advice for a C&G trainee please

[trainingman]

Hi, some advice from those in the know would be appreciated if you can spare the time...

I am just coming to the the end of my first year of C&G 2330 Electrical Installation (it is a 2 year course) at Manchester College of Arts and Technology.. I do it as an evening class, just one night a week, my day job is not related to the electrical industry in any way. I am 31.

Compared to many of the others in the class who work in the industry and are using the course to learn the theory rather than the practical, I feel I am lagging a little in terms of practical ability and could do with some 'on the job' experience.

My question is, am I likely to be able to get an electrician to let me tag along and help him on say, Saturday mornings? I would not require payment seeing as all I'm really good for is carrying stuff around and making tea. Does this sort of thing happen? Does my age count against me? Would the best way to find out be to write letters to my local electricians or is there a resource for this sort of thing?

Apologies for the long-winded nature of this message. Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[comms]

Good idea I did it by visiting a couple of small builds in the local area & asked the sparks, some said no due to insurance but a few gave me office numbers to call & I also paid a few visits to the local electrical wholesaler to tout myself as free worker(good because it gets your face seen & soon your on first name terms with local sparks), Was taken on for a few weekends by a sole trader (niceic & part p registered) who said yep no problem.
Be aware you will get the dirty jobs first ( rightly so) before any second fixing( fibre glass is soooo itchy), And if you don't know or are unsure of a task ask, the lads I spent a few days with were great but took some persuading that I wasn't some nut case wanting to work for free. I found testing/certificating was a big help as it was explained hands on & not from a book, so as if you could sit in when they do final testing.
All the best with the college course, I'm 37 & now at the end of year 2 C&G236 course so no age isn't against you(so long as you can still kneel down, think ahead , get into the small spaces in lofts, take criticisms on the chin & have a good laugh you'll be fine)