Featured Article

An Electrician

Are you thinking about becoming an electrician and wondering what a typical working day would look like? In this blog post, we look at the day-to-day life of an electrician and what jobs they tend to do!

  1. What is an Electrician?
  2. What Jobs Do Electricians Do?
  3. What Hours Do Electricians Work?
  4. Find Out More

 

But first: what exactly is an electrician? 

An electrician is a qualified professional who specialises in a variety of electrical work, such as planning and installing wiring systems, testing and maintaining electrical equipment, and running power supplies to public events.

If you decide to become an electrician, you will have to choose between entering the field as a generalised electrician or working in a specialist niche. This choice will determine what the day-to-day functions of the job are; not all electricians tackle exactly the same tasks.

However, in most areas of this field, the general daily tasks remain the same. 

 

What jobs do electricians do?

Throughout the majority of the working week, general electricians will have to conduct a set of common tasks required by businesses and homeowners. These often involve...

  • Planning, writing and understanding diagrams and floor plans

  • Repairing damaged wiring and equipment using a range of power and hand tools

  • Diagnosing wiring issues, failing components, poor connections and overloaded circuits using specialised tools such as thermal imaging

  • Testing electrical systems and circuits using devices such as oscilloscopes and voltmeters

  • Assessing electrical systems, components and equipment to spot any potential hazards and defects

  • Planning and installing electrical wiring and fixtures based on job specs and local codes

READ MORE: What Qualifications Do I Need to Be an Electrician?

 

Working hours of an electrician 

The majority of electricians work a standard eight-hour shift, five days a week and sometimes even on weekends. However, as an electrician, you should be prepared to work during off-hours too, dealing with the wiring and voltage issues that can occur at any hour of the day. This is common throughout the electrical industry, with many general electricians available for on-call emergency service. 

The work you are assigned will very much depend on the terms of your employment. Whether you're an independent contractor or working for an established company, you will either set your own schedule of work or be assigned jobs to complete across a variety of different sites. 

One thing's for sure, though: all electricians should be prepared to work for longer than planned. Once you begin working, you can quickly discover that the one job you were assigned to do is just a small part of a much bigger problem that will take more time to fix.

 

More on the jobs electricians do

As you can see from the information above, working as a successful electrician requires a wide range of specialised skills, as well as good reading comprehension and analysing in order to determine the best route to success for each individual job.

Because of the danger and complexity of electrical work, it is essential that you study and learn from qualified and experienced professionals. 

Our Electrical Training Courses >

 

Additional Resources:

 

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An Electrician

Are you thinking about becoming an electrician and wondering what a typical working day would look like? In this blog post, we look at the day-to-day life of an electrician and what jobs they tend to do!

  1. What is an Electrician?
  2. What Jobs Do Electricians Do?
  3. What Hours Do Electricians Work?
  4. Find Out More

 

But first: what exactly is an electrician? 

An electrician is a qualified professional who specialises in a variety of electrical work, such as planning and installing wiring systems, testing and maintaining electrical equipment, and running power supplies to public events.

If you decide to become an electrician, you will have to choose between entering the field as a generalised electrician or working in a specialist niche. This choice will determine what the day-to-day functions of the job are; not all electricians tackle exactly the same tasks.

However, in most areas of this field, the general daily tasks remain the same. 

 

What jobs do electricians do?

Throughout the majority of the working week, general electricians will have to conduct a set of common tasks required by businesses and homeowners. These often involve...

  • Planning, writing and understanding diagrams and floor plans

  • Repairing damaged wiring and equipment using a range of power and hand tools

  • Diagnosing wiring issues, failing components, poor connections and overloaded circuits using specialised tools such as thermal imaging

  • Testing electrical systems and circuits using devices such as oscilloscopes and voltmeters

  • Assessing electrical systems, components and equipment to spot any potential hazards and defects

  • Planning and installing electrical wiring and fixtures based on job specs and local codes

READ MORE: What Qualifications Do I Need to Be an Electrician?

 

Working hours of an electrician 

The majority of electricians work a standard eight-hour shift, five days a week and sometimes even on weekends. However, as an electrician, you should be prepared to work during off-hours too, dealing with the wiring and voltage issues that can occur at any hour of the day. This is common throughout the electrical industry, with many general electricians available for on-call emergency service. 

