Female Graduate Retraining As An Electrician. Help/Advice.

[I2C]

Firstly (from the title) it makes no difference if your male / female in the industry, you're clearly passionate and that's all that matters! If anyone suggests otherwise, they're honestly not worth your expertise.

Congratulations on your degree too by the way! That's an incredible achievement and you should be proud regardless of your future career choices, don't regret it. I've also considered starting a degree but I'm not sure it's worth the money? Or which degree is best to take? Or if I'll actually learn anything worthwhile? You'd be the best to answer those questions, I'd appreciate your help.

As previous comments suggested, it would seem a waste to become an average-electrician considering your qualifications; however, I truly believe you should chase your dreams and find a career that you're happy in, regardless of what that is.

With that said, if you're certain that you want to work as an average-electrician, I would suggest you look at the commercial / industrial sectors. It's common for projects in these sectors to use a different electrical contractor employed to inspect & test the work, ensuring that everything is done properly and conforms to regulations.

Conversely, the domestic sector is full of unqualified & generally naive individuals, who often create more problems than they solve. Having said that, there's also a small-number of fantastic domestic-electricians who are very knowledgeable and do great work, but these people are usually frustrated by the incompetency of others in the trade.

 

[Cadgey123]

I think you should do what ever you like. Being a electrician has been one of the most rewarding jobs for me over the years. Taken me a lot of places and completed lots of interesting jobs.

Don’t be swayed by the negativity, use your passion and intelligence to try something different.

 

[Chann]

Firstly (from the title) it makes no difference if your male / female in the industry, you're clearly passionate and that's all that matters! If anyone suggests otherwise, they're honestly not worth your expertise.

Congratulations on your degree too by the way! That's an incredible achievement and you should be proud regardless of your future career choices, don't regret it. I've also considered starting a degree but I'm not sure it's worth the money? Or which degree is best to take? Or if I'll actually learn anything worthwhile? You'd be the best to answer those questions, I'd appreciate your help.

As previous comments suggested, it would seem a waste to become an average-electrician considering your qualifications; however, I truly believe you should chase your dreams and find a career that you're happy in, regardless of what that is.

With that said, if you're certain that you want to work as an average-electrician, I would suggest you look at the commercial / industrial sectors. It's common for projects in these sectors to use a different electrical contractor employed to inspect & test the work, ensuring that everything is done properly and conforms to regulations.

Conversely, the domestic sector is full of unqualified & generally naive individuals, who often create more problems than they solve. Having said that, there's also a small-number of fantastic domestic-electricians who are very knowledgeable and do great work, but these people are usually frustrated by the incompetency of others in the trade.

It depends what you go to uni for, what uni you go to and what you are hoping to achieve from it. The highest ranked unis are not always the best. Look at what the uni can offer you and what connections they have, not just the degree itself. E.g. to work in fashion I did't really have to go to uni as there are other quicker and cheaper ways of getting there e.g. a course at the Fashion Retail Academy or going to the Conde Nast College.

Well I would say do a degree if you need to or want to or have the luxury of wanting to learn something new. I can't say I'm not you. I have met plenty of people without degrees who are brand managers or have gotten onto the fashion career ladder without a degree, just internships or those school leavers who just do apprenticeships. My friend who is older, her partner is the Director of Foxtons and he doesn't have a degree just a BTech. I went to her house in Essex it was worth 2 mill and her neighbours where doctors and footballers.

I don't know sometimes I wish I hadn't gone but I don't regret it, glad I got it in the end. The degree can open other doors in the future. However, a degree doesn't equal success! My dad didn't have the opportunity to go to school but has done well for himself but has always pushed me to become 'educated'. The other day I was speaking to him and I asked him why he didn't push me to learn a trade? My dad left school with a City and Guilds and even if I do become 'educated' with some higher postgraduate degree, I will never make as much money as he did. My dad always told me people in other academic professions looked down at him e.g. his accountant or didn't think he have the amount of money he had because he wasn't educated. As a result, he always wanted us to be educated.

Well if you are an electrician and you are making good money, or you have the expertise to start up your own company I would try to do just that. Personally, I don't want to sit in an office for the next x years on some stupid database I don't care about, next to a boss breathing down my neck, if I had a skill and can sucessfully sell it. I had an electrician come into the house to fix the boiler. He did a 20 min job and charged £200. If I had that skill, why wouldn't I want to do that? Well maybe the job isn't steady who knows? Because I certainly don't. Also growing up my dads friends were builders and electricians and they were well off. The electrician and builder had their own companies and the electrican has recently gifted his son 250k towards his first home.

