Change Careers Now With Electrician Qualifications

The world as we know it would grind to a halt without electricity. Our infrastructure depends on the skills and knowledge of trained electricians. Work for some is predominantly concerned with installations - others with safety testing or fault-finding and maintenance.

The electrical market as a whole now accounts for 3 percent of Britain's Gross National Product. If you've thought about moving into electrical work, now is a great time to gain your skills and qualifications.

Can I Do It?

Am I the right sort of person for this work? 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. As a good deal of your work will be unaccompanied, you need to be happy to work on your own. Some electrical work requires a degree of strength, so it's useful to be physically fit. But most important of all, if you want to work for yourself you'll need to be resolute and persistent.

Training Information E-Book - Yours For Free

Once you've passed the correct industry exams, you can be on your way to a great new career. But it can sometimes be a bit unclear which training will be best, so we've written a completely unbiased report that will tell you what you need to know. You can download your own copy in seconds, and we won't charge you a penny!

It'll help you see the wood from the trees where electrical training's concerned. Check out the report now, and you'll see what we mean. Then re-visit this site to find links to various trainers and colleges who might have what you need. You might like to bookmark it now (Ctrl D) so it's quick to find again.

Becoming Self-Employed

The driving force to get back into training is often motivated by a person's goal to work for themselves. Indeed, it's fair to say that most mature electrical students go that way. As demand for qualified professionals continues in domestic households, this arrangement can be ideal.

Then again, there are those who want the skills as a safety net, to do small jobs alongside their full-time work. Finally some just want to be able to carry out electrical work in their own homes.

As with plumbers and builders, electricians will get some good referrals if their customers think they've done a good job. Be sure that you're pleasant and courteous whenever you're in someone else's home - apart from being the right thing to do, it could bring in a lot more work!

Although overtime is sometimes possible, employed workers usually work 9-5, Monday to Friday. For that, they will typically be paid approximately 26,000pa. However, self-employed electrical workers operating in the domestic market can expect to earn more, but may well have to offer more flexibility in their working hours. They will also have to allow for added business costs such as tools, transport and administration.

What's The Right Course For Me?

In the UK, look primarily for C&G (City & Guilds) and EAL (EMTA Awards Ltd) training. Most young people entering the industry straight from school will study for C&G qualifications along with corresponding NVQ's. Overall this extends training to 36 to 48 months.

Career-changers typically go for more condensed courses that will fit around their existing commitments. 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. Overall students are less qualified, but they will have a good grounding in the skills needed for domestic work, and their certifications will be legally acceptable.

What Does This Involve?

A typical EAL Level 2 Domestic Electrical Installers course would take you from no knowledge to competency in domestic work. Your course will deal with basic wiring principles - installing new electrics, rewiring houses, fitting appliances etc.

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. Working towards these industry-recognised qualifications will equip you not only to work on jobs in kitchens and bathrooms, on lighting circuits and wall sockets etc. but also to self-certify them as well.

You should find a typical domestic electrical training programme takes between 300 hours and 400-500 hours, and is a mixture of home study and workshop assessments. You could be successfully working in customers' homes a few short months from now - building your future on solid ground.