The last month has seen school-leavers across the UK celebrate and commiserate over their GCSE and A-Level results.

Nevertheless, regardless of the score, the outcome has largely been met by the same question: “What now?”

For many, higher education is the logical next step; however, there is an alternate route that poses a wide range of benefits.

Picking up a trade fresh out of school can be a wise move that pays off for years to come, particularly when it comes to the electrical trade.

How so? Read on to find out…

“University Is Not For Everyone”

Higher education has long been held up as the pinnacle of education and must for school-leavers looking to better themselves.

However, in recent years, that has often not been the case, with many graduates struggling to find employment post-university.

Senior Group Technical Presenter at NICEIC, Darren Staniforth, had this to say:

“University is not for everyone and the perception that you can only have a successful career if you get a degree is a false one.

“The construction industry is a well-paid sector that offers a vast array of opportunities. Yet, it is still viewed by some as a third-rate industry for people who do not perform well at school.

“A trade is a viable career path which gives students the chance to learn specific skills that can open up many doors and avenues in the future – including working abroad.”

Conducting Research

These sentiments were backed by figures from the Federation of National Builders, who noted that construction apprentices will go on to earn thousands of pounds more every year than many of their university-educated counterparts.

According to their research, the FMB found that the average annual salary of UK electricians was an impressive £47k, while the average university graduate in England earns £32k/year, noting that a shortage in skilled workers makes the construction industry a very lucrative career path.

These sentiments were echoed by the experts at the Pensions Policy Institute, who worked out that even a 22-year-old electrician on an average salary of £18k could have a pension pot worth £111k by the time they retire. Talk about investing in your future!

Electrical Courses with Access Training

If you’re one of those school-leavers fresh off your GCSE or A-Level results, now is the perfect time to consider an electrical career. Both rewarding and useful, a training to become an electrician is extremely worthwhile on a number of levels.

Best of all, with electrical courses at Access Training, you don’t need any prior experience to get your journey started!

New Career Courses

Our beginner courses are ideal for those with limited or no experience.

These include:

- Essential Electrical Course

- Professional Electrician Course

- Premier Electrical Course

Trade Professional Courses

For more experienced, we also offer a range of courses designed to build on your existing knowledge.

These include:

- Part P Domestic Electrical Installer

- 18^th Edition

- Part P & 18^th Edition

- PAT Testing

- Initial Verification

- Periodic Inspection & Testing

- Fundamental Inspection Testing

- Combined Inspection & Testing

- Electrical Design Course

For more information on electrical training and electrician courses from Access Training UK, why not get in touch today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online using the button below.

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Not sure what qualifications you need to work as an electrician? Read our simple guide!

So you want to become an electrician, and you can't wait to enrol on a training course and start learning your new trade.

But there's a problem: you've been looking at the various training courses that are available for budding electricians, and each one seems to result in a different qualification. Now you're wondering which of those certificates and diplomas you actually need - which one will mark you out as a qualified electrician and enable you to turn professional?

Thing is, the world of electrical work is a rich tapestry, comprising lots of different tasks in lots of different places. There are lots of different electrician qualifications because there are lots of different electricians - some specialise in domestic installations, while others work exclusively in commercial/industrial environments. Some make a living from portable appliance testing (PAT), while others spend their days designing and installing complex electrical systems.

Still, there's no need to be baffled by the wide variety of available electrical qualifications. Here's a rough guide to some of the best-known electrician qualifications and what each one actually licenses you to do:

Basic Electrician Qualifications

Let's start with the qualifications that are included on our Essential Electrician Course. This a great course for beginners, consisting of three crucial electrical qualifications that just about all electrical engineers are expected to hold:

• Part P Domestic Installer - The Part P qualification allows you to install, inspect, test and certify a broad range of domestic electrical systems. Along with the 17th Edition certificate (see below), Part P is widely recognised as the essential qualification for new electricians.
  
  
• 17th Edition Wiring Regulations - The phrase '17th Edition' refers to the current Wiring Regulations to which British electricians must adhere. Gaining your 17th Edition certificate demonstrates that you have a good understanding of the Regulations and how to comply with them.
  