The work you are assigned will very much depend on the terms of your employment. Whether you're an independent contractor or working for an established company, you will either set your own schedule of work or be assigned jobs to complete across a variety of different sites. 

One thing's for sure, though: all electricians should be prepared to work for longer than planned. Once you begin working, you can quickly discover that the one job you were assigned to do is just a small part of a much bigger problem that will take more time to fix.

 

More on the jobs electricians do

As you can see from the information above, working as a successful electrician requires a wide range of specialised skills, as well as good reading comprehension and analysing in order to determine the best route to success for each individual job.

Because of the danger and complexity of electrical work, it is essential that you study and learn from qualified and experienced professionals. 

Our Electrical Training Courses >

 

Additional Resources:

 

Can an Electrician Install an EV Charger?

 

With more and more people shifting towards a sustainable-focused lifestyle, there is no surprise that the demand and popularity of environmentally friendly living solutions have increased. More people are buying into and investing in green alternatives in their day-to-day lives, particularly the vehicles that they drive.

With more and more electric vehicles on the market, a new skills gap has opened up. People are looking for trained professionals who are capable of installing vehicle chargers outside their homes and workplaces, but who can install an EV charger? Can any electrician do the job? Read on to find out!

Who can install an electric car charger?

Despite both pure electric and hybrid electric vehicles, commonly referred to as EV’s, only accounting for a small share of the new car market in the UK, figures have steadily grown in the past few years. However, one of the primary concerns amongst the public is the lack of charging infrastructure available. This presents an opportunity for individuals who are skilled and qualified in installing electric charging points to accommodate homes and businesses that may require the needed infrastructure.

But can any electrician install an EV charger? Yes, any qualified, experienced electrician can, as long as they've had the necessary training. Adding this skill to your arsenal can be a lucrative opportunity for experienced electricians. As more people turn to electric vehicles, more people will need charging points installed, thus creating increased demand for work!

Learn how to install electric vehicle chargers

Here at Access Training Academies, we now offer a fantastic 2-day electrical vehicle charging point installation course, designed for experienced electrical installers who are looking to add this niche skill to their range of electrical abilities. Completion of this course will allow electricians to achieve the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points and enable them to register on the Rolec-approved installer scheme, which can lead to a number of rob referrals and grants of up to £500 per installation through the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

Our Electric Vehicle Charging Point Course >

What are the course requirements

Before applying for our electrical vehicle charging point installation course, electricians are required to meet the following criteria:

  • Aged 18+
  • Experience in installing PVC/PVC cable and SWA cable
  • Ability to provide initial verification on electrical installations (including paperwork)
  • Up-to-date knowledge of 18th Edition Wiring Regulations

As well as possessing a qualification to install electric vehicle chargers, the main thing that is required from electricians looking to install vehicle charges is competence. Electric vehicle charging points can be very dangerous if they're installed incorrectly because there can be very high charging currents when the charger is in use. 

Electricians need to understand earthing and bonding requirements relating to EV charging points, as well as the general requirements of the installation such as selecting the correct RCDs, having dedicated circuits, and isolation in place. Installing an electric vehicle charger isn’t the same as installing a standard 13A socket.

There are specific regulations, such as BS7671:2018 Section 722 and the Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation – 3rd Edition, that outline all of the necessary information associated with EV charger installation. It's important that you understand all of the legislation around electric vehicle chargers before you attempt to install them, and the team here at Access Training can help equip you with the knowledge and skills you need!

Find Out More >

Benefits of learning to install EV chargers

If you feel that you have the required level of competence, then completing our course can be a very attractive option for any experienced electrician. Once approved by OLEV, you will need to provide monthly reports to the scheme. After every installation, you will need to provide specific documentation in order to claim back the government grant. If you work in an efficient manner and manage overheads properly, the returns on installing EV chargers can be huge!

If you’re getting an EV charge point installed at your home or business, then you will need to ensure that your installer has sat a necessary course and has achieved the required qualifications. If they haven’t, then these electricians are at risk of breaching the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR 1989) which is a statutory requirement. They could potentially be installed charge points that do not meet BS7671 or EAWR 1989, which puts you at risk.

