One of the problems is the term " Fully Qualified Electrician" what actually makes you one ? Who actually say you are one ?
After spending some 12 hours on the telephone and quite a few emails over the past 48 hours to the likes of Summit Skills , City & Guilds and a few others , from what I am being told and have read it is as per the JIB. Level 2 2330 , Level 3 2330 , 2356 NVQ and the AM2.This is how it was when I first started in college in 2009. Now obviously this is an ever changing situation some some consideration must be taken into account for those that qualified before 2330 and the NVQ, I am assuming that this would be weighed up on each indivdual case.
My reasons for all this researching is due to the new changes and the introduction of the 2357 QCF which in laymans terms is a new course combining the level 2 2330 , level 3 2330 . 2356 NVQ Level 3 and the AM2.
Lets me turn the clock back to when I started my 2330 Level 2 , our first session at college our lecturer told us all to be fully qualified we had to do what I have said above , he also advised us the NVQ could be completed by working as a volunteer so you could gain the experience to allow you to complete a portfolio and give work to be assessed, we was then recommend if we couldnt get into the trade before hand, to get level 2 out the way as we would be more attractive to employers if we had it.
Right back to modern times........... so I am in the final few months of my Level 2 4 exams 10 weeks to do them in god its gonna get busy in my brain. :run So time to enquire about the 2356 NVQ , to our surprise we found out the 2356 registration was being closed as of 31st July 2011 (yesterday) we found this out Wednesday of last week ! ! , we also was told that we COULD NOT complete the NVQ by working as a volunteer as it was not the colleges policy.Although Summit Skills actually say it can be completed like that. bad day explode
But that was not a real issue as we could take what we have learnt so far and have it applied to the 2357 and do the NVQ section of that , could it really be this easy ................... NO It could and probably will mean extra class room time as the 2357 also covers modern technologys like PV , Wnid generation to name but a few of the extra areas although exactly what can not be confirmed as it is still a work in progress , also taken from the City & guilds website: There are no formal entry requirements for candidates undertaking this qualification. However, centres must ensure that candidates have the potential and opportunity to gain the qualification successfully.
Translated by my college you must be an "apprentice working a minimum of 30 hours a week with an employer". Ok so upon further investigations 99% of apprenticiships being offered are for 16-24 year olds and of course people are following goverment guidelines that an apprentice should be paid a minimum of ............