Plus I've had friends who completed law school who are just working 'normal jobs' because they don't want to achieve the higher legal qualification so e.g. admin assistants although some of them are training to become lawyers. But even here people also struggle with finding placements. Even then, I don't know how great their salary will actually be because now so many people want to become lawyers and some unis let you get in with ---- grades. I have actually looked at grad school but if I go now I am just rushing into things for the sake of it which I'm not doing. My dad thinks I'm going off to grad school but I'm not going anymore. I told him I was going to do the conversion in Psychology [9k]. Even after that I have to spend more money doing another masters in the particular area of psychology I want to go into, another 9k+. [Oh yea and don't forget the Phd lol] --> wasn't going to do this.

Plus everyone will be shocked to hear that I'll be attending to learn a trade soon. Mum was okay with this when I mentioned it to her. Friends and uni tutors will be shocked and think I'm an idiot. Similar to what others here have told me here: if you are an electrician and want to become and engineer ask your company or ask a company for some exp first. It may be that an office environment doesn't suit you and your more hands on. My dad always said if he had an education he would be an engineer but later admitted he wasn't made for the office life. My parents thought it was somewhat amazing to go sit in some ---- office because they had never achieved it. Half of the people there don't even know what they are doing with themselves. I have temped at WHSmiths head office as an Merchandising Admin Assistant for a few weeks temp work, worked at M&S Head Office for a few weeks temp doing data entry. During the summer they asked me if I wanted to work in their children's clothing team which I was like hell no to. Just people dress up a suit and tie/formal clothes doesn't mean they are better than people who have learnt a trade or are making better money than you. [Also quit a unpaid wholesale internship in 3 days due to various reasons].

It annoys me how some people here think I'm stupid or somewhat silly for wanting to learn a trade. But I have time with my life and can afford to do it as I know I don't want to get married or have kids, so I am going to make as many mistakes as I possibly can. Plus life's all about learning new skills and doing new things.

Do you want to hear a real story and I am not making this up. When I was interning at this luxury PR agency in Central London, It was based near Oxford Circus, situated near that street with designer shops e.g. Burberry and Ralph Lauren. Can't remember what the street is called but it is famous. I had to go to Hemel Hempstead to deliver these bags of luxury clothes worth thousands of pounds to a house where a photoshoot was taking place on the tube. Plus when you intern in fashion you are the office bitch and do all the shitty work no on else wants to do without any pay for months and still aren't offered a job. Fashion internships are run of free labour of rich kids. My arms where aching but I managed to find the house to deliver the clothes to. Once I got there I had to wait for the stylist to arrive to make sure he had himself actually physically received the clothes. Oh yea I also realised that the photoshoot that was taking place was for Vogue which was kinda cool. As I sat there I heard the many people working to make this glamorous shoot happen all discuss how they wished they had never become what they were today e.g. fashion photographers and instead went to learn a trade in construction. Back then I never understood it but I do know now.

Anyway whats the worst that can happen if I do these City and Guilds courses? It's cheaper in relation to grad school. I get to learn a hands on skill and who knows maybe I will go back to grad school to learn MA Spatial Design in the future. The MA want people who have gone out and worked anyway. It sure does look interesting. Out of all the unis I went to I'm glad I went to UAL, taught me to think and see things differently in creative ways and how to start up my own business e.g. learnt marketing, branding, design etc. and how to do it successfully. Just because you are an electrician doesn't mean you are some idiot doing a 'normal' job. If this idiot has the potential to start their own business selling their skills and has the potential to be their own boss, I'll be that idiot. Why can't the electrician with years of experience go to uni. You guys can actually use your skills in creative ways and create something innovative.

This all happened because I was pushing my brother into becoming a plumber since he didn't to go to university. Then I thought why the hell am I pushing my brother who won't listen into this when I can do this myself? I never in a million years imagined I would go to learn a trade.

Btw I don't know you or have your life, so I can't tell you if you should go to uni or not but why not give it a shot? Whats the worst that can happen, you decide its not for you? At least you gave it a shot.

or maybe I am just way too optimistic. If so, let me be.

 

[Sparkingmad]

Chann welcome to the forum and good for you to realise that your chosen career path would bore you to tears before it actually did. Is electrical work really for you? No one can answer that apart from you. As mentioned there are many aspects of electrical install available. Maybe you could look at security alarm installations or cctv? Just a thought.

