Introducing Electrical Training Courses
The electrical market has in our opinion two methods of entry. Whilst many candidates opt to join later on in their life, there still exists the more traditional route of the apprenticeship. To clarify, we'll label each of them as the 'Mature Entrants' and the 'Junior Entrants'.
Mature Entrants who join the industry later on do so with the aim of working for themselves, usually as a one person business. Whereas the 'Junior Entrants' train alongside regular electrical employment to pick up practical work place skills as they gain their qualifications. After they leave school a young apprentice will have many skills to learn during their first few years of working life.
The distinct types of entry have differing styles of training - Junior entrants go through NVQ training in England and Wales, and SVQ training in Scotland. The core syllabus is similar to non NVQ commercial training, but the certification is compulsory. 'Junior Entrants' will have to be in an apprenticeship of some sort in order to achieve the testing and course work required.
By working independently and without the need for NVQ assessments, many Mature Entrants can concentrate on those areas that provide the biggest profit and offer the largest practical solutions for themselves. Such as obtaining documentation that gives them the best chance to gain from their training endeavours and thereby the best financial rewards. Although this may offer quicker and more commercial options, it does reduce the official requirements set for certain areas of the industry.
With regard to regular earning potential we have two clear paths - one for employees and the other for the self-employed. Whilst self-employed people can choose the hours that they work, we assume that they are working full time for the purpose of this review. Certainly, whilst salary levels can be affected by knowledge and qualifications, they can also be affected by competence and aptitude.
'Junior Entrants' can expect a basic salary of 12K at the beginning of their training. With application and experience this figure often more than doubles in time. That said, due to the UK press telling people that electricians can get salaries in excess of 70k p.a., it is more difficult to gauge incomes for 'Mature Entrants'. Often costs such as tools, clothes and even transport need to be assessed and included in the business mix overall. Self employed people also have to allow for added expenses. Aside from that, the current skills shortage within the UK still means that there's lots of high value work out there. Therefore, working seven days a week (if a student wanted) is a possibility for most. Although by working very long hours and having assistants to help, the figures of 70-100 thousand advertised in newspapers might be achieved, it wouldn't be easy.
It should be noted that the working week for most electricians differs between the Junior and Mature Entrant markets. Monday to Friday 9-5 would be the working week of most 'Junior Entrants'. To be fair, if the Mature electrician is focused on the domestic market then they often find themselves working out of hours, especially to support their clients when they get home. And yet, a huge number of self-employed electricians operate during the main part of the working week by focusing on office and small business systems.
Any specialist knowledge the Junior Entrant gains whilst in someone's employ is usually down to the sectors of industry that company works in. However, many mature entrants gain extra skills by learning those trades such as gas and plumbing work. If they are working mostly in the domestic market, this makes it easier for them to take on larger jobs across a range of disciplines (without having to sub-contract.)
One fresh approach is that of the 'Green Engineer'. The curiosity of both Junior and Mature Electricians to this new industry is well founded especially when considering the power of the UK and the EEC markets in areas of growth and governmental projects.
