future career improvements

[elrobbo82]

I've just qualified as an electrician i.e 2330 lvl 2&3, NVQ3 and AM2. I am now working on tools on my own and every thing is going well. just looking for a little advice in my next move. what would be the best option, 2391, HNC or is there other options available. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

 

[chivers67]

2391 is a good option but it's not an easy Theory exam to pass and the practical might need quite a bit of knowledge regarding wiring. It's certainly worth doing. i guess it boils down to what you want to do personally ?

 

[martinxxxxxx]

HNC is a great deal more difficult than the 2391. It depends on whether you want to stay on your tools or go into the design office.

I had years in the latter and am much happier self employed on my tools than I was being made redundant every 7 years in the DO.

Once you reach a certain salary level but not a senior management position in this country you are first to go when a cold economic wind blows.

It is soul destroying, each time it happens.

But don't let me sway you. You might do much better than I.

Martin

 

[elrobbo82]

thanks for the advice. 2391 looks like a good choice as i want to stop on the tools. i've heard that this coarse is ending this year and another one is taking its place. does anyone know what the new coarse is called and what it will involve? HNC doesn't seem like the route i want to go down in regards to design, well not yet anyway. as said just started going on jobs on my own and really enjoying it, for now anyway. HNC will probably be one for the future though.

thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

i've heard that this coarse is ending this year and another one is taking its place. does anyone know what the new coarse is called and what it will involve?

There is a comprehensive guide to C&G qualifications and the changes to each of the courses including how they are going to mess around with 2391, and water it down IMO.

Read all about it HERE

 

[RMS]

I've just qualified as an electrician i.e 2330 lvl 2&3, NVQ3 and AM2.

Well done!

I am now working on tools on my own and every thing is going well.

I assume you are familiar with testing then?

just looking for a little advice in my next move. what would be the best option, 2391, HNC or is there other options available. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

2391 is a good start. As long as you are actively carrying out testing and inspection and put the work in then you will have no problems. Since you have just recently completed your NVQ level three then you should be familiar with the contents of the 2391.

Good luck.

 

[Spark123]

2391, HNC or is there other options available. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I did the C&G 2391 IT&V approx 5 years ago, it consisted of a 3 day course which included the practical assessment element, then the written exam (there was a 3 month gap between course and exam owing to our C&G centres poor planning). I found it all pretty straight forward, however a 40% average pass rate country wide speaks for itself - it is not easy.

I also undertook HNC in Electrical and Electronic Engineering approx 3 years ago - I did day release to college for the two year course. This was a lot harder and can take a lot of your time, I think a lot of the term time I was doing 8hrs at college and a further 8+hrs at home per week. There was a strong need to have a good head for maths - some of the equations were pretty difficult! Out of the 30 odd who started the course there were only about 12 finished.
Do you have any past experience in Electrical and Electronic engineering such as ONC or NC?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

elrobbo82, for you to make the right decision on the next qualification to move forward and progress in your field, it would be best to decide what field you want to move in to.
Some qualification will help you attain certain levels as an employee, like the 2391 is a supervisory qualification and will help you in inspection and testing procedures and filling in the required forms, but if you don't need that qualification for what you want to do, I wouldn't go as far to say it would be pointless taking it but not necessary.
So really it is where do you want or expect to progress to?

 

[elrobbo82]

would an ONC be beneficial prior to the HNC. it's been a good few years since i was at school doing maths and while doing the 2330 the maths were pretty basic. just wondering if the ONC would bring my maths up to a decent level to carry me through the HNC as i think i would struggle with the maths required for the HNC.

 

[elrobbo82]

duplicated post so deleted.

 

[Spark123]

It always used to be that you need a NC/ONC in a relevent subject before the college will allow you to take a HNC. (The ONC was renamed NC a few years ago).
The best people to ask will be the course organisers at the college.

 

[RMS]

I completed my 2391 about 7 years ago. Its not easy but if you put the work in you stand a good chance. You need to revise!

I started my ONC 5 years ago. This required a lot of work and the maths was quite demanding. This course is assignment based with a project. It was day release for 2 years.

I then went on to start a HNC 3 years ago and it was very similar to the ONC. Assignment based with a project. The maths was also difficult. This was day release for two years.

If you put the work in you can achieve distinction grade. I remember spending a great deal of time at home researching for my project and assignments. In fact, the more I think about it the more I can remember the ridiculous amount of time I put into it.

I would not like to complete these courses via distance learning. Would this be your proposed method or will your employer allow you to study / attend college in work time?

 

[Spark123]

Time wise it did get silly!! I ended up with 4M and 6D
I'm not sure it is possible to do from home - subjects such as PLCs will be impossible.

 

[elrobbo82]

I would not like to complete these courses via distance learning. Would this be your proposed method or will your employer allow you to study / attend college in work time?

my employer is associated with the "investor in people" initiative and have helped people carry out further education before. i am confidant that my employer would help me gain extra qualifications as long as they benefited my employer long term. but to be honest haven't approached them yet as not sure which route to go down. at the moment though i am leaning towards to 2391 as i would like to be more accomplished in inspection and testing. the ONC/NC coarse is one for the future though.

 

[Spark123]

I'm not sure but I heard that the NC can be done in a 3 month block release?