ESB apprenticeship

Bruthal

dingding wrote: »

Storage heaters, Earth Rods etc....

Great variety of experience back then.

Appliance Repair
Elements in toasters and kettles
Plugtops on new appliances
Calling to peoples houses to fix cookers and twin tubs

Contracts
Storage Heating
Lagging Jackets

District Work
Mainly reading and installing meters.
Replacing HT fuses during outages
Reading Max Demand meters once a month


Stations
Spent a lot of time drilling the angle iron fences and extending them by a foot
Wiring CVs and VTs in the middle of winter freezing

Metering
Making CT meter cabinets

Everything in that list is like a flashback,

dingding

robbie7730 wrote: »

Everything in that list is like a flashback,

Have I missed anything. I know we done a lot more. There was also a lot of disconnections at that time for non-payment. I think we are getting back to those days again.

Also I was in Moneypoint for 6 months working on the control panels for the 11 KV pumps for the boiler feed.

Great experience there.

Also learning to drive in the Liteace and Ford Escort Vans.

Failled 3 driving tests in ESB vans, one was the same day as the headline in the paper the examiner was reading regarding an ESB price hike.

Bruthal

dingding wrote: »

Have I missed anything. I know we done a lot more. There was also a lot of disconnections at that time for non-payment. I think we are getting back to those days again.

Also I was in Moneypoint for 6 months working on the control panels for the 11 KV pumps for the boiler feed.

Great experience there.

Dont think you missed a lot, very good list, in contracts in my time they installed 10kv switches and transformers too, i remember looking at them terminating the LV side with 20 odd singles cables thinking it was a tricky job, i`ve done a few of them myself since that time now, but they did the 10kv side and all when i was there in contracts.

dingding

robbie7730 wrote: »

Dont think you missed a lot, very good list, in contracts in my time they installed 10kv switches and transformers too, i remember looking at them terminating the LV side with 20 odd singles cables thinking it was a tricky job, i`ve done a few of them myself since that time now, but they did the 10kv side and all when i was there in contracts.

Also in Contracts I installed a lot of Power Factor Correction.

Particularly in Rural areas where they were trying to get voltage drops down.

Also was on teams that installed Reclosers on HT lines and Voltage Boosters in rural areas also.

Also the 2 way radios in the Van (The philips one with the orange button on the mic and the storm one that looked like a CB radio) that was connected to the horn. The old yellow and light green two tone vans.

The line crews with 5-6 lads in a truck.

HoggyRS

Sorry to be bumping this but are the ESB taking on the usual 100 apprenticeships this year? If so when will they begin taking applications?

Davy

HoggyRS wrote: »

Sorry to be bumping this but are the ESB taking on the usual 100 apprenticeships this year? If so when will they begin taking applications?

March usually

Spark11

Hey....im currently serving my time with the ESB im in my second year now. There was 6000 applications for 106 jobs when i started. They call you in for an aptitude test and if you do good enough in that theyl call you in again for an interview. You dont need leaving cert i was told i had the job before my leaving results came out. When we got the job we were given a choice to do engineering and we had to do another aptitude test for that. there was around 40 places i managed to get in myseslf just need to get a merit in phase 4. Its a great place to work youre guaranteed the 4 years unlike other companies who take people on for 1st year only because its cheap for them

stephenk123

hi can anyone tell me when can i apply for an Apprenticeship and how do i go about applying for it thanks very much
stephen

bassey

Application usually starts around February/March, you apply online

stephenk123

bassey wrote: »

Application usually starts around February/March, you apply online

thanks lad

greenranger

I went for ESB last year and didnt get it after interview and second aptitude test,I then was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship elsewhere but my preference would really be to work for the ESB,What i would like to Know is am i eligable this year if I am already registered with Fás but hav'nt yet gone on to phase 2 or if i have completed phase 2 by that time would I have to start over from year one? I know took a long and roundabout way to ask but if anyone could help id appreciate it.

sparcocars

greenranger wrote: »

I went for ESB last year and didnt get it after interview and second aptitude test,I then was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship elsewhere but my preference would really be to work for the ESB,What i would like to Know is am i eligable this year if I am already registered with Fás but hav'nt yet gone on to phase 2 or if i have completed phase 2 by that time would I have to start over from year one? I know took a long and roundabout way to ask but if anyone could help id appreciate it.

Yes no problem in you applying and going through the processes again but if you got a job you would be starting from scratch again as far as i know. A lad that started with me in 2009 had done phase 2 and all before the company he was with went bust. He just had to start the apprenticeship again.

evosteo

hi all just wanna see what other people think.
i see the esb apprentiship process has started again this year.

am i crazy for thinking to apply for an apprentiship with the esb.

im a quilified electrician since 2008, served with patrick lynch elec. which i feel was a good apprentiship.

was let go in 2009 due to lack of work,

i recently recieved my degree in electrical services engineering in 2010,

iv been unable to get a start full time as an electrician or in a graduate position.

if i managed to get in with the esb would i not at least be guarenteed 4 years work???????

what would your chances be of been kept on full time after its served????

is all the appprentiship based on work on the "national grid"??????

i really dont know what to be doing except i want to get back working.

feel like im wasting away not working.

bassey

Tbh I highly doubt they would already take on an already qualified sparks as an apprentice, mainly because you'd be taking the oppertunity away from someone else to gain a qualification and you might be no more use to them than some young fella just out of 6th year.

