my history is a bit like gooners, ring round local alarm companies asking if they are taking on any trainees, if they arent ask them to keep your name on their books, a basic knowledge of electrical circuits is a head start.

PS I was 32 when I changed occupation-----the oldest trainee in the west

i got my job with gent through an agency... never really thought about it then once registered with a few. only trouble is be careful which ones you try as some of them never speak to you when you looking for work then as if by magic you get a job and in first couple of days you are inundated with calls, ive still got one trying to ring me now. been ringing me all week but just ignored it, think they might have got the message

Hello there ANT,

Local eh? I'm in denton, you could try Tameside college, I remember seeing a wall full of alarm panels in one of the rooms used for training. It was the god auful Ashton site. Personally I wouldn't go back there if you paid me, worst 6 years of my life!

Hi ant

I changed career at age 23 which these days is aa bit late I guess. I went on NACOSS' website and got a list of all my local registered firms and wrote a short letter to them explaining what I'd like to do. Got three interviews (from about 50 letters) and a job offer from a local firm who I'm still with a year on.

Its definately worth getting on with a good company as its easy to think your an alarm installer until you get some faults to sort out! that sorts the men from the boys lol. with a good company you get technical backup and support you'll need for on the job training which can be pretty tough going.

Be prepared to take a pay cut least initially, I took a 50% paycut initially but now I'm earning more than I was in my office job before so it works out in the long run.

Also try TAVCOM at http://www.tavcom.com/

they do a few courses that would help and i'm sure you can do them from home, distance learning i think!

thanks for all the info

had a look at TAVCOM - had some good info and links.

i think i might do an IEE course to start with - i will have a look for a local evening course

what kind of salary would an installer be looking at?

i need to be earning around 18k+ so i still have a home to go to!

are most of the intallations for commercial or residential?

what line of work brings in the big bucks - CCTV looks popular

Your looking for over £8.50 per hour basic to earn £18k, that is based on a 40 hour week as a trainee.

Even down south i think your expectations maybe a bit high.

I would expect you to be looking nearer £6.50/hr to start with maybe, with some good experience behind you then maybe you can do some overtime. Then is when you will maybe start to see £18k for about 50/55 hour per week.

Maybe i am a bit tight but i know plenty of GOOD engineers with plenty experience who dont earn much over £8/hr. I also know some good engineers who earn well over £10/hr but they have to graft for it.

Bear in mind, anyone can screw a PIR or Siren to the wall and connect 6 wires. The skill is in how you manage to hide the cables and keep it neat, and most of all figure out what is wrong when its not working as it should!

And lets not forget knowledge of what you can and cannot do from a regulation / british standards point of view.

Edited May 18, 200421 yr by ian.cant