Whoever said “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” must have had one very lazy, disobedient dog. After all, it’s also been said that “life begins at 40” – so why not give your career a new lease of life by retraining with us?
Becoming an electrician at 40 years old may seem like a drastic change of pace, but it can be a welcome transition if you're looking to shake up your professional life or simply enhance your existing skillset.
Why become an electrician?
The number of workers aged 40+ seeking a new career path has seen a steady increase in recent years, and trade work has emerged as a top choice for those brave enough to change their trajectory. But why?
Barring some drastic technological advancement, most British homes and workplaces are going to need a steady supply of electricity for the foreseeable future, making energy-related trades a great choice for anyone looking to pursue a new career path.
What’s more, the autonomy that comes from learning a trade can be a real breath of fresh air. Getting some electrical qualifications under your belt not only opens up opportunities with established companies like the “Big Six” (British Gas, EDF, Scottish Power, E.ON, Npower, and SSE), it also creates a clear and realistic route to self-employment, allowing you to set your own hours, be your own boss, and work for yourself.
How to become an electrician at 40
There are many reasons why a person might want to become an electrician at 40, ranging from a voluntary career change to unforeseen redundancy. Whatever your reason, the path to a successful electrician career starts with a single step in the right direction.
If you’re reading this blog – congratulations! That first step starts here. So kudos for being proactive…now what?
Well, the road to becoming a qualified electrician has three primary stops along the way:
1. Training
Typically achieved on a full or part-time basis, training will provide you with the essential knowledge and expertise on how to do the job efficiently, safely and professionally.
2. Work Experience
As with any job, practical experience is vital if you're going to transfer your knowledge of electrical theory into a practical, real-world environment.
3. Assessment
Once you’re equipped with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience, a final assessment will determine if you’re ready to become an electrician and enter the trade. This part is important, because practising electricians are required to hold certain qualifications before they can start working.
While the specifics of your electrical training programme will vary depending on the course you choose, these three steps provide a basic blueprint of what to expect when you enrol.
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After you’ve completed each stage on this electrifying journey, you’ll reach your final destination as a fully-qualified electrician!
Benefits of retraining at 40
While it may seem like a daunting task, becoming an electrician at 40 is far from impossible. In fact, it can be a hugely exciting journey for anyone brave enough to make the leap.
Don’t let Father Time put you off either – you’re never too old to learn something new. What’s more, mature students can have the hot hand over their younger counterparts in a variety of ways.
Mature students typically have a firm career path in mind when they re-enter education, along with a clear idea of where they want to go once qualified. Time away from the educational highways and by-ways can also provide career clarity and motivation to truly knuckle down.
For mature students, the decision to retrain is a conscious one made individually (unlike many teenage students, who can be easily swayed and led astray by friends and family influence). This can also translate into a more focused approach to learning, making the temptation to miss a session or neglect course revision seem a lot less attractive.
Additionally, life experience can be a real asset in the classroom, adding another dimension to your approach to learning. The self-discipline needed to succeed on a trade training course can be easily transferred from personal to professional life experience; the same can be said for organisation and prioritising.
The perks of becoming an electrician at 40
From a professional standpoint, there are also further benefits to being aged 40+. As a general rule of employment, employers typically like mature graduates of any ilk as they come ready-made with many key attributes attached. These employer-friendly specs include two important things: experience and qualifications.
While a younger, newly-qualified electrician may have youthful exuberance on their side, they can also lack experience in the working world and can also at times still be relatively immature from a professional standpoint.
What’s more, customers are also said to feel most comfortable with a tradesperson over 40. A consumer study by Watersafe showed that customers believed the most trusted age of a tradesperson to be 41. In fact, the most trusted age bracket was 36 to 49, achieving a whopping 50% of the overall vote.
Make the jump and become an electrician!
With retirement age getting higher seemingly all the time, staying put in a job you hate is as good as a life sentence. In fact, the feeling of Sunday night dread and Monday morning misery can be a prison in itself.
A career change can be a real shot in the arm, making your working hours more enjoyable but also changing the way you live your life. As the old saying goes: “if you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life”. Love your job and live your life with a career change that lights a spark inside you.
So what are you waiting for? Take the power back into your hands with an electrical training course today! For more information on our electrician courses, click the buttons below and explore a new career now.
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