CareerChangeJob.co.uk

What to Look for in Electrical C&G 2391 Courses

Change Careers Now To Become a Working Electrician

The electrical industry has become one of the most significant aspects of life today. In Britain and around the world we rely heavily on the expertise of electrical contractors. Essentially the work involves installing, maintaining and testing electrical systems, equipment and appliances under strict safety regulations. The electrical trade overall is now responsible for 20 Billion pounds of business a year in the UK alone. So if you're looking to retrain for a new career, an electrical course could be just the thing for you.

Will I Be Able To Do It?

You might wonder whether electrical work will suit you. You'll need to be a hands on, practical sort of person who's good with tools. Those who can work methodically through a process do well as electricians. Your training will give you the technical knowledge, but you must have the capacity to solve problems as you go. Your balance should be good, along with your colour vision and general fitness level. And in the end, if being your own boss is your goal, you should be determined and positive!

Training Information E-Book - Yours For Free

You may have a few skills under your belt already, or you may know next to nothing. Whatever your present knowledge, good industry training will have you equipped for the job very quickly. Knowing which courses to take can be quite confusing, so we've put together a step by step document that explains everything. Get hold of your free copy today to give yourself the edge.

It'll help you see the wood from the trees where electrical training's concerned. Why not download the book first and take time to read through its contents. Then return to this page and visit some of the training organisations listed alongside. A useful shortcut if you want to Bookmark this page is 'Ctrl D' on your keyboard.

Make The Move To Self-Employment

Many career-changers consider electrical work so they can set themselves up in business. In fact the majority of those who have re-trained either become contract workers or self-employed. It's not surprising when you look at the amount of work in the domestic market in particular.

Then again, there are those who want the skills as a safety net, to do small jobs alongside their full-time work. Still others train in order to save paying trades people to do their electrical work.

As with plumbers and builders, electricians will get some good referrals if their customers think they've done a good job. Your training will get you up to speed technically, but you'll also need good people skills when dealing with the public.

Electricians working for commercial companies generally do a regular forty hour week. Salaries generally come in around the 26,000 mark, though it's higher than that in some areas. On the other hand, electricians who are self-employed can expect more erratic hours, but they can also command more money. Being self-employed also means there are overheads to consider, so prices have to reflect that.

How Should I Get Going?

City & Guilds and EAL are the Trade Certification organisations to be aware of. National Vocational Qualifications can also be undertaken by proving commercial competency in industry. Overall this extends training to 36 to 48 months.

More senior applicants most often choose short training programmes that they can work through at their convenience. These courses don't include NVQ assessments, because the trainees are mostly focused on household work. Various training routes are offered by commercial colleges that will quickly lead to industry recognised qualifications. So whilst trainees emerge with more limited qualifications, they are still considered competent and qualified to carry out the more in-demand jobs.

What Does This Involve?

Whatever your starting point, you'll cover certain essential practices whoever you train with. A good all round programme for beginners would be an EAL Domestic Installers Course, at Level 2. Training will include installations, safety procedures, wiring and rewiring in homes and testing circuits. Your training will enable you to qualify for Part P - now a legal requirement for all domestic electrical workers.

Your training will also enable you to understand and meet the standards of the IEE wiring regulations. Once you've trained sufficiently and become qualified in these areas you can both carry out and self-certify all your domestic work.

Obviously the speed you can get through a course depends on your existing commitments, but allow about four to five hundred hours for training in total. Once you've attained your skills and certifications, you'll have skills that will set you up for life.