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SPARKSAFE ARRIVES ON THE MAINLAND

John Peckham
I saw the announcement at the Elex show in Harrogate that NAPIT had formed a partnership with Sparksafe. I assume all NAPIT registered contractors will gain automatic status for the License to Practice without needing the qualifications for direct membership?


I did hear that a well known rail contractor walked away from a contract as they did not have enough operatives that met the LtP criteria.


I am thinking that if it did gain traction a lot of contractors would be in the brown stuff as they would no longer be able to use cheap unqualified labour.


Google Sparksafe to see what it is all about. They don't seem to have many members at the moment.
  • 0
    I can remember when there was talk of me getting a JIB Qualified Supervisor card, that idea never came to fruition. 


    I also became a NAPIT registered domestic ventilation installer having trained at Vent Axia,  that seemed a good idea at the time. 


    Then I went to the dodgy plumbing school in Birmingham and got the Water Regulations qualifications, the least note worthy qualification I have, in anticipation of the launching of the plumbing competent person scheme that sank straight off the slipway.


    Moving forward I registered to sign off other people's electrical installation work, but have not actually done so.


    The simple truth is do long as I'm in NAPIT my customers are happy, that's all they want without any gold club memberships. 


    Andy. 


  • 0

    Legh Richardson:




    tattyinengland:

    If an NVQ3 is required to be qualified then I could not join (Much the same as a JIB scheme)- I only ever did level 1 &2 and then inspection and testing and then 16 years experience in commercial environments.


    The problem is that I'm the director of a small electrical company, the NICEIC QS (10 years this year) and in charge of health and safety (No H&S qualifications I just implement what my H&S advisers tell me to)


    We primarily do Commercial office installs from lighting to sockets, DBs of any size or shape, small to large chillers, plant rooms, controls etc etc and I advise the clients within my limitations.


    All for want of an NVQ3 I cannot join JIB or probably Sparksafe. It is very hard to get an NVQ3 as a stand alone qualification; I was doing it over the internet a few years ago and that company went into administration before I could complete. I could not be bothered after that.






    I suspect with your level of experience you would only need some 'competent' person to shadow your work for a couple of days across a couple of sites doing a variety of work and sign off your write ups. Then submit the portfolio to an awarding body. If only it was that simple. The problem is that the definition of clown and competent gets confused which then over complicates a rather basic assessment process.


    Legh


     




    Thanks Legh - Unfortunately for me - I am that competent person on site - I have been an NICEIC AC for 10 years and I get, price, run and manage all the commercial electrical contracts that we get as the main electrical installer - most often under a main contractor who gets the contract from the client and then appoints the electrical company (us) and plumbing, building, air conditioning companies etc. I do believe that the JIB may take into account your NICEIC annual assessments as proof of life, but that seems to have some limitations and may expire if I went to be employed at some point in the future - running a small company is always fraught with both danger and constant questions such as - what am I doing here - life would be easier if I were employed.......but having run my business for 13 years I guess I am not about to stop now. John Peckham and Zs and Pete Smith are three examples of people who use this forum and I hope would vouch for my work and all of whom I have worked  professionally with in the past. I have taught and signed off two apprentices from start to finish, gold cards all round for them but not I. Fortunately I don't generally need a gold card but I have lost a £50K contract at the London University of arts behind Kings Cross, when it was getting built because I did not have a JIB card. (I know I could get an Improver JIB card - but it'll be very embarasing when asked - Who is running this job and can I see your card.......................)

  • 0
    Hi tatty - are you aware of The JIB 'mature candidate' route ?    

    This at least sounds like it is  intended to work in your situation... quoting the advertising  blurb.

    It works like this:



    • Register with one of the training providers around the country who offer the Mature Candidate Assessment.

    • An independent assessor will talk to you about how your existing skills and experience can be used to contribute towards the qualification requirements.

    • Site assessments of your work can be arranged, and any gaps in training will be identified. Often all that you need to do is an AM2 assessment ..


    My cynicism and unseen cost detector says that there will be another unmentioned step involving a verifying your competence in the use of a pen and cheque book, but maybe worth looking into ?

    Personally I have nowt to do with  it and no need right now for such things, being perfectly busy  as an independent, but rather like joining the IET its the sort of thing occasionally see adverts for around the place - and  wonder if that maybe of use to you if you are losing business.
  • 0
    The simplest , quickest route could be

    For AC QS >=3 years in a row


    That gives you ECS electrician card* with gold blingy bit. Have that for a couple of years or so...then try independently for the JIB /ecs version-that being not so tied to certsure registration.


    It would seem all you are really short of is AM2 to get the JIB version of above. No NVQ required, just apply for card and most likely 2 or 3 good references, particularly from any MIET people would likely do it. I would think that once you have * the certsure version for a couple of years, a good application [CV of what you have done] and good references would then be enough without AM2


    The link provided by mike has this statement at the bottom
    If you completed an industry-recognised apprenticeship - even if it was a long time ago! - you can apply for an ECS gold card providing you can supply proof of your apprenticeship completion, such as signed papers/deeds.

     




     


     







  • 0
    My God! It's easier to become a doctor or a lawyer. Do your training (a degree); then do your apprenticeship (foundation years/pupillage/etc.) then pay your registration fee.


    You might than have to do annual appraisals, but nobody actually inspects your work. ?
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    You might than have to do annual appraisals, but nobody actually inspects your work


    Perhaps only the person who is asked to do an autopsy!


    Regards


    BOD
  • 0

    Chris Pearson:

    My God! It's easier to become a doctor or a lawyer. Do your training (a degree); then do your apprenticeship (foundation years/pupillage/etc.) then pay your registration fee.


    You might than have to do annual appraisals, but nobody actually inspects your work. ?






    The Law Society requires its members to report Continuous Competence every year https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/advice/articles/continuing-competence-guidance-faqs/

    The General Medical Council requires its members to report CPD (Continuous Professional Development) every year as well https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/guidance/continuing-professional-development
  • 0

    Simon Barker:




    Chris Pearson:

    My God! It's easier to become a doctor or a lawyer. Do your training (a degree); then do your apprenticeship (foundation years/pupillage/etc.) then pay your registration fee.


    You might than have to do annual appraisals, but nobody actually inspects your work. ?






    The Law Society requires its members to report Continuous Competence every year https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/advice/articles/continuing-competence-guidance-faqs/

    The General Medical Council requires its members to report CPD (Continuous Professional Development) every year as well https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/guidance/continuing-professional-development


    Quite so, but a surgeon does not have to do any work with an assessor peering over his shoulder or otherwise reviewing his handiwork.

  • 0
    It has been confirmed to me that the JIB will pilot Sparksafe on the UK mainland shortly.

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