Why is everything of value frinkin hidden? WTF can't things be obviously displayed for easy access? I hate this type of site. Utter crap. If valued stuff is hidden from view how the frink do people know that it is there?

Z.

Sparkingchip said:

The "old" IET Electrical website is still running, but I cannot imagine any of the users of this forum have visited it since the forum was moved to IET EngX.

As it happens I was looking for the old post about I squared t formula.

<span;>www2.theiet.org/.../messageview.cfm

Great info from past legends and reminded me how easy to use the old forum was.

I know it deviating from the topic, but I have to ask, would reading the blurb describing this book persuade you to pay fifty five quid for it?

shop.theiet.org/guide-to-smart-homes-for-electrical-installers

There seems to be this idea that somethings can just sell themselves on a website without much thought being put into the marketing or an “ influencer” will promote the products, rather than just spending a bit of time actually telling you precisely what the product is.

When you are a self employed electrical practitioner or have a small contracting business you have to decide which are good investments and which are vanity purchases.

For a self employed electrician a certificate and post nominal may be considered a vanity purchase rather than a good investment, most potential customers are unlikely to know or care what the post nominals mean, so is there a commercial value?

I don’t think many people know what either the NICEIC or NAPIT are and definitely do not know what the IET is, they are more familiar with Checkatrade and the like, actually many just ask on a local Facebook group or Nextdoor for recommendations.

There is an online discussion forum I pay a forty pounds annual subscription to be a member of and have done so for four years, so to date I have paid a hundred and sixty quid in membership fees over the last four years..

Access to the general forum is free, but the payment allows access to the members only forum, the value in the membership comes from the like minded people who are also prepared to pay the membership fee.

As I said above you don’t need to be a member of the IET to be able to attend IET Local Group meetings and training sessions, I took my wife to one IET training session which was an interesting evening (insert smiley face), so paying for an Associate Membership should give some added value, as should professional membership.

So for a humble electrician and Electrical Practitioner what is the added value in Associate Membership or Technician Membership? 

Edited- for clarity.

Sparkingchip said:

o for a humble electrician and Electrical Practitioner what is the added value in Associate Membership or Technician Membership? 

I don't know about you but I still have a sense of pride to be a member of the IET even though there was a change in name after I was accepted into the 'International Marxist devision of the Bullington club'. That was a joke for those who have a poor reception

I joined when It was the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE), and then after a few years it amalgamated with the Institute of Information Technology (IIT). As my qualifications and experience settle in both camps it seemed appropriate.

As I see it, this organization is more to do with design and inspiration rather than a prescriptive electrical installation club.

I would imagine the vast majority of craft electrical technicians and electricians just wouldnt consider joining the IET. For the simple reason, what is in it for them? they will be looking for subject matter and info that helps them in their day to day job and I dont think that can be found anywhere on the IET site, albeit many threads and subjects in this forum may help them.

Im proud to be a member of the IET happy to use the post nominal letters after my name, why?? because coming thru my own craft apprenticeship, and then further and higher education, continued work experience, promotion etc and of course CPD and specialising in a niche area of work Im proud looking back to when I started as a 16 year old apprentice in 1981. However I was one of only two apprentices from that year intake (76 apprentices) that took that journey. With my own self employment and practice being a member of the IET its expected by my clients and of course indemnity insurers.

A few years ago I volunteered to help with the IET Electrician ENG Tech!!!!! How many of you know this exists? idea was and believe still is that that distinct recognition would help electricians, I was all for it, but tell me where has it been promoted, who is actively engaging contractors, maintenace companies and facilities companies? Is the scheme promoted in industry magazines or journals? No I dont think it is. I was positive about it and felt I could give input to it, having taken that long jorney myself, but like all things at the IET, it was likley written by somebody with a Phd in electrical engineering that has no concept of the contracting industry, just the description and forms would put any level 3 spark off applying, I think since its went onstream, I have only reviewed less than six applications.

As a few others have said the IET comes across as being aloof and at the forefront of engineering discoveries, not so much focussed on the electrical contracting sector, it is of course a numbers game, there are far more electricians out there at level 3 than engineers with a masters degree, so do you target a smaller audience who pay a premium, or a larger audience but far less charge scale, the money/profit being made in the volume of people you attract, so stack them high sell them cheap.

Local branch meetings I follow, but never have attended one given sibject matter just doesnt interest me, nor would they attract and decent spark.

Electricians by nature want to improve themselves, understand clearly implementation of regs and standards but in a manner that suits their industry and language, and the IET just isnt in that ballpark. Other trade organisations, contractors associations and trade schemes all offer technical helplines ( Varying levels of service on that subject), monthly or querterly magazines etc.

Every electrician in the UK knows about the IET because they write the regs BS7671, they think its members are old pompous engineers that have never been on a "Real" site or worked on the tools, that those writing regs do so to make their working life difficult and more expensive because of the retraining and upskilling when regs change. Its a huge barrier that needs to be broken, but that wont happen given the media of the IET, its written format etc etc.

GTB

"For a self employed electrician a certificate and post nominal may be considered a vanity purchase rather than a good investment, most potential customers are unlikely to know or care what the post nominals mean, so is there a commercial value?" Well said that man

Yes GTB, I agree with all of your points above and am trying to get one or two of them addressed via another route. A number of us have identified a huge hole in both the qualifications and approvals, directly related to competence, and wish to address this fairly significantly. This is the position the IET needs to take, to regain the electrical leadership position it used to have. Most of the regulations changes come from the IEC or CENELEC, the room for maneuver in that area is fairly narrow, but not in Government interaction and competence and qualifications.

As an electrical contractor there is much more to life than regs and qualifications.

Several years ago I attended the Federation of Small businesses AGM in Birmingham as an invited guest to listen to their keynote speakers, when it comes to spending money on "joining things" the IET has some serious competition that can add significant benefits.

They also offer training and events Event calendar | FSB, The Federation of Small Businesses

Thank you all for your input and feedback. Some of it is painful for me to read but I appreciate your comments despite the pain.

Could you please keep it coming. I would be keen to hear what benefits the IET could offer to you to consider joining?

Thanks

JP