  
• Building Regulations for Electrical Installations in Dwellings - The Building Regulations are another important piece of legislation for electricians. Obtaining this qualification demonstrates that you understand the Building Regulations as applicable to electrical installations in homes and dwellings.

Going Further: Advanced Electrician Qualifications

Once you have earned the above qualifications, you may wish to work towards obtaining additional qualifications so as to set yourself apart from the competition and broaden the range of jobs you're capable of undertaking. Here are some of the more advanced qualifications that Access Training can help you to achieve:

• Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) - PAT testing can be a great source of income for professional electricians. This qualification (equivalent to the City & Guilds 2377 certificate) will equip you with the necessary skills to do it.
  
  
• Fundamental Inspection & Testing - This qualification is equivalent to the City & Guilds 2392 certificate and serves as a great introduction to electrical inspection and testing.
  
  
• Periodic Inspection & Testing - Following on from the above, this is a more advanced inspection and testing qualification that (as per City & Guilds 2395) focuses on developing these skills and equipping you with the knowledge you'll need to carry out professional periodic work.

• Design & Verification - Equivalent to the City & Guilds 2396 qualification, this is among the very highest electrician qualifications in the industry. It covers the design of electrical systems and enables you to design/specify systems for other electricians to install.

Click here to browse our full range of electrical courses, or feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the assorted electrician qualifications Access Training can help you to obtain.

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 for anyone looking to shake up their professional life or simply enhance their existing skillset.

Why become an electrician at 40?

The number of 40+ workers 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 course. But why?

Until something drastic happens in the world of technology, most British’s homes are going to need a steady supply of gas and electric, making energy-related trades a viable path for anyone looking to shake up their work life.

What’s more, the autonomy that comes with it could be a real breath of fresh air. Having an energy trade under your belt not only opens up doors to established umbrella brands like the “Big Six” – British Gas, EDF, E.ON, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE – it also creates clear and realistic avenues to self-employment, allowing you to work for yourself on your own terms.

How to become an electrician at 40

There can be a whole laundry list of reasons why a person may want to become an electrician at 40: from a voluntary career change to a catalytic reaction to redundancy. Whatever your reason may be, the path to a new horizon 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 qualification has three primary stops along the way:

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.

Work Experience

Like any job, first-hand work experience is a vital component in transferring theory into a practical, real-world environment.

Assessment

Once you’re equipped with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience, a final assessment will determine if you’re ready to make it in the wide world of the electrical trade.

While the specifics of each course will vary depending on the chosen course – be it essential, professional, premier, etc. – these three steps provide a basic blueprint of what to expect when you enter a course.

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’ 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 and 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 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 the approach to learning. The self-discipline needed to succeed in a course of learning can be easily transferred from personal and professional life experience, while the same can be said for organisation and prioritising.

Benefits of becoming an electrician at 40

From a professional standpoint, there are also further benefits to being 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

With retirement age creeping further and further out of reach with what seems like eternal regularity, 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 and not only revitalise your career but also change 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.

What are you waiting for? Put the power back in your hands with an electrician course today! For more information on electrician courses, click the button below and explore a new career now.

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If you're looking for a rewarding new career, then you may want to think about becoming an electrician. Gaining your electrical qualifications and starting down this path can be challenging, but the rewards are well worth it.

Why become an electrician?

• Electricians commonly make upwards of £30,000 per year (according to totaljobs.com)
• You'll have the opportunity to be your own boss and choose your hours
• Qualified electricians are in very high demand right now - more than a quarter of firms have reported difficulties recruiting electricians

In addition to the above perks, electricians also enjoy a more active working day, making their way from one job to the next and engaging in practical, hands-on labour instead of sitting at a desk all week.

All of these are great reasons to become an electrician - but how exactly do you do it? Well, as with any trade, there are a number of industry-recognised qualifications associated with electrical work, and you'll obviously need to get qualified before you can start work; after all, electricity is very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, and it's illegal for untrained personnel to operate on live electrical installations.

What qualifications do you need?

In order to start your electrician career, you will first need to earn an industry-recognised Level 3 electrical qualification, such as:

• Level 3 Certificate in the Building Regulations for Electrical Installations in Dwellings
• Level 3 Certificate for the Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment
• Level 3 Certificate of Competent Management of Electrical Equipment Maintenance

These qualifications each cover different skills/aspects of being an electrician, so you may find it worthwhile to complete a package course (e.g. our own Professional Electrical Course, which includes a number of Level 3 electrical qualifications) in order to give the best possible foundation for a varied, lucrative career. Simply click below to learn more!

