what now? (Training and qualifications for electrician) (Ed.)

[baza321]

I done my level 3 electrical installation about 5-6 years ago. didn't get to do my nvq or anything like that, just did an ecs test that i passed and a cscs. I was doing experience at the time but it was hard staying consistent due to other circumstances. Now I'm doing experience again with an electrician 99% domestic work, what quals or what should I aim to do along with getting my experience?

 

[ericmark]

In my day there were night classes, remember doing three in a row, 6 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, pat testing, 16th edition as it was then, and the C&G 2391 inspection and testing, also did confined spaces, cherry pickers, PLC's, and finally a degree.

However, in my day domestic was called house bashing, and there was very little specialist work connected to domestic, today that is no longer the case, solar panels, EV charging points, and more require special training, but I never even planned to be an electrician to start with, it was just how jobs took me.

My break was when SLD pumps wanted someone who could repair portable traffic lights, and I had that skill, so they re-trained me as an electrician working on pumps, and a spell in Algeria widened my experience.

So it is mainly down to the job you get, as to what you learn, no good learning how to repair a tunnel boring machine if you're never likely to even see one.

There was no Part P or scheme membership when I started, and I would move domestic, industrial, chemical, shop fitting, even ship building, what ever paid best at the time. And often the firms I was working for would send me on courses, it was a case of have bag will travel, Falklands, Hong Kong, even Scotland and Belfast, and Sizewell 'B' so many specials, 200 ton straddle carrier on the 7 bridge for example.

I had to taylor my CV, to suit job applied for, as no one would believe I had worked on so much. It seemed I was jack of all, and master of non, if I listed it all.

 

[baza321]

In my day there were night classes, remember doing three in a row, 6 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, pat testing, 16th edition as it was then, and the C&G 2391 inspection and testing, also did confined spaces, cherry pickers, PLC's, and finally a degree.

However, in my day domestic was called house bashing, and there was very little specialist work connected to domestic, today that is no longer the case, solar panels, EV charging points, and more require special training, but I never even planned to be an electrician to start with, it was just how jobs took me.

My break was when SLD pumps wanted someone who could repair portable traffic lights, and I had that skill, so they re-trained me as an electrician working on pumps, and a spell in Algeria widened my experience.

So it is mainly down to the job you get, as to what you learn, no good learning how to repair a tunnel boring machine if you're never likely to even see one.

There was no Part P or scheme membership when I started, and I would move domestic, industrial, chemical, shop fitting, even ship building, what ever paid best at the time. And often the firms I was working for would send me on courses, it was a case of have bag will travel, Falklands, Hong Kong, even Scotland and Belfast, and Sizewell 'B' so many specials, 200 ton straddle carrier on the 7 bridge for example.

I had to taylor my CV, to suit job applied for, as no one would believe I had worked on so much. It seemed I was jack of all, and master of non, if I listed it all.

nice, seems like you been through it all. So what I'm thinking is after getting this experience either this electrician employs me to his company or if he doesn't then I look for electrician mates jobs? cause atm i am working for free, Im going to look for a side job where i can have some income. I have my own car for transport. So, if I'm looking to be a domestic electrician or be employed to where I can have another electrician check my work, I need part p and 18th edition, maybe even do testing & inspection? I guess to be able to get a gold card i would need to re-do level 3. This is why i would prefer the apprenticeship route but it was hard to find one at the time.