Electrician Self Study?

[noneforit]

Hello

There is a decent chance that I may be made redundant in a few months and being only 23, I am considering a career change (currently an engineer in IT). Becoming an installation electrician has always interested me and I am considering giving it a go.

I have read quite a bit already and starting with C&G 2330 Level 2 seems to be the way to go.

Is this something I can study for at home with books and then take the exam?....I am a complete novice at this

I did a search but nothing answered my specific question

Thanks

 

[1john]

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=256112&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

You need to learn from many homes, offices, warehouses, industrial units, hotels ect. Could you become a chef from never going in the kitchen and never using any ingredients but reading Delia's guide?

The 2330 is the way to start. Get enrolled, you are going to need to get an appreticship to gain important experience in installation methods, techniques, hints and tricks, especially in domestic work, being able to get yourself familiar with house construction from years gone by and understanding how to get from A to B and Comply will pay dividends. Also fault finding, this is another skill which is aquired through logic, learning but mainly experience.

 

[ericmark]

Government targets for colleges have resulted in most colleges refusing to take outside candidates for exams as it tends to reduce their pass rate and lower the college status.

So to home study and then take exam is not easy. Some private colleges will allow you to sit exams only but you need to live near a big city to find them.

The house wiring part of trade has dried up in main and to get a job you need a track record and this is not time to swap trades.

To move slightly sidewards and start doing SCARDA and PLC work is likely a better move for an IT guy. To study PLC's in the main is degree work and many firms realise that people who are good at PLC work often are self taught and so will take people on without formal training.

 

[dingbat]

You can get so-called 'virtual courses'.

I guess when you complete them it makes you 'virtually' an electrician?

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8218167/

I'm not a fan of online packages, simply because, if you can learn on your own you don't need to pay out for gimmicky software and if you can't learn on your own you need face-to-face contact with a tutor.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Ding! That clip is inspired.
Says it all really...

To noneforit:
DO take on board the messages posted. Being an electrician is a CRAFT VOCATION.
It means that you need to use your brain to gain knowledge AND use the knowledge in a practical way to create, or repair, an electrical environment.

Getting anywhere near competent means getting your tools out (Oh Matron!) and gaining skills. The chef analogy is a good one.

Stay on your IT for a while, in the meantime enroll on a 2330 night school course at a local college. You'll then gain the knowledge and also be introduced to the practical side of an electrician's life.
Then you'll be in a better position to go full time sparking.

 

[dingbat]

Ding! That clip is inspired.
Says it all really...

Thanks.

Two weeks ago I had a 'virtual courser' turn up for a practical assessment. Absolutely no hands-on experience. Absolutely no idea, whatsoever. He had travelled through the night (through the snow) because no centre near him would take on the job. He had supposedly passed the written exam, but I have no idea how that happened unless he got somebody to take it for him. I did not have to make a decision to fail him - he did that for himself within minutes by not isolating safely.

 

[maguire]

Short answer is Yes whenI was a refrigeration engiineer I did all the knowledge by studing at home sat the 16th ed wiring regs at a local college,study the 2391 did the assesment and I have just had my approved contractor pre assesment so yes by all means if you think you can, go for it you must do your research first as to where what and when get all the relevant documentataion books etc GN 3 17ed regs, on site guide be wary of buying things like the 17th ed explained etc or the know it alls book on inspection and testing stick to IEE publications
Best of luck and ignore the nay sayers
DM