totoro Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I'm a C&G qualified electrician but i've been doing almost exclusively alarms work for the last 5 years but with no formal training in the field. I've installed and maintained fire panels from various manufacturers, my intruder experience is mostly with Menvier, Galaxy and more recently Texecom. A 'senior' position has become available at a rival firm, i don't think i'll be applying, however the thought of doing so has made me realise something - i feel like i know nothing! I think maybe what i am looking for is some way of convincing myself and potential future employers that i do indeed know what i'm doing. What's the most widely recognised qualification in this field, does such a thing even exist? I feel like that might be a dumb question but i know very little about this side of the business. Thanks in advance guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.wilson Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Imo manufacturer training, usually done by the employer not sure if you can get it on your own. I'm sure you can if you go to them Quote securitywarehouse Security Supplies from Security Warehouse Trade Members please contact us for your TSI vetted trade discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatthaplo Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I had similar start to my career. Started as a sparks then moved into the alarm side for a company that only did alarms (within the security industry anyway) I think the biggest thing IMHO would be to show confidence when talking about your work. Don't pretend like you know everything. You won't. But be confident in what you do know. I have only installed about 10 different panels in the last 15 years but have worked on dozens and I honestly think that because I know the terminology and the 'language' of the industry, things like FSL, EOL, ATS ratings, etc etc. (again not everything but feel like I know enough) that you could put me in front of any intruder panel with a manual and I would be able to get it up and running. Its just about knowing where the menus are for what you allready know you need to program. Of course anyone can blag it as such in an interview but to be honest I think the manufacturers training only goes so far anyway. Experience (again only in my opinion) counts for way more. I would say have a good think about the last year and the installs you have done. Are you happy with how they have been done? Have you had any callbacks on them that you can put down to your work? I would say if you are proud and confident in the work you have done over say the last year then thats a pretty good indicator to yourself of your abilities. Quote Work Website: http://www.welch-group.co.uk/ Personal Blog: http://wyatthaplo.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al-yeti Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I can blag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whistle Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I can blag Haha we know that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totoro Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 I can blag I can usually do this with customers but i'm not sure how i'd manage in an interview situation. Can any of you think of any 'essential reading' for an alarms engineer? Something that's more general and not product specific. What are the things we should really know? I mean things like regs, system grading etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nova-Security Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 loads of Btecs & city & guilds http://www.tavcom.com/training-courses/intruder-alarms/ Quote www.nova-security.co.uk www.nsiapproved.co.uk No PMs please unless i know you or you are using this board with your proper name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Doherty Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Gerard Honey Intruder Alarms was like our holy bible in college I can usually do this with customers but i'm not sure how i'd manage in an interview situation. Can any of you think of any 'essential reading' for an alarms engineer? Something that's more general and not product specific. What are the things we should really know? I mean things like regs, system grading etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datadiffusion Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 It's getting pretty long in the tooth now though, I don't think it's been updated in a long time, even the one I bought was still talking about tone carrier signalling! Quote So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Doherty Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) Agreed they still build C&G framework on it but just throw the European Regs in for good measure. You want to see some of the hand outs from 2013 soundpac sounder made it in there lol we did have a proper old school teacher though, ive never heard of GPO untill that day he used to teach guys from AFA,White Group, ADT cant remember the rest shame i cant post pics via mobile It's getting pretty long in the tooth now though, I don't think it's been updated in a long time, even the one I bought was still talking about tone carrier signalling! Edited February 26, 2016 by Joe Doherty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al-yeti Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 I can usually do this with customers but i'm not sure how i'd manage in an interview situation. Can any of you think of any 'essential reading' for an alarms engineer? Something that's more general and not product specific. What are the things we should really know? I mean things like regs, system grading etc. No point trying to blag regs just say you don't know, and blag everything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Bloggers always get caught out, I prefer someone who's upfront and honest from the start. Quote Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totoro Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 Bloggers always get caught out, I prefer someone who's upfront and honest from the start. I wouln't really call what i do 'blagging'. I usually know what i'm doing, i just tend to make the customer think i absolutely know what i'm doing at all times. However I did openly tell a customer today that i didn't know how to do something and that the only person on the firm who could help me is on holiday. They praised me for my honesty and i came out the other side smelling of roses haha. loads of Btecs & city & guilds http://www.tavcom.com/training-courses/intruder-alarms/ I'm definitely interested in these, i don't quite understand the difference between the foundation course and practical course though, the content seems very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al-yeti Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 What was it you couldn't do , let's test these house bashers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 My simple answer (and I use it a lot) would be I don't know but I can find out for you. Quote Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Kirk Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Worst thing for me is we was given the regs in college in bundles of photocopies intruder fire and cctv i had two big folders full of them, threw them out when i got my certs and now i wish i hadn't now I've gone on my own. Got me thinking how often do company owners on here pay for the new regs? expensive stuff if you have to buy them every update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james.wilson Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 you have to have them as an approved firm Quote securitywarehouse Security Supplies from Security Warehouse Trade Members please contact us for your TSI vetted trade discount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totoro Posted February 27, 2016 Author Share Posted February 27, 2016 What was it you couldn't do , let's test these house bashers Program a Texecom comWIFI. Never done it before and the first thing I saw when I opened the manual was "consult an IT professional". Coupled with the fact I didn't have a laptop to use. I put the software on my personal laptop but couldn't get the cable drivers (if anyone has a link to the drivers it would be much appreciated). The job's been a pain in the **** from the start, my manager 'designed' it, gave me a rough idea of what was going where and then decided to bugger off on holiday for a week. Lots of stuff was agreed verbally with the customer and the information was either relayed to me incorrectly or not at all. Also, I thought at the very least I could give the customer a bells only system for the weekend but then realised the new Odyssey siren I have seems to be faulty, it wouldn't power up at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatthaplo Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 I would think most approved firms use the option via SSAIB or NSI were you can pay i think its about £100 a year and you can access secure copies of all regs on there website. You can download them but they expire after 3 months i thinkk then you have to re-download. Also you cant copy or print them if i recall. Protected PDF's Quote Work Website: http://www.welch-group.co.uk/ Personal Blog: http://wyatthaplo.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datadiffusion Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Befreind a Uni student and print them out for free pre-approval. Quote So, I've decided to take my work back underground.... to stop it falling into the wrong hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Doherty Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Check that for a sounder http://www.thesecurityinstaller.co.uk/community/gallery/image/728-p60224-072030/ Check that for a sounder http://www.thesecurityinstaller.co.uk/community/gallery/image/728-p60224-072030/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secureiam Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Interestingly what are the benefits of going NSI/ SSAIB, did an install for some police officers recently and they wouldnt opt for a police response because they dont believe the police are likely to respond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al-yeti Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Interestingly what are the benefits of going NSI/ SSAIB, did an install for some police officers recently and they wouldnt opt for a police response because they dont believe the police are likely to respond? Many don't , but many still do want it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaunb1905 Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Having this debate myself, we are a fire company thinking of setting up a security side but do we really need to go down the NSI/SSAIB Route? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatthaplo Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 I would say the police response is pretty good with PA signals though from my experience anyway. I damaged a PA cable once about 3 years ago when doing some electrics and they were there in less then ten minutes and it was a relatively out of the way property aswell. Quote Work Website: http://www.welch-group.co.uk/ Personal Blog: http://wyatthaplo.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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