 

[Chann]

I think you should do what ever you like. Being a electrician has been one of the most rewarding jobs for me over the years. Taken me a lot of places and completed lots of interesting jobs.

Don’t be swayed by the negativity, use your passion and intelligence to try something different.

Thanks I'll take my chances and give it a shot. Care to tell me about what these interesting jobs were?

 

[Chann]

Chann welcome to the forum and good for you to realise that your chosen career path would bore you to tears before it actually did. Is electrical work really for you? No one can answer that apart from you. As mentioned there are many aspects of electrical install available. Maybe you could look at security alarm installations or cctv? Just a thought.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I was thinking about contacting some sort of niche arts electrical company later on. I'll figure it out once I'm on the course.

 

[Des 56]

Information wise,until the last decade or so an electrician was regarded as the top trade regards level of skill required
It was open mainly to those who could demonstrate a high level of maths for the theory to be attained and it took at least 4 or 5 years of continual study mixed with practical training for the basics to be prepared and quite a few years longer to become experienced and skilled
It really was a occupation that gave a person a self satisfied feeling of achievement

Fast forward and the modern work and training culture,the standards allowed have deteriorated to a point that anybody prepared to spend a few bob can get a minimum level of training and be regarded as an electrician especially in the domestic sector

You can earn good money and will likely never be devoid of work throughout your working life if you decide to train
You will get this reward but you will need to accept that the title electrician is no longer the source of pride it once was when it was looked on by others as a high ladder climbed

The training you undertake can be the minimum that is popular at present and will get you work in the domestic sector
If however you want to be a electrician of good standing you need greater training than that minimum allows

Choose a level that you are prepared to attain and go for it,you will not regret the experience,it will provide knowledge that will be with you for life whatever the outcome

 

[Chann]

Information wise,until the last decade or so an electrician was regarded as the top trade regards level of skill required
It was open mainly to those who could demonstrate a high level of maths for the theory to be attained and it took at least 4 or 5 years of continual study mixed with practical training for the basics to be prepared and quite a few years longer to become experienced and skilled
It really was a occupation that gave a person a self satisfied feeling of achievement

Fast forward and the modern work and training culture,the standards allowed have deteriorated to a point that anybody prepared to spend a few bob can get a minimum level of training and be regarded as an electrician especially in the domestic sector

You can earn good money and will likely never be devoid of work throughout your working life if you decide to train
You will get this reward but you will need to accept that the title electrician is no longer the source of pride it once was when it was looked on by others as a high ladder climbed

The training you undertake can be the minimum that is popular at present and will get you work in the domestic sector
If however you want to be a electrician of good standing you need greater training than that minimum allows

Choose a level that you are prepared to attain and go for it,you will not regret the experience,it will provide knowledge that will be with you for life whatever the outcome

Thanks, will take this into consideration.

 

[rapparee]

agree with pete. while being a spark can be a satisfying and rewarding calling, it is hard physical work with pathetic remuneration compared with other professions. if i had my time again i'd have been a lawyer ( win or lose you still get paid) or a doctor (mistakes get buried).

I actually have a degree in law. It was a feed of shyte.

I decided to be an apprentice after I finished my degree. If this is what you want to do Chann, then do it.

 

[Grezza]

I went to uni. Got a first class BSc degree in audio. Had serveral jobs in various companies.

Trained to be a spark, worked for a few years as a mate. Now have my own company making great money. Go for it.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I was thinking about contacting some sort of niche arts electrical company later on. I'll figure it out once I'm on the course.

Hi Chann, you could also look at the Events industry. Behind every successful event there is temporary power and, not taking anything away from the domestic guys, it is a specialised area on its own and presents interesting and unique challenges. Or Technical Theatre could be another path, if you don't fancy the heavy rubber cabling in wet, muddy fields...

The similarities with the other electrician roles are that you need to understand the maths and the wiring regs (BS7671) although some of what the yellow book contains you are unlikely to ever use in events.

You would study BS7909 "code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment and related purposes" - this document is the bible in event electrics. There are BS7909 courses available to you, once you have passed your wiring regs. At the moment 7909 is not a C&G course, although there are murmurings it will soon become formalised (which IMO is long overdue).

Every event is different and will throw new situations at you, generally without much time to make a decision on your feet.

This avenue may have a more natural link with the area in which you studied, which is why I thought it could be of interest to you.

