I want to retrain as an Electrician for Part P, 17th Edition and I'm looking at courses. I've been working in the electronics field for 20+ years. New Career Skills (www.newcareerskills.co.uk) looks interesting. Has anyone done this course or has anyone got other suggestions?

Cheers

Adrian

Personally, I wouldn't be inclined to touch any qualification other than the C&G2357, even if at this point you can only do the knowledge unit elements of the course until you can get some sort of employment in the industry. I keep hearing from people who have Part P (EAL Domestic Installer Level 2), 17th Edition, PAT test (C&G2377), Inspection and Test (C&G2392) and some form of basic electrics course all at the cost of a small hatchback and no one will touch them.

You can ask yourself the main reasons why they can't get employment doing these courses but here're some to get you going:

1) No real world experience
2) In a recession when works tight and employees a plenty, would you pick a time served apprentice/mature trainee who has done at least 3-4 years at college whilst working on the tools or someone who has done a 4 week course at a training provider?
3) No ECS Gold card

I am sorry if that comes across negative towards the providers that offer these courses, and of course, individually, each course has its merit (even the EAL one that was originally designed for "allied" trades but was hijacked by the get qualified quick crew).

Having said all of that, I would be very happy to also hear about credible stories from people who have taken these courses, it would enable me to be a bit more accurate with my own work.

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http://www.electricalqualifications.co.uk
http://www.electricalexams.co.uk
http://www.electricalrevision.co.uk

Thanks for that.

I spoke to a guy who has done the course (New Career Skills) He agrees that there's no substitute for experience on the tools but wasn't critical of the course.
I do need the Part P, 17th Edition etc and could work as an electricians mate to make up for lost time.

The New Career Skill course also includes Photovoltaic Installers course which seems to be a good way forward.

I'm going to visit the New Career Skills training place next week and speak to the 'experienced, real world' trainers.

There is no doubt, I've got to find new ways of making money. A total career change, as you say, would probably not work. If I get LX qualifications, I would be extending my experiences.

The real trick is to work as an electricians mate while doing the C&G2357; fully recognised by the JIB and automatic Qualified Supervisor status if you want to start up yourself.

It is tough though and I know a lot of training providers personally and they are excellent trainers, no question about that, but some of these places are asking northwards of £6000 for something that leaves you only marginally more qualified than when you went in. Some of them though are offering the better routes for the same money, I think this is the better way to go personally.

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http://www.electricalqualifications.co.uk
http://www.electricalexams.co.uk
http://www.electricalrevision.co.uk

This looks very interesting and thanks.

Does the 2357 cover 17th edition and Part P accreditaion. I've looked at the websites but can't find the answers.

I'm presuming I'll need these two to practice as an LX

im a mature student, i went back to college to be a sparky when i was 30.

i just went to my local tech college and managed to do part p, 2392, 2330 level 3, pat testing and the regs all together for under a grand.

me and a friend went different routes.

He tried to get his own van and start doing jobs and hes really struggled to get work with the economy the way it is, however another guy seems to be fairing better. It really is who you know in this business.

i used all my qualifications to get myself an apprenticeship (which although its in electrical engineering) should get me where i want to go. Trouble is of course is that with the apprenticeship on top of 2 years college. So im going to be even older and greyer by the time i finish.
But then I will (hopefully) finish where other people from the class unfortunately wont

But apprenticeships are ridiculously hard to get with local companies when youre older because the government doesnt fund over 25s. However national companies like eon, national grid, the railways, underground, water companies, cadburys (quite a few large companies) do apprenticeship schemes where experience and maturity are treated with respect.

So if you can afford a drop in salary for a couple of years ild be more inclined to just go straight for the national companies.

but had i not been fortunate with a bigger company i would have faced the prospect of doing two years at college and still not be able to get into the electrical field because the odds are so stacked against in part because of the climate and part because i was older.

i guess im coming across a bit negative but had they told me how hard it was getting an apprenticeship to become a fully trained sparky I dont think i would have done it. It took me a full 14 months of searching and getting rejected by everyone

But they of course colleges and training places dont tell you this when theyre trying to sell you electrical courses.

But my experience of part p and the regs is that although you can do house repairs becaue you havent done the 2391, the more involved inspection and testing you cant do periodic testing. And because youre not a fully trained sparky you cant move or change distribution boards. So what you can do really is limited.

in all honesty if i could go back and tell myself at 30 what to do ild tell myself to do an electrical engineering degree at either open university or the local uni. instead of 2 years at college and a year desperately searching for an apprenticeship ild have done 3 years at uni and while i wouldnt have had the practical experience just the mere fact that i had an engineering degree would have opened doors that part p and the regs etc never could have done

Edited: 13 September 2011 at 05:37 AM by piratebill