I'm seeking the opinion of other Electricians regarding the state of the industry. Having been self employed for the last Seven years as an Electrician, I've made no money, gained lots of debt, contributed generously to a scheme provider just so they will give me their blessing to go out and work as an Electrician in peoples houses and watched the scheme providers along with the Government collude to bring in more red tape and more hoops to jump through just so I can venture forth to (supposidly) make a living! I've reached a stage now where I'm more or less convinced that for me, it's time to move on, ditch this whole fruitless career and go back to working for a company (not as a sparky, I might add!). Let's face it, it's easier, less stressful and you even get some of that stuff, err, what's it called, it's been that long, oh yea, money! Whilst training agencies keep telling the nation about the gross shortage of Electricians in the country I'm in the complete belief that there are too many Electricans as it is and probably has been for a while. Whoever thought up the idea of a few weeks crash course to become qualifed to do electrical work needs .stringing up! I've seen no evidence that incorporating electrical work into the building regulations has been of any benefit to the public, just more cost and red tape for the Electrician! I've never seen a single advertisement for "Part P" or the promotion of electrical safety at all despite scheme providers saying otherwise! The whole thing's been a scam from the outset! My scheme registration runs out in October and unless something miraculous happens between now and then, that, as the saying goes, will be that! Is it just me or are there other Electricians out there feeling a bit cheesed off with the whole thing. Comments and views are welcome.
I think it just about sums up alot of the industries in the UK. I don't think there is any shortage of skilled, Time served professionals. Just a shortage of them that are prepared to work for a pittance. Our government and its 'schemes' have ruined the lives of alot of capable skilled workers who it forces to spend money on unnecessary training while it has allowed unskilled migrant workers to come here and do the same jobs, For the minimum wage. I currently have to go and pay for 35 hours of unnecessary training to do a job I qualified for years ago and have many years experience of doing said job. It's all just a scam for some people to set up training schools so they can teach people to do things that they have never done themselves.
Its the same for us plumbers too mate, the whole of working for a living has been tapped into by, middle managment blood sucking desk jockeys who push pens and make rules to gain them a living from our labours,
Yip the changes are coming thick and fast, you do a job only to find out somewhere down the line there has been some sort of change that in real terms does sod all. Apart from keeping some overpaid desk jockey in a job
I would deter people from taking the plunge now if they have a mortgage, you just wont be able to run a decent size house with all the payments required now I justify my salary on the outgoings of the average joe public, Middle class especially will frown at you for your estimates, I think its they have the money, they cant justify the funds to pay you and prefer to splash out on the tiler or the decorator which is what is the end result New edition of the regs out in Jan, more money down the drain for which electricity has not changed in decades.
. . . just to add on from this, I had our clubs tech talk land on the door mat with the cheek to ask for £25.00 a ticket. They have enough off of me for doing nothing to help the one man band, £25.00 to hear that Dave rant on about regs and requirements whilst the real people in the real world struggle to run a business and others blantantly DIY. Something cockeyed here!
I do think a lot the problem these days is the influx of "continental" labour. Who will do a similar job (with absolutely no guarantees) a lot cheaper. Also, changes in the regs to keep the desk jockeys in employment don't help.. As Cheb says, why should he go and pay for a 35 hr course to say he's qualifed in something he's been qualified to do for bloody years? How many sparks will suddenly find they're not "qualified" when the 18th Ed Regs come out? Is a 17th Ed job suddenly unsafe? I don't think so. Is a 16th Ed job any more unsafe than a 17th? Nahh,, didn't think so.
Might just be that Sen, but your scheme provider will ask if you have the lastest update course. . like it was for all the SPD's that were in the last amendedment How many of you have fitted these said devices??. . .Me, none whatsoever! Its Insurance companies damage limitation on an influx of alleged claims and payouts from damage from lightning strikes, thats it, thats my theory Do they think we live in the mid west of the US For F's sake??! Selling us lightning, what next I wonder?, all switchgear to be IP 66 in case of floods even if you live on a flood plain or on top of a tump!
Me, none whatsoever!----- Same here Sparky, I thought there was no need to consider them as we're in one of those locations where there are less than some certain number of thunderstorms a year?
Exactly Sen, the whole thing stinks of a Money making institution I will,one day, expose all these clubs for what they add to our industry. . .Nothing whatsoever, So if I adopt the PLI aspect. have all my test kit ongoingly checked/callibrated, keep up to date with regulations. . . . Where does the scheme provider fit in with this??
Forgive me if I come across as being completely sceptical. I blame the last Seven years of arduous ****! I wonder if there's a care institution that specialises in treatment for burnt out hopeless Electricians?
I work in some care homes, and quite often see this bloke who insists on telling me (every time I see him) how he was an electrician and looked after several Odeon Cinemas in their heyday. I get same story about a fluorescent light fitting left on for 20 years because no one new where the switch was "and we didn't change the tube once". It's the only story I hear!
Well there you have it Lectrician, this poor chap is just one of a probable many who have wound up in a care institution suffering from chronic incurable madness due to a lifetime as an Electrician!
Indeed. I think its really hard nowadays whatever you do for a living compared to the good old days. A friend of mine has worked for the council pretty much all his working life (which at one time was considered to be "a job for life") and a load of them recently were told their new role (the same they have been doing) is subject to this, that and the other - and more specifically, 3K pay cut! In the 90's there were a lot of people who made a fortune in the I.T field although a lot of that has gone offshore now. Sign of the times, perhaps? **** up, head down? Another thing i feel hasn't helped the trades are the sites where the customer dictates the price of jobs - where else could you do this? Do you walk in to the supermarket and say i want a bag of oranges and want them for £1 - no Would you go to see a specialist and say my back is playing up and ive got £3000 so sort it out - no.
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