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AQE

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Hi, I am a self employed general electrician. I have an apprentice who is doing well and I would like to support him further by providing a detailed training guide. It seems he does not get much training at college 'about hands' on tasks.

I would like to provide him with written information on how to do each specific task, how to fit an outside light, how to wire a 2 way lighting circuit, how to install a consumer unit, etc.

Does anybody know of a information pack that includes this ?.

Best regards,

AQE

 
You shouldn't be giving him step by step written instructions. You should be teaching him to think for himself, instill the thought process into him, so every time he starts a new job, he will be able to weigh up the Pro's and cons and work out how to approach each job for himself. By all means draw out some basic circuit diagrams, but anything else is overkill.

 
Hi Rapparee, thank you for your comment. I agree he needs to think for himself. However in my opinion he does need to know how each job should be done safely and correctly. He can then adapt that knowledge to the variations of each job.

Best regards,

Alec

 
I agree with rapparee, don’t give join the dots instructions. Lay out what the task is and leave the apprentice to get on with it. Once the task is finished go though it with them point out bits that could be improved, you’ll have to be diplomatic so as not to put them off.

I applaud you for wanting to give the best training you can.  :Salute

 
Hi Rapparee, thank you for your comment. I agree he needs to think for himself. However in my opinion he does need to know how each job should be done safely and correctly. He can then adapt that knowledge to the variations of each job.


That is what the college should be doing, so really you need to raise the issue with them and/or the training provider. Neither one nor the other will give an apprentice a full covering of knowledge, the idea is they go hand in hand. A step by step guide shouldn't be needed, they should be doing the practical side of the job often enough that it is learnt through experience, and for the other bits (theory, cable calcs etc) there's the college portion of the training.

I cannot see what benefit you providing a step by step guide will have.

 
Personally I think college is for passing the necessary exams .    The practical side is learned by being with the Sparks and watching how its done then having a go yourself .....messing up it up ....being put right ....doing it again .... get  it right ...move on .

As an apprentice   I remember the firm starting a huge  pyro job and I hadn't worked with it before .     So , new Halls of Residence,  a 24 story block and a 3 story block ...all done in TNC  with concentric pyro .  ( Home Office approval)   

All done with the winding stick method  ( only Blue Eyed Boys had those fancy strippers)   Once I learned how to roll it round at the correct angle I never bothered with all those rotary jobbies , just stick with the universal stick.

Couple of things the sparky taught me back then  are still in my head :-

Don't blow into the pot to remove any loose powder...you're putting damp in there !

But always check there is not a spiral of copper in there , wrapped around the cores.

Make sure the gland is on before the pot

In winter , always keep a stick of sealing compound in your sky rocket.

Megger all your ends before moving on .    

I can hear the guy telling me even now ....and thats the best way to learn ...working alongside someone ...he takes you through it a few times  then you're on your own.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi, I am a self employed general electrician. I have an apprentice who is doing well and I would like to support him further by providing a detailed training guide. It seems he does not get much training at college 'about hands' on tasks.

I would like to provide him with written information on how to do each specific task, how to fit an outside light, how to wire a 2 way lighting circuit, how to install a consumer unit, etc.

Does anybody know of a information pack that includes this ?.

Best regards,

AQE


Any person with any reasonable level of experience doing any electrical work will know that on the whole no two jobs are the same. So any 'written information to do a specific task' will be irrelevant on the next job.

e.g. How to fit an outside light, drill the wall plug and screw to fix item to wall may be common bit, or then may be underground to a drive way wall light, or lamppost. Do we want our light to be manual, automatic, both. Single switch, multiple switches, single PIR multiple PIRs, integral PIR, external PIR, timer and or dusk/dawn sensor. Where are we looping the supply into, switch, light, PIR, time clock. etc. You would be there forever and a day trying to write specific guides.

An electrician needs the skill to find out what the customer would like and how they want it controlled. Then once you know what you have got to achieve it is basic electrical theory to ensure you have a complete circuit.

Supply to cable to switching method to cable to load to cable then back to supply. The types of cable and installation methods will then also vary dependant upon the actual installation location. The only basic guides books that I am aware of are DIY wiring books such as; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wiring-Lighting-Chris-Kitcher/dp/1847974163/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494834400&sr=1-5&keywords=electrical+wiring+books

What course is this apprentice actually doing? The full proper C&G's used to have hands on practical exercises wiring basic circuits, lights, two-way, sockets, small CU etc. so they should have whatever notes and guides the college give. Unless its a short Part-P intense training, sold as 'become an electrician in a few weeks' course. Which normally just tend to be a guide to 17th edition regs, and building regs and how to pas a multi-choice 17th update exam. plus PAT testing and maybe basic overview of inspection. Sounds like he may be on the wrong course. What books and guides did you use to assist your practical skills when you were doing your training?

Doc H.

 
Oh yes training was fun, making sure cables were clipped neat and level, conduits were plumb running down walls, no wobbles in your pyro, I even knew people who insisted all screw heads were either vertical or horizontal, it may have seemed petty at the time but it did give you an eye for detail.

The problem with a "step by step" guide is people will follow it, and if you get someone who can't think then it doesn't end well. I remember one apprentice and we were rewiring a house, I had to go off to get materials so I left him on site and explained what I wanted doing, "lift these boards in front bedroom and same ones in back bedroom, make hole through wall here, under floor, then start chasing out downstairs".

I went off and returned an hour later to find no chasing and the apprentice sat looking bored, I asked why he was sat down and he replied, "well I got the boards up no problem, but there's a girder under the floor and I couldn't get through it so I stopped there" .

Needless to say I was non too happy with him, but I suppose it was partly my fault, after all you shouldn't assume everyone is capable of thinking for themselves.

 
Hi all, maybe I should have explained my thoughts a little more. I am not wanting to leave my apprentice unsupervised with some step by step instructions. I am wanting to have them as an additional training aid. He could study them in his spare time and use them as a reference. I am fully aware of the variations of each job.

To put your minds at rest, he is doing a four year day release course at York college, as did I some years ago!.

 
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