 

[I2C]

My friend who is older, her partner is the Director of Foxtons and he doesn't have a degree just a BTech. I went to her house in Essex it was worth 2 mill and her neighbours where doctors and footballers.

I know what you mean, there a lot of successful people don't have degrees, and also a lot of people holding degrees without success.
For me, I'm not necessarily looking for wealth and recognition in the industry, but rather a high-level of knowledge to be the best I can be, perhaps retiring into a higher-level job later in life.

My dad didn't have the opportunity to go to school but has done well for himself but has always pushed me to become 'educated'.
I will never make as much money as he did.

Interestingly I'm actually in the same position. My dad had no qualifications and ended up creating an incredibly-successful business, generating an absurd income.
However most people can't understand how tough it is to grow-up in a wealthy family (which seems silly). When growing up, we perceive our surroundings as 'normal', so being raised in a large-house with nice-cars , you'll naturally aspire to be as successful as your parents. Later on in life you'll suddenly realise that you'll almost-certainly never come close to the lifestyle you're used to.

Well if you are an electrician and you are making good money, or you have the expertise to start up your own company I would try to do just that. Personally, I don't want to sit in an office for the next x years

I used to sit in an office (and hated it) leading to a change of career. After qualifying, there didn't seem to be any jobs in my area which lead to me starting my own company as a self-employed electrician. When I started, I was lucky to know others in the trade who passed-on work, but things quickly slowed-down, forcing me to begin looking for employment. It's tough out there, even though I'm confident with business requirements, actually finding work is hard.

Plus I've had friends who completed law school who are just working 'normal jobs' because they don't want to achieve the higher legal qualification so e.g. admin assistants although some of them are training to become lawyers..

I studied law, psychology, sociology, and politics during college; aspiring to eventually become a conveyancing solicitor. I dropped out of college after the first year for two reasons:
Firstly I was working part-time and preferred spending my time earning money, with an offer of nearly double my current-wage if I continued working full-time.
Secondly, I was surprised to find most of the students in my law-class where usually high, not interested in learning at all.

Plus everyone will be shocked to hear that I'll be attending to learn a trade soon. Mum was okay with this when I mentioned it to her. Friends and uni tutors will be shocked and think I'm an idiot. Similar to what others here have told me here

Simple advice - don't worry about what others think. Your friends and family should support you regardless, your uni-friends will eventually be forgotten anyway, your tutor is paid to teach and encourage further-education (spending lots of money) at the university in order to make more money.
Don't listen to them, you've got to do what's right for you. The way to think about it is that you'll be incredibly knowledgeable (often greater than your employer) which means you'll do things correctly. Plus you'll always have the option of progressing to something else if you want, everything is possible.

they wished they had never become what they were today e.g. fashion photographers and instead went to learn a trade in construction. Back then I never understood it but I do know now.

I can understand their thoughts, they probably studied for years to become a 'professional photographer', but perhaps resulted in identical set-ups everyday in the same location for little-money.

see things differently in creative ways

I live by the philosophy: "stop learning and start creating".
Education is undoubtedly the fastest way of answering your questions through popular explanations, however the explanations given are not always correct.
For example, Albert Einstein predicted that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, a theory accepted by many.
However, we can now prove that particals have indeed exceeded the speed of light, proving his theory wrong. Furthermore quantum-entanglement adds a whole-new field of exploration, with evidence of absolute-instantaneous states, regardless of distance.
My point is - if everyone just accepted what they where told without question, great-advancements would be ignored, or never discovered at all. So create and experiment!

I was pushing my brother into becoming a plumber

This is really strange! My brother is also a plumber, which I encouraged him to peruse. He say's he doesn't enjoy the job, but he loves the private-work, so I think things will work-out for him.

Btw I don't know you or have your life, so I can't tell you if you should go to uni or not but why not give it a shot? Whats the worst that can happen, you decide its not for you? At least you gave it a shot.

I think it's best to give it a shot, maybe in a few years for extra revison of course. Thank you for your advice by the way!
-Chris

 

[Chann]

I actually have a degree in law. It was a feed of shyte.

I decided to be an apprentice after I finished my degree. If this is what you want to do Chann, then do it.

Lol I'm actually a law school drop out Quit 3 months in at a top law school. Loved my a level in law, hated doing the degree. Fashion school has been way better but I don't want to work in the industry. What company are/were you an apprentice with if you don't mind saying?

