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Minimum qualifications to be an electrician?
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OtleyLad



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 12:24 pm    Post subject: Minimum qualifications to be an electrician? Reply with quote
    

As my book has not made me millions I may have to consider alternatives.

I have re-wired my own house and regularly do my own electrical jobs, etc. So i'm pretty competent at the practicalities. Does anyone know what would I need to have as a minimum if I was to set myself up as an electrician (for domestic work)? (Apart from a screw-driver)

Ty Gwyn



Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4562
Location: Lampeter
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A piece of paper i`m afraid.

marigold



Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Qualifications and certification, tools, a suitable vehicle, insurance, tolerance of stupid people, a realistic understanding of pricing... My brother is an ex-subbie electrician who now has a permanent job - he's never fancied being self-employed (or been able to afford the start-up costs).

More positively, IIRC Vanessa's husband is a self-employed electrician - she may be able to give you a precise list of what's required.

chicken feed



Joined: 27 Aug 2009
Posts: 2677

PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

its been a while since i was in the electrcal work but i think they are now on the 17th edition which would cover you to do electrical instalations, part p, pat testing along with a few others i may have missed.

i was not a electrician i was office manager. best port of call is your local college they do night courses as well as full time.

Hairyloon



Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Many, if not most training centres will let you take an assessment without having to do the course.
I would suggest you have a read of the appropriate book though. You might be able to do wiring in your sleep, but unless you know, there is no way to guess stuff like the minimum height for mains sockets, etc.

OtleyLad



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've done a search on the web and found a suitable course to be become a 'Domestic Electrical Installer' includes the relevant City & Guilds stuff - it looks ok but I have to find how much it will cost of course!
It includes a lot of stuff - most of which I have done already for myself in one way or another.

Pel



Joined: 29 Mar 2008
Posts: 2366
Location: Sennybridge
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I know you have to take the AML2 test (my first thought when i saw this on the apprenticeship website, was "why do they have an animal movement licence), which then quailifies you for the electrian bit. The PAT test is on top, if you want to do that too.

vegplot



Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd
PostPosted: Thu Oct 11, 12 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Arvo will know. He has paper and knows that stripping insulation from cable with your teeth is best done with the leccy switched off.

Nicky cigreen



Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9702
Location: Devon, uk
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

as Marigold says you have to have some other skills to go with the paperwork

People don't think it through - but chemists have to get on all right with old people (most of their clients), carpenters have to have a head for heights (working on roof) and electricians have to be ok working in small cramped spaces and not have a fear of spiders!

Something a lot of self employed are bad at is keeping the accounts or chasing payment.

If you are serious about going this route - it would be worth training and doubling up skills i.e getting the paperwork to be a plumber too - or HETAS registered, so you can work with open fires woodburners etc. - these days people are coming up with solutions that use a mix, and it would be more likely you would get the job if you could do everything.

chez



Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

vegplot wrote:
Arvo will know. He has paper and knows that stripping insulation from cable with your teeth is best done with the leccy switched off.


He's away until tomorrow. I'll poke him in this direction when he gets back.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45372
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

iirc the rules are that all domestic work must meet regs and have a test certificate

there are ways to persuade a testing approved spark to check and test any installation but it would eat your profits

there are many details to installations that are best learned at college

i think it took my pal about 2 yrs part time to get the basic exam and another few months for each type of testing

to get public liabilty insurance you will require qualifications

among the sparks i know most prefer employment to self employed , even the most skilled lads have had lean times recently and found steady jobs at well below their abilities the best option

as a steady self employed trade i would pick plumbing or external repairs and painting .

OtleyLad



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A very nice man came from OLCI Training today and they have a course which is just what i'm looking for.

It covers all these:
EAL Level 2 Certificate for Domestic Electrical Installers inc. Part P
17th Edition 2382-12 (Level 3 Award in Requirements for Electrical Installations BS7671: June 2008 (2011)
City & Guilds Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification (2392-10)
City & Guilds In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (2377)
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Certificate

So I could do domestic installation, testing, etc as well as solar installation (that would be right up my street-but i'd need someone to go up the ladder onto the roof as I get vertigo).

It does cost £3,995 though

Still where there's a will there's a way. My only income right now is my £150 per month from my last 4 years as a uni lecturer (unless there's a suddne rush for my book). Have you read it yet?

Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I haven't.
But, I did pay full price for it, rather than wait til the weekend. So, next time I need a spark....

However, in a serious note, I found this the other day when I was looking for something entirely different. Mebbe it'd help?

https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/CareerDevelopmentLoans/index.htm

marigold



Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 12458
Location: West Sussex
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

If you are claiming JSA you may get financial support for retraining after a period of time (6 months?). Signing on is an unpleasant business, but it means you get your NI paid even if you don't get any other income from it. And you add to the unemployment statistics.

You'll have to endure all applying for non-existent jobs and going to workshops run by people with half your intelligence on how to write your CV crap, but if it gives you access to free training all that is a means to an end. Might be worth investigating anyway.

OtleyLad



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire
PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 12 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Nick wrote:
I haven't.
But, I did pay full price for it, rather than wait til the weekend. So, next time I need a spark....

However, in a serious note, I found this the other day when I was looking for something entirely different. Mebbe it'd help?

https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/CareerDevelopmentLoans/index.htm


Thanks for that Nick. Don't worry about the book - its best read on a night in front of the fire when its snowing outside (to get you into the zone)

The man from OLCI did explain that there was no relevant funding available for this course and I don't think it made any difference to them one way or the other - so I believed him. But I will look into it (and buy a lottery ticket or two for tomorrow).

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