Relatively newly qualified electrician looking to get back into what he enjoyed!

[Daniel.Lawrence]

Hi there!<br>
I am completely new to The world of electrical Forums so please excuse my complete lack of knowledge for their internal workings! <br>
<br>
I am looking for the Advice of you experienced electricians on a dilemma which has plagued me for the last 18months I apologise in advance for the length of this thread but I'm hoping someone can help! <br>
<br>
So to cut a long story short, I completed my first two years of my apprenticeship, achieving my NVQ1 and 2 with a primarily domestic company subcontracted to a few major housing associations in wales, carrying out most generic domestic work from general 'upgrades' bringing houses up to 17th edition, to kitchen and bathroom installations, CU changes, maintenance and on call jobs for the private home owners. Which might I add I thoroughly enjoyed. I then however discovered my fiancé had fallen pregnant and so moved to the Basingstoke/newbury area and looked to continue my apprenticeship. As had as this was I found a fantastic company who took me on and in a totally different line of work. This work involved installing primarily tray and basket work for control cabling for large generators. As well as installing the cabling itself. <br>
<br>
This again was a huge learning curve (considering the closest I had come to this before was installing SWA for garage/shed supplies). However! I did manage to use this experience and time to complete my NVQ3 and AM2 qualifications... Due to the nature of the job, and the fact that I was travelling around the country with a team of electricians carrying out these generator installs it was incredibly hard to juggle a pregnant fiancé and working away for lengths of time so regardless of really getting into the job and thoroughly enjoying it I had to leave, and search for a job which worked around the family. Even if it meant leaving my electrical behind. Which I did.. I found a job driving a crane in Llanwern steel works back in southwales which was fantastic given that I was working 4 days on 4 days off.. which worked out fantastic for the family... I am now however back to square one given the current state of the steel industry and having hopped between it and being a sales assistant in wickes which felt like a waste given that id ploughed so much time into my electrical background.<br>
<br>
So Rant over I am Looking for a bit of advice on how you guys think I should go about applying for another electrical position? granted I am 'Qualified' on paper and yes I do have some decent experience when it comes to hand on and working on the tools, but I still feel as though theres so much more I haven't covered, and given that 90% of jobs ive applied for are either looking for Brand new apprentices, or electricians with x number of years served... I have even tried offering the fact that I would take a pay cut form a companies 'experienced' electrician until they felt I was up to speed with carrying out the work..<br>
<br>
to be quite frank I'm stuck on where to go and what to do.<br>
<br>
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated<br>
<br>
many thanks<br>
Dan Lawrence <br>
(Newbury/Basingstoke)

 

[Darkwood]

Welcome to the Forum Dan

 

[TJ Anderson]

Apply for JIB Gold Card which you will get with your quals. Get your CV and copies of your quals out to agencies. Plenty of jobs about right now.

 

[Richard Burns]

Welcome to the forum.

You need to be able to start looking at things positively and concentrate on the pluses you have on your side.
You have completed the required training and you have site experience at a range of different jobs.
OK so at the moment you are still on a learning curve, but so are we all at all times.
Rules and regs change and adapt and so must we.
I think you are in a good position from the employability point of view really, a company will not need to pay out for training, can start teaching you their methods of operation as you will not be locked in to "this is the only way I have done it for years" and you have already demonstrated that you are capable of picking up new experience quickly.
As TJ Anderson says, get out there and apply, even if they want X years of experience, just state your years of experience (in a positive way and without saying "I have only 1 years experience", but instead I have been working for half a year in the domestic environment and half a year in industrial installation and have rapidly built my confidence in my ability in these areas and look forward to gaining further competence) and hope you are the best candidate, as you will certainly be better than many who apply.

Good luck and go for it, but do not be too down if you applications do not get through at first, it will come in time.

 

[GMES]

Welcome along to the forum.

 

[Barry White]

Hi Daniel Thats a nice intro. and an interesting apprentiship so you are fully qualified in domestic and and have done a lot of comercial too.
Putting your family first and having to leave and take non electrical jobs shouldent really stop prospective employers giving you another job (unless its working away all the time and you would'nt apply for this work anyway)
We are all still on a learning curve and you have actually done more than some electricians (I have done very little domestic compared to you)
So best foot forward apply for the JIB gold card as T J Anderson suggested write up a cv and put it online and watch the agencys fight for you. This will keep you going and give more experience until you find you niche Finding work whilst in work throws a better auora to an employer.
Good luck
Myke