 

[Chann]

I know what you mean, there a lot of successful people don't have degrees, and also a lot of people holding degrees without success.
For me, I'm not necessarily looking for wealth and recognition in the industry, but rather a high-level of knowledge to be the best I can be, perhaps retiring into a higher-level job later in life.


Interestingly I'm actually in the same position. My dad had no qualifications and ended up creating an incredibly-successful business, generating an absurd income.
However most people can't understand how tough it is to grow-up in a wealthy family (which seems silly). When growing up, we perceive our surroundings as 'normal', so being raised in a large-house with nice-cars , you'll naturally aspire to be as successful as your parents. Later on in life you'll suddenly realise that you'll almost-certainly never come close to the lifestyle you're used to.


I used to sit in an office (and hated it) leading to a change of career. After qualifying, there didn't seem to be any jobs in my area which lead to me starting my own company as a self-employed electrician. When I started, I was lucky to know others in the trade who passed-on work, but things quickly slowed-down, forcing me to begin looking for employment. It's tough out there, even though I'm confident with business requirements, actually finding work is hard.


I studied law, psychology, sociology, and politics during college; aspiring to eventually become a conveyancing solicitor. I dropped out of college after the first year for two reasons:
Firstly I was working part-time and preferred spending my time earning money, with an offer of nearly double my current-wage if I continued working full-time.
Secondly, I was surprised to find most of the students in my law-class where usually high, not interested in learning at all.


Simple advice - don't worry about what others think. Your friends and family should support you regardless, your uni-friends will eventually be forgotten anyway, your tutor is paid to teach and encourage further-education (spending lots of money) at the university in order to make more money.
Don't listen to them, you've got to do what's right for you. The way to think about it is that you'll be incredibly knowledgeable (often greater than your employer) which means you'll do things correctly. Plus you'll always have the option of progressing to something else if you want, everything is possible.


I can understand their thoughts, they probably studied for years to become a 'professional photographer', but perhaps resulted in identical set-ups everyday in the same location for little-money.


I live by the philosophy: "stop learning and start creating".
Education is undoubtedly the fastest way of answering your questions through popular explanations, however the explanations given are not always correct.
For example, Albert Einstein predicted that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light, a theory accepted by many.
However, we can now prove that particals have indeed exceeded the speed of light, proving his theory wrong. Furthermore quantum-entanglement adds a whole-new field of exploration, with evidence of absolute-instantaneous states, regardless of distance.
My point is - if everyone just accepted what they where told without question, great-advancements would be ignored, or never discovered at all. So create and experiment!


This is really strange! My brother is also a plumber, which I encouraged him to peruse. He say's he doesn't enjoy the job, but he loves the private-work, so I think things will work-out for him.


I think it's best to give it a shot, maybe in a few years for extra revison of course. Thank you for your advice by the way!
-Chris

Are you going for undergrad or masters? Also, is it for electronic engineering or something like product design? Let us know. Also would anyone here recommend being a health and safety advisor on a construction site?

 

[Chann]

Hi Chann, you could also look at the Events industry. Behind every successful event there is temporary power and, not taking anything away from the domestic guys, it is a specialised area on its own and presents interesting and unique challenges. Or Technical Theatre could be another path, if you don't fancy the heavy rubber cabling in wet, muddy fields...

The similarities with the other electrician roles are that you need to understand the maths and the wiring regs (BS7671) although some of what the yellow book contains you are unlikely to ever use in events.

You would study BS7909 "code of practice for temporary electrical systems for entertainment and related purposes" - this document is the bible in event electrics. There are BS7909 courses available to you, once you have passed your wiring regs. At the moment 7909 is not a C&G course, although there are murmurings it will soon become formalised (which IMO is long overdue).

Every event is different and will throw new situations at you, generally without much time to make a decision on your feet.

This avenue may have a more natural link with the area in which you studied, which is why I thought it could be of interest to you.

This sounds interesting. I'll look into it. x

 

[Chann]

Quick question. Has anyone trained as an electrician and then gone on to do something creative/artsy with it? Let me know.

 

[Chann]

I went to uni. Got a first class BSc degree in audio. Had serveral jobs in various companies.

Trained to be a spark, worked for a few years as a mate. Now have my own company making great money. Go for it.

I went to uni. Got a first class BSc degree in audio. Had serveral jobs in various companies.

Trained to be a spark, worked for a few years as a mate. Now have my own company making great money. Go for it.

Decided to do it. When you trained did you get an apprenticeship or go into becoming an electricians mate right away? Btw can you leave a links so I can check out your company website if you don't mind?