How did you become an electrician?

[RF Lighting]

Just reading another thread got me thinking about how you became an electrician, and whether you did so on purpose or by accident?

When it was time for work experience at school, I got a placement at a local firm of electrical contractors as one of the directors was friends with one of my dads friends.

I quite enjoyed my two weeks there and when it came to the easter holidays, I was phoned up by the firm asking if I would like some work in the school holidays. I said yes, and spent a week servicing warm air blowers in a primary school. My tradesman stripped the heater and did the electrcial bits while I cleaned the fans and vacked out the housings.

After working the school holidays, I was offered an apprenticeship by the firm, starting two weeks after I finished school. I took it, and received fantastic training from the firm, and qualifed as an electrician 4 years later.

I then spent 6 years working for a firm set up by one of the former directors of the first firm I worked at, then another 4 years working for a firm of theatre contractors, before finally taking the jump and going self employed, which I have been for coming up to a year now, and I love it!

 

[333rocky333]

I went to an interveiw to be an apprentice mechanic, the company said they had no spaces left but said they had spaces for electricians.
Before I knew it my mother sighned me up for a four year indentured apprenticeship.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

First job interview for electrical panel wiring, got the job.
Recession laid to all apprentices being laid off/redundant.
Still went to college but funds meant became unaffordable back then.
Took another route into the building trade via dry-lining and plastering, then concrete manufacturing, helped out with the electrical remedial work every so often and did a a bit of house bashing in my spare, pre part-p. Reignited my interest, went back to college did the level 2, level 3 stuff, did part time work on electric whilst full-time elsewhere, again recession led to redundancy. Got myself approved and registered and went solo!

 

[BigJon]

Left school not knowing what to do, my dad was a spark so I just applied for an apprenticeship and got a start with quite a large contractor in Glasgow.
Served my time with a good variety of commercial/domestic/industrial work.
After I passed the trade test I, and my fellow apprentice sparks got the bump, as tends to be the case with largish companies.
I then got working for a local sparkie for a couple of years who subbied to a modular building company, I jumped ship to them and have been there for 10 years now. So far so good!

 

[crystal ball]

Went to the careers office on leaving school in 1972 and was given forms to fill in for several major firms in the area, ended up with offers of Electrician, Fitter and Turner, or work study engineer, someone told me I would never be out of work as an electrician so I thats what I decided on.

He was right

 

[dingodeano]

Left school during last ressesion and no work about. Answered a job advert in paper for a training scheme. Turned out to be for electrical role in building company. They put me through Am1 & 2 enrolled me with JIB & paid for c&g up to level 3. 7 years on Then got a job offer to work behind desk in newly formed hardware Buisness. Few years on began to hate my job so I paid for college to do my updated regs & inspect+ test registered with competent person scheme.
Gave my notice and been self employed since Xmas.

 

[vera121]

As a kid I was always interested in old tv's, radio's anything that has wires in it. When I left school I got a job with the Post Office and thought I was going to be a 'Telephone engineer'. On the first day at work they said you you and you are going to the power section? so I ended up working for the Post Office/BT building services division for many years doing all forms of electrical installation and maintenance in PO/BT buildings and telephone exchanges. Took redundancy in 1992 and have been self employed ever since.