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Degree trumps C&G?

Jonathan Knight

Does a level 5 IET accredited electrical engineering degree trump a 1 week level 4 C&G 2396 course or do my engineers need this as well???

I have a client that insists that my graduate engineers need to do a week long course that ultimately is designed for electrician’s wanting to further their education and knowledge base. My argument is that a 3 year full time degree course is of a much higher standard and therefore the C&G course is not required. 

The query is raised my a client who has the C&G course under his belt but no degree. 

any help is gratefully received 

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  • 0

    Well it rather depends - what are these folk with these qualifications going to be expected to do  - the real question is does the qualification include exposure to all the techniques they will need in practice.

    As a very noddy example I'd not necessarily expect the C and G person to be at ease with differential equations and the finesse of control theory, though they may be. The degree chaps may or may not be at ease being expected to look up at a bundle of cables supplying a lighting circuit and deciding if they were suitable for extra load or not, and what exactly the other options may be.

    There is no simple 'trumping' as the areas of expertise do not totally overlap - so define what these folk will actually be doing. It may be that neither qualification is necessary, or on the other hand even both  may be insufficient.

    M

  • 0 in reply to mapj1

    Thank you mapj1 for the reply. It is indeed down to the work application. Neither qualification is a direct certificate of ability within the job role they are carrying out. I just find it annoying that these youngs guys with terrific qualifications are being asked to do a level 4 course. To my mind it is the equivalent of asking a graduate mathematician to do A level maths. I may never get a definitive answer to this! I suspect it is client driven and some will be happy and others not

  • 0 in reply to Jonathan Knight

    I'd go further than it just being client driven, and as said above they are completely different: a degree (simplistically) is about how to think about issues and very high level background knowledge so you can develop something new, the C&G is about current standards and how to meet them to today's best practice - which a degree will not be giving. Degrees are about tomorrow, not today.

    So I would have no hesitation about putting a graduate through C&G if they need specific knowledge of standards and techniques to meet them. My degree is in electrical engineering but I wouldn't rewire my house without going through 18th edition training first! I know how to go about writing the regs, that's different from knowing what this year's regs actually are and the best way to meet them... 

    Good question.

    Cheers, Andy

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  • 0 in reply to Jonathan Knight

    I'd go further than it just being client driven, and as said above they are completely different: a degree (simplistically) is about how to think about issues and very high level background knowledge so you can develop something new, the C&G is about current standards and how to meet them to today's best practice - which a degree will not be giving. Degrees are about tomorrow, not today.

    So I would have no hesitation about putting a graduate through C&G if they need specific knowledge of standards and techniques to meet them. My degree is in electrical engineering but I wouldn't rewire my house without going through 18th edition training first! I know how to go about writing the regs, that's different from knowing what this year's regs actually are and the best way to meet them... 

    Good question.

    Cheers, Andy

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  • 0 in reply to Andy Millar

    Thanks Andy. I do agree with that. Right up to the point you said you’d do the 18th Edition before you rewired  your house. That is a certificate in how to use the book. You should actually have a full competence in the area you are working. And that’s my issue. A lot of C&G course are so short that they simply can’t hold a candle to on job training plus a degree in electrical engineering. 

    it does seem I am going to have to admit defeat though and get the guys on this course

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