Want A Successful New Career? Consider Electrician Courses

The electrical industry has become one of the most significant aspects of life today. Everybody relies on a safe and continuous output of supply, and on skilled workers to manage it. Essentially the work involves installing, maintaining and testing electrical systems, equipment and appliances under strict safety regulations.

In 2009, over six hundred thousand people were employed in one sector or another of the UK's electrical industry. So with such a demand for skilled workers, why not reap the rewards and become an electrician yourself.

Will It Suit Me?

Who gets on well with this type of work? If you're a practical, reasoning sort of person and are good with your hands you'll be off to a fine start. As safety is paramount, you need to be logical and well disciplined. You must be happy working alone if you're considering self-employment. Your balance should be good, along with your colour vision and general fitness level. Finally if you're planning to work for yourself you'll need plenty of initiative and self-motivation.

Download Your Free Training Information

To start generating an income you need the most appropriate training to get you into the industry fast. To make life easier for you, we've done extensive research on electrical training and careers, and written a very detailed E-Book. This is free to download, and tells you all you need to know about the different training paths into industry.

As there's such a variety of training companies and courses available, you'll find it an invaluable read. Once you've downloaded it, allow some time to give it your full attention. When you understand what you're after, get back onto this webpage and check out some of the course options offered by companies featured here. It could be an idea put us in your Favourites file to make this page easier to retrieve.

Start Working For Yourself

The motivation to study for an electrical certification often comes from a desire for self-employment. In fact the majority of those who have re-trained either become contract workers or self-employed. It's not surprising when you look at the amount of work in the domestic market in particular.

It's also not unusual for other tradesmen to get some electrical qualifications to boost their offering to clients. Still others train in order to save paying trades people to do their electrical work.

As you might expect, a good deal of your domestic work can come from client recommendations. So as well as being good at your job, always be polite and friendly - manners really do make a difference.

Thirty seven to forty hours a week is normal for most commercially employed full-time electricians. Average salaries in 2009 were around 26K according to SalaryTrack 2009.

In contrast, domestic electrical contractors working for themselves should earn a good deal more, but they'll also have to put in more flexible hours. Obviously, they have to supply their own tools and transport etc as well.

Where Should I Start?

The main recognised trade certification bodies in the UK are City & Guilds and EAL. Students training in their teens usually add work experience and NVQs to their C&G exams. In all this type of training takes a number of years to complete. More senior applicants most often choose short training programmes that they can work through at their convenience. As most of them are preparing for work in housing rather than industry, they don't need NVQs. Private electrical training companies can get students through their courses and on their way in a matter of months. So whilst trainees emerge with more limited qualifications, they are still considered competent and qualified to carry out the more in-demand jobs.

So What Would I Learn?

Whatever your starting point, you'll cover certain essential practices whoever you train with. A good all round programme for beginners would be an EAL Domestic Installers Course, at Level 2. Training will include installations, safety procedures, wiring and rewiring in homes and testing circuits.

As certain qualifications are now a legal requirement, you'll be coached in the essentials to pass Part P - the title now given to relatively new regulations for domestic electrical work. Electrical installers also need to pass the City & Guilds Certificate 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations, so you can expect preparation for that. You could also be taught and assessed to carry out various other tasks that together will allow you to complete and self-certify domestic electrical work.

Your training will include distance-learning work to complete at home, and all your workshops and assessments in-centre. How quickly you get a through the course will be down to you. Once you've attained your skills and certifications, you'll have skills that will set you up for life.