Aah! Dilemmas, Dilemmas. Career Change

[Scoby_Beasley]

This is aimed mainly at you Brits out there but any comments are welcome!

Anyway, my motto in life has always been "as one door closes another one slams shut in your face" and it's usually been pretty accurate!

However, today I'm sorting through a weeks worth of mail. After discarding the usual hate mail I opened an interesting letter that could be a career change opportunity for me. Not one option, but two!

The options I'm interested in are training up to be either: a (Part P) qualified sparks or training up as an IT Technician.

I've re-wired a couple of houses in my lifetime. I've built up a couple of PC's as well. I've always worked with my hands, I like taking things apart, so when they break I know what I'm looking at (putting them back together is another matter!!). I like to stand back and look at something and think, "I did that".
So I think I'd be adequately able in both lines of work. Ideally I'd like to end up self employed.

So I suppose I'm really asking for advice from people in either lines of work on their opinion of job prospects. Going it alone etc..

New Year, New Start and all that, don't ya know!!

 

[ColJack]

part p qualified sparky is probably going to take you 3 years training part time.. unless you go for the 5 day wonder course in which case you're not a proper sparky..

 

[Deluks]

Do both, more strings to your bow.
Although to be honest anyone can advertise themselves as a PC engineer, someone who sits at home playing world of warcraft all day probably knows more about PC's than someone who's just done a quick msce course.

 

[Blasphemous]

A big question is how old are you? There is age discrimination law now but it's not worth the paper it's written on. If an employer wants to find a reason 'not to employ you', then it's easy enough to do. If you go the route of becoming a Spark you'll need to get work experience with a Spark to get through the requirements of the course (the proper course that is not the 'Oh yeah I'm qualified, I did a training course for almost a week!'). The next thing to consider is when do you intend on becoming self employed? If you believe the hype in the leaflets that come through your door that you can train to become a Spark and run your own business straight away then you need to have a re-think. In my opinion you'll need about 5 years with a 'good' spark learning all the ropes before you can consider self employment. Then we come to 'Self Employment' itself. It really isn't what most people think it is. You'll find yourself working harder than you worked when you were training with the Spark.

If your age isn't going to be a problem, you can convince a Spark to train you and you're prepared to work longer hours than you would if you worked for a company then go for it.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

A late revival, but took me 9 months to get on the course, so, an update!!

part p qualified sparky is probably going to take you 3 years training part time.. unless you go for the 5 day wonder course in which case you're not a proper sparky..

I'm on a full time intensive course. H&S (load of crap tbh!!) Done the Pat test course, Just staring 17th Amendment 1 course. HEAVY!!

Do both, more strings to your bow.
Although to be honest anyone can advertise themselves as a PC engineer, someone who sits at home playing world of warcraft all day probably knows more about PC's than someone who's just done a quick msce course.

Sadly, they don't!! I'm on several forums sorting out their bsod problems as they haven't a clue. Gives a warm glow inside .

A big question is how old are you? There is age discrimination law now but it's not worth the paper it's written on.

That's the bummer, I am old, hence the self employed route. I've been unemployed, and even though paying stamp for God knows how many years, been told I'm entitled to 0 pence a fortnight. Yup, that's it. So self employed will give me , say £52 a week. a 200,000 (add zero's at will!!)% increase in income. Makes you not want to bother paying tax n stamp, tbh.

But, I'm enjoying the course I'm on. So that's all that counts!!

 

[gasbanni]

Eh youve paid your stamp and not entitled how can that be ???????

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Eh youve paid your stamp and not entitled how can that be ???????

Tell me, I'd love to know, don't own a house, no private income. Fek knows. Maybe cos I'm English born n bred? Honestly don't know, but I was still supposed to sign on for £0. Loved the thought of a 10 mile round trip walk (no bus fare) for nothing.

 

[Alarm]

Is this the 3 day amendment course that comes after the 3 year one?

 

[Blasphemous]

Thank you for the update Scoby. A few questions of you then mate.