If you are thinking about adding EV charge point installation to your skillset and would like to learn more about how Access Training can help, then click below to learn more about our course.

Our Electric Vehicle Charging Point Installation Course >

To learn more about our course, the requirements, and what happens on completion, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today.

 

Essential Tools for Electricians

No matter what trade you happen to work in, you’ll most definitely have a preferred set of tools that you use to get a job done. For electricians, there will be some tools that you will swear by, whilst others may believe they’re not that important. However, there are a number of tools that are absolutely essential for all electricians not only to get a job done safely but effectively and to an excellent standard.

Here we provide a list of some of the essential tools for electricians and what they are used for:

  1. Multimeter

A multimeter measures a number of electrical properties such as voltage, current and resistance. They are available as analogue or digital devices with newer models featuring a host of sophisticated bells and whistles such as thermal imaging cameras and Bluetooth.

 

  1. Voltage Tester

Working as an electrician, it’s crucial to know whether a wire or device is ‘live’ because if you do find yourself working on something that is live, there could well be some dangerous consequences. Used for a fast safety check to ensure there is no voltage in an electrical wire or device, voltage testers absolutely vital. If available, it’s recommended to use a non-contact voltage tester as these can detect electricity without ever touching the wire or outlet.

 

  1. Wire Strippers

With a variety of holes to enable you to work with different size wires, strippers are used to cut and strip insulation from the wire. The handle of the strippers should always be comfortable to hold and easy to grip. Some wire stripper will even be made with cutting teeth so you can trim the wire ends at the same time.

 

  1. Circuit Finder

Circuit directories are not always easy to find in some homes and at times, the service panel is very rarely matched with the complementary breaker. This is where a circuit finder comes in! Simply plug the transmitter into the outlet and detector will figure out where the matching directory is. Circuit finders are also a very handy piece of equipment to trace a circuit.

 

  1. Specialised Screwdrivers and Nut Drivers

Even though they may not seem like trade-specific pieces of equipment and indeed, they’re not, as most people around the world are sure to have some form of screw or nut driver in their personal toolbox. However, there are some screw and nut drivers that have been manufactured specifically for electrical work.

 

Aside from specialised drivers, it’s important to make sure you always have Philips head and flathead screwdrivers with you at all times. Whether it’s removing and installing switches, outlets, cover plates or other devices, these tools will always come in handy. Be sure to have a variety of size options also, as this will keep you well-equipped for any task.

 

  1. Pliers

A good, solid pair of pliers is a must-have for any and every electrician. Handles need to be comfortable and easy to grip, that open and close is a nice, smooth manner. Having several size options again would be ideal to suit a range of tasks. Besides the traditional pair of pliers, there are others that will most definitely come in handy for any sparky. These include:

  • Side-cutting and diagonal-cutting – Used to cut wires to specific lengths
  • Tongue and groove – Used to remove knockouts from metal electrical boxes and tighten clamps.
  • Needle-nose or long nose – Made with thin, grasping ends, these pliers make it easier to reach small spaces.

 

  1. Fish Tape

Also known as ‘draw wire’ or ‘electricians snake’, this handy tool is used to pull and push stranded or sold wire through a conduit or fishing cables across ceilings or down walls. It can be retracted and deployed when needed as it comes on a reel which always means it’s easy to grip.

 

  1. Multi-Functional Tester

Without a doubt, one of the most essential tools for an electrician, the multi-functional tester or MFT is a requirement for any electrician to ensure that any installation is correctly installed and that all test readings meet the requirements as laid out in the IET regulations.

 

  1. Battery Drill

Battery drills are used by electricians to drill holes in wood, walls or other tough surfaces and fixing screws and fasteners onto surfaces. The type of drill used will vary depending on the task-at-hand, for example, a lower-voltage cordless drill might be used when fastening work is required. Whereas for drilling into concrete, a hammer drill would be used as this provides increased impact and will drill holes at a faster rate.

