Where do I go from here?

[fast_tzr]

Hi all, leaving school soon and not really sure what to do to be honest. Herts regional college are doing an electrical installation course which will leave me with an NVQ Level 1 whilst working towards a C&G Level 2. It looks quite appealing, however I'm not sure whether it's really what I want to do. I'm also considering A-levels, however due to living in Spain the past 2 years and moving back, my GCSEs have gone a bit down the drain really, and I'm not sure if I'd get the 5 Cs needed to go on to them anyway(although apparently theres a possibility I could get in on 4 Cs).

Basically, any sparkies out there who can tell me what the pays like, how easy it is to find work, if you enjoy it, how decent your future prospects are etc.

I know I should probably be asking a careers adviser all of this but just wondered if there was anyone on here with first hand experience who could tell me if its worth it.

Cheers, Tom.

[ken]

Oh to be young and naive again, them were the days

sos can't help with advise on being a sparky apart from they must pay well cause they charge £££££££££££££££££ just to Commission a new lecky socket
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latest bike 03 R1 in zee red and black

[WildGoose]

no idea about the electrical trade, im afraid, but i will just add...

nvq1 is worth less than toilet paper, the navy gave me an nvq2 in aircraft maintenance (also totally worthless) for just turning up
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[fast_tzr]

Cheers Goose, guess it's a good 3 years training to have anything worthwhile then, my current thinking was considering its a 1 year course if I didn't like it I could do something else, in that case maybe not.

Oh just realised this should be in Dear Auntie BCF, could one of the mods move it please, cheers.

[WishayKillie]

Try your hardest to get an Apprenticship with a company. Having NVQ/SVQ Level 3 (Trade papers) is always something to fall back on (unlike a degree) and give you a good starting point for your career
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Current; 10' Aprilia Dorsoduro 750.
Previous; 05 Triumph Daytona 600, 08' Ducati 1098s.
"Needs a check-up, fae the neck up!"

[owdamer]

NVQ = Not Very Qualified. Its cheap training, only people that benefit from it are the tutors.

[fast_tzr]

Cheers lads this is what I need to know, how about a C&G then, seems I can do that too with an average set of GCSEs(though have to ask the college about that)

Thing about an apprenticeship is it seems to narrow my options a fair bit more, would have thought an NVQ or C&G would leave me a few more options, am I wrong in thinking work experience would leave me with less options than a piece of paper?

[strag]

[McJamweasel]

[Sparks!]

Get a full electrical apprenticeship, as said before, somethiing to fall back on, job for life really.. pay is really good I think.. fully qualifed at our place get £13 per hour, van etc, 22 days paid holiday and LOADS of overtime and working away opportunities available.
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[strag]

I don't get paid any extra for NVQ assessing, its become part of my job as the students can't qualify if they don't complete their NVQ.

NVQs aren't always a waste of time. Just research it and see what benefits it has for your particular situation/needs.
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carbon bling

[ZRX61]

There are NO poor electricians.......

Mate of mine just had some work done..... about 9 hours in total, cost him $400 in materials & $1000 labour...

[WishayKillie]

[fast_tzr]

Righteo then, sounds like an apprenticeship is the way to go but as said it just seems to leave me with a bit of a narrow path(i.e.pretty worthless if I want to do something different, although I get that any experience will be valued).

Anybody know what the demands like for electricians? I know there was a shortage for plumbers a while back so everybody trained to become one of them and now theres almost too many, don't want that happening with sparkies aswell.

[markandmindy]

have a look here https://www.theiet.org/Forums/forum/categories.cfm?catid=205&entercat=y for some insight into the leccy trade. new regs mean the cowboys are being seen off. you could a lot worse than being a spark, just make sure you do the right C+G courses though

[Itchy]

you do realise that there are NO safe jobs in the UK , plumbers leccys , all from Eastern Europe will work harder
and for less, hell even solicitors work (for background research or bread and butter paperwork) and accountancy
work is being outsourced to India/Pakistan.

brickies are being hammered badly at the moment chewie used to get 1000 a week doing that.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[markandmindy]

Whilst agreeing with a little of what you say, Itchy, it is true about Eastern Europeans doing work over here. However, and it's a big however, they are not qualified to the relevant BS in wiring or, for that matter, plumbing. More and more regs are coming in about statutory inspections and the level of qualified person who can do that. The Eastern Europeans are not at this level of qualification. Anybody can do first fit, it is the testing and inspection, second fit etc.where the big bucks are. Both CORGI and the IEE have weeded out these loopholes so if you get the right tickets ( C+G 2391, 2381 etc..) you will have a good, well paid job. Industry rates for a spark are £12/hr on the books, around £20 self employed. Put the hours in, do the maths, for a 40 hour week as a self-employed spark is c.£40K. Not bad income in anybody's book.

[ZRX61]

[fast_tzr]

Surely if it was that easy everybody would be doing it though? I get the Eastern Europeans are giving the brickies a hammering at the moment, and although this sounds stereotypical I doubt the intelligence of some of them, basically they may be able to do the practical side without much trouble but once you get into the maths etc. I think some may be out of their depth.

[colin1]

i reckon their maths might be better even if their knowledge of english or building regulations might not be