Guidance needed on electrical courses to become an electrician

simonsocial21

Hi, I am looking to re-train as an electrician and one of my friends advised me few months back to do a Part P course but apparently it is not valid anymore. Also could you please advise any good training company close to Derby or Nottingham or even Leicester, I don't mind travelling a bit. There are so many companies around and I am confused which one to choose. I have heard of Tradeskills and they seem good but someone advised me that they take too many people on each course and then it gets difficult. I do better in smaller classes. Thank you I will really appreciate any help or advise.

oh_really

If your endgame is to seek employment most employers will look for you to have completed a recognised apprenticeship, courses are ok in terms of development but are not a substitute for an apprenticeship.

I've done 17th edition and periodic insp and testing but I certainly wouldn't expect a job offer off the back of this.

kevin1802

I think your best route is to see if there are any colleges in your area that offers city and Guilds 2360 courses. I would avoid all these companies online that claim you can become an electrician in 6 weeks or whatever time frame they are claiming.
Part P is a registration scheme so you can test your own work and issue a test certificate 

simonsocial21

Hi thank you yes i also thought that these short courses wont teach me much... I will try to look for 2360 course as you recommended

TELLIT01

When my nephew trained as an electrician it was a 3 year apprenticeship.  Not something which can really be done effectively on a part time basis.

Undervalued

kevin1802 said:

I think your best route is to see if there are any colleges in your area that offers city and Guilds 2360 courses. I would avoid all these companies online that claim you can become an electrician in 6 weeks or whatever time frame they are claiming.
Part P is a registration scheme so you can test your own work and issue a test certificate 

Yes.

As I understand it, although the term "qualified electrician" is frequently used there is actually no legal definition of what constitutes one!

As you say the legal requirement is for registration to enable you to test and certify your work, so I would have thought that whatever training and qualification gets you to that would be the way to go.

There are surprising few occupations in the UK where there is a hard and fast legal requirement for particular qualifications in order to be allowed to practice. Far less than most other developed countries. Electrical work, along with a few other occupations, sits at a strange "half way house".

simonsocial21

Apparently now its all changed, from now on for people are coming new in trade, you can be electrician and are only allowed to work if you have an NVQ and a Gold card. Else NAPIT and NICEIC won't register you from Sept this year...

oh_really

You do not need a gold card, or any other to be an electrician, CSCS admit and inform that "Holding a CSCS card is not a legislative requirement".  Construction Skills Certification Scheme | Official CSCS Website - About CSCS Why do you want registered with one of these schemes, they are a money making exercise for their operators.

Lomast

Cscs does not cover electrical work its covered by https://www.ecscard.org.uk/card-types/electrotechnical/installation-electrician

MalMonroe

Hi, this is what the government says - https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/electrician

And also here - https://findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/courses/5

And this is what UCAS says - https://www.ucas.com/ucas/after-gcses/find-career-ideas/explore-jobs/job-profile/electrician

It's going to take time to become fully qualified, whichever route you take, it seems. But it will be well worth it.