Female electrician apprentice??

Smile it confuses people

Hi was just wondering if anybody can help me I really want to become an electrician but am finding it so hard to find anywhere that take on aprentices and find that when I have approached people (mainly old women in the offices tbh) they didn't take me seriously one woman said "girls dont belong in this trade" just wondering does anybody know people taking on apprentices in Meath Louth or Monaghan and if there are many girls in the industry??....thanks

paddy147

Smile it confuses people wrote: »

Hi was just wondering if anybody can help me I really want to become an electrician but am finding it so hard to find anywhere that take on aprentices and find that when I have approached people (mainly old women in the offices tbh) they didn't take me seriously one woman said "girls dont belong in this trade" just wondering does anybody know people taking on apprentices in Meath Louth or Monaghan and if there are many girls in the industry??....thanks

There were a few lady sparks working for Mercury Engineering,when times were good.

Maybe approach Mercury and see if they would be interested in taking you on.Also Lynch Electrical.

Smile it confuses people

paddy147 wrote: »

Smile it confuses people wrote: »

Hi was just wondering if anybody can help me I really want to become an electrician but am finding it so hard to find anywhere that take on aprentices and find that when I have approached people (mainly old women in the offices tbh) they didn't take me seriously one woman said "girls dont belong in this trade" just wondering does anybody know people taking on apprentices in Meath Louth or Monaghan and if there are many girls in the industry??....thanks

There were a few lady sparks working for Mercury Engineering,when times were good.

Maybe approach Mercury and see if they would be interested in taking you on.Also Lynch Electrical.

Thanks really appreciate that

Outkast_IRE

If a employer takes on a female apprentice tradesperson they may be entitled to a grant read this and make it a key point when approaching employers http://www.fas.ie/en/Allowances+and+Grants/Female+Bursary.htm

LeBash

I worked in a wholesaler and noticed the women in the trade were in specific area more so than as general sparks. Areas such as lift engineering where the potential employers are large multinationals might be a good place to look.

Mech1

I'm a mechanic (male),
but I have trained 3 female apprentices in my time. All ran rings round the guy apprentices in everything except the heavy work, like lifting in 4*4 gearboxes etc (but nowadays there are tools to do that, I couldnt do it myself nowadays) so I think you will be great at your chosen career if you have the aptitude.

I have seen a few females wiring up traffic signs, traffic lights etc so maybe look there. http://www.elmore.ie/ ???

bassey

When I started my apprenticeship with the ESB there was a female apprentice in my class. I'd say big companies like that would be a good option.

Bruthal

bassey wrote: »

When I started my apprenticeship with the ESB there was a female apprentice in my class. I'd say big companies like that would be a good option.

There were 4 or 5 in my year and that was in the late 80`s.

2011

Smile it confuses people wrote: »

Hi was just wondering if anybody can help me I really want to become an electrician but am finding it so hard to find anywhere that take on aprentices

I am not surprised that you are having trouble finding work as an apprentice. The construction industry in general has been devastated by the economic crises and the electrical industry in particular. Add to that there is a long running battle between the TEEU (electrical trade union) and a large portion of electrical contractors.

and find that when I have approached people (mainly old women in the offices tbh) they didn't take me seriously one woman said "girls dont belong in this trade"

Thankfully that attitude is not as common nowadays. But the gender balance is still a long way from 50/50 or even 80/20 when it comes to electricians or electrical apprentices. I am just guessing these figures BTW.

just wondering does anybody know people taking on apprentices in Meath Louth or Monaghan

I don’t know of anyone looking for apprentices anywhere at the moment.

and if there are many girls in the industry??....thanks

Yes there are some, but not many (see above). I have worked with only 3 or 4 and I have been in the industry on many very large projects in Ireland and main land Europe for over 20 years.

