ELECTRICAL QUALIFICATIONS...

[V33]

Serious question time...

I am 35years old and have a bit of spare time on my hands. I have been a "DIY electrician" for a while and carried out a fair few bits and bobs - from spurs to extra sockets and lighting (all in my own home).

I am now planning a major renovation of my own home to begin before winter sets in (including a loft conversion and small extension) and wish to be a qualified installer in the speediest and most cost effective method

The qualification I wish to achieve must enable me to pass my work off to building regs standards...(I think its called self certify?)

Would this mean a long training process (A few month/ year long course then gaining an apprenticeship then being signed off as competent and then having to get on the NICEIC, NAPT etc?!) or is it more straight forward than that?

I've had a look on some "crash course" training websites but all seem too vague at first glance. (e.g. http://www.electricaltraining4u.co.uk/electrical-courses/domestic-installer-course)

As you can tell - I've pretty poor background information. My basic understanding is that the above website gives you all the knowledge and training to pass the exams involved which seem to be included in the course and then once successful you have to meet the criteria set by the competent persons scheme, etc. Cheers

 

[RF Lighting]

That company are nothing but a money making scam. They will teach you how to pass an exam for an exorbitant fee, but will not actually provide proper training to be able to do the job.

Get your self down to your local college and enrol on a proper electrical training course. Now is the ideal time to sign up to start in september.

You need to work along side a proper electrician for a couple of years at least to learn how to do the job properly. There is NO way to learn the job quickly.

 

[V33]

Thought as much.

Well the main reason why I wanted to get the qualifications is so that I could save money and have the challenge of doing my own wiring in the loft and extension. A couple of years at college is not really what I had in mind. Was more thinking of along the lines of just passing the qualifications to get my own work certified for building regs - but seems this is not going to be an option!

 

[vibrobullit407]

I decided I needed a career change a few years ago. What I did was go to my college and enrolled on the 2330 level 2 course. This lasted a year on day release. After this year I enrolled on the 2330 level 3. This lasted for another year. I then had to find a placement to carry out the NVQ level 3 which can take up to a year depending on the scope of the jobs you undertake. You have to meet the different aspects of the job to pass. To finish off you then had to do the AM2 competency exam to show that you are capable of working in this field. When I had finished all these then I gained the qualifications to work as an electrician. That said, just because you are qualified does not mean that you are competent in all fields. What you need on top is experience which, due to knowing a few sparky's, is what i have gained over the last few years. There is no quick fix to this I'm afraid. It is hard work and requires a lot of research and understanding. Great though if you really want to do it. It is a very rewarding trade and you will never stop learning!

 

[RF Lighting]

If you are just wanting to do a one off job, going to college and joining a self certification scheme is just a waste of your time and money. You can apply to your LABC to carry out your own DIY electrical work. There is a fee of about £150 iirc. The LABC will send out their inspector at first fix stage to check work is compliant, then at 2nd fix and will sign the job off and issue a BR compliance certificate.

Not a process I've had experience in my self, so others will be able to advise in more detail.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well the main reason why I wanted to get the qualifications is so that I could save money and have the challenge of doing my own wiring in the loft and extension. A couple of years at college is not really what I had in mind. Was more thinking of along the lines of just passing the qualifications to get my own work certified for building regs - but seems this is not going to be an option!

The only way to "sign off" your own work from a Building Regulations perspective is to become a registered electrician, i.e. to acquire all the qualifications of a professional. Even if you have the qualifications they'd be no use without registering, and that costs several £'00 a year.

So you pay to acquire the qualifications, you pay to acquire the calibrated test equipment, you somehow learn how to use it well enough to pass the assessment for NICEIC/NAPIT/ECA/BSI/UTCAA, you do enough jobs to show them during the assessment, you pay their fees, you take out insurance (which you don't need except to join the scheme).

Total cost about 10x what notifying will cost.

Don't get me wrong - if you want to go and get the EAL Domestic Installer VRQ, and C&G 2382, and buy test equipment I will applaud you.

But registering so that you can self-certify is pointless.

Get the qualifications and calibrated test equipment, and when you apply for BR approval for the extension and/or loft conversion tell them that the electrics will be done by a qualified but unregistered DI who will issue BS 7671 EICs.