You said you're 'old' but how old?

What was/is your current or previous job/career/profession?

Who is the course with and how much was the cost?

How long is the course?

What qualification will you end up with at the end of the course?

Do you have a Spark lined up to provide you with experience requirements or does your course not require that?

Be good to hear the answers and I wish you good luck with it mate.... think the PC route might have proved more fruitful if I'm honest. I was reading a CIPD newsletter the other day. Information Tech is STILL one of the biggest growth areas.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Thank you for the update Scoby. A few questions of you then mate.

You said you're 'old' but how old?

In me 50's possibly too old but the brain now works better than the body!! Spent my previous worklife as an Aluminium Extrusion Die Technician. Think Toolroom bench hand, but working to microns (Me eyes are shot for that though!!).

Who is the course with and how much was the cost?

The course. Well, seeing as I would get nothing on the dole, I worked a flanker and get Incapacity benefit. It was originally a college for ex-forces, but they've now expanded to include the long term sick (read mad!!). I was given a Disability Employment Advisor. The cost to me is nil. I just need to prove I'm up to the course involved, or you get dropped.

How long is the course?

Started January, should finish end of October on the Part P course (including the bits mentioned above). I intend to then do the C&G 2392 (Inspection??) and a Photo Voltaic course. I'm thinking those I'll have to fund myself.

What qualification will you end up with at the end of the course?

C&G PAT test 2377(?) 17th Edition/Part P C&G 2382 (?)

Do you have a Spark lined up to provide you with experience requirements or does your course not require that?

In the course is a 6 week, 16hour+ "work experience" that you need to beg, steal, or borrow.

Be good to hear the answers and I wish you good luck with it mate.... think the PC route might have proved more fruitful if I'm honest. I was reading a CIPD newsletter the other day. Information Tech is STILL one of the biggest growth areas.

Yeah, now realise I chose the wrong course. But the people on the IT course looked a miserable bunch, whereas we on the E&ET course, well, we have a laugh.

Oh, And when I finish the course I realise I'm not an electrician. I'll be a domestic installer. But thanks for the good wishes.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Oh, As an aside, If you have a caravan it should have an annual certificate to prove (for insurance purposes) that your vehicle is safe to hook up to the sites supply.

Rumour has it that insurance companies will soon start to insist on a certificate for their purposes to prove your (home/domestic) RCD is up to the job. Not just pushing the test button when you feel like it. Sounds like a nice little money earner. £50 (??) for seconds work with a Fluke/Megger tester.

Talking of which, I like the Fluke, but is Megger better? What about Seaward?

As a total aside, Jan, my much better half, works in a care home. Everything has to be PAT tested. While I know that won't be a life changing funding exercise, it is an opportunity.

 

[Alarm]

Errr anyone can PAT test, virtually.
Check it out.
No need for outside inspectors.

 

[longdogs]

as for the IT course...

...I did a two week intensive course a few years ago which cost me £1,500 (redundancy money). I was in my thirties at the time. Course went ok and I managed to retain most of the information although no one explained what the information was for. It was just 'learn this' and you will be tested on it.

We learnt all about packets, buses, serial buses, pings etc but didn't know how to change a hard drive.

When it came to the exams , which were online and cost about £100 a go, the questions bore no relation to what we had learnt. Therefore to re-take the exams would have been another £100 and so on.

so if you decide on the IT course, make sure it is the right course for what you want to do.

Personally, I lost interest and went into plumbing instead.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Personally, I lost interest and went into plumbing instead.

Strangely at the tender age of 16 I had a choice of jobs. I chose toolmaking. One offer was working with my Dad, a self employed plumber. Guess which job I now wish I'd taken??

 

[Blasphemous]

Personally, I lost interest and went into plumbing instead.

Strangely at the tender age of 16 I had a choice of jobs. I chose toolmaking. One offer was working with my Dad, a self employed plumber. Guess which job I now wish I'd taken??

App Developer for Apple?