and be competent to drive the largest vehicles on the road?

 

[toddyj99]

Hi Dave

Thanks for getting back to me. I understand what your saying I'm just not sure what my other options are. If you wouldn't mind and if you get time would you have a look at the website for me there called pass electrics based in Stockton

Thanks

 

[ProDave]

Is this the course you are considering http://www.electricaltrainingcourse.co.uk/electrical-training-packages/domestic-electrical-installer

Do you really think in 4 weeks (well 16 DAYS actually, that's 4 weeks of 4 days) that you can learn everything you need to know to be an electrician.

And they are going to charge you £2118 for the privilege, or £132 per day.

I don't believe you can learn all you need to know in that time. What do others think?

I repeat, could I train and get my CPC to run a haulage firm in 4 weeks?  I think not.

 

[Andy™]

your right, you wont be able to secure employment with a 4 week course. cant say for others, but there is no way i would employ anyone who's done a 4 weke course as an electrician.

only real option in an apprenticeship, or a proper college course that takes a bit longer than 4 weeks (years)

probably best sticking with where you are now and what you know

 

[toddyj99]

Really appreciate the feedback about it. How do these companies get away with selling these courses? Or are they for people who want to go self employed as they recommend you sign up to a competent person scheme. The college route or apprenticeship route would be best but I'm 26 now so not sure if I could do an apprenticeship?

 

[Sidewinder]

toddy,

DON'T DO IT!

Please save your money, the electrical industry & the trade is on its knees, some jobs are even being offered @ minimum wage.

No matter what the training companies tell you, this will not make you an electrician, nor will it make you a domestic electrical installer.

There are more lucrative and "safer" employment options out there, and TBH, HGV driving is probably one!

Look at options in your existing industry for progression, say the hazardous goods option, lorry crane, or into an office based logistical support job, perhaps even using your experience into other areas that are not so different.

The 4 week courses were originally conceived for "electricians" who had worked for years, and started before the current qualifications routes started, to formalise their experience, or for industrial guys to move over to domestic, they were never designed for a total career change.

Another vote here for, I would never employ you after a 4 week short course like this.

Sorry, at the moment, there are better career routes out there that will earn you more for less effort.

Your costs could well be hitting £20k before you start earning a penny.

 

[Andy™]

How do these companies get away with selling these courses?

because people will believe anything

another option is you can pay me £132 per day to come along and you will probably learn more than you would on that course in a week

 

[Evans Electric]

Hi  Toddy  ,   I promise you ...you will not be an electrician in 4 weeks and I can't see anyone employing you as such , to be honest .    I wouldn't , no offence implied .  

Think about it .. how many trades could you learn within a year ( based on the electrical course)

Carpenter

Plumber

Electrician

Heating Engineer

Bricklayer

Plasterer

Roofer

Drain layer

Tiler

Painter

Steel Erector

Save your money unless you can get a job as an improver or something with a contractor so that you can learn the trade.

 

[Steve3948]

I hate to think how many each week complete the short course, then 100% believe they are competent Electricians, go self employed and advertise.

These course providers should be shut down, its all about the money "again" and it's getting worse.

 

[Sidewinder]

Hi  Toddy  ,   I promise you ...you will not be an electrician in 4 weeks and I can't see anyone employing you as such , to be honest .    I wouldn't , no offence implied .  

Think about it .. how many trades could you learn within a year ( based on the electrical course)

Carpenter

Plumber

Electrician

Heating Engineer Fitter

Bricklayer

Plasterer

Roofer

Drain layer

Tiler

Painter

Steel Erector

Save your money unless you can get a job as an improver or something with a contractor so that you can learn the trade.

I've corrected that for you Deke, because they are not Engineers in any sense of the word to be honest, and it defiles the title letting them use it.

 

[kerching]

DO NOT DO IT IT IS A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY, END OF,

Here is a thought, i have posted many times before.

Get in touch with the College, obtain a list of Passed past students and find out what they thought AND if they are currently earning a good living in the trade!

If I owned the College i would be more than happy to promote my courses in this way!

However I think your search will be fruitless OR they will cite data protection Act to hide behind

It has taken me over 35 years to train up to earn a wage that is anywhere near what they are stating

....just trying to save you money and give you a less worrying Xmas

 

[Steve3948]

And 40 years for me, and I'm still learning, so what chance has 4 weeks got.

 

[Sidewinder]

Same time as Canoe for me, learnt things today, & will learn more again tomorrow.

 

[kerching]

Biggest thing I learned was that " i should have listened at school "

On a serious note, paper qualifications are great on a CV. BUT its experience that wins the day.

I have lost count of the number of new "Sparks" appearing around here. Every time I go to the wholesalers there is another new sign written van there, bloke inside talking absolute JACKSON's. Usually with a cheap toolbelt full of even cheaper shinier tools. HTF do you drive with a toolbelt on???

Doubtless there are some 5WW who are very good indeed, but they do not live around here

Just saying

 

[binky]

assumimg someone gave you a job, you're still only an adult apprentice - can you live with the **** money?

PS I wouldn't employ you, cos I can get a much cheaper 17year old. I don' mean that nastily, I'm just saying how it os as an employer.

 

[toddyj99]

Thanks everyone for your advice and opinions. I knew it would be to good to be true but just needed it confirming. These courses should not be allowed to run. God knows how they get away with it. I'm glad I posted on here because I would of been gutted wasting all that money for no good reason. Thanks Again for all the advice

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Really appreciate the feedback about it. How do these companies get away with selling these courses? Or are they for people who want to go self employed as they recommend you sign up to a competent person scheme. The college route or apprenticeship route would be best but I'm 26 now so not sure if I could do an apprenticeship?

They get away with it because of three key reasons....

1/  It is not illegal for anyone to do DIY domestic electrical work in the UK.... 

So they can legitimately say after this course you can go and do domestic electrical work...

(but legally you could have still gone and done it without doing their course)

2/  Providing they teach you something...  say a few regs for example and how to screw a socket on a wall....

They can quite legitimately say they are a training provider...

3/ As with all good money making rip off scams....

There are always a few gullible punters with money to waste on a purchase that is worth jack-all....

So they will exploit all the legal laxness and milk all the gullible punters for as much as they can... 

If you were not a competent electrician BEFORE you started the course it is very unlikely you will be after the course...

You may be a slightly more knowledgeable DIY electrical handyman, who can change the odd light or socket with reasonable safety...

But it is extremely unlikely you will be a valuable electrically trained person who other large company's would be looking to employ!!

Think of it a bit like these miracle diets that they flog to fat people....

Or fitness regimes where you can get fit without doing any excersie...

Or a get rich quick investing in foriegn time share properties....

Or like the lucky lottery ticket numbers guaranteed to win the max rollover jackpot...

If you have the money to spare and possibly lose on your investment..

Then give it a go....

Otherwise save your money and spend it more wisely....

I would Never recommend any friend or family member of mine did one of these courses..

Guinness

 

[revjames]

Its very dishonest of these learning establishements to aggressively market such courses and let people have false expectations.