Unfortunately if you manage to get taken on as an apprentice the chances are high that you will not be kept on for the duration of the apprenticeship. This would be less likely with the ESB, but they have a large volume of applicants. Even if you manage to complete the 4 year apprenticeship there is very little employment for electricians in Ireland at the moment and for the foreseeable future.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

dingding

robbie7730 wrote: »

There were 4 or 5 in my year and that was in the late 80`s.

There were a couple in my class in the early 80's (in the ESB also)

Smile it confuses people

Thanks every1 really appreciate d advice

rum and coke

Have you transport. I am hoping to take on someone in the summer. That FAS bursary looks interesting.

Smile it confuses people

rum and coke wrote: »

Have you transport. I am hoping to take on someone in the summer. That FAS bursary looks interesting.

Yeah I have a car and am willing to travel wherever for an opportunity At this

eire-kp

My friends mother and father are electricians. She is a better spark than him in my opinion. They don't work together though!

Solair

Smile it confuses people wrote: »

Hi was just wondering if anybody can help me I really want to become an electrician but am finding it so hard to find anywhere that take on aprentices and find that when I have approached people (mainly old women in the offices tbh) they didn't take me seriously one woman said "girls dont belong in this trade" just wondering does anybody know people taking on apprentices in Meath Louth or Monaghan and if there are many girls in the industry??....thanks

Send the sexist awl-wan this link http://www.equality.ie/ (the Equality Authority)

bertie1

People will take on female apprentices , there is woman in Cork running her own electrical business for over 20 years . The biggest problem at the moment is that there are very few apprentices being taken on anywhere due to the down turn in the economy. Most contractors hardly have enough work to keep themselves going.
That bursary to the employer has always been there even in the good times it was brought in years ago to encourage employers to take women in non traditional jobs. The ESB were one of the first companies in the 80's to take on female apprentices, now they are in nearly all trades on site. #~If you look at the numbers they are still in a minority ut you will find some in nearly all trades

joeperry

It's only the big companies that take on female apprentices, are there any big companies left even? It can be very heavy work sometimes and if your not strong you will have a very hard time bending and threading 25mm conduit, terminating heavy cables , carrying ladders etc. Try and get into the ESB would be the best plan i reckon. Good luck.

paddy147

joeperry wrote: »

It's only the big companies that take on female apprentices, are there any big companies left even? It can be very heavy work sometimes and if your not strong you will have a very hard time bending and threading 25mm conduit, terminating heavy cables , carrying ladders etc. Try and get into the ESB would be the best plan i reckon. Good luck.

So are you suggesting that a lady cant be as good as a man with regards being an electrician and doing the work??

Your post is rather pointless,as you could/can apply that to a man too,so why specificly direct it to a woman wanting to be an electrician??

M cebee

prob a wind-up

joeperry

paddy147 wrote: »

So are you suggesting that a lady cant be as good as a man with regards being an electrician and doing the work??

Your post is rather pointless,as you could/can apply that to a man too,so why specificly direct it to a woman wanting to be an electrician??

Certain jobs in the trade a woman will struggle at, mainly on the industrial side of things i guess, i had a hard enough time managing those jobs myself.

paddy147

joeperry wrote: »

Certain jobs in the trade a woman will struggle at, mainly on the industrial side of things i guess, i had a hard enough time managing those jobs myself.

Certain jobs in the trade a MAN will struggle at too.

Why are you only singling out a a woman then????

Have you a personal issue or grudge with a woman working on site??

2011

There are types of work carried out by electricians that require quite a bit of physical strength. I don't need to list them.

There are many, many other types of work that definitely don't.

For example:
1) Punching down/testing network cabling. Making off and testing fiber optic cabling.
2) Making off and terminating cables up to 16 sq. mm - Normally cables would not be any larger in a domestic installation.
3) Testing of electrical installations. The electrical contractor I am dealing with at the moment has a dedicated team that do nothing but test, document the tests and manage the punch lists.
4) Large electrical contractors have have to have electrical supervisors that coordinate and do not work on their tools. They would often be responsible purchasing, negotiating, scheduling and safety.
5) Fault finding.
6) As building drawings.
7) Most panel building.
8) Certain types of design work and reviewing of documentation.

I have seen female electricians perform extremely well in most of the above as well as some of the physically demanding roles.

Recently an electrician came to site to program and commission two VSDs that had PID control loops. In the ensuing conversation he explained to me that he had also designed the panel that contained both VSDs, all of the control wiring including complex relay logic. He selected all of the instrumentation and even presented us with excellent CAD drawings that he had drawn up. Very impressive for someone that had no formal qualifications other than he was a qualified electrician. It just shows how varied an electricians work can be. No physically demanding work there at all. I keep in touch with him via Linked in. He is now doing very well in Australia.

joeperry

paddy147 wrote: »

Certain jobs in the trade a MAN will struggle at too.

Why are you only singling out a a woman then????

Have you a personal issue or grudge with a woman working on site??

lol,feck sake what is your problem, all i said was it can be very heavy work especialy for a lady, i wished to advise her of this,i also i wished here good luck in my first post. I wish there was more women in the trade because i've worked with a few goons with attitudes like yours :P:P:P

Smile it confuses people

Hey everyone op here just wanna thank you all so much for your help and advice!! Still trying hard to find an apprenticeship iv decided if I don't then to go work In australia(I am a yard worker atm) then come back as a mature student and do an electrical course in college and maybe someone will want an apprentice then so hoping something comes up!! Thanks again everyone your advice is really helping!

paddy147

joeperry wrote: »

lol,feck sake what is your problem, all i said was it can be very heavy work especialy for a lady, i wished to advise her of this,i also i wished here good luck in my first post. I wish there was more women in the trade because i've worked with a few goons with attitudes like yours :P:P:P

Goon??

Im not the one here constantly posting about how hard it will be and posting suggestive sexist/negative posts to the OP.You are the only 1 here to post like this.

Im sure the OP has done her homework and knows whats involved in being a sparks.





If this a was "man" posting this thread,then Im bloody sure you wouldnt be posting about how hard it will be and that it would be tough to do this,that or the other.

You seem to be singling out the OP/Woman for no reason,other than that she is a woman.Poor attitude and poor posting on your behalf.





Oh and Ive spent many years on sites in the UK,NI and here in the Republic with female sparks from the likes of Mercury Engineering and Lynches.

One of my bosses is a female sparks who could,did and still does the hard graft (Conduit,SWA,Distribution Panels,Overhead and Underfloor Cable Tray,Unitstrut etc),ordered the lads on site around and drank with the lads too on many a Friday afternoon after work finished for the week.

Large sites like BOI International in London City,Fortis Bank in the IFSC-Docklands,Citi-Bank in IFSC,Esat Business/BT in Grand Canal Dock,Point Village in Docklands,Dublin Airport Phase 2,Ulster Bank Towers by the River Liffey and Intel Fab 24.

Smile it confuses people

paddy147 wrote: »

joeperry wrote: »

lol,feck sake what is your problem, all i said was it can be very heavy work especialy for a lady, i wished to advise her of this,i also i wished here good luck in my first post. I wish there was more women in the trade because i've worked with a few goons with attitudes like yours :P:P:P

Goon??

Im not the one here constantly posting about how hard it will be and posting suggestive sexist/negative posts the OP.You are the only 1 here to post like this.

Im sure the OP has done her homework and knows whats involved in being a sparks.





If this a was "man" posting this thread,then Im bloody sure you wouldnt be posting about how hard it will be and that it would be tough to do this,that or the other.

You seem to be singling out the OP/Woman for no reason,other than that she is a woman.Poor attitude and poor posting on your behalf.





Oh and Ive spent many years on sites in the UK,NI and here in the Republic with female sparks from the likes of Mercury Engineering and Lynches.

One of my bosses is a female sparks who could,did and stil does the hard graft (Conduit,SWA,Distribution Panels,Overhead and Underfloor Cable Tray,Untstrut etc),ordered the lads on site around and drank with the lads too on many a Friday afternoon after work finished for the week.

