Brian c Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 I got mine at Stockport College. I'm sure it was C&G 2361 when I did it, but it appears to be NVQ3 or C&G 2391 now. I'm sure they'll do it a college local to you. If you don't know......ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bell-man Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 This is something that I've also been looking into. As far as I can work out, there's no legal requirement for formal qualification (apart from the Part P issue for domestics), just that you need to be competent. Many customers will however ask for a NIC-EIC certificate after completing your work (there are other certification bodies as well). Look up on thier website and it seems that if you don't have any formal qualifications but do have an electrical background then you need to gain two certificates to be deemed qualified. C&G 2390 and C&G 2391 Many colleges do courses for these over about 10 weeks but I found this place: www.langcet.co.uk in the midlands who do a 5 day course and C&G 2380 exam and a 2 day course and C&G 2391 exam. If I've understood it right, I could be a fully fledged sparks in a couple of weeks! Please correct me if I'm wrong before I waste any money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morph Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 Look up on thier website and it seems that if you don't have any formal qualifications but do have an electrical background then you need to gain two certificates to be deemed qualified.C&G 2390 and C&G 2391 These courses do not make you qualified, they only help you to prove competance. The only way to be a fully qualified spark is to do an NVQ and get industry expierience. Otherwise despite having some qualifications, who would you be able to interpret a regulation into industry practice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bell-man Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 true, but I think this is intended for people who have already had electrical experience and who know what they're doing but just haven't got any qualification to prove it. It's like; if you've got ten years experience of electrical rewires then you'll probably be ok at fitting a fire alarm but you don't know the regs. All you need to do is a few days on a BFPSA course and you'll be fine. We've all got similar electrical skills but we don't know the regs. of each others fields so there's really no need to spend years being taught what you already know. As has already been said; it's experience more that exams that leads to competance. But, as with the rest of our industries, the paperwork at the end of the job is often more important than the job itself. It's all about minimising liability. When I service a fire alarm the client is more concerned about having a docket to prove that he's fulfilled his legal obligations than he is about whether or not the system is working properly. If the place burns down then that's fine as long as he can prove that he did his job by having the alarm serviced then he's not going to held liable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Engineer Posted May 14, 2005 Author Share Posted May 14, 2005 I dont mind doing the three years total to get NVQ12+3 or C&G2360/2330. Question is which one? Also I need to know soon as enrolment starts June and if I miss this years then its another wasted year. Obviously if I can miss the first two years and jump straight into the final then all the better but I'm being told different stories. This need to be something I can gain without working in the electrical industry whilst learning. I've bee in the alarm trade for years and do have some knowledge to do electrics but need the qualifications. Service Engineer My opinions may not reflect those of my employer, managers, colleagues, customers, friends, family or pet rabbit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Engineer Posted May 14, 2005 Author Share Posted May 14, 2005 Just a thought, with the qualifications whould I be able to do subcontract work to get the experience? Service Engineer My opinions may not reflect those of my employer, managers, colleagues, customers, friends, family or pet rabbit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcelec Posted May 14, 2005 Share Posted May 14, 2005 there is no quick fix way of becoming a qualified electrician, as colin pointed out certificates such as 2391 are only to prove competence in certain fields such as inspection and testing but to become a fully qualified electrician and to become jib approved you will normally need to have the following certificates as a bare minimum nvq level2 electrical installation nvq level3 electrical installation c&g 2391 inspection and testing if you start your own business then you can carry out electrical work on non domestic premises without the need to be on any domestic installer schemes and then you could use this work as field evidence for your nvq portfolio and then once you have completed your nvq training you could apply for approved status with jib and register on one of the domestic installer schemes, (try an stick with nic because none of your potential clients will of heard of napit or any of the others) also i can recommend brian scaddon books, there really good technical books in plain english (although the fire and intruder alarm section in electrical installation work book is a bit 1st week apprentice!) hope this helps and good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Just a thought, with the qualifications whould I be able to do subcontract work to get the experience? 53054[/snapback] You can sub-contract without the qualifications, I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
An Engineer Posted May 15, 2005 Author Share Posted May 15, 2005 Thanks for everyones advice. I'll phone Brian Scaddon Monday for his advice and hopefully in 3 years I'll be sorted. McElec, are you saying that in order to pass the NVQ I will need to have some experience actually on the field? Service Engineer My opinions may not reflect those of my employer, managers, colleagues, customers, friends, family or pet rabbit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian c Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Pretty much I think you need a 'placement' for the 2nd year. In other words go get a job as a sparkies mate/trainee and do the college at night If you don't know......ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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