 

  1. Electrical Wall Chaser

A fantastic time-saving tool, electric wall chasers are used to cut narrow grooves and channels into walls in order to install cables or a conduit. The electric motor powers electric discs similar to those found in angle grinders and some even come with a vacuum cleaner connection, allowing for great dust-free working environments.

 

And there you have it, the best and most essential tools for electricians! For those of you just starting out your career in the electrical industry, we hope our list of top tools can help provide you with some quality additions to your toolbox to help make your electrical work safer and much more efficient. To those of you who are considering entering the electrical industry, we can also help with our range of electrician courses! All of which guarantee the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to embark on a successful career as an electrician.

Browse Our Electrical Courses >

Questions to Ask Before Starting a Training Course

Making the decision to start and study a training course is a big one, make no mistake about it. Often, there is either a huge financial commitment, time investment or both. Therefore, knowing what questions to ask before starting a training course is hugely important. You need to find out the essential details to ensure you’re going to be getting the most out of your time and money. Here, we listing some of the most important questions that you should ask your course provider that can help make your decision that little bit easier.

1.      How will you learn?

The way in which training courses are taught can vary between providers. Knowing exactly how you will be taught can be a huge factor in deciding to enrol onto a course as we all learn in different ways. Finding a course that teaches in a way that suits your needs can be the difference between finishing the programme with a qualification or not. Here are some of the ways that you could be taught on your training course:

  • Classroom sessions
  • Practicals
  • Fieldwork
  • Work experience
  • Independent study

 

2.      How often will you submit work?

Just like being in school, there may be some work that you will have to complete at home along the way. Before enrolling on your course, you will need to ask how much of this work there will be and what kind of form it will take. If you’re a person who struggles to work independently, then a course that requires you to complete a lot of work at home may not be for you. The work rate requirements of this type of work could be too much for some people to handle, especially if studying part-time or on weekends when you have other commitments that take up the majority of your time.

 

3.      What feedback will you get?

Getting your work assessed and receiving feedback on the areas where you performed well and where you could improve is one of the best ways to learn. Knowing how much feedback a course will offer you can make or break a decision to study a course for some people. Having the knowledge and comfort that you will be receiving support throughout your studies can ease worries and stress, making the decision to enrol a much easier one.

 

4.      How will you be assessed?

There are a number of ways in which your work can be assessed and is often one of the main factors that influence a person’s decision to study. Just like learning, different people like to be tested in different ways, with feelings of comfort and confidence varying from one person to another. The different assessment options often included in training courses include:

  • Written examinations
  • Coursework
  • Presentations
  • Reports

Finding and choosing a course that suits the ways in which you like to be assessed is very important.

 

5.      What size groups will you be taught in?

Will you be studying in small classroom groups with a lot of personal and one-to-one interaction with the tutor? Or will you be one student in a lecture room with little to no interaction with the tutor? These are more important questions that you need to be asking yourself before starting a training course. The fewer people in the groups, the more the tutor will be focused on you. Another important thing to consider is whether you like being in large groups or prefer smaller ones. Some training courses take on hundreds of students whereas some others only a handful. Finding out how best you learn and interact with other people is an important part of studying and will need to be considered.

 

6.      What facilities are available?

Finding out how well your learning will be supported by the facilities that are available is crucial. Often, the better the facilities that are available, the easier and better the learning will be. Before enrolling onto a course, find out what facilities are on offer, how often you can use them and what is required to use them. Some of the most common learning facilities include:

  • Libraries
  • Lecture and classrooms
  • Practical labs
  • Computer & IT suites
  • Subject-specific equipment and tools

 

7.      Who will teach you?

Finding out exactly who will be teaching you is another crucial question that needs to be asked before starting a training course. Receiving tuition from a qualified, experienced teacher is far more encouraging than being taught by a first-time teacher who is just starting out. You need to ensure that you’re going to be happy with the level and ability of the people who are going to be marking your work, providing you with feedback and help you to develop your skills.

 

8.      What do graduates go on to do after the course?

Ask the training provider about the employment rates and opportunities for students once their course has been completed. Having the confidence that upon completion of your course that you’ll gain a higher chance of securing a job or have the ability to go on to study further is great and allows you to relax and focus on your studies rather than worry about what comes after.

