Am i entitled to call myself a sparky?

[gazdkw82]

Quite a few times served electricians where I work have never done AM2. Does that mean they are not electricians?

One electrician at my works failed the AM2 when it first came out. He's still considered and payed as an electrician

 

[telectrix]

as per spoon.if your rate is below what you expect then ask why.

 

[Nigel]

Quite a few times served electricians where I work have never done AM2. Does that mean they are not electricians?

One electrician at my works failed the AM2 when it first came out. He's still considered and payed as an electrician

It depends. If they got their NVQ without it as I did then yes. If they needed the AM2 to
Complete their NVQ and so never got the NVQ then no.

 

[hillen1986]

Why didn't you do the NVQ? If you're working as an Electrician and you think you're an electrician then it'll be easy enough.
I'm fully qualified with 7 years experience and I don't truly feel like I'm done learning yet.

My job is predominantly a maintenance Engineer, but i do some electrical work too. I'm certainly not done learning, and at this place i never will be, there just isn't enough variation of work. But if they have me working for say £11 an hour, i don't feel it would be wrong to have a bit more , considering when they get contractors in doing the same work , £25 an hour is cheap.

 

[westward10]

I am not sure if we are a similar age (36) but there was a time (2396) when the AM2 was not a part of the NVQ.

Wish I was knocking in my early 50s.

 

[hillen1986]

What issues do you have with the new contract?
If they are going you the work of an 'electrician' but not the pay then ask them why.

The reason is because I'm still considered by them, to be training. But at the same time, get me doing work that only a qualified sparky can do. It's an odd situation granted, just wanted some input from guys who are fully qualified and long term served.

 

[JAWS]

My job is predominantly a maintenance Engineer, but i do some electrical work too. I'm certainly not done learning, and at this place i never will be, there just isn't enough variation of work. But if they have me working for say £11 an hour, i don't feel it would be wrong to have a bit more , considering when they get contractors in doing the same work , £25 an hour is cheap.

Aldi pay £10 an hour so surely you are worth more then a pound more then their shelf stacker.

 

[Nigel]

Aldi pay £10 an hour so surely you are worth more then a pound more then their shelf stacker.

Supply and demand. Too many people and not enough work.

Skills has nothing to do with it unfortunatly.

 

[hillen1986]

Aldi pay £10 an hour so surely you are worth more then a pound more then their shelf stacker.

Good point!

 

[MJPD29]

I have never owned or even set eyes on a jib card so I wouldn't worry about that

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Its an emotive issue, for those who did the nvq am2 route, fair play and good for you. I appreciate why you get annoyed with people calling themselves an electrician after you spent so many years training.
Do i call myself one , yes i do, if you described my work and asked customers they would all say i am an electrician. I do not have the NVQ and AM2, never got around to it, I came to this career after leaving the forces with a technical background. I have the 2365 L2&3 17th edition, 2392 and 2394 and due to sit 2391 version of the old 2395 in new year. I also have a NVQ in aerospace engineering.
Have 8 years in this career now, I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable and always willing to keep learning,I have an eye for detail and am very safety conscious. Registered with NICEIC purely to sign stuff off. So in eyes of some I am a DI. I dont do industrial stuff but stick with house bashing and light commercial stuff.
The point I make though is that I have met some people with all the qualifications nvq, am2 etc but they are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed near a screwdriver. The quality of the work is questionable.
I have met electricians mates who I would sooner trust and are sometimes more knowledgeable.

 

[westward10]

Another bloody charlatan.

 

[telectrix]

£11 /hour is taking the pi$$. that's less than mates rate.

 

[Dillb]

What does your new contract say about your role? As that will have a large bearing on how much your paid not what qualifications you have.

 

[hillen1986]

Another bloody charlatan.

Well , i certainly know what I'm talking about, and certainly have the skill.

 

[westward10]

Well , i certainly know what I'm talking about, and certainly have the skill.

Wasn't aiming at you I was jesting to #31

 

[hillen1986]

This

Its an emotive issue, for those who did the nvq am2 route, fair play and good for you. I appreciate why you get annoyed with people calling themselves an electrician after you spent so many years training.
Do i call myself one , yes i do, if you described my work and asked customers they would all say i am an electrician. I do not have the NVQ and AM2, never got around to it, I came to this career after leaving the forces with a technical background. I have the 2365 L2&3 17th edition, 2392 and 2394 and due to sit 2391 version of the old 2395 in new year. I also have a NVQ in aerospace engineering.
Have 8 years in this career now, I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable and always willing to keep learning,I have an eye for detail and am very safety conscious. Registered with NICEIC purely to sign stuff off. So in eyes of some I am a DI. I dont do industrial stuff but stick with house bashing and light commercial stuff.
The point I make though is that I have met some people with all the qualifications nvq, am2 etc but they are dangerous and shouldn't be allowed near a screwdriver. The quality of the work is questionable.
I have met electricians mates who I would sooner trust and are sometimes more knowledgeable.

This puts a lot of perspective on the conversation. I guess it depends on where you came from and what you do. When finished I'll have level 3 in engineering maintenance, level 3 diploma 2365, amongst many other smaller quals, am i a sparky as per the jib? No. Am i a competent worker, that understands the job and what to do? Yes, do i have the knowledge to design an installation to the current regulations? Yes.

Thanks for your input, i feel better knowing someone else is on a similar path, and doing well.

 

[Spoon]

The reason is because I'm still considered by them, to be training. But at the same time, get me doing work that only a qualified sparky can do. It's an odd situation granted, just wanted some input from guys who are fully qualified and long term served.

As @Dillb has asked above "What does your new contract say about your role?"
If they consider you still to be training then technically you should not be 'doing work that only a qualified sparky can do' without supervision.
If you are doing the work unsupervised then they are classing you in the same ranks as a qualified electrician and should pay you as such. Ask why this is not happening.

 

[PEG]

And anyway,why the big deal about the "electrician" bit?

Argue your case on the merits of ALL your skills and the benefits you bring to the role. If you cannot do this,then maybe they have the rate about right.

You are not going to find a "set" rate,or consistent skills acceptance,so tell them how you can pipe their rats away,and give em' the cost

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Another bloody charlatan.

Haha... I am really a kitchen fitter, self taught who after reading a idiots guide to diy electrics went to a training centre as after just 3 weeks they said they could make me an electrician, they told me those 5 week wonder schools were rip off merchants and just want my money, reckoned the 3 week course was superior in every way. For just a bit more money they said they would make me a pat testing engineer and i will be able to make lots of money. At the end they said if i come back for another 4 weeks they would train me as a plumber too. They were really nice people and I can not thank them enough as now i am a qualified electrician and plumber. i still do a bit of kitchen fitting on the side but prefer to do slightly iffy electrical work. Not joined a scheme yet as that would involve knowing what I am doing and I dont have a multi tester, i just turn it on and plug a socket tester or light bulb in to see if it trips and works. not gone bang yet. I dont have insurance either as all my work is kosher so dont need it.