Ten things unheard of when I grew up .

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There’s something odd about the electrical trade, why do so many end up going loopy?


I did hear something on the radio that said mental health issues are higher in electricians than other trades - probably driven around the bend by constant reg changes! 

I have since wondered if it something to do with exposure to electrocmagnetic radiation, especially on high voltage gear, or the occasional 'belt' we all get at times?

I too have had issues, but that was more to do with trying to run a small business, and government decimation of my solar work (twice) than the trade itself.

 
It would be easier to reduce University places to the 5%-10% of the brightest and best and make it free again than run the current system where so many young people just aquire a large debt on a course that isn't truly vocational.


Its estimated that 45% of the loans will never be repaid ..... which is criminal .... no wonder so many kids go and have 3 years of fun paid for by the tax payer 

 
I did hear something on the radio that said mental health issues are higher in electricians than other trades - probably driven around the bend by constant reg changes! 

I have since wondered if it something to do with exposure to electrocmagnetic radiation, especially on high voltage gear, or the occasional 'belt' we all get at times?

I too have had issues, but that was more to do with trying to run a small business, and government decimation of my solar work (twice) than the trade itself.
I actually mentioned this on Lenny's forum before.

They reckon there is a correlation between exposure to electromagnetic fields and depression.

 
Thanks Tony, its nice to know that someone 'gets' Me, I have Aspergers Syndrome (found out about in 1944) so I have only a few acquaintances outside of this forum. Its a lot easier for Me to speak to you guys and girls than what it is for Me to chat face to face. I almost had a melt down at a wedding in 2003, I am just now realising what has caused it for the most part.

Andy Guinness
Aspergers is a sign of brilliance in males. Nicoli Tesla, Albert Einstein, Padraig Pearse, Isaac Newton, Anthony Hopkins, Guy Martin and Eamon De Valera have/had it.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/psychiatrist-says-de-valera-and-yeats-displayed-asperger-s-traits-1.1129324?mode=amp

 
Several years ago,before my 2nd breakdown, I worked at Sheffield University for about 6 months installing equipment in the bars and cafeterias. I used to see certain faces sat in the bars from opening time until I left at 4pm, 5 days a week, so what were they studying?

I had my crack up and the doctors put me off work straight away, I got no benefits whatsoever for 3 years, apparently I didn't qualify because my wife worked! We went from having around £4k a month coming in to just over £1k and ended up going bankrupt. I would love to go back into some form of work, but not electrical, and I can't go back to dog handling either, I enquired with the highways agency, and with the police (call handler), they won't even speak to you without seeing a CV first,then when they see you've had a fairly long break, they just bin you off. OK, I may be doing little bits of maintenance work for a firm, but it isn't what I want, I want a proper full time job, but there's no help to get you back into it anymore, not some part time stuff.

It really upsets me when people can go to uni and do mickey mouse courses that will never get them a job, yet the likes of me, with a load of experience cannot get anything. I applied for the police call center early last year, and failed the online test, apparently because I was not very good at things related to the retail sector, then I was deemed unsuitable to be a call handler for the police!

I've worked with them, dealt with emergencies, helped gather evidence for major inquiries, and on a couple of occasions helped recover evidence, including one for a well known murder case that is currently in court, I've also had a year as a volunteer on the incident support team with the local fire service. so how is it that questions related to retail are deemed suitable for recruiting call handlers? It shows how stupid some of them are, recently a car was abandoned on a mates front, he rang to report it and also informed the call handler that the vehicle was not insured, at which point he was told (incorrectly) that there was no requirement in law, for a vehicle parked on the public highway to be insured, as any driver with their own insurance policy could drive it, and since it wasn't being driven then it need not be insured anyway!

In actual fact, all vehicles parked on the public highway, or any area deemed public land must be insured and a person may only drive a vehicle not insured by them if their insurance allows them to drive other vehicles, and that vehicle has a policy in force in it's own right.

There is it would appear no way for me to get an actual interview for a job unless I'm one of a certain select group, perhaps I should get a good suntan and call myself Mr Patel or something similar. lol 

 
I think they were correct with what they’ve told you about the insurance. car traders/dealers do it all the time as they have a selection of stock to choose from and use the vehicle because they have a traders policy. 

 
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On the subject of jobs, SWMBO became unemployed last year. So she went to the Job Centre Plus as it is now known.  "Oh we don't do jobs" was the astounding response.

She did get a new job in just a few weeks, but absolutely no thanks to the Job Centre (perhaps it should change it's name?)

 
I think they were correct with what they’ve told you about the insurance. car traders/dealers do it all the time as they have a selection of stock to choose from and use the vehicle because they have a traders policy. 


Motor traders have an exemption from the legal requirement for the vehicle to be insured. https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/uninsured-vehicles  In all other cases unless the vehicle is SORN and parked on private land, it must be insured.

Doc H. 

 
On the subject of jobs, SWMBO became unemployed last year. So she went to the Job Centre Plus as it is now known.  "Oh we don't do jobs" was the astounding response.
How crazy is that  ?    

It reminded me of just before I became SE  ,  I signed on at the "Job Centre"   mainly to have my NI contribution covered .  I looked on the "Job"  boards but there was only catering & bar staff & cleaning .    When I asked about jobs  in Electrical Contracting  they  stared uncomprehendingly  & shook their heads as if I were some kind of mad person .   

 
When I moved up here 15 years ago, I went to the Job Centre. Back then they did do "jobs" but not many. There was some form of computer terminal where you could search for vacancies and print the details on something resembling a bog roll.

Give them their credit, they did give me a lot of help to start up self employed.

 
Give them their credit, they did give me a lot of help to start up self employed.


Bit different to my experience  Dave .       I was asked to do 6 weeks work at a  school during   summer shutdown .      I had the ridiculous  idea that to work legally  I should not be claiming unemployment  benefit  ( £45 / week)    

 Also ,because it was in Wolverhampton  I didn't want to  be signing on every Thursday  in Brum.    So I informed the Job Centre   I would be working for 6 weeks  "on a temporary basis "  for  6 weeks   but it would finish after that period. 

After two weeks they wrote to me saying they had been informed that I was now working... I would NOT be paid benefit for the last two weeks  and had been signed off the system .

That was the point at which I decided I was now SE  :C

 
I am pretty sure I posted at the time, I had not long joined the forum then.

To get me started SE, the Highlands and Islands Enterprise gave me a grant.  Part of it was was as a weekly payment for 6 months, equivalent to the JSA at the time, and the rest was in the form of a grant towards tools and equipment.

 
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