Professional Electrical Course >

How long does it take to get qualified?

A lot of budding electricians get qualified over a number of years via an apprenticeship or NVQ diploma course, with a Level 3 qualification awarded upon completion. Other people obtain Level 1 and/or Level 2 qualifications before seeking trainee positions.

These aren't the only options, however. Fast-track electrical courses - which allow candidates to achieve Level 3 qualifications within a very short time frame - have become increasingly popular in recent years. This is an option you may wish to consider if you're looking to start your new career as an electrician ASAP.

Fast-track courses vary in duration, but dedicated students can complete their training and become qualified electricians in a matter of months.

What happens once you're qualified?

Once you have completed your electrical training and earned the necessary qualification(s), you can seek employment with a firm, or you can start your own business and be your own boss.

Many newly-qualified electricians choose the latter option, and it's not hard to see why: self-employed electricians can work as few or as many hours as they please, and their earnings aren't limited to their contracted salary. However, if you would prefer to be employed by someone else, that's a great choice too, and with electricians extremely in-demand at the moment, you should have no trouble finding a job.

If you'd like to become an electrician and train with Access Training, simply click below to browse our range of Electrical Courses and apply today to start your new career and life!

View our Electrical Courses >

Wondering what it's like to train with us? Here's a review from one of our electricians in training:

If you need advice on any of our electrical training courses, or would just like to speak to one of our expert advisors about any of the courses we offer, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call us on 0800 345 7492 or email info@accesstraininguk.co.uk

Being an electrician sounds like an inviting job. The work is rewarding and well-paid, and you get to move around a lot, going from one job to the next instead of spending all day at a desk.

But is it easy being an electrician? You'll probably get a different answer to that question from each electrician you ask, but nevertheless, here are a few things to consider when deciding if you'd like to become an electrician. 

What do I need to be an electrician?

Nothing worth having comes easily, and of course that is true of a successful career. Electricians have to go through the appropriate training to learn the relevant skills and stay safe –after all, it's crucial to know what you're doing when you're working with electricity!

That is why there are certain qualifications that you MUST have before starting work as an electrician. These qualifications are included in our Essential Electrical Course which will provide you with:

• Part P Domestic Installer
• 17th Edition Electrical Regs
• Building Regulations for Electrical Installations in Dwellings 

Is training to be an electrician easy?

Here at Access Training, we offer a range of electrical courses (which you can browse here) that are suitable for learners of all ages and all experience levels. These courses allow you to gain industry-recognised qualifications and become a fully-certified electrician within a relatively short window of time. We wouldn't necessarily call our courses 'easy' - there's a lot of theory and technical skill involved in becoming a professional sparky - and students have to work hard in order to pass the course and earn the qualifications necessary to start work as an electrician.

However, our courses do allow you to become qualified in a quicker period of time than traditional methods. Whereas other electrician training takes years, Access Training allows you to gain qualifications within a much shorter time frame.

Is the job easy?

Once qualified, an electrician's job can vary greatly from day to day, which may mean that some days are easier than others. We find that most of our graduates enjoy this diverse selection of work and find the job fulfilling and satisfying. Of course - as with any job - the more experience you gain, the easier it will become.

When you work with electricity, there is obviously some danger that comes with the job - click here to read our blog post on this subject. The risks are very minimal once you know what you're doing, but no matter how long you've been an electrician for, it's always important to remain vigilant.

In general, with a healthy salary (more than £30,000 per annum on average) and a wide selection of work on offer, being an electrician is very worthwhile, and enjoyably challenging without being overwhelming.

If you are considering a career as an electrician, click the links below to find out what each of our electrician training courses entails:

• Essential Electrical Course 
• Professional Electrical Course
• Premier Electrical Course

For any advice on what being an electrician is like, or about any of our courses, feel free to get in touch with the Access Training team.

