Domestic Installer Or Not?

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sparky-in-the-making

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Hello Guys,

Ive been reading the threads and can see DI are not really thought of as electricians.. which I can see why this is.

Even so, This is a route im looking to go down. It started with me doing nearly two years at college while working on site for the same time, mainly domestic rewires and stuff like that. I had a job offer while at college which was for a different trade so I had to leave college, this was 5 years ago. I have now left my ex company and am unemployed at the moment. I looked at going back to college but I am 29, touching 30 and don't have the time to do this while not working in the trade. If I was in the trade and employed I would be more than happy to do it. As of now im thinking of selling my pride and joy car to pay for my Part P, 17th Ed and T&I courses. I have experience in the trade so don't need do take the beginners course to lean the basic installation side of it.

What are peoples thoughts of this Domestic Installer Scheme today? the threads ive been reading are from 2008-2009?

I really enjoy the electrics trade and want to work in it but I see DI as my limited but only option?

 
If becoming a DI is your goal then it is as easy as your credit limit will allow. My personal opinion is that an electrician should be qualified to what the JIB stipulate warrants an 'electrican' grade on their ECS card. Anything else I believe is only achieving part of a full set of qualifications.

Also why are you doing a Part P course? Part P is a building regulation and you require,no formal qualification in order to either comply with Part P or notify work. Any competent electrician will not require this 'course'.

 
Its easy to follow all the sales pitch about how much an electrician earns, but in reality they do not.

Most electricians can tell you that during the summer months with high prospects, employment is easy, I have lost count of the many times, normally the week before Christmas that as many as 50 electricians have been made redundant from a single firm.

I work on sites that require the JIB card, and we have had many domestic installers refused site access because they do not have the required qualifications. This is a real threat to the status of the electrician, whilst they cannot work on sites because of their lack of training, they are allowed to hoodwink the general public and carry out skilled work within the most vulnerable and easily manipulated members of our society.

This however does not mean that all domestic installers are bad. Our forum has shown that some are very dedicated and before profit put training and knowledge before anything else.

I have found that the more you learn, the more you want to learn. So I would advise to learn as much as you can. Whilst Part P is not an electrical qualification if it suits you then do it, the profit of learning will always be confidence to do the right thing when you need to.All you have to do then is gain the experience that will prove that you are indeed an electrician and worthy of being called such.

Good luck.

 
thanks for the reply's guys. Im down in Essex, and I have rung countless companies trying to get in the door as a learner/trainee. Explaining I would pay my own college funds if I was able to get a company to take me on... Its not easy! Im a hands on person, enjoy tools and having a job I need to use my brain for! this is the reason I would like to get back into electrics. To be fair, im more likely not to do it. Its just the trade is something I want to work in, Maybe my times been an gone a. Ive been a telecoms engineer for the last 5 years but now I just feel stuck lol. maybe it is just a idea, and will stay as a idea.

 
thanks for the reply's guys. Im down in Essex, and I have rung countless companies trying to get in the door as a learner/trainee. Explaining I would pay my own college funds if I was able to get a company to take me on... Its not easy! Im a hands on person, enjoy tools and having a job I need to use my brain for! this is the reason I would like to get back into electrics. To be fair, im more likely not to do it. Its just the trade is something I want to work in, Maybe my times been an gone a. Ive been a telecoms engineer for the last 5 years but now I just feel stuck lol. maybe it is just a idea, and will stay as a idea.
Never give up on your dreams.

 
Very true Essex1!! you said I don't need Part P? On the NICEIC website im sure it says you need Part P, 17th Ed and the T&I before you can arrange to join them?

 
as said above, part p is a building regulation, not a qualification. but some places will try and sell you a course in it. you dont need it. and if the training place says you do, go elsewhere

 
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Hi Andy, Yep I know its a building reg, just thought it was part of the requirements to join a body! so in reality, all that is needed is the 17th Ed and the T&I, join a body and that's it? seems a bit too easy really.

 
i think you need more than that, although ive never really looked at what the minimum requirements are. then again, the general rule is you only really need to know how to pay their fee, once thats done youre sorted

 
a. have carried out domestic electrical installation work for not less than 12 months prior to making an application;

just see this quote on the niceic. so looks like its out the window already lol.

 
I mean I did work along side a electrician for nearly two years, mainly house bashing for councils, there was some school work where we installed their kitchen and lights in the main hall of the school. I have a couple of certificates from my level 2 but never finished due to leaving for the other job. So maybe that will all count.

 
To be fair, IMO a real spark is someone who can do everything, Commercial, Industrial and Domestic. Someone who can do DI, I see it as it says, a Domestic installer. I could be well off the mark but again just my opinion.

 
a. have carried out domestic electrical installation work for not less than 12 months prior to making an application;

just see this quote on the niceic. so looks like its out the window already lol.
 The NICEIS is no the only route to becoming a domestic electrician that can notify work.

 
only reason im with the scams is for part p notifications, so if my only choice was NIC, then i would be be DI too, even though i do just about anything

you should also look at stroma, quite cheap compared to the others. elecsa have now been dumped and moving probably moving to them shortly...

 
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Having spoken recently to the niceic they will take someone on with just the 17th. Which is disturbing as they are the most well known charity scam.

What I would suggest is that you approach your local college and see about an evening course and what can be done re your existing quals?

 
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