Female considering retraining as an electrician ????????

HMCK

Hi all,

graduated last year from uni (2:1 BA (hons) Business management) and making no head way what so ever in getting a job, currently still working in the same call centre i did when i was at uni.

After talking to my dad and saying that id wish id done a trade, he has offered to pay for me to do this as in his words im not really doing anything anyway lol :eek:

However i have absolutely no idea where to start with this, the internet is full of these bogus "qualify in 5wks" courses. anyone how could give me some guidance i would be happy to receive it lol. im unsure exactly what qualifications i would need ? also being 27 am i too old ? would like to know if being female whether it would be difficult to get a job at the end of it all ???????

really sorry about the long post just needing some advice on where and how to start ???

cheers xx

vax2002

A lot are out of work in all trades at present, dont believe all you hear on TV and radio.. including plumbers !

HMCK

i completely understand that there is many many trades people out of work too, however i just feel that the job market isnt going to rapidly improve for a few years anyway within that time i could diversify my skills in terms of learning a trade, with a view to being able to use either my business degree and/or trade qualifications in the future.

Sambucus_Nigra

Talk to Janet at Women Builders - she runs a training and building company for ledeez.

http://www.bitcdiversity.org.uk/best_practice/exemplar_employers/occupational_segregation/case_studies/women_builders_ltd.html

She should be able to advise on careers and training and grants etc.

HMCK

thanks so much :A

Person_one

I think a lot of women living alone would be in the market for a female electrician, I would.

Sambucus_Nigra

I always engage female tradesladies where I can; having worked in construction for many years myself I try and give them my business.

jetta_wales

My OH is an electrician and the only thing I can think of off hand that might be hard is the weight of the tool kits plus drills etc and holding onto a hammer drill 3 floors up drilling core holes.

Oh and if you like having long nails, get over it you won't be able to keep them very long since the work can be so fiddly.

SarEl

vax2002 wrote: »

A lot are out of work in all trades at present, dont believe all you hear on TV and radio.. including plumbers !

If you have some spare plumbers can you send them north please? It took me forever to find one to redesign and fit my new bathroom (a very big and well paying job) and people I know who have had the misfortune to only have a leak (or a flood) can't get one out for love nor money!

Gazing_On_Sunsets

My hubby retrained from supermarket trainee management to Electrician in his mid/late twenties. He had been at a large supermarket but walked out and got factory work, while doing nightclasses to retrain. After the course finished he needed to get onto an apprenticeship but he says that was difficult as they all seemed to want younger people, school leavers; he really had to persuade a company to take him on. Once he had, though, he's never looked back. He's ended up looking after the power on motorways - there's more jobs available than just house-rewires if you think outside the box.

I used to work with my dad, a sole trader builder/plumber. I'm only little and it was physical graft; some of the tools can be heavy BUT that actually makes the job easier. Never never buy those awful pink "designed for ladies" tools that you sometimes see! They are too lightweight and don't pack the punch you need. Also, I found that people used to ask for me to do work - older folks somehow felt safer.

jobbingmusician

My hubby was an electrical engineer (now retired for health reasons). He says that females were always really neat wirers, and what they lacked in physical strength they often made up for by being able to grovel under floorboards in small spaces for house rewires, etc. :eek: