Better Job opportunities?

Paxi_R6

Hello folks,

I'm currently an apprentice electrician, been cracking away at this for the past 18 months and can't say it's been great apart from the money.

Been based out in a big company participating in a Tool install project in Kildare, needless to say who! But I've hated my time there espically the work. Nothing compared to what I've been at during my phase two and the Minute.

Can't for the life of me find companies who have factory work for an apprentice or a contractor company to perform maintaince. If you could PM or leave a message on this pointing me in the right direction it be greatly appreciated!

Regards,
P

Also; have the opportunity to take on Instrumentation(Non-Elec) apprenticeship. would jumping ship be a bad idea? I know there's a lot more theory & motors so to speak but that's the stuff I've been enjoying compared to throwing up trunking. It's not that I'm not a hard worker either. I've busted some serious⚽️ Over the past year & half, I'd just prefer to get working on motor control, PLCs etc. Only time I've been happy to call myself an Electrician was when I got to be involved in "Testing" for two weeks.

RandomUsername

I packed in an electrical apprenticeship after over a year for an E&I one and have no regrets, I'd definitely recommend it. If you can do E&I instead of I, there's better opportunities out there with the dual trade but given the choice of either electrical or instruments I'd chose instruments and so would everyone else I know with experience of both

Edit: motors and motor controls are part of the electrical side but what I said above stand

2011

Paxi_R6 wrote: »

Been based out in a big company participating in a Tool install project in Kildare

I worked there too. It is important to know that this does not represent the type of work that most electricians do.

But I've hated my time there espically the work.

You are not be alone

Also; have the opportunity to take on Instrumentation(Non-Elec) apprenticeship.

I would seriously consider this if I were you.
However this is not "Non-Elec" most instruments use electrical signals, many instruments require an electrical supply to power them (generally 24DC, 110VAC or 230VAC) and instrumentation crafts tend to spend quite a bit of time working on signal interfaces with VSD's and MCC's.

This is an area that I moved into several years after my apprenticeship. Generally it is of a more technical nature and in my opinion more interesting.

I know there's a lot more theory & motors so to speak but that's the stuff I've been enjoying compared to throwing up trunking.

I am not sure if there is more theory or not but how much trunking you will be installing will depend mainly on your employer and the project in question.

I'd just prefer to get working on motor control, PLCs etc. Only time I've been happy to call myself an Electrician was when I got to be involved in "Testing" for two weeks.

It sounds like you are more suited to this type of work. I would imagine that it will provide better employment prospects. Many with this qualification end up working in the pharmaceutical sector (which tends to pay better).

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Bruthal

2011 wrote: »

You are not be alone

institubes

I did my 1st year contracting like you,tray,ladder,trunking yawn...

Was lucky enough to get into the food sector doing maintenance electrical work,being exposed to plc's,servos,motor control and troubleshooting everyday is great experience.Unfortunatly these kinda opportunities are hard to come by.

There are tonnes and tonnes of lads who can do usual electrical work so if i were you id jump and the E+I.

On a side note is there any lads who've served their time in factorys?Any advice for when i finish my apprenticeship?

HoggyRS

Im serving my time E+I with a big contractor and the great majority of work we do is containment and pulling cables. I suppose it just depends on getting into a good company. Block phases in the instruments is tough too v little practical work, 2 lads on the site im on now are after to packing in the e&i to go back doing electrical due to continuous failed exams and im unfortunately in same boat with repeats out of phase 4.

Tuco88

I was told fas were to cancel the E&I apprenticeship, that you are to do one or the other makes sense to me, too much to learn on both trades imo? Both are completely different trades in respect. If you ask me the best E&I appenticeship to get is direct with a factory not a contractor. I work between two large pharma plants in cork and a dual trade is a great advantage. ESB if you can get it....

crasy dash

HoggyRS wrote: »

Im serving my time E+I with a big contractor and the great majority of work we do is containment and pulling cables. I suppose it just depends on getting into a good company. Block phases in the instruments is tough too v little practical work, 2 lads on the site im on now are after to packing in the e&i to go back doing electrical due to continuous failed exams and im unfortunately in same boat with repeats out of phase 4.

AT hoggy stick it out trust me on this,

I didnt and biggest mistake off my life i swear i know its hard try and get in contact with some the lads that passed and ring them for notes tips etc
Ill help you if i can where you based?
What bit has you beat?
Plenty of very clever people on here to help you:)

I did e+i during boom for close to three years with a big firm from limerick

I dropped it and went to electrical in a factory and i dont mean this in a bad way but the blocks for electrical were simple

if you want to talk feel free to pm me and ill try help i dont want somebody to make the same mistake i did:(

HoggyRS

crasy dash wrote: »

AT hoggy stick it out trust me on this,

I didnt and biggest mistake off my life i swear i know its hard try and get in contact with some the lads that passed and ring them for notes tips etc
Ill help you if i can where you based?
What bit has you beat?
Plenty of very clever people on here to help you:)

I did e+i during boom for close to three years with a big firm from limerick

I dropped it and went to electrical in a factory and i dont mean this in a bad way but the blocks for electrical were simple

if you want to talk feel free to pm me and ill try help i dont want somebody to make the same mistake i did:(

Appreciate that man! My repeats arent till like december so im deciding what to do in the mean time! To be more clear i'm not thinking of going back to do electrical, i have a job opportunity with eircom to train as a technician with them and thats the choice im considering!

crasy dash

Hate to take the thread off topic trust me e and i is the best apprenticeship out there there is no shortage of opportunities out there for guys who qualify in it.

The world is your oyster take me for example semi intelligent 6 honours two passes in leaving cert have about 390points from 2004.
All blocks passed fisrt time all credits
Time served spark in food factory plenty experience in plcs motors machine automation safety controls blah blah

I cant even get a job in the electrical trade locally where i live(im working in a shop at the moment:( ) for every 1 tech there is probably
50 electricians

If you keep going you will never have trouble getting work i can nearly guarantee it.

Hate to be lecturing but dont let this opportunity go i regret it every day id love to get another crack at doing it i love the trade, i have even offered myself to companies to take me on as an intern just to get a leg in the door at a place and work from there

With regards eircom what are the career options after the 2years id say you would be left go as all eircom want is cheap labour

Paxi_R6

Can't ever seem to find any opportunities to break into factory work, can't seem to find the contractors that seen to get it either..

I've applied to Irish Rail, a different change of scenery & most likely a better place to be working! No doubt they'll have plenty of applicants.

Not to sure if it's Electrical instrumentation? It must be if there lots to do with signalling etc. Confused as to why Fas have it down as two separate apprenticeship on the website. Any who the company I'll be getting into again does a lot of industrial work, they're from Silgo & been in Kildare too on siteðŸ˜Haven't seen them lift any containment! Just seem to be part of the commissioning process. I remember helping one of the lads out(We'd just finished the tool hand over), Seemed to be checking the time for valves opening and closing! Seems like the type of work they do all the time😊I've chance to jump ship now in August, I reckon I'll take it.

2011

A lot of the it is a matter of putting yourself forward and not being afraid of asking questions.

I am working on a project at the moment that has entered a commissioning phase. As part of this we have to get a test rig made now that the design for the rig has been completed. A local contractor with no previous instrumentation or automation experience has put him self forward. He is a gives it 100% and importantly is not afraid to answer questions. I am confident that he will deliver an excellent test ring complete with PLC the various instruments, relays etc. All going well I imagine that he will gradually get more and more involved and progress to more complex systems now that he has a foot in the door.