apprenticeship

just_looking

Hi i am looking to get an apprenticeship and i am wondering has anyone got any advice for me. some people are saying im mad getting one now as im 22 and we are in a recession...but the recession wont last forever!!! Also what are the best companies to get an apprenticeship with? I posted this here rather than the jobs forums because i want to get the view of qualified sparkies!... in saying that, i will be happy with advice from anyone! thanks

Davy

Welcome to boards

Have a read of this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055527708

fishdog

i am wondering has anyone got any advice for me.

Speaking as someone that was in your position in 1990 I would agree with what was said in the thread that Davy highlighted. I served my time with a good company and learnt lots. But that same company is now letting many of its people go.

If I were to do it again I would go straight to college and do a degree in engineering. I learnt that lesson the hard way, that is why I am in college now!

Good luck with it.

just_looking

ok..so i have thought long and hard about it and i have decided i am goin to go ahead and try find one. What are the best companies to get one with i want a secure job so i can complete my 4 years without being let go. I know the esb would be a good one but does anyone know of any other companies that would be good. Cheers

Davy

Yes the esb would be good, if you were more interested in the distribution/ transmission of electricity. You did miss the chance to apply for esb for this year, you would have to wait till next march to apply.


Their is other biggish companies like mercury, kirbys, desinger to name a few. But i would try to find a smaller local firm that would be more personal, that once you are interested and apply your self the boss would notice this and hopefully hold onto you for the 4 years and possibly beyond. Also with bigger firms you could be more used as cheap labour (at times) where a smaller firm you can get a more one on one with a sparks. It can be a lot more valuable to you, ofcourse will depend how good the sparks is.


The most important thing for you is to try get the 4 years done, once you have that achieved you will have a lot more options. Hopefully by then the economic situation should be somewhat better. Good luck with it.

just_looking

Thanks for d advice Davy. Ill have a look around. I read a post in the jobs section from a lad looking for an apprenticeship and he said he applied for the airport. Do you think that would be a good idea?

Davy

just_looking wrote: »

Thanks for d advice Davy. Ill have a look around. I read a post in the jobs section from a lad looking for an apprenticeship and he said he applied for the airport. Do you think that would be a good idea?

Yes that would be good. Im presuming it would be for DAA? And not a aircraft company? More detail would be needed but if its handy for you to get to, it sounds good. Just make sure its not for a contractor doing the T2 and that as soon as its done your out of the airport. Ofcourse that doesnt mean that you would be out of a job like i said more detail is needed :pac:

just_looking

yeah its the daa maintenance. What sort of stuff would they be doing?

m.j.w

Hi, dont be put off by your age anyway. I just started an apprenticeship in december past there and i am 24. The way I look at it is that when im finished the recession should be over or at least things would be a a bit better. I was looking for ages for one with no luck and then managed to get one right beside were I live. If your from Dublin there is an advertisment atm on FAS for an apprentice electrician in west dublin. Dont know who the company is or anything but sure check it out.

m.j.w

btw that airpot one is for the daa, you can apply for it on daa.ie I applied for it last year but did not get the job

Davy

just_looking wrote: »

yeah its the daa maintenance. What sort of stuff would they be doing?

Thats clearing it up then

They would be taking care of anything in the airport i would imagine apart from any new works. Could be anything from changing light bulbs to doing temporary supplies or faulty conveyor belts, changing of motors, fault finding etc. I would imagine it wouldn't be as tough as another sparks on a site, but it would be essential works that would have to be fixed in a quick amount of time.

Im sure they want to get people in for the new terminal. Quite possibly what your work will be involved with, getting familiar with the layout and operation of the new installation.

just_looking

Thanks a mill guys will start job hunting soon. Thanks again

cossworxenergy

Defo become a sparkie. I served my time with a smallish company and i learned a lot from them in my second year as an apprentice i wired 7 flats on me own. nice money for a young lad!! If you do get an apprenticeship ask loads of questions on why theyre doing it and learn what you can. Also when you go to your off the job phases in college study and pass your exams first time round. Its only 6 months phase 2 and 10 weeks phase 4 and 6.You can earn great money when times are good. yesteray i was out for 30 minutes and i came home with 65 euro. Best of luck to ya anyway!!

paddymick

If you get a choice i would stay away from the big companies like mercury and try get in with a small contractor with maybe 1 or 2 lads.The work will be a lot more hands on and varied chances are you will get to do a bit of everything over time unlike the big company were you will most likely be doing to same things for years.Im not saying no good sparks came from big companies but from what i saw in phases 2,4 and 6 the small company guys were leagues ahead,the big company boy might have done a better offset in his conduit!
I`ll always remember this one fella from a well know engineering company coming to phase 6 with a tool box full of new tools that he bought the week before because he spent his whole apprentiship doing steel conduit.

its like this with the small contractor you will have a name not a number,you will get better on the job training with a bit of everything to try although rates should be the same you might not get things like country money or overtime and no union crap but it will be worth it

Anyway thats just my opinion serving with the small conractor didnt do me any harm.

c.a.r.l

Hi,
I started my apprenticeship when I was 23 and now im an electrical Teacher. I think its great to do it if you are interested, the problem with apprentices in FAS and on site these days is that the parents have pushed the kids in to doing it so there fore they act the maggot. I believe if you are focused you will enjoy it more.
I changed my company every 6 months approx when I was training in order to gain as much experience as possible. I worked in domestic, commercial, industrial and even agricultrual, I then went in to building panels in a workshop.
So as some of the other posts said, the larger companies are not the best for training you as they often use you for cheap labour. I know plenty of qualified lads I met during my college phases who worked for mercury and are pure useless when it comes to practical domestic work, all they get apprentices to do is mount conduit and electrical tray.

Hope this helps.

Carl

fishdog

I think its great to do it if you are interested

But be aware that you may not get a job in Ireland as a sparks for some time. Even to be kept on for the duration of the 4 year apprentiship is a problem for many. The ESB have kindly helped a few hundread apprentices that have been let go to finish their time with them.

Abroad you may have better chances of employment. Perhaps like me you would enjoy working abroad.

the problem with apprentices in FAS and on site these days is that the parents have pushed the kids in to doing it so there fore they act the maggot

+ 1

I believe if you are focused you will enjoy it more.

Exactly. Many electricians are now comming back for further training and qualifications not just for the oppertunities, but because they enjoy it.

So as some of the other posts said, the larger companies are not the best for training you as they often use you for cheap labour

That is something I often heard, but was not my experience.

I served my time with Mercury and found the experience gained fantastic and varied. They also paid for me to do substantial additional courses etc. which was great. The experience gained enabled me to work on large well paid projects abroad. The pay was always a minium of the agreed union rate + travel.

I met during my college phases who worked for mercury and are pure useless when it comes to practical domestic work

I would believe this. They will give you no domestic experience at all. However there are plenty of oppertunities to learn this as I found out. Personally I found the domestic work often technically less challanging. The real skill was how to best route cables and the work often involved lots of lifting floorboards and crawling through attics!!

all they get apprentices to do is mount conduit and electrical tray.

In more recent years this seems to be more and more the situation. Much of the "interesting" work gets subbed out.