Becoming a sparky...

[mikhailfaradayski]

Laurenissa,

What part of notts are you in? I will have a little re-wire in long eaton sometime soon. You can come and have a go, chop a few boxes in if you want, see how you cope with hammer-rash before you spend a lot of effort researching colleges and qualifications. A couple of hours swinging a club hammer might affect your career path

you've looked at her profile pic haven't you?

actually no, erm,(*thinks* - will this turn into a hole digging exercise? - oh, what the hell) , but i have now Would make some nice photos for my web-site if she was my apprentice. Could even have some t-shirts with faradayski electrical printed across the front. Subliminal advertising at its best

just to start you off on your new career.... "Woohoo!!! show us yer......"

chisel?

..... no, can't bring myself to say it.. too much of a gentleman...

ah, good old St. Col. You will go to heaven my brother.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Legally, there isn't an age limit on apprenticeships any longer.
In reality, I don't know anyone over 20 who has managed to get one.

Probably not as common as 16-20 y/o's, but they do happen. Old mate of mine (plasterer) took on a 26 y/o as an app. ( he was ex-forces, tanks i believe ) he also has his own nephew (younger than the app) working for him. My mate sings the praises of the app as he is old enough to know that life owes him nothing and hes got to earn it himself, a solid grafter. The nephew has everything on a plate and is far too concerned with getting smashed and girl hunting every fri/sat with every penny he earns. Often AWOL on a monday morning.

I'm in training myself - just completed my first year of C&G2330 L2.
I'm getting my results back for my final practical exam on Thursday and then it's off job hunting. Not expecting it to be easy to find a job in these economic conditions - my few personal contacts came up empty.

best of luck

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Hahaha, I like your thinking! I think I remember seeing a company on 'dragons den' that were trying to get an investment to take their company country wide, It's possibly the same company (I imagine there arn't alot of companies like that out there)...

was that the one with two women, one quite quiet and the other a right gobbybint? constantly playing the 'we're only women' card and really annoying all the dragons, especially Deborah 'not grumpy at all, no sir' Meardon? If so, i think the quiet, smart one split from Mrs. gobbycow and set up her own company for training craft skills to women and a home maintenance company. I recall her company is in Derby ( poss near the old baseball ground?)

Try googling for her, it might help?

I know id get alot of stick for it, but what the hell! I am thick skinned, and I can have a laugh at myself... Plus Im a woman, I can allways flash abit of boob to shut the blokes up Haha, just kidding! Seriously though, I accept the fact it isn't going to be easy, and I'm willing to work my a**e off for it. Abit or alot of banter wouldn't be enough to put me off, neither would the mucky stuff!

bear in mind that site/factroy banter has ZERO taboos- think 'how bad could it be?', thats how bad it is. The stuff that used to get bounded around would give somepeople a heart attack- be prepared

Ive had a look online at the C&G 2330, seams to be a few places in my area offer it as night class (2 nights, and saturday morning over 2 years), so ive requested a couple of prospectuses. The pricing isn't as bad as I thought either £2255 for the whole course, including materials and exams etc. The particular one im looking at also offers work experience on the Saturday afternoons for no extra cost. Not bad! I have a friend doing a similar type of course to become a plumber and im sure hes paid thousands more than that!

I will deffo keep my eye out for a copy of "professional electrician and installer".

free off the counter of most electrical suppliers, walk in and just ask.

Again, thanks so much, you've seriously been a huge help, I honestly had no idea where to start, and now im waiting on course prospectuses!! Its a strange and liberating feeling to know that your dreams can become a reality, and alot more easily than I ever thought!!

everything (well, most) is possible if have a functioning brain and you try hard enough

 

[sparkybird]

Hi Laurenissa

Good on you for wanting to join the small but growing band of female sparks. You'll have no regrets I promise -I can tell from your posts that you have the right attitude!

As people have said already, it's the work experience which will be the hardest to come by, but this is where you learn the most. Most women have no problem with the theory side.

I'm based in London, which isn't much help. It took me a while to find my first job so persevere, it'll be worth it. As well as contacting smaller local companies who might be able to take you on on a casual basis, larger ones who work in areas such as schools, hospitals, care homes etc might be worth a shot - the fact that you are a female can be seen as a plus. Local authorities (or their contractors) too - although with the cuts promised, might be less chance here....

If you can, offer to work for free to start with, so that there's no risk for the employer - this might get your foot in the door.

There's also an organisation called Women and Manual Trades (WAMT - find them on the internet) who can sometimes help with work placements/jobs. They should have a list of female sparks in your area.

Hope this helps - and good luck with your new career!

SB

 

[adam1984]

I am currently doing the C&G 2330 course (Coming to the end of my First year). I go to Central sussex college and do 2 evenings a week.
Monday is Practical and Tuesday is Theory.
You will be suprised at how little the Course has cost. I only had to pay £280 and I was lucky enough to get the rest of the course paid for by Government funding.

I am 26, work full time and was prepared to pay the full amount but by chance I asked a question and bang - saved myself a packet.

I was fortunate enough to work with Electrics between 17-21. I worked as a Kitchen/bathroom fitter and my old boss always let me have a go on doing electrics under his watchful eye so I now have a fair knowledge of the practical side of things.

The biggest obsticle I have found is trying to get work in the trade as a mate/trainee. I, like many of the guys I go to college with, have a mortgage and bills to pay and unfortunatley a trainee / mate / apprenticship wage just wont cover that. Also I sent my CV and cover letter out to lots of electrical companies but the ones that did reply just said "no jobs but we will keep you on file etc.."

My next plan is to ring some local Electricians and see if i can tag along on Saturdays and work for free with them - in the exchange that they pass on some of there experiance to me and give me a little training. I don't mind doing all the chasing out / mucky work / sweeping up / making teas etc for that.

 

[canduit]

The C & G 2330 which a few folks mentioned earlier is allegedly going to be replaced with the 2357. A quick google and this came up. http://www.electricalqualifications.co.uk/cityandguilds2357.php My advice is to contact a college, doesn't have to be local, and enquire. Be quick, courses sometimes start in Sept. If you get confused by the plethora of info out there, don't panic, there's always someone to help/advise. I would also take up mikhailfaradayski's offer of "bashing." Good luck.

 

[bongos]

I think my main concern is being taken seriously, id be devastated if I put all the hard work into getting qualified, to find that no one would be willing to take me on the gain the practical experience. But I guess Men struggle with that too, its a competitive world afterall!

I currently work with a female spark one day a week to gain experience and hopefully one day quit the day job and do electrical work. She's never had a problem getting work - alot of her customers are older single women and she also does work for women's refuges/hostels (i'm not allowed to help out on those jobs though!) Her only regret is that she didn't start it younger as she has come to the work a little later in life.

But don't be put off by being a female in a mainly male area - the gf is a gas engineer too and absolutely loves her job. She did an office job for a year and hated it. Since then she has been self employed and is now with BG which is working out well.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

imagine the up raw that would cause if it was the other way around.

 

[ColJack]

imagine the up raw that would cause if it was the other way around.

if what was the other way round?

and it's uproar, as in to bellow loudly..

what would be so wrong in allowing men only in a male institute for battered husbands?