Large sites like BOI International in London City,Fortis Bank in the IFSC-Docklands,Citi-Bank in IFSC,Esat Business/BT in Grand Canal Dock,Point Village in Docklands,Dublin Airport Phase 2,Ulster Bank Towers by the River Liffey and Intel Fab 24.

Pictures are amazing would give anything to be working in an environment like that and your boss sounds like such an inspiration (to me that is)!!

Don't know if this counts but I have always been a hard worker and worked in heavy hard environments since a young age!

Thanks for sticking up for us fems!!

Would you reccomend lynches to work for??

paddy147

Smile it confuses people wrote: »

Pictures are amazing would give anything to be working in an environment like that and your boss sounds like such an inspiration (to me that is)!!

Don't know if this counts but I have always been a hard worker and worked in heavy hard environments since a young age!

Thanks for sticking up for us fems!!

Would you reccomend lynches to work for??

The pics are of the old Point Depot being demolished and the new Point Village being built.Took them while 50 feet/5 storeys up on scaffolding and a cherrypicker.

My boss,well shes a tough cookie and wont let anyone walk over her or get to her.

She will put you in your place if you step out of line or slacken off on the job.

Shes gives 100% all the time so she expects it from her crew too.She respects us and we respect her too.Shes also a bloody good laugh and a good drinker on a Friday afternoon,evening too and would most times outpace many of the more seasoned male drinkers.




Well when the company I work for was on a job with and for Lynches,there were never any problems.

We all worked very well together (even when under severe pressure to have comms rooms built on time for the client and architects deadline).

Bit of banter and craic at brekfast and lunch time,the odd bit of slagging (mostly about supporting football teams and our cars) but we all got on like a house on fire.

The young lady sparks was well able to do the job and she was well able to give as good as she got from some of the lads.

Infact some of the "big macho" lads came to give her great respect after a while,when they realized that she was a very determined and hard worker.She put alot of the lads to shame with her quality of work..:)


I cant comment on working for Lynches directly though as I never worked for them,only worked on site with them on some of their projects.

Mike87

I was delivering a course in the FAS building in Dundalk before christmas and there was a female apprentice electrician there. Might be worth looking into.

Smile it confuses people

Mike87 wrote: »

I was delivering a course in the FAS building in Dundalk before christmas and there was a female apprentice electrician there. Might be worth looking into.

Hi ya I was in Dundalk FAA centre and they said finding an employer was the tricky bit the didn't have any idea of any comPanies taking on....do u know of any still taking apprentices??

2011

Smile it confuses people wrote: »

Hi ya I was in Dundalk FAA centre and they said finding an employer was the tricky bit the didn't have any idea of any comPanies taking on....do u know of any still taking apprentices??

Here is a great apprenticeship opportunity.

Many find instrumentation a far more interesting aspect of electrical work. It often pays better than work as an electrician. At the moment seems to offer more opportunities particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.

bertie1

There is another one here for an electrical apprentice in Novartis Cork on the fas website

http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=HTePRyGUNynbMdbY4n9fUe12bcAZC8UsA5OBLNw74utlL8QyJCbtIqUESWyjgXfPITrUdq/U035Bhl5DQbhS8uLTorkPb6MNsS/i4BRdIfUBl4of4X3+WfkZsTXW2lKPgmaYFS3lMwiTZkGmNqXaKVPAbrq0kiUMpwo3cJ5sQUHMilgT/ewtAohnHhBhtN3pEtlY+Sd+qoK2+MiYeehOAhDSPlpIZeLl5xD++EzPs3xPkHOmFB78ujgc77hQEuWyxAb43n9Mo/b9r4Ql8PQrOV4KNbGx1ZeJUGz6z8EH/49TF3dQ2BzYUzyt/rB2410z0zHx51xZKkpj2ljKJFax4YxaURAELlGQuYZwJMoc1m+nXU/b8CSQVoSi6hMXVeZrjpfHmXGe8GWUOkZLsmPqn0DMTHTwNJbCLbAOeT7KMWMuo0AJq+C+49Z1osH7S1akBeaU4fZG4ZuzlrPxsLvjEw==

