Electrotechnical occupations

[RMAK]

Hi all

I need some help please I am currently on the level 3 of the C&G 2330
on completion of this course along with the C&G 2382 and the C&G 2356

what areas of this trade can I get in to? apart from domestic installations.

obviously nothing wrong with domestic work I just want to keep my options open,
and hope to get some advice from professionals who do this work day to day

 

[Adam_151]

You'll some practical experience as well (though as you are doing the 2356 next [thats the NVQ3 right] I'm pretty sure you need to to be on the books with a firm to do that and have a manager who can vouch for the work you have done, etc)

But yes, however well the 2330 goes for you, you'd be mad to set up on your own without experience (though if you understand the theory and are quite practial generally... you pick them up quite easily when you are working alongside someone)

And as for areas of work, commerical work is much better than domestic best bet is to try and get in with a reasonablely sized contracting firm and they'll probably have their fingers in many pies

 

[RMAK]

Thanks for the reply Adam_151 with regard to experience I have approx
2 years on the tools mainly in domestic then was laid off due to the recession.

I dont plan on setting up on my own just yet, like you have mentioned complete the NVQ3 (C&G 2356) which is set to be replaced along with the C&G 2330 with C&G 2357 in sep 2010.

I will look in to the commercial side of the trade, are there further quals required to work in this field? and are there any other areas that I can look in to.

My tutor also mentioned electrical maintenance work as a possibility, but did not give me any further information on this subject.

 

[RMAK]

Hi guys any further help on my query will be much appreciated

 

[crystal ball]

From my own working experience

Marine electrician
Electrical fitter - dc motors
Cathodic protection technician
Domestic
Lecturing
Clerk of Works
Industrial maint
PLC programmer
Current - self employed do anything that pays

Some former associates have gone on to
Control systems engineer
Building systems engineer
PLC programmer
Commissioning engineer
Teacher
MD of company employing 100s
Systems analyst
TV engineer - dead loss now
Sound engineer
Merchant navy officer

All started as humble shopfloor sparks

 

[RMAK]

Thank you Crystal ball will look in to these

 

[ericmark]

I think luck has a lot to do with it. I started as Auto Electrician then got into traffic lights and from that pumps.
Then Algeria where seems I did a bit of everything mainly mobile plant but also refrigeration, and small to medium generators 750KVA plus welding sets.
Returned to UK for a time then Falklands where I also worked on crushing plants and batching plants.
From there to nuclear power station and heat treatment was added to list. Seven bridge saw me working on 250 ton straddle carrier nice mixture of 415vac 24vdc and hydraulics.
Then onto a gas plant and installation at Point of Ayr and then returned to power station. Hong Kong as a tunnel boring machine electrician then into pharmaceuticals and HF plastic welding and PLC's.
Designed safety systems for pumping stations Northwest Water.
A few more PLC jobs the a year on building access and alarms. Back to PLC's and batching plants with a few odd jobs in cheese and milk factories again PLC. Finally back to airports at Heathrow. Plus a few other jobs thrown in. Worked in a couple of car factories and even did some shop fitting.
After my apprenticeship I did PAT testing 2391 and 2381 then 2382 oh yes and a degree in electrical/electronic engineering.

I am sure there are many others who have also swapped and changed but a lot was luck being right place at right time and knowing right people. I loved travel from Belfast in shipyard to Hong Kong.

 

[crystal ball]

Could not agree more, luck is certainly the biggest factor in my experience, but you have to help it on its way sometimes