These are just some of the main questions that you will need to ask before starting a training course. Find the answers to these first and then decide whether the course you’re thinking about studying is, in fact, the right course for you. Here at Access Training Academies, we offer a range of quality, intense courses that are conducted at state-of-the-art facilities across several training centres in England and Wales, taught by experienced professionals. Whether you’re looking to start a completely new career, add a specific qualification to your CV or to refresh yourself on old skills, our range of trade course is just the thing you need.

Electrical Courses >         Gas Courses >    Plumbing Courses >         Construction Courses >

 

 If you would like to know more about our trade courses, our facilities, tutors or the opportunities available to you after studying with Access Training Academies, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today.

Electric Car Charging at Home

Over the last few years, the popularity and demand in environmentally friendly living solutions have grown dramatically, none more so than electric cars and vehicles. With the biggest and best names in the automotive industry releasing flagship electric iterations of their most beloved models, as well as introducing entirely new ones, more and more homeowners are taking notice and investing in electric vehicles (EVs). But why the big fuss? Well, there are several reasons.

Benefits of electric vehicles

  • Better for the environment – The main and most obvious reason behind the rise in popularity of electric cars and vehicles is the positive impact they have on the environment. By choosing to drive an EV, you are helping to decrease the harmful air pollution caused by exhaust emissions. Most EVs are also manufactured using eco-friendly production through recycled and bio-based materials.
  • Health & safety improvements – As a result of reduced carbon emissions, air quality will improve and so will overall health. Due to electric vehicles being far less noisy than petrol and diesel vehicles, there will also be decreased levels of noise pollution. According to recent findings, several EV features can improve safety also. Due to a lower centre of gravity, they feel less likely to roll over as well as carrying less risk of major fires and explosions.
  • More cost-effective – One of the biggest reasons why people are choosing to go electric for their cars and vehicles is down to the huge long-term savings they will make. Firstly, electric vehicles offer much lower running costs with the electricity needed to charge an EV working out at around a third as much per kilometre as buying petrol for the same vehicle. Secondly, EVs are cheaper to maintain as a result of fewer moving parts than conventional petrol or diesel vehicles. There is relatively little servicing and no expensive parts that need to be replaced often.

So, why is all of this important? As more and more people begin to turn to a greener way of driving, the need for electric chargers to be installed in convenient locations such as homes is going to rise – great news for professionals that are able to provide this service. Access Training Academies have taken notice of this demand and as a result, now offer a choice of two brand-new electrical courses that allows both novices and professionals in the electrical industry to become competent and qualified in installing EV chargers.

 

Our courses for electric car charging at home

The first of our two courses is the Eco Electrical Course, perfect for anyone looking to pursue a career within the electrical industry. Candidates who enrol onto this course will learn the following:

  • The fundamentals of domestic electrical work
  • Testing electrical installations at an industry level
  • How to install electric vehicle charging points

This course aims to provide an all-encompassing introduction into the electrical trade with the addition of green electrical training. You can learn more and enquire about this course below.

Eco Electrical Course >

 

The second of our two courses is our Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course. Ideal for experienced electricians that have worked in the industry for many years, looking to add electric vehicle charger installation to their repertoire of skills. Candidates who enrol onto this two-day course will learn the following:

  • How to install vehicle charging points
  • EV charging point commissioning
  • How to inspect and test your installations

On completion of this course, candidates will be able to register on the Rolec approved installers scheme, which can result in job referrals and grants of up to £500 per installation. You can learn more and enquire about this course below.

Electric Vehicle Charging Installation Course >

 

For more information on our range of courses that allow you to install electric car chargers at home, be sure to get in touch with a member of the Access Training Academies team today. Also, don’t forget to browse our full range of electric courses suited to individuals with a mix of experience and abilities.

Access Training Website

If you haven’t noticed already, we have a brand new website! Our friends over at Designer Websites, who helped us out with our last website re-design back in 2015, have once again proved their capabilities and professionalism to bring our current website up-to-date with a new, attractive look and feel!

