New Member - Advice wanted on home study course I have started

[Moolam]

Hi All

I just embarked on a home study Electrical Installer Course. The course encompasses:

C&G 2392 - Fundamental Inspection, Testing & Initial Verificaiton

Part P - Defined Scope

C&G 2382 - Requirements for Electrical Installations (17th Ed. Wiring Regs)

I expect the 3 aspects will take around 9 months.  The course also includes NVQ as the training company provide on site practical experience at a dedicated centre.

Having read the forum a little bit since joining today, I have seen many people referring to different qualifications e.g. C&G 2362 & 2330. I don't understand the differences in them all and want to be sure I am on the right path to become an Electrician and hopefully end up with my own business.

So I guess my question is, on completion of my particular set of training elements, what can I expect to be available to me in terms of work in the industry?

I am currently employed in an office job for an electronics company that is highly sales driven and stressful. I would very much like to do a job that is more practical and one where I can "leave the job at work" as it were. Because at the moment I am carrying all the worry and stress home with me.

Why Electrician? Well, the current role involves a small percentage of getting hands on with products and understanding how the clients use them in their electrical applications and being able to advise them on selecting the right products. I found that when I am in that environment, wiring up the products, problem solving and seeing things work, is when I am at my happiest. I also enjoy going away and learning about the principles behind electricity that helps me talk to the customers e.g. learning about 3 Phase Power, Transmission, Distribution and all the principles of electricity. I get a satisfaction from that that I do not get in front of the computer answering a thousand emails or sat in Sales meetings.

Any comments on the course I have chosen and future options would be welcome.

Thanks in advance

 

[Zeespark]

Save your money, do a part time course in college, the above courses wont give you anywhere near the knowledge you need to become a spark on the theory side of things.

Andy Guinness

 

[Blue Duck]

Sounds like OLCI If they still exist? 

A bit of a scam basicly... start looking for a refund.

To be honest and before the pancake rabbit comes along...

The 2392 is kind of pointless, it's only a lvl 2 qualification and doesn't really prove any competence in I&T, part pee is a building regulation and being qualified in it means bugger all, 2382 17th ed is an understanding of the regs it will take you somewhere but the 18th is out in a couple of months, NVQ 2 or 3? Again no point In NVQ 2 you need NVQ 3 to be a sparky basically.

Don't mean to be blunt but that's how it is, there are a lot of charlatans out there happy to sell you dud courses for lots of money!

Best route would be to go to local college and study 2365 (2330)  lvl 2 & 3 then wiring regulations, once you have these you could apply for jobs as a mate / improver on sites then you could start work towards NVQ 3 once that is done you can do the 2391 then apply to jib for  an approved gold card superman status electrican, once your here the sky is the limit!

Good luck!  :Salute

 

[Sharpend]

As said, the C&g 2365 is where you should be starting https://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifications-and-apprenticeships/building-services-industry/electrical-installation/2365-electrotechnical-craft#tab=information

 

[Moolam]

Thanks to those that commented and gave feedback.

I have decided to cancel the course, just made it before the “cooling off” period expired. Would of cost me £2,500 for year 1 alone.

I have to accept that becoming a sparky is not going to be possible at 41 years old with a young family and bills to pay. I was sold the old “within a year you’ll be earning £40-£50k a year” after passing these courses. But clearly that will not be the case. I have scoured the job adverts for electricians online and I can’t find much about where I can earn more than 30k, and  that’s fully qualified with years of  experience required. I would have to take a massive pay cut to be a sparkys Mate for a few years at least while I pay out 7k for all the qualifications.

I am a bit gutted because I wanted to do it, and even more gutted I fell for a bit of a con with the training company who sold me a bit of a dream. Thought I was a bit more savvy than that, but I think desperation to make a job change took over.

 

[Sharpend]

Where are you?

 

[Doc Hudson]

I think you have made a wise choice, this forum has had lots of posts asking very similar types of question over many years. Which would suggest even if you did pay the money and pass the courses, and if there were some decent jobs out there, you would be up against a lot of stiff completion for any jobs that are going.  And when you are in that situation it is more often than not experience and who you know rather than what qualifications you have attained. It would not be impossible to make the career change that you want to do, but it would not be quick, cheap or an easy step. Plus if you then wanted to set up your own business that would be another long period of hard work, long hours, periods of little or no income while you get established. Statistics suggest that two thirds of new businesses fail within the first five years, which typically means that after the initial honeymoon start-up you are going to be waiting six or more years before you know you have genuinely got a reasonably stable business and customer base. What the training companies claim is not a direct lie, but it would not be attainable by the bulk of the students on their courses. They are at the end of the day just another business trying to sell their products in a very competitive market place.

Doc H.

 

[Blue Duck]

I wouldn't give up hope just yet, if thats what you really want there's nothing to stop you.

You won't get decent money being a sparky for a company but contract / temp work pays quite well...somewhere in the region of £200 / day  (gold carď) which is livable with a young family and bills.

Some guys I'm working with at the moment only have 2365 lvl 2 and 17th and are getting £165 / day.

But then the risk is not having a full time job, holiday pay, sick pay.

I hated working for a company & hated domestic work so decided to go SE and work mainly commercial and am happy in my work once again.