salmocab wrote: » I now work in the data centre industry and the money is good compared to normal sparks rate (which is decent money but youll never be a rich man). I got into this via a guy I used to work with and you will find after a few years that its a surprisingly small industry and you see the same people over and over so you get contacts along the way.
Alphabigcock wrote: » That seems to be the recurring theme that I keep going back to. I genuinely don't think i'd be in college studying what I am if it wasn't for the paper chase. How anybody can just settle on what they want to do makes me so jealous. I can never make my mind up.
Alphabigcock wrote: » Can I ask how you went about pursuing another career within the electrical industry?
Alphabigcock wrote: » Can I ask what route you took to become an Electrical engineer?
2011 wrote: » I became a full time student and obtained a degree in electrical & control engineering. I have been working as an electrical and instrumentation design engineer ever since.
Alphabigcock wrote: » Did you have to do any additional courses to do this line of work?
Just said I'd bump this as I'm thinking about being an electrician too. I don't like the idea of working contract to contract though, as I see here. I'm 34 now and work as a bus driver. I like the job bus I don't particularly feel like I'm challenged enough, or that I've a sense of purpose. I just want to know what options I'd have as regards doing night classes, while working. Also, with the vast amount of knowledge out there on the internet, could anyone guide me to good place that I could self-learn?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but no amount of night courses will enable you to become an electrician. It can only be done through a 4 year apprenticeship.
You may be able to get other electrical qualifications through part time study but for any of them worth doing you need to be prepared for at least a few years of study. Bear in mind these will be more engineering type courses with practically nothing in the line of practical skills that an apprentice electrician would gain through an apprenticeship.
What percentage of that 4 yr course is actual work done on site helping other electricians, in comparison to work carried out in the class room.
Having been through college, it's painful having to sit through huge amounts of classes that are either:
Is an electrical apprentice any different?
The electrical apprenticeship is split up into 7 phases. Phases 2(22 weeks), phase 4(11 weeks) and phase 6(11 weeks) are spent in college while the rest of the 4 years are spent on site with the employer. There is also quite a bit of practical work in college especially during phase 2.
How much experience have you had with electrical work?
In my experience very little of the stuff is taught in an unnecessarily long winded way and most of the information is relevant to the trade. Its a vast trade so if anything the apprenticeship only scratches the surface of it.
As I said above in a post from nearly 6 years ago, it's such a diverse trade, you can pretty much do anything, so some of your questions are difficult to answer.
First point , nothing is taught in an unnecessarily long way, you may or may not have a "boring teacher" or you may be a very quick learner, you have been through college, so you should know about teachers and you should have figured out the latter.
Second depends on how much you already know, only you and eventually your employer/assessor can answer that.
Third point, most of the "stuff" is designed to get you "qualified" so there is no option there, you do need to know it.
I always feel within a short period the direction to head, should become clear. eg if you are more mechanically minded, you may prefer cable tray, containment, the physical installing of panels etc etc. That guy/gal may be salivating at the new Milwaukee threaded rod cutter or the green laser level.
The next guy will be looking at end ferrule crimpers, and drooling over the schematic drawings.
It takes all sorts, no particular facet is better than the others, it's what rocks your boat. Some guys vanish, when there is a circuit fault, others relish in trying to find it. Some can handle the pressure of the boss asking "how long ? " before you have even opened the toolbox, others get into a panic and in the end, don't know what day of the week it is.
When you are on site helping electricians, it depends on the electrician/company. It may be pulling cables through attics for 4 years, it maybe panel building, programming plc's etc. So in an ideal world, if you can decide your direction first, then decide the company/electrician to steer you there.
One thing for certain, if you are interested you will never be bored, or sick of learning. It's continually evolving and the biggest challenge is "keeping up"
I have no experience.
I do know that some people suggest that those who study FAS courses weren't that intelligent in secondary school, or that they'd have come from LCA in the leaving. In comparison I have an MSc (one year taught masters) which would be a level 9 I think. But I don't get the impression that I would find such an apprenticeship any easier than my third level stuff... which I could bullshit my way through a lot of. I know that must sound like a stupid question, but I still have to ask!
Where'd be a good place to start self learning online? And also, does the apprenticeship go into the actual science of it much? Because if I were to study it I'd like to come at it from both angles.
There's no point self learning to be an electrician, you cannot work as an electrician unless you complete an apprenticeship
But I mean, even if I never got to work as an electrician, I'd still like to understand it. That's what I mean?
If I were doing an actual course on it, I'd be following up on the in-class topics later on the internet in some way, in order to reinforce it and it see it from a different perspective.
I think you are underestimating the practical skills required to work as an electrician. These cannot be learned online. You could learn all of the technical aspects of electrical work but if you don't have the practical skills you would never be able to work as an electrician.
The apprenticeship doesn't go deep into the science of it. That would be more to do with electrical engineering. Maybe this is what you would be more interested in?
I think I'd like to do both. I've had enough theory in my years of education. You pass exams but you don't feel like you've an actual skill.
And I guess the best way of doing both would be to do the apprenticeship while doing some self learning of the theory online.
When you say you would like to do both how do you plan to do this?
An apprenticeship is 4 years as is a level 8 degree in electrical engineering? There are options for qualified electricians to do degrees part time after they have completed their apprenticeship which is a good option.
Does any of your theory in your years of education relate to electrical engineering/theory?
What type of electrical work interests you most?
No, I studied biosciences.
I don't know what type I'd be into. What types are there?!
Was there much maths in your studies so far? Electrical engineering is very heavy on maths and I've seen some people get tripped up on the maths in the Electrical apprenticeship.
As an electrician you could be doing anything from wiring houses to maintenance in a factory or power plant. I can't recommend staying away from wiring houses enough though.
Electrical engineering is a vast field:
https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/engineering/what-jobs-can-you-do-electrical-engineering-degree
