Electrician help please re: AM2

meerustar

Long story short.

My son has completed 2 years of his 3 year apprenticeship, and has been offered a job in another area by his g/f father. I have told him not to give up his apprenticeship and stay at home another year, but he wants to move in with his g/f (we live in Manc, they live in Catterick)

He has told me he has all his qualifications (he has distinctions in all tests he has done and completes his NVQ (I think) this week) apart from his AM2 which will make him a qualified electrician. He has been told that his new employer will pay for his AM2 in the new job and so he won't have wasted his apprenticship.

He has been offered a job on 18k a year, company vehicle for work and leisure and possible bonuses. He is 19 in a couple of weeks and this to me sounds too good to be true and so I'm wondering if he is trying to 'blag' me and is giving up his apprenticeship for 'her', lol

Can he really be a qualified electrician at just 19? Does he really only need his AM2?

Thanks

DavidF

Quoting from the Joint Industry Board's website - (They are akin to the governing body for us electricians)
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]JIB Grading Definitions - Electrician Grade[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Qualifications and Training[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Must satisfy the following three conditions:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1) Must have been a registered apprentice or undergone some equivalent method of training and have had practical training in electrical installation work.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2) Must have obtained an NVQ Level 3 in electrical installation work (or approved equivalent) - see Note 1.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3) Must have obtained a pass in the City & Guilds 2360 Electrical Installation Theory Part 2 Course or approved equivalent.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Note 1:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If the applicant meets the other two criteria but has not achieved an NVQ Level 3 in electrical installation, then a "Provisional" grading may be awarded if the following criteria are both satisfied:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]a) have obtained at least the City & Guilds 2360 Electrical Installation Theory Part 2 Course Certificate (or approved equivalent).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]b) have obtained Achievement Measurement 2 or must be able, with the application for Grading and any other relevant supporting evidence (i.e. the City & Guilds Electricians' Certificate) which may be required, to satisfy the Grading Committee of his experience and suitability. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Duties[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Must be able to carry out electrical installation work efficiently in accordance with the National Working Rules for the Electrical Contracting Industry, the current IEE Regulations for Electrical Installations, and the Construction Industry Safety Regulations.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]JIB Grading Definitions - Approved Electrician Grade[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Qualifications and Training[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Must satisfy the following four conditions:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1) Must have been a registered apprentice or undergone some equivalent method of training and have had practical training in electrical installation work.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2) Must have obtained an NVQ Level 3 in electrical installation work (or approved equivalent) - see Note 1[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3) Must have had two years experience as an Electrician subsequent to the satisfactory completion of training and immediately prior to the application for this grade.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4) Must have demonstrated competence and obtained a suitable qualification (the City & Guilds 2391 is a suitable qualification) in the inspection, testing and commissioning of installations - see Note 2.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Note 1:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If the applicant meets the other other three criteria but has not achieved an NVQ Level 3 in electrical installation, then a "Provisional" grading may be awarded if the following criteria are both satisfied:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]a) have obtained at least the City & Guilds 2360 Electrical Installation Theory Part 2 Course Certificate (or approved equivalent).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]b) have obtained Achievement Measurement 2 or must be able, with the application for Grading and any other relevant supporting evidence (i.e. the City & Guilds Electricians Certificate) which may be required, to satisfy the Grading Committee of his experience and suitability.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Note 2:[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The employer will ensure that the cost of a first attempt at the training scheme and examination for inspection, testing and commissioning is met without cost to the operative when they have satisfied all the other requirements for grading/regrading as an Approved Electrician.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Duties[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Approved Electricians must possess particular practical, productive and electrical engineering skills with adequate technical supervisory knowledge so as to be able to work on their own proficiently and carry out electrical installation work without immediate supervision in the most efficient and economical manner; be able to set out jobs from drawings and specifications and requisition the necessary installation materials; be able to accept responsibility for the proper completion of jobs and, if required, supervise other operatives. They must also have a thorough working knowledge of the National Working Rules for the Electrical Contracting Industry, of the current IEE Regulations for Electrical Installations, of the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988, issued by the Electricity Commissioners so far as they deal with Consumers' Installations (ie Regulations 22-29 inclusive and 31), of any Regulations dealing with Consumers' Installations which, may be issued, relevant British Standards and Codes of Practice, and of the Construction Industry Safety Regulations.[/FONT]

As you can see there is quite a difference between qualified and "Approved". Many sites/Companies wont touch you unless you are approved. The £££ earning power is also affected. Thing is if he's 19 he is really just informing you of his plans and is probably not really concerned with weather or not you can "prove" his comments to be true or false.....Don't mean that to sound rude BTW, just that at his age if he's made his mind up.......well im sure you know all this already.
But the simple answer to the question is it will effect his training and his grading, but not irreparably so. He would be able to rectify his shortcomings (with regards to not having completed the full course) in the future by working as an electrical labourer/mate and/or getting a JIB registered company to "vouch" for his competence.
BTW at 19 he is definitely NOT a qualified electrician lol.

**Edit to ADD you can check out more about Electricians and training and wages ect on the following site - http://www.jib.org.uk/index.htm

mikey72

If he carries on his apprenticeship with his g/f father, gets his AM2, and has a secure job and settles down at 19 on 18k and use of the company van, I think you have done a good job bringing him up, and should be proud of him.

meerustar

Thanks for the very informative info David, much appreciated and can see the differences (although slightly confusing me, lol), but it does give me an idea of what I need to know.

Mikey - I am very very proud of him, and when he comes back from visiting his g/f this weekend I'll tell him again. I think I don't tell him enough.

Thanks

Pssst

mikey72 wrote: »

If he carries on his apprenticeship with his g/f father, gets his AM2, and has a secure job and settles down at 19 on 18k and use of the company van, I think you have done a good job bringing him up, and should be proud of him.

Yes..i totally agree. For a lad of 19 to have learned a trade and got a good job offer is great progress in this day and age.

Just make sure that he and his girl dont....erm....make any mistakes too early

baldelectrician

In Scotland SECTT do ALL the treining that is recognised in the electrical industry.
In England there is a similar JIB structure. All I can say is to make sure he contacts his training officer and gains their permission to move his apprenticeship.

If they don't approve then he may be wasting his time

Get things checked out before he moves on

Hope all goes well