DIY Si
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 posted on 12/8/07 at 07:08 PM |
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Becoming a sparky
Bit random for a Sunday, but I've been thinking about changing job. I currently change electricity meters, and have a good physics background
from school (which was 5 years ago). I find my job easy, and not technically demanding enough, but don't want to get stuck behind a desk, as I
quite like working outside/in random places.
Would training to become a sparky on the side be worthwhile? Are there any sparks on here who could tell me what there jobs entail, and what they are
like? Also, roughly what you earn, if you don't mind telling me?
Also, is there a recognised career path for sparks? IE a few years house bashing, then get into more technical/industrial stuff? Any
views/recommendations would be appreciated.
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:19 PM |
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The normal route is an appreticeship of 4/5 years on crap money.
However times change.
Have a word with your human resources department. They may have a training scheme for mature employees, to enable you to make the transition. HTH.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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nitram38
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:21 PM |
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I have been an Electrician for 23 years.
Everyone thinks that all we do is connect cables, but that is only 5% of the job.
In adition to good qualifications you will need to be able to fabricate conduit, trunking and cable tray as well as run cables. Some of this work is
very heavy and in poor conditions. Sometimes at heights too.
Working on muddy cold building sites in poor weather and getting wet is not much fun.
If none of this phases you, then go for it.
Average earnings are 25K or upwards of 34k if you do shift work in a maintenance enviroment.
If you get an ONC there are fewer jobs for this qualification but the pay can be better and it will open more doors.
I am self employed (ltd company) and earn more than the average, but I also work un-sociable hours and often 12 hr days.
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DIY Si
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:21 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
They may have a training scheme for mature employees.
Less of that, I'm only 23!! 
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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nitram38
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DIY Si
quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
They may have a training scheme for mature employees.
Less of that, I'm only 23!!
You are considered a mature employee as most companies want 16 year olds who do 4-5 year apprenticeships.
Other Electricians will tend to look down on you if you did not go the apprenticeship route as they will consider you to be semi-skilled and
"taking" one of their jobs.
Most work I get is through a "network" of other electricians. If you do not fit in this culture you will miss most of the good jobs
because people will not tell you where they are or who to contact.
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DIY Si
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:44 PM |
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Blimey, old at 23! 
I see what you mean about the network of blokes though. Would this make it inadvisable then? There's no way I could afford to be an apprentice,
as I have a mortgage to pay.
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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JoelP
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:45 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
Other Electricians will tend to look down on you if you did not go the apprenticeship route as they will consider you to be semi-skilled and
"taking" one of their jobs.
ditto that!  Time served sparkies generally dont like people who do the short courses.
If you can spend time 'doing it properly' it can be a good earner, my mate gets up to 1k per week if he does overtime.
Not sure how it would work for you though, it cant be easy finding time to get qualified whilst still working. U2U pat (avoneer) as he's gone
down this route recently.
If you know what you are doing already, and are familiar with domestic electrics, you could do a 5 day domestic installer course and go the self
employed route. I doubt you'll find an employer who's happy with the DIS certificate but theres nowt to stop you doing domestic works. 
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nitram38
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:51 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by DIY Si
Blimey, old at 23!
I see what you mean about the network of blokes though. Would this make it inadvisable then? There's no way I could afford to be an apprentice,
as I have a mortgage to pay.
That is the age old conundrum as you will also get lower wages until you are qualified. You can build your "network" over time but it will
take you a while.
Can you afford low wages for 2-3 years?
[Edited on 12/8/2007 by nitram38]
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DIY Si
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 07:59 PM |
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Depends upon what's considered low really.
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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Avoneer
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 08:19 PM |
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Yep - I did my 16th edition last year which (apparantly) you need before you can do anything else.
It took me 12 monday evenings and fried my brain, but I passed.
Next step is either domestic installation or inspection and testing which you can once again do at night school, but take a bit longer and more brain
frying.
Then look for a job!
I've not got round to the domestic installation or inspection and testing bit yet, but have been offered a job as an apprentice on the merit of
some work I did for my sis from an electrician that came to change the consumer unit.
Can't help much further at the moment, sorry.
Pat...
No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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DIY Si
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| posted on 12/8/07 at 08:30 PM |
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That's great, all the info I can get helps. Feel free to tell me to go away, but do you have any idea what the wage will be as a partly
qualified apprentice?
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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tony9876
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| posted on 13/8/07 at 04:10 PM |
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Electricians mates roughly £8-9 ph. Then you can go to night school for the rest
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martyn_16v
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| posted on 13/8/07 at 05:44 PM |
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As above, labourers rates basically, maybe a pound or two more if you can drag yourself down to London. A friend of mine is just approaching the end
of what you're thinking of, he started as an apprentice at about 22 (after finally realising that he's never going to be a rockstar and he
can't sponge off his parents forever). He's been doing 4 years of making conduit and tray for peanuts on commercial sites, one day a week
at college. He should be qualified in the next couple of months (providing he takes enough time out of being stoned to do some actual learning), after
which he's got a job lined up assisting another sparky he's met at sites for a while before going it alone.
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DIY Si
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| posted on 13/8/07 at 05:56 PM |
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I could afford a year or two of those wages, but not 4! Can it be done any quicker at all, or is there a complusary time?
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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