Looking to train as a Domestic Electrical Installer with OLCI

[trumpton855]

Hi peeps,

I'm very new to this forum, so firstly, Hello, My name is Wayne and I'm looking at training to be a Domestic Electrical Installer with OLCI Birmingham.

Visited them today and had a very constructive chat with one of their course advisors and tutor, really helpful and informative and the facilities are brilliant.

I'm really keen and want to know a bit more before I jump into it.

Now, the course I'm looking involves completing the following;

EAL Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers including Part P, City & Guilds 2382-10, City& Guilds 2392-10, City & Guilds 2377, Solar Photovoltaic(PV)

1 Basic Electrical Workshop

2 EAL Domestic Electrical Installers course including Part P

3 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations

4 Fundamental Inspection, Testing & Initial Verification

5 In-Service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment & Solar Photovoltaic (PV).

Now, armed with this information, my question is this, I am extremely interested in starting this course as it's ideal for what I want to be able to do, ie domestics only...

I've looked on recruitment sites for Solar PV installers and there does seem to be a market for them, however, my dilemma is this, I do work full time at present, I work a 4 day shift. So I'm on for 4 days then off for 4 days. I was hoping to provide extra income on my 4 days off as and when I got qualified. With me so far? Good...

Are there people out there that would require the services of a domestic electrical installer for 4 days a week? (I do hope so)

I'm sorry if I have confused anybody, just want some guidance before I jump in head first!!!

Thank you

Any feedback will be much appreciated...

 

[Zeespark]

These courses are overpriced and an insult to most electricians bud, firms wont ever employ you with them. You are better off going to your local college, better quality and significantly cheaper. Work is VERY thin on the ground at the moment, so try to do what you can.

AndyGuinness

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 19:36 ---------- Previous post was made at 19:35 ----------

Alot of MCS install companies also want you to have the 2391 as the bare minimum too bud.

 

[trumpton855]

Really?! Bloody hell, oh right I'm completely f@*ked off now....

Is that right, so potentially I'll be doing a course that is not worth the paper it's written on?!

 

[Zeespark]

Partly, it teaches you the basics of wiring, but it wont teach you how to get out of a jam of your own, or another's making if that makes sense? on top of that, if you have a problem on a short course, you have no time to question a teacher like you would at a standard college. Some of the best students are the ones that ask both the question of how, but more importantly WHY, a short course is not tailored to that type of thinking, more conveyor belt teaching ideology.

AndyGuinness

 

[Andy™]

short courses were designed for those with experience but no qualifications

 

[rugbymacc]

At this moment in time ..

I would hold off paying 1000's to olci........ Till you ask a few electricians "what sort of experience would you be after if you were to take on a subby"

I myself, would prefer a subby to have time on tools than a whole lot of guilds.

Good luck

 

[M107]

As said look at the local college, you'll learn far more there.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Hi peeps,I'm very new to this forum, so firstly, Hello, My name is Wayne and I'm looking at training to be a Domestic Electrical Installer with OLCI Birmingham.

Visited them today and had a very constructive chat with one of their course advisors and tutor, really helpful and informative and the facilities are brilliant.

I'm really keen and want to know a bit more before I jump into it.

Now, the course I'm looking involves completing the following;

EAL Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers including Part P, City & Guilds 2382-10, City& Guilds 2392-10, City & Guilds 2377, Solar Photovoltaic(PV)

1 Basic Electrical Workshop

2 EAL Domestic Electrical Installers course including Part P

3 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations

4 Fundamental Inspection, Testing & Initial Verification

5 In-Service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment & Solar Photovoltaic (PV).

Now, armed with this information, my question is this, I am extremely interested in starting this course as it's ideal for what I want to be able to do, ie domestics only...

I've looked on recruitment sites for Solar PV installers and there does seem to be a market for them, however, my dilemma is this, I do work full time at present, I work a 4 day shift. So I'm on for 4 days then off for 4 days. I was hoping to provide extra income on my 4 days off as and when I got qualified. With me so far? Good...

Are there people out there that would require the services of a domestic electrical installer for 4 days a week? (I do hope so)

I'm sorry if I have confused anybody, just want some guidance before I jump in head first!!!

