jaimie330ci

hi im 22 and a recently qualified electrician. i have very little experience and very few links in the trade and am finding extremely hard to get into the trade, could some please share some advice because i am very desperate thanks

480sparky

Well, we're here to help, but exactly what do you need help with?

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jaimie330ci

well how do you get into the trade if you have very little experience, and how can you gain the experience required if nobody will hire you because you have no experience, it seems like a catch 22, and i starting to question my decision on becoming elecrician in the first place, any ideas

NolaTigaBait

well, you're going to have to find a guy that needs a helper, you'll prob get aroun 7 to 10 and hour and be his b@tch...as far as the union, i can't help you there, there is a union forum on here you may want to start there if thats the route you want to take

daddymack

Times are tough, plain and simple. You could be a four year college graduate and be in the same boat.

I know this is little help for you now but, be glad you have a trade. So many people who are unskilled lost jobs and have nowhere to turn but working two or three jobs to make ends meet.

Don't give up, keep looking. I used to pick up jobs just by being in a lowes or home depot when someone comes in and needs help.

Greg

Wish I could give you some advice but this thread should also be in the UK section. The OP is from London.

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If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.

Speedy Petey

Agree Greg.

sparkie

As we get weekly calls for people looking for jobs, we recommend they ask the local electrical factors stores managers-unless they have their head in the sand-they generally seem to know who is hiring and firing.

Things are difficult at the moment, for instance we know that 41 people applied for a cleaning supervisors job at a hotel.

Peej

I must agree, its hard to find a job right now, im studying the new diploma offered by EAL, which is equivent to the City and Guilds 2330 Level 3 Course, annoying as it is, it was the only course i could take which was almost the same as the City and Guilds Course. Couldnt take the City and Guilds course becuase the college i go to doesnt do it fulltime, only in evenings...to take the fulltime course i would of had to whip out something rediculous like 3grand, which i dont have.

Nearing the finish of my course i have no clue in direction for my career as a sparky or whatever. I really want to do a foundation degree in Electrcial engineering and possibly...take it futher into a real honours degree, ANNOYING i can only do this degree if im in employment with a company that does domestic and commercial installations, with companys going down the plug hold and letting off current employees, im stuck...guess ill just have to do the Inspection and Testing Course City and Guilds has to offer. - Still doesnt help the fact that i have pretty much to no practical experience of working on site/house bashing/house rewiring or ANYTHING, college really doesnt give much in practical experience, from doing level 2 C&G to level 3 EAL Diploma, ive just about learned how to wire a 2way Lighting circuit.... So having these qualifications on paper is going to make it seem like i know alot when in reality, i havnt learnt much at all, which makes it look bad on my part.

I just hope soon a company will reply to one of my letters or actually take me onboard as an apprentice to atleast get into the field.

MONEY FOR NOTHING. Ecomomy is going down the plug So it seems for me anyway.

frank

Peej.

Can't see why your qualifications would disbar you from gaining further studies. You have the basis for foundation entry to HND Diploma Level which will take you directly to a BSc later on if you wish. Diploma courses can be taken at most colleges and an enquiry to the University of your choice will get you info on the degree path. You would be better off taking both full time - but I know they are available part time too. Will take you ages though. You could take the HNC Certificate in Electrical Engineering, This is a good - near degree standard - and can be taken on a day release basis. Since your plans are to move in this direction I would not waste your time on becoming employed as an electrician. You will find this hard enough without having to undertake further study at what will be a very high standard. I know. I have done it - and so have lots of others, but I can tell you - kiss goodbye to any social life whilst this is in progress.
If you insist on the practical route then you are going to have to sell yourself as an Improver and after the required period you can take the AMl/2 exams and apply for JIB grading. Trot around the electrical companies that you can find and just speak to them all until successful,

Frank

Peej

thanks for the reply, erm this degree i want to do allows me enough UCAS points to go to univerity to do a BEng Degree. My College teachers have told me that this foundation degree is higher then a HNC/HND course. Though im not sure if those courses require me to be emplyed like this Foundation Degree requires me to be employed, even thugh those who do the foundation degree obviously are wanting or thinking of going to univeristy so why the hell does this Foundation course reuqire me to be employed i have no clue. As for what you said about, "You would be better off taking both full time" I do intend on doing full time study as i deffinaly dont want to end up coming out with a qualification when im 30. Im 19 In May and this Foundation Degree is a 2 Year course, which means after that ill need to do another 2 years at the univeristy...Ill be 23/24. Its hard trying to find the exact ROUTE i want to take.

Even my college teachers are absolutly pathetic at giving out information.
As far as i know, City & Guilds Level 2 and EAL Level 3 Diploma still makes me not qualfied enough to do anywork...I need to do something like the NV3 Apprentice Course, but then that leads me onto being an Actual Electrcian....I was really thinking of going into Design or something else, office work like. I find the education system in England is so ruffled up with all sorts of qualifications not truly explaining which is best to take for what you want to go into later on.


Looking through the HNC/HND courses at other colleges, they all seem to be 2 days at college, 3 days in employment...so i might aswell stick with this foundation degree, since its higher then both...

Infact, ill link you to the foundation degree

http://carshalton.ac.uk/EA5041.asp

frank

Peej


You are young enough yet to take many routes. From your post I would suggest you take the degree route full time. I assure you - employment is not a requirement.


Frank

Peej

Well my college says employment is essential to take the foundation degree, i went for the interview...even for those HND/HNC courses, being part time or full time they require you to be employed in the industry which is stupid.

Plus I would be doing a BEng Degree. Still annoyed at needing to be employed for the Foundation Degree though, which allows me to do the REAL degree at a University afterwards, still...reading though the BEng Degrees at the Univerity prospectus...I even have to be employed in year 3 for certain things :P

but i dont think i can get any further unless im employed frank.

frank

Peej,

Something odd here.

Imagine you leave school after 6th Form or High School and apply to a University to study Engineering. You would not be asked to get employment first. I will check with my College Tutor pal and come back to you

Frank

frank

Peej

I checked with my pal. He says it is not necessary to have employment to attend the courses you name. It will be necessary at some point for you to attend with an employer though. He tells me that placement is made by the college or at a Company of your own choosing. You would not be paid for this attendance but would receive a placement allowance from the Government through the Grant Scheme. Work Experience usually follows in the latter years and take the form of mixed time employed and at College or as a final end of course attendance. He says get yourself enrolled at College then whilst there make application for student experience with companies that do the kind of work you wish to be involved in. If all this is not in agreement with the advice you already have - then get advice from another independent source,

Frank