When we are contacted by individuals researching electrical training courses, one of their main concerns regarding the profession is the obvious issue of safety. We are repeatedly (and rightly) reminded about the dangers associated with electricity on an everyday level, so it's easy to see why someone might be hesitant regarding the profession, with only the layman's understanding that they will be working with a highly dangerous power source.

Before you decide to become an electrician, it's important to familiarise yourself with the risks associated with the profession. While this may seem rather off-putting at first, it is actually far more beneficial to those looking to build a long-term career as an electrician. When you are aware of the dangers posed to you, as well as to colleagues and members of the public, you are more likely to keep in mind how important it is to follow proper health and safety procedures. As we have noted in a previous post, a career as an electrician can be both lucrative and rewarding, but to be a truly successful electrical engineer you must always keep in mind the possible dangers associated with the job.

Whether you decide to become a domestic installer or a site services electrician, there will be particular risks within your set area, as well as many that are universal. For example, domestic call-outs can be dangerous for electricians, as they are often called to rectify poor work attempted by inexperienced individuals. The best defence against these risks, along with those in many other trade professions, is knowledge. If you receive the right training and qualifications, before going on to uphold the strict guidelines required to work as an electrician, you will ensure that you are able to substantially reduce these risks, almost eliminating them altogether.

To make your choice a bit more straightforward, here are some simple tips for ensuring safety as an electrician:

Who can take this course?

Here at Access Training, we offer a large variety of electrical courses that equip each student with the skills necessary to embark on a new career as a fully qualified electrician. Our courses are developed for people who would like a new challenge and aspire to run their own businesses. But don’t take our word for it - have a look at what some of our past students had to say about their experience at Access Training:

"The training was very daunting to start with, but it all gets broken down into simple manageable tasks where I was very well supported by the tutor." - Peter Baxter

As the years go by, technology changes, and so the skills that are needed to become a fully qualified electrician are ever changing. When researching electrician courses, it's important to choose an academy that keeps up with the ever-changing electrical environment; here at Access Training, we constantly update our state-of-the-art facilities and endeavour to provide a realistic, hands-on learning experience for all of our students, so when you are working in the field, you are confident dealing with real life work.  

Gethyn Hudson had this to say about his experience at Access Training:

"A well run practical week, with real life problems. It allowed me to develop the skills from week one in a practical situation. The tutor gave me the space I needed but was always on hand when required. The facilities and training staff are very good." - Gethyn Hudson

Here at Access Training, we will provide you with the knowledge, qualifications and confidence to become self-employed. Former students Richard Gates and Scott Daily were not fully satisfied with their chosen careers, so they enrolled on an electrician course provided by Access Training and they are both now trading as self-employed electricians:

"This course has led to me becoming self-employed as an electrician and has led to me expanding my family's building and roofing business." - Scott Daly

"I'm the happiest I've ever been in my working life. I like being my own boss and having control over my working week. And I'm earning three times what I was at the BBC!" - Richard Gates 

If you are thinking about changing your career in 2016, our flexible courses will allow you complete your training about your current commitments, so if you have family commitments, or are currently employed you will not have to quit your job while training for your new  career. No matter your situation, we will always endeavour to accommodate you. 

So if you want to take the plunge and begin training to become your own boss in 2016, why not enquire about our electrician courses? Click here to view our full range of electrician courses; alternatively, you can contact us on 0800 245 7492 or e-mail info@accesstraininguk.co.uk.

Electrical Training for Experienced Candidates

Wired for Success is an exciting initiative launched by the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA). The scheme is providing electrical training to 11 women from the same housing association and aims to get them off benefits and into full time employment by equipping them with valuable practical skills.

As the first female president of the ECA, Diane Johnson has masterminded the electrical training scheme and hopes that soon projects of this sort will be springing up across the country in a wide range of different trades.

There are many barriers which prevent women from entering the trades and a lack of flexibility is one key problem area. Many of the women undertaking the electrical training are single mothers who between full-time childcare and housekeeping could find little time to train on conventional courses. The Wired for Success scheme has rebalanced the situation for these dedicated women, offering electrical training which fits around their schedules and allowing them to develop their abilities at a time and pace which suited them.

Financial problems are another serious issue which stop mothers on benefits from gaining employable skills. One woman on the scheme found that she did not have the spare cash to travel to the training centre, for example. Thanks to the commitment and understanding of those behind the project, hurdles like this can be overcome.