All of the great, important features that we included in our last re-design, such as the ‘course finder’ function has remained – so there should be no worries about having any difficulties finding the information or course you need. In fact, with our new design, locating the essential information you want regarding our range of courses is now even easier, with simplified menus and website copy. Something which was high on our priority list for the new design. As well as having updated pages for all of our existing courses in the electrical, gas, plumbing and construction industry, we now offer fantastic courses in the IT sector! These can now be viewed and applied for today!

We hope you enjoy navigating and using our new website just as much as we do! If you have any questions or want to enquire about one of our courses, click below today!

Get in Touch >

If you’re thinking about changing to an electrician career path or are already working as an electrician and are looking for to gain further qualifications to move your career forward, Access Training Academies are here to help!

If you are part of the former, you may have already had a think about how to kick-start your career as an electrician and what is the best option for you. We understand that this can get fairly complicated with a variety of roles of pathways available to you, but it doesn’t have to be with our range of fast-track Electrician Courses - perfect to get you onto your desired electrician career path.

The Demand for Electricians

A recently carried out report showed that electricians and other skilled trade experts are among the most difficult professionals to employ through a lack of workforce numbers, above and over sales, management and executives.

Figures issued by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the electrical industry is in anguish as a result of a lack of resources, largely due to an ageing workforce.

As a result of apprenticeships or meaningful training routes not being available over the years, there has been a decreased number of new entrants into the field.

This doesn’t have to be an issue, however, with our courses - we ensure that they are perfectly tailored to an electrician career path. 

Becoming an Electrician

The main role of a typical electrician is to install, test and maintain electrical equipment, wiring, fittings and appliances in a variety of commercial and residential settings.

Traditionally, the way in which an individual would enter the electrical industry would be to first complete an industry-recognised Level 3 qualification such as an NVQ while working or subsequently enrol onto an apprenticeship which combines studies with on-the-job training.

These, however, can take many years to complete. Something you do not have to worry about with Access Training.

Access Training Electrical Courses

As mentioned, whether you are just starting out in your electrician career path, or are looking to increase your number of professional qualifications, Access Training provides a number of high-quality electrician career programmes that guarantee you achieve all necessary qualifications while gaining valuable work experience.

Our New Career Courses focus on providing all of the basic and essential electrician qualifications, regardless of prior experience, whereas our range of Trade Professional Courses are centred around providing experienced electricians with further qualifications and training in order to meet current regulations and further their existing abilities. All of our Electrical Courses can be viewed below.

Start Your Electrician Career Path

If you have any questions or require further information regarding our Electrical Courses, or how to navigate your very own electrician career path, please do not hesitate to contact us today by calling 0800 345 7492 or emailing info@accesstraininguk.co.uk.

advantages of self-employment

There are many well-known advantages of self employment, such as being able to control your own hours and wages. Still, making the decision to become self-employed can be pretty daunting. Whether you’ve been working as a part of a company for a period of time, or are just an enthusiastic individual with a great business idea, deciding whether or not self-employment is right for you isn’t easy. The concept of self-employment is both exciting and risky. Many people shy away from self-employment because of the dangers and risks associated with going self-employed, but should you?

As experts on trade training, we understand self-employment, as many trade workers choose self-employment over working for a larger company. We've seen that self-employment has a great many advantages and benefits that ultimately make it worth it for many people.

 

What Are the Benefits of Being Self-Employed?

 

  1. Taking Control

    Arguably the biggest advantage of becoming self-employed is the power and enjoyment that comes with being in control of all aspects of your business. Many people who have worked for a company as an employee may get tired of being told what to do, especially if they do not have a close working relationship with their superiors. When you’re your own boss, you decide what happens within your company, you choose the target audience, you pick the look, style and culture associated with the brand that you want to create. You also get to choose the location and hours that you work. Two huge factors when it comes to making the transition into self-employment.

 

  1. Job Security

    The risks associated with self-employment are far greater in the beginning, as they’re more likely to have an influence. As time goes on, however, and your business starts to grow bigger, so does your job security. Unlike traditional employment where your boss has the ability to let you go at any time when you work for yourself, you’ll never have to worry about getting sacked. The knowledge that you are in full control over your future can be a big motivator in running your own business.

