Re-Training / Electricians

[Dazza1004]

Due to the possibility of redundancy I am seriously thinking about re-training as an electrician. If I do get punted I guess I will be able to do something full time otherwise I will have to fit it in around my current role.
Any one else re-trained recently and any sparkies out there with any advice ?

Cheers

[Nadz1lla]

I recently went on PGL training's "Response to redundancy" scheme, did a Plumbing course. Takes 6 weeks and you get a City and Guilds level 2 cert at the end of it which is good for getting on the first rung of any plumbing company out there so you can further your training with them. Although I did Plumbing, they also do Carpentry, Plastering and Electrical as their other RtR options.

It would definitely be worth checking around your local trades training companies to see if they do the same kind of thing, I should imagine they do it up and down the country as it's a government funded scheme.

Obviously, here's hoping you don't get the boot, but if you do, then good luck with re-training! I can honestly say that, even though I'm not in a job where I use it a lot, it has definitely given me an edge and something great to go on my CV, just opens up a lot of options.  :D

[Dazza1004]

thanks fella, that's good advice, I am going to do it anyway even if I don't get the boot as I want something else to fall back on, I have thought about plumbing as well.

[Stevepage]

I've been trying to do exactly the same thing. But every time I try I get to a dead end. I've tried apprenticeships but considering how things are right now, that's not going to be a positive option.

[Fourth Feline]

Hiya Dazza,  :)

Just an observation (or two ) .

 I know both a ( domestic ) electrician and a 'Corgi' registered plumber - and whilst the electrician remains in reasonable demand, the plumber has achieved near mythical status.  The other factor being that the plumber ( once Corgi registered ) could move seamlessly between domestic , catering and many other facets of the same trade, without the perceived need to take much further training / certifications.   

By way of contrast, the electrician would have needed to take  comprehensive re-training to explore / qualify in other facets of his 'core' skills .

Both skills would be very marketable of course ;  but plumbing seems to 'migrate' easier - with landlords of private accommodation , and the catering trade finding that keeping track of Government safety legislation needs constant reworking of existing Water and Gas supplies. They can re-wire once, but need to address the plumbed apparatus constantly. 



Good luck with your quest !  :)
 

[Nadz1lla]

Agreed, I am currently working for the NHS in a Hygiene Maintenance position (Yeah yeah, I'm a cleaner, meh.) as it's a foot in the door and I aspire to work with the NHS Estates dept which is all their handymen / plumbers / sparkies etc. Once in I can do way more Plumbing training and move around quite easily if I want to, gaining both experience and confidence before maybe branching out on my own later on. I kinda like the NHS pension though so I might stick around until I get to be head of plumbing or whatever, heh.

Response to Redundancy was great because I got a couple of grands worth of training for free, just for being laid off. Best "bad" thing to happen to me ever, heh.  :lol:

[Dazza1004]

cheers guys, I think I was leaning towards the plumbing anyway, you have def helped me make my mind up here.

[Nadz1lla]

No probs mate, and good luck! 

[Fourth Feline]

All the very best with it all Dazza . May your pipes never tarnish - and your wallet never freeze.  :D

[marantz1300]

I started my electrical aprenticeship in 1975 and got made up in 1980 when I was 21. A six week course might learn you abit of theory,but you wont know much and you will be slow . If you want job security  with sick pay,paid holidays and a pension try and get a start in building maintainance with a big company ,such as Mitie or McAlpines . The guys who have been working with them might moan that the companies are cr@p,but they sail through ressions still employed unlike men working on sites.The building industry always gets decimated at hard times. You can earn more on sites and then you earn nothing. In maintainance you can still earn over £40,000 a year (in London) without much problem.I was on sites for twenty years. Its true that you will never become rich working for another man,but I dont know any rich sparks or plunmbers, corgi or not and I've met hundreds. Some do very well ,but its rare.