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What to Look for With Part P Courses

Electrical Workers Can Build a Rewarding New Career

The electrical industry has become one of the most significant aspects of life today. We constantly need skilled electricians for both domestic housing and industry. Electrical certifications can lead to a wide variety of jobs, depending on the individual's training and experience. In 2009, over six hundred thousand people were employed in one sector or another of the UK's electrical industry. With the right qualifications you too could be enjoying a profitable and rewarding electrical career.

Will It Suit Me?

What characteristics are needed to succeed as an electrician? To be an electrician you will need to be able to use a variety of tools effectively. You need to be methodical, and have an eye for detail - it's essential that electricians follow safety procedures to the letter! As a good deal of your work will be unaccompanied, you need to be happy to work on your own. Obviously if you're colour-blind, this work isn't going to be right for you. And ultimately, anyone looking to start their own business must be focused and motivated.

Get Your FREE Electrical Training and Careers E-Book

You may have a few skills under your belt already, or you may know next to nothing. Whatever your present knowledge, good industry training will have you equipped for the job very quickly.

But it can sometimes be a bit unclear which training will be best, so we've written a completely unbiased report that will tell you what you need to know. You can download your own copy in seconds, and we won't charge you a penny!

With so many training companies offering electrical courses in Britain, you'll find our information really useful to help compare the benefits of each one. Check out the report now, and you'll see what we mean. And when you feel ready, come back here and go onto some of the college sites listed at the side. If you Bookmark this webpage by keying in Ctrl D you'll be able to get back to it instantly.

Start Working For Yourself

The motivation to study for an electrical certification often comes from a desire for self-employment. The majority of adult students in reality head down that track. It's not surprising when you look at the amount of work in the domestic market in particular. Sometimes people with other trade skills want electrical expertise, to give their business more credibility. Finally some just want to be able to carry out electrical work in their own homes.

The beauty of doing electrical work is that every good job you do will be talked about by your clients. Obviously, the same goes for any bad experience they have! So you'll be costing yourself money if you're not well mannered and considerate to everyone you deal with.

Some electricians employed by big companies work shifts, but most work a regular eight hour day during the week. And according to SalaryTrack, last year the average employed electrical worker earned between 24K and 29K a year. On the other hand, electricians who are self-employed can expect more erratic hours, but they can also command more money. Obviously, they have to supply their own tools and transport etc as well.

Where Should I Start?

The professional industry bodies offering the most regarded certifications are EAL and C&G. In addition, teenagers doing C&G exams at technical colleges will find working assignments to complete their more practical NVQ's. In all this type of training takes a number of years to complete. Re-trainers over the age of about 25 mostly study shorter courses part time, much of it at home.

As most of them are preparing for work in housing rather than industry, they don't need NVQs. Private electrical training companies can get students through their courses and on their way in a matter of months. Overall students are less qualified, but they will have a good grounding in the skills needed for domestic work, and their certifications will be legally acceptable.

What Does This Involve?

Study programmes vary, but a comprehensive domestic course should equip you to pass your Level 2 EAL Domestic Installers exam. Training will include installations, safety procedures, wiring and rewiring in homes and testing circuits.

The law aims to ensure that all domestic electrical work is done in accordance with 'Part P' regulations, so your training will equip you for that.

A second essential qualification from C&G is the 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations. There are a number of other C&G certificates you might go for, to widen the range of work you can do.

The whole process will probably involve around 300 -500 hours of training, which will be part home study and part in-centre training. Once you've attained your skills and certifications, you'll have skills that will set you up for life.