Although a significant amount of time, energy and support is required from both the Wired for Success participants and creators, the ultimate outcome appears to be more than worth it. By finding the time, space and finance to complete electrical training, these women will emerge with extremely employable skills which will allow them to stop receiving benefits and provide for their families.

Yet even the benefit system makes life difficult for women who want to develop employable skills. The Job Centre does not recognise the Wired for Success programme as a training course and therefore pressured the participants to look for work or face losing their Jobseekers’ Allowance.

It can be extremely difficult for the unemployed to gain the skills they need to get off benefits and begin productive careers. At Access we offer electrical training on flexible courses which allow you to train at your pace and at a time which is convenient to you. We hope to see more schemes like the Wired for Success springing up across the UK soon, until this happens we are dedicated to offering the most accessible and flexible electrical training to candidates from all backgrounds. Contact Access today on 0800 345 7492, or explore our website to learn more.

In our last post we talked briefly about the Government’s review of current building regulations and the emphasis of Part P, as well as how this applies to those individuals undergoing electrical training. We mentioned the building regulations exercise which was conducted with over 800 direct and indirect responses which produced some interesting results. We felt it was important to inform our electrical training graduates as well as our potential electrical training students of the future of the details and timescale of any prospective changes so you know exactly what is expected of you. 

The key finding is that current building regulations are far from perfect; there is plenty to be improved upon, although, for the most part, they are in pretty good shape. The Part P section of the regulations seemed to be a contentious point amongst many, especially those who have recently completed electrical training. The following viewpoints were highlighted on the Government website:

•  Large-scale support for reducing cost of compliance with Part P;
•  A questioning of the role of regulation and its scope e.g. why do we control what people do in their own homes (e.g. water temperature);
•  Make building regulations less bureaucratic and restrictive;
•  Review Part P home DIY electrical.

There was a common misunderstanding:

• Have you ever wanted to change that socket from a single socket to a double? Well you can’t, it’s illegal.

The regulations for DIYers left the following general complaint:

• Competent DIYers must pay to have work inspected by building control, or pay to have work carried out by perhaps less competent individuals who have completed the relevant electrical training.

Competent registered electricians also commented:

• Electricians who comply, register and have undergone thorough electrical training are undercut by cowboys who ignore rules and regulations
• Regulations are not enforced – cowboys are never prosecuted

There were also some broad views expressed regarding Part P rules:

• Electrical installation work in new and existing dwellings, however minor, must follow rules in BS 7671: 2001. (There is currently no technical guidance in Approved Document P)
• Riskier jobs are ‘notifiable’ and must either be:
  • inspected, tested and approved by a building control body, or
  • self-certified by a registered electrician who has undergone the relevant electrical training (‘Competent Person’)
• Notifiable jobs are:
  • new circuits and new/ replacement consumer units
  • extensions to circuits in kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors
• Repairs and replacements are not notifiable
• Rules too confusing and not well understood by general public
• High building control charges discourage notification (especially simple jobs in kitchens)

Having reviewed the responses, MP Andrew Stunell, said: “For me this is just the start of the process - their contribution has informed my programme of work for the next year, and I want to work with them further to ensure building regulations are fit for the 21st century."

The programme of reform has also now been set out with the following actions:

• Set up Building Regulations Part P Technical Working Party
• Develop proposals for amending regulations and guidance
• Prepare formal Impact Assessment
• Publish consultation document – December 2011
• Conduct formal three month consultation
• Publish analysis of responses – July 2012
• Publish amended regulations and Approved Document – October 2012
• Bring new regulations and guidance into effect – April 2013

At Access Training we will, as ever, continue to monitor and report on statements from the Government as well as electrical training awarding bodies to bring to you the latest and most up to date information. Upon reflection it appears that Part P of the building regulations will receive further scrutiny over the next few years, culminating in a more refined set of regulations being implemented in a few years time. What is certain is that Part P electrical training courses will continue to be essential for the safety of consumers and installers alike.

Here at Access Training we aim to bring you all the latest industry news for electrical training graduates and prospective students alike, so you are fully equipped to make a name for yourself as a reputable and highly skilled electrician.