Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Replies 18 replies
  • Subscribers 44 subscribers
  • Views 525 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in

Greener on the other side

lyledunn

I have seen an increase in enquiries from very well qualified people who want to achieve the NVQ L3 as a route into the practical side of the electrical installation sector. Many have degrees in electrical and electronic engineering and similar electrically biased third level qualifications. For example, one chap has a HND and held down a senior role in a consultancy practice. I didn’t ask but I should imagine that the salary is north of 50K.

At the moment we only offer a route via the experienced worker assessment, which, as an entry requirement, requires five years post training experience operating as an installation electrician. As with the chap in the example, most seem to want to move into a specific discipline within the sector, solar PV and battery being a popular focus. Whether one is intending to work in the microgeneration side or on the larger scale projects, having the right brace of qualifications is becoming increasingly essential. Unfortunately, some of the qualifications restrict entry to candidates with a NVQ L3, which, for those with the top class academic qualifications, means achieving accreditation for those practical skills that the NVQ demands.  Gaining such experience can be elusive, if not impossible. I am not at all convinced that some of  the practical skills, such as bending steel conduit, should prevent someone achieving a NVQ and thus prevent access to the renewable qualifications. However, I am not pretending that the answer to allowing gates to open to facilitate folk to move into the installation sector, with all its extensive disciplines, is an easy one.

As for the chap in the example, I met him by chance on a large solar project in an industrial site. He had ditched the suit for a pair of overalls and was helping to pull in long runs of fairly lumpy SWAs. He looked over the fence, decided the grass was greener and took up a job with a contractor who, erstwhile, he gave directions to! He tells me that in time, he will be seeking to enrol on whatever route will see him achieve the NVQ L3 and AM2 and ultimately, the electricians gold card.

Good luck to him, he will be an asset to our industry. I wish I could make it easier for other similar high quality individuals to climb over the fence. Perhaps the grass will not be as green as they thought, but at least we would have them on the right side!.

Parents
  • 0

    I recall a spate of work colleagues a decade ago, reading that there was a shortage of electrical installers, deciding that they wanted to retrain from there current role as engineering designers. I guess it could be the case again. There is a significant part of our engineering design industry that has been offshored (don't blame Brexit, it was happening before that, but it didn't help). Its difficult to offshore a role that requires you to be physically present at the clients location. But now there is noise that AI will replace jobs. Again, its difficult for AI to replace installer roles, but apparently easy to replace engineering designers.

    Personally, I feel this is a little sensationalist. AI can be a good productivity tool if you know what you are doing, But it can also be a great way to make errors in new and unpredictable ways.

    I would guess that if someone has the equivalent of a NVQ 5 or greater, achieving the educational aspects of a NVQ 3 isn't going to be the challenge. The challenge is the practical side, especially if you are like me and that isn't your strong point (OK, my last piece of DIY wasn't a disaster, so I run myself down).

    I wonder what the rules are in other countries. I know at least 1 person who decided to head to Australia to practice their craft, and has been successful.

Reply
  • 0

    I recall a spate of work colleagues a decade ago, reading that there was a shortage of electrical installers, deciding that they wanted to retrain from there current role as engineering designers. I guess it could be the case again. There is a significant part of our engineering design industry that has been offshored (don't blame Brexit, it was happening before that, but it didn't help). Its difficult to offshore a role that requires you to be physically present at the clients location. But now there is noise that AI will replace jobs. Again, its difficult for AI to replace installer roles, but apparently easy to replace engineering designers.

    Personally, I feel this is a little sensationalist. AI can be a good productivity tool if you know what you are doing, But it can also be a great way to make errors in new and unpredictable ways.

    I would guess that if someone has the equivalent of a NVQ 5 or greater, achieving the educational aspects of a NVQ 3 isn't going to be the challenge. The challenge is the practical side, especially if you are like me and that isn't your strong point (OK, my last piece of DIY wasn't a disaster, so I run myself down).

    I wonder what the rules are in other countries. I know at least 1 person who decided to head to Australia to practice their craft, and has been successful.

Children
No Data

Community Rules & Guidelines