The work done is quite varied depending on where you're based. It could me HV lines/cables. HV stations. MV/LV lines. Metering. Operations. The list goes on

evosteo

the experience working on the grid is what has me seriously thinking about it , plus the job security and im fairly sure id have a slight advantage over a 6th year just out of school

bassey

Have you ever climbed poles/pylons? Jointed HV cables? Assembled pylons? Built spans and spans of overhead lines? Done maintanence work on a transformer?

You would definatley know more about electricity and the industry then someone straight out of school. But the ESB don't employ all the apprentices they take on at the end of the 4 years.

Look at it this way, you have you're qualification, why deny the chance for some other youngfella to get his? Also you could dog them enough with applications to take you on as an electrician

stephenk123

i applyed the other day when can i expect to hear something back, thanks

osullic

How difficult is this apprenticeship to get?
I'm thinking a lot of people will apply given the amount of people on the dole queue.
Good luck to everyone going for it

bassey

In my year there was over 5000 applicants and only 100 places, I'd imagine there'll be even more applications these days and I dunno how many places there are. As far as I remember if you're succesfull with the initial application the next step is an aptitude test, you'd probably hear about this in maybe a month or two.

gmekit

Can anyone tell me what type of aptitude tests they use for the ESB:D

sparcocars

gmekit wrote: »

Can anyone tell me what type of aptitude tests they use for the ESB:D

From what i can remember when i did mine, its things like basic maths, mechanical reasoning and a few other things like that. Can't really remember the rest. Time limit for each section of it but its ok if all questions aren't answered. I didn't answer them all and got in. There only really to see if you would have the head for a technical type of apprenticeship. This filters down the amount that they interview then.

quantity771

I've sent off my application too. I don't have any previous experience,does anybody know if there are any short courses like in FAS or that I could do? Was thinking if I got past aptitude test,it would look good to have it for the interview? as I'm sure there will be plenty others with more experience than I have? I checked FAS website but it just confused me all the more? Any help would be really appreciated lads!

bassey

It's an apprenticeship, you don't need previous experience.

sparcocars

quantity771 wrote: »

I've sent off my application too. I don't have any previous experience,does anybody know if there are any short courses like in FAS or that I could do? Was thinking if I got past aptitude test,it would look good to have it for the interview? as I'm sure there will be plenty others with more experience than I have? I checked FAS website but it just confused me all the more? Any help would be really appreciated lads!

As bassey said, its an apprenticeship and they take on differant people with a variety of backrounds. Some people go in straight from junior/leaving cert, others with previous work experience. Its all about how you present yourself in the interview if you get to that stage after the aptitude test. Just prepare for the interview well. You get sent out a letter about what you should prepare also.

TheBully

HoggyRS wrote: »

Sorry to be bumping this but are the ESB taking on the usual 100 apprenticeships this year? If so when will they begin taking applications?

Its not usually 100, they took on that number last year but its normally around the 40 -50 mark! Rumour has it that this year is 40! Im a 1st year apprentice, thats how i know!

TheBully

evosteo wrote: »

hi all just wanna see what other people think.
i see the esb apprentiship process has started again this year.

am i crazy for thinking to apply for an apprentiship with the esb.

im a quilified electrician since 2008, served with patrick lynch elec. which i feel was a good apprentiship.

was let go in 2009 due to lack of work,

i recently recieved my degree in electrical services engineering in 2010,

iv been unable to get a start full time as an electrician or in a graduate position.

if i managed to get in with the esb would i not at least be guarenteed 4 years work???????

what would your chances be of been kept on full time after its served????

is all the appprentiship based on work on the "national grid"??????

i really dont know what to be doing except i want to get back working.

feel like im wasting away not working.

Ok, You would be guarnteed 4 years work but to be honest thay prob wont take on anyone who is already qualified, They like to train their own from scratch so they do things the ESB way. Ur aswell to try anyway lad, I got in last year after doing mechanical work for years! its worth a try!
The work involved is on the ESB networks, Customer supply, installing meters, Maintance work on LV and MV lines, Installing Traffos and putting up new works! u spend ur time doing station work throughout the apprenticeship too!

Its a great apprenticeship and ur normally somewhere different everyday, and most of the lads are spot on!
Chances are slim of getting a job after, about 1 in 5 get taken on but worry about that after the 4 years!

Im currently a 1st yr apprentice so ya can mail me if u need any advice!

Good luck applying!

evosteo

are you a 1st year app in the ESB????

just wondering how do they decide who stays on and who moves on??????

is it a case of who gets the best results in exams or something

and also what do the esb apprentices that dont get kept on end up doing????

bassey

I remember the yea I started they where saying that they were planning on taking on 100 each year because they wanted approx. 50 people to pursue the options for engineering, but with the way things have gone I have heard they might be taking on less

stephenk123

Johnny Blue wrote: »

were would you get an application form? or do you just ring them up and ask?

if its for the apprenticeship you apply online but the closing date was the 14th of march

Sparky2011

evosteo wrote: »

hi all just wanna see what other people think.
i see the esb apprentiship process has started again this year.

am i crazy for thinking to apply for an apprentiship with the esb.

im a quilified electrician since 2008, served with patrick lynch elec. which i feel was a good apprentiship.

was let go in 2009 due to lack of work,

i recently recieved my degree in electrical services engineering in 2010,

iv been unable to get a start full time as an electrician or in a graduate position.

if i managed to get in with the esb would i not at least be guarenteed 4 years work???????

what would your chances be of been kept on full time after its served????

is all the appprentiship based on work on the "national grid"??????

i really dont know what to be doing except i want to get back working.

feel like im wasting away not working.

To be honest with you I do believe that if you have already completed your apprenticeship and are qualified FAS wont let you do it again.. Could be worth checking this out before you go applying!