ECS card and me being thick!

[mattmoo1974]

Right here goes.
Self employed, know work so im going to do a bit of the dreaded agency work(Dont start lads please stay on topic)
All said Agency work wants a JIB card(Or rating at least)
Rang JIB, They said they changed it from Improver to "Trainee" levels 1 to 3.
They said i "should" get level 3(I dont really care as long as it doesnt say labourer<< Nothing wrong with labourer but to a agency muppet this means Idiot IMHO)
Right do i Pay ECS and then have to pay JIB for the H@S test? Am i thinking its the CSCS test but with the Sparkys card as a bonus
Or is this covered in my Inrollment fee IE £36?
Has any one done this of late?
As i say iv rung them a few times and they just seems they cant get you off the phone fast enough "Fill in the form and send cash" is the basic outline from them.
Has any one had any dealings with this of last(Please No guess work)?
Iv tryed looking on the JIB webby but i think you need to be a member of NASA to understand there site with ease
Many thanks for looking Matt

 

[VoltzElectrical]

you pay ecs for the test and then pay jib for the card. You might need someone to 'sponsor' your grade (ie sign the form to say you are the grade you are applying for).

 

[mattmoo1974]

JIB sent me to the ECS webby and thats where i started to get confused, It seems very 1 is in every 1's pockets these days.
And every 1s got there hand out
So volta im looking at 36 for ECS and probs the same again with JIB you think?

 

[Adam W]

I'm going through the same thing at the moment; I've just paid £42 to the ECA to book the ECS test, then as far as I know you have to pay £36 or so to get the actual card and the grading.

I don't think the form is anything like as clear as it could be - do you have to get someone to fill in section 10 (employer or sponsor endorsement and recommendation) if so who if you're self employed?
And what happens if you don't?

 

[mattmoo1974]

Novus section 9 above on the form covers the self employment part id say mate.
And that probs cancells section 10 or part of out.

 

[mattmoo1974]

The ECS card has a JIB rating on it tho :S
Now im even more confused

 

[VoltzElectrical]

I heard today from a guy who 'sponsored' himself, as he was self employed. i can't verify it though. I'll be going through this soon as my card runs out in Jan, and I need to do the test again and get a new card with all my qualifications on it.

 

[Adam W]

I could probably get someone to sponsor me if necessary; again I'd rather not get graded as a labourer if possible. If i sponsor myself can I recommend myself to be graded as an electrician without the NVQ3?
I'm guessing it would help to fill in as many sections as possible.

 

[mattmoo1974]

If you have nt got NVQ 3 mate you ll get trainee of some kind.

 

[brucelee]

are the JIB masons or some maad cult lol as they dont seem to want anyone to join or make out you need some special power or something lol

 

[Big n Daft]

Luke............feel the FARCE

 

[brucelee]

or are they X - men lol and some kind of mutants think the C&G are from the same planet lol

 

[VoltzElectrical]

no nvq 3 = no gold card, only trainee, and before anybody hijacks this thread with a million heard before comments. This is fact, and i don't make the rules and i'm not interested in your opinion.

 

[sparky1502]

voz u bitch u are intrested admit it
:59:

 

[Electricalserv]

The JIB want NVQ3 or a letter from god. If you want to work for a JIB company get the NVQ3. Otherwise there will be people looking down at you on site even though you could well be more experienced and a better spark than those walking round with a gold card in their pocket.

Thats how it goes with the JIB. Rightly or wrongly if you go into that world you play by their rules or stay well away. They do good for people who did proper apprentiships. But they don't look after people who took other routes.

Mattmoo. Maybe you are not being proactive enough in your search for work. You should be marketing your company left, right & centre. Have you put an add in the local paper? Have you had your car/van sign written. Have you sent letters to builders, Kitchen suppliers etc etc.


Some weeks are slow self employed but others are very busy for me. Last week I made enough to pay my bills and live well for a month alone.


What you put in is what you get out...also with a little luck involved.


If people don't know what you do and don't see you company telephone number your phone won't ring!

 

[mattmoo1974]

Here's my list Serv.
Iv rung every builder/kitchen fitter/plasterer any one i know in the building trade.
Iv Posted ads in my local Parish magazine(£10 a year) and a few other's withing a 20 mile radius.
Iv put my Business card in every chippy/kebab shop/chinese/curry house withing 10 miles at least(this option is making me fat)
Iv posted 500 flyers in area's where i think i mite hit.
The local rag which covers a massive area in fairness for the money.
2 Cars both have car maganet's with my number/business tatto'd all over.(I ll get a van when i can afford one)
I tell any 1 who will and wont listen.
My misses is a carer and covers about 30 mile radius of us and shameless tells every 1 she meets.
Iv personnally been into every estate/letting agent local to me.
My misses wrote a very well worded letter waffling on about using local people etc etc and iv posted to this to all the local businesses that i think would you my services.(30 so far)
Iv been into about 20 caravan/camp sites that are small enough not to have there own spark.
Iv registered with the local Housing association(They have outside labour for there PIR's)
As you ve mentioned yourself Elecserv most builders have got there spark they use, Unless they do somat very bad there never going to swap.
Im not out to steal anybodys work just get my name about, Its not worked to date so its to the dreaded agency i go.
And now i hit this ECS card wall.
I realise the Pro's and Con's of a JIB for us all, Its the fact that most agencys just blanket put must have JIB for a PAT testing job etc etc

 

[malcolmsanford]

Matt I just renewed my JIB card in May but I won't tell you what it cost me as I had to fast track it. The actual grading is free the cost of the ECS exam is 35 pounds and the card is 15 pounds, which in all hoesty is not that bad. It's the day off work ,travel to a centre that mounts up.

What I did find amazing is that the JIB card is valid for 3 years in my case May 2014 but the ECS part is May 2013. I only notice this when I scanned the cert and card into my computer, and have emailed the JIB to ask why.

 

[mattmoo1974]

Its was hard enough to work out what grade ll get let. Had to ring them in the end, And there very very cagey and just basicly say "fill in the form and send a cheque" and we ll grade you.
So i pay them £36 they ll send me a date for thetest and tehn once iv done that i pay JIB for another card?
Im a bit confused Malc cos the ECS card has a JIB grade on the front?

 

[malcolmsanford]

My JIB card on the top as the ECS logo and the JIB logo underneath, and the holgrams of of the CSCS and the ECS with my picture and grading.

 

[mattmoo1974]

Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) card That picture confuses me lol