somebody asking for a job has turned into an interesting thread, I had the same problem wanting to change career at 37 to become an electrician. Couldn't decide short course or college, didn't have a clue, anyway decided college route, loved it from the first day 3 years 2330 all distinctions, am2, nvq lvl3, 17th, 2391. I worked with two electricians free of charge for experience who were a joke but i stayed to get my nvq level 3. I now have all the qualifications i need but i am still learning and probably never stop i love it, The short courses deceive you, if i had of done them i would be back doing my old job. i now work for myself, domestic & light commercial, my only regret was i hadn't done it sooner, as i would have liked to worked in the commercial & industrial sectors. I also agree you must work out of your comfort zone you'll never learn. The electrican i worked for wouldn't touch a storage heater, a bit of advice from the lads on here and i've repaired 5 in a few months this is where the training comes in & a quality forum. I still now dont class myself as an electrician as i still have much to learn. And i understand why forum members react this way and its not your fault its the idiots that provide short courses promising the earth. I do see a lot of posts undermining domestic electricians as commercial and industrial are the real electricians, but i have to disagree i have seen the state a commercial & industrial spark made of his own house it was horrendous so there is place for everyone i believe. I am now thinking of doing a level 4 course in electrical engineering not for the career aspects just because i want to learn more. As i build my business hopefully in a few years i will be taking on sparks and i wouldn't entertain anyone who didn't have the correct qualifications. I got a call from a guy who was in the army done the short course i have known him school, called me out to a property where he was being paid for work panicking because the customer had no downstairs lights when he had fitted a new light fitting, it's a long story but he had been there for 4 hours trying to get the lights back on i had everything working in 5 mins, which was very basic knowledge. I got him out of his predicament without any embarrassment, he is now doing a short course in plumbing headbang . Lastly out of 28 students at college in my class only 3 are working in the industry.