Another one in Mulhuddart
http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=HTePRyGUNynbMdbY4n9fUe12bcAZC8UsA5OBLNw74utlL8QyJCbtIqUESWyjgXfPo4NdP561wfmPYX0WYFzO94TaXXgFosIbKmxwlkuahgYZ8j+se5FEdJfOATgcAPOiDGNxBLqnNqVYXLulrjfTc8jERLCc3C3VsDc4YFCfqOUZ8dMBwf/9L5IOmlqOr/hQoSLxpzqDP5JVj1m/3lh3tDND0+CGIhLzO0SLuIwBHX+Twf97pt/dPT1Zx77DKUmdWFcj+9Es9nYeQf4nBHHPSiVOaCCfZXzAfjX8wr4rCtmm2RvDd3t/hxES7Tep+xccZrBUBWGjXVBmVmN6FQuxCOKUjalrVOyIeFEKx5eCAKwJafYbttcJpJC61SHPLlZTYpnaMdzbcnMxaaqPlPqJkPzU91G5R/D2nLVTJTb1atAIUJE7XsMGhUZXFNGAmokwAonV8VPZ/wZHr9fkGnMrfQ==

HoggyRS

bertie1 wrote: »

There is another one here for an electrical apprentice in Novartis Cork on the fas website

http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=HTePRyGUNynbMdbY4n9fUe12bcAZC8UsA5OBLNw74utlL8QyJCbtIqUESWyjgXfPITrUdq/U035Bhl5DQbhS8uLTorkPb6MNsS/i4BRdIfUBl4of4X3+WfkZsTXW2lKPgmaYFS3lMwiTZkGmNqXaKVPAbrq0kiUMpwo3cJ5sQUHMilgT/ewtAohnHhBhtN3pEtlY+Sd+qoK2+MiYeehOAhDSPlpIZeLl5xD++EzPs3xPkHOmFB78ujgc77hQEuWyxAb43n9Mo/b9r4Ql8PQrOV4KNbGx1ZeJUGz6z8EH/49TF3dQ2BzYUzyt/rB2410z0zHx51xZKkpj2ljKJFax4YxaURAELlGQuYZwJMoc1m+nXU/b8CSQVoSi6hMXVeZrjpfHmXGe8GWUOkZLsmPqn0DMTHTwNJbCLbAOeT7KMWMuo0AJq+C+49Z1osH7S1akBeaU4fZG4ZuzlrPxsLvjEw==

Another one in Mulhuddart
http://jobseeker.fas.ie/Default.aspx?q=HTePRyGUNynbMdbY4n9fUe12bcAZC8UsA5OBLNw74utlL8QyJCbtIqUESWyjgXfPo4NdP561wfmPYX0WYFzO94TaXXgFosIbKmxwlkuahgYZ8j+se5FEdJfOATgcAPOiDGNxBLqnNqVYXLulrjfTc8jERLCc3C3VsDc4YFCfqOUZ8dMBwf/9L5IOmlqOr/hQoSLxpzqDP5JVj1m/3lh3tDND0+CGIhLzO0SLuIwBHX+Twf97pt/dPT1Zx77DKUmdWFcj+9Es9nYeQf4nBHHPSiVOaCCfZXzAfjX8wr4rCtmm2RvDd3t/hxES7Tep+xccZrBUBWGjXVBmVmN6FQuxCOKUjalrVOyIeFEKx5eCAKwJafYbttcJpJC61SHPLlZTYpnaMdzbcnMxaaqPlPqJkPzU91G5R/D2nLVTJTb1atAIUJE7XsMGhUZXFNGAmokwAonV8VPZ/wZHr9fkGnMrfQ==

I'm going to apply for that one in Cork, looks like a good opportunity.