Thank you

Any feedback will be much appreciated...

Welcome to the forum Trunpton855. Have a read of this thread here for advice on these short courses http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/student-learning-zone-c-g-2330-levels-2-3-c-g-2381-c-g-2391-other-co/17076-some-advice-please-2.html City & Guilds 2377 is a PAT testing course it is not required for any domestic work. Other than trying to get you to pay for more than what you need I can see no reason for this course. Do you have existing electrical knowledge? Have you accounted for the other

 

[Ian Speirs]

short courses were designed for those with experience but no qualifications

I have to agree with andy on this.

I had 10 years in the industry and on the tools, but had no formal qualifications. It got to the stage where I was being treated as an electrician but not paid as such. I couldn't afford the time off to go to college so I went down the route with OLCI to get the qualifications I required.

Although it helped me to become the NICEIC QS for the company I work for, I didn't like the fact an Ice cream driver, if he decided he fancied a career as an electrician could do so with minimum experience. At the end of it you will need to do an NVQ3 which means seeking employment to show you can carry out a verity of skills required by filling out a log book. Employers these days are very weary about letting someone work for them with minimum experience.

If you know someone who can help you with work experience then this would be a massive help. Coz you want to be sure you know what you are doing when you are in someone's home, as learning at the customers cost and safety is not wise.

I don't want to sound negative but it cost me 6k for my course and another 3k for test gear and a large assortment of tools, I wouldn't want you to throw money away if you couldn't see it through.

Hope this helps mate.

Good luck.

 

[trumpton855]

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated. I will crack on do some more needed research.

 

[M107]

Have a word round the watches, anybody running their own or have a relation who runs a sparking business you could get some hands on experience that way then do the college thing.

As said there is no quick route.

 

[Spark267]

Hi Trumpton255, doing my lvl 3 now with olc to get the full quals, did my lvl 2 with them too. for me its good, nic e guys and teachers, going to get the quals im after at the end of the day so although i had to shell out for it now, long term its gonna pay off.

 

[S60TEM]

as said above, if you don't have the relevant experience before hand then you will struggle a bit.

I had like most the practical knowledge and experience pre 2001 as i did a lot of electrical work and worked in electronics industry etc. I then setup in business with a takeaway shop but on the birth of my daughter in 2008, I wanted more time for my family instead of working nights etc. I decided to go back to the electrics and as an adult learner who had just sold my business, I needed to get my qualifications quickly! I signed up to OLCi Newcastle and I studied hard, everyday and it took me 18 months to get through it all but because I knew how to do all the practical work, I breezed through that and the exams weren't too bad tbh. I'm now NAPIT approved contractor and self employed but the going is tough! The work as said is thin on the ground and there's a lot of cowboys who still steal the work from us because they undercut our quotes etc. I've recently spent another

 

[dexter.tom]

im on the sparky's course just the domestic with olci...so far so good anyway!

 

[kingcog]

Stay clear of OLCI they are just a bunch of salesmen/women who get you in to a contract with useless training packages and representatives who don't give a s**t about you, just your money!! I joined in 2008 and and realise they've sent the wrong package out in the post. after numerous phone calls to try and sort it out (put through to foreign, barely english speaking call centres!!!) I eventually spoke to a course advisor and he established I had been sent the wrong package. two months had gone, by the time it was sorted! I wasn't happy and cancelled the course (well tried to!!) 4 years later I got a bill for

 

[Dufjax]

All I know is that they got hold of our on call number and hounded us 5 + calls day.

Stating I could become qualified in 5 - 6 weeks and earn 50k + we had to get T-mobile to block them in the end!

 

[S60TEM]

to be honest, all training centres are the same.....it is a business like everything else and they are there to make money as are we.

As for the 13k debt and Olci ruining your life, that is unfortunate and I feel for you, I really do but when you signed up you'll have signed a contract to which they had terms and conditions. If you cancelled and thought that it would just go away then that is where you went wrong. It's like any business with any sort of breach of contract............not just applicable to Olci. You stop paying your monthly payment and you'll be up for the chop!