 

  1. Utilising Your Skills

    One of the biggest and most rewarding benefits of being self-employed is the ability to showcase your best and most effective skills. As you are creating your business from scratch, you get to decide what the focus of your work is. You get to tailor your company around your passion and area of expertise. This is hugely inspiring for anyone thinking about leaving traditional work as many individuals find themselves limited to the parameters of their position, unable to utilise their best and most effective skills, which can make many people feel like they aren’t being used to their full potential.

 

  1. Greater Earning Potential

    In regular employment, you are stuck within your agreed salary. In most cases, this can get increased on an annual basis or involve yearly bonuses, but generally, there is a cap on your earning potential when working in a certain career. When working for yourself, you have a much higher chance of earning a greater amount of money. This may take time to achieve, but when your business reaches the point of profitability, your earning potential grows significantly. You may even reach a point where you have the ability the expand and upscale your business to help it grow further and increase your earning potential even more.

 

  1. A Sense of Pride

    The ultimate advantage of self-employment is the sense of pride that can be achieved. Seeing your business grow from a start-up to a potential national level organisation or franchise is a hugely satisfying feeling. Most of the time, however, you do not need to reach those sorts of levels to feel a sense of accomplishment. It’s the small milestones that mean the most. As your business starts to grow, you gain a greater feeling of being established and with continued success and more correct decisions, you have the ability to create a business that can involve members of your family or can be passed down to your children. A business that leaves a legacy is something that is worth more than anything.

 

Discover the Benefits of Being Self-Employed

These are just a number of the many advantages of self-employment, all of which are achievable with the help of Access Training Academies. We have an extensive range of courses available, across a variety of industries that you are able to complete in order to get fully qualified and kick-start your journey into self-employment. Click below to view our full range of courses and gain both the experience and credentials you need to become your own boss.

Electrician Courses     Gas Engineer Courses     Plumbing Courses

 

If you have any questions regarding our courses or require further information about a specific course, please do not hesitate to contact us today! We'll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have, and help you find the right course for you. 

Contact Us

 

Last updated 5th July 2022

Read More: Employment vs Self-Employment: Which is Better for Tradespeople?

How Long Does It Take to Become a Fully-Qualified Electrician?

Stuck in a job you don’t love? Or perhaps you’re considering your options after leaving school? Well, if you’re thinking about learning a trade, you may be wondering how to become an electrician. Read on to find out!

 

How to Become a Qualified Electrician

In order to become a fully-qualified electrician, you will have to complete a level 3 electrical or electro-technical qualification (or equivalent). This is traditionally done through an apprenticeship, as Level 3 will be awarded on completion. However, completing Level 1 and 2 qualifications may help you find a trainee position.

Becoming an Electrician Without an Apprenticeship: Here at Access Training, we offer intensive short-course training packages that will help you to get equally qualified (if not more) without needing to join an apprenticeship scheme.

Electrician Courses >

Whatever route you choose, the typical electrician needs to have:

  • Practical skills
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Social skills
  • Basic maths skills

 

How Long Does It Take to Get Qualified?

The time it takes to become a qualified electrician will depend on the study route you choose to take.

Generally, apprenticeships take three years to complete and will involve one day a week at college and four days within a related job position. However, many colleges offer two-year fast-track options for advanced students, as well as part-time study, which could take much longer.

After completion, it is then up to the student whether they continue on to higher education courses or undertake job-related training (e.g. a PAT testing certification).

Students at Access Training can achieve the very highest level in the electrical trade and earn a number of industry-recognised electrical qualifications (including PAT Testing and 18th Edition) in a matter of weeks.

Our electrical training courses are open to candidates of all experience levels. Your experienced tutor will guide you through the certifications needed to become an accomplished electrician, with study and examination for each qualification taking just a few contact days to finish.

So the question is this: do you go down the traditional apprenticeship route, or try something a little different? If the traditional route isn't right for you due to the time it takes to complete (because you'd prefer to quickly earn the experience and skills needed to become a fully-qualified electrician) then browse our range of electrician courses and enrol today!

Browse All Electrician Courses >

If you have any questions regarding our range of electrical training courses, please do not hesitate to contact us today!

UPDATE (08/10/2021): We now offer live online courses that allow you to learn about the electrical trade and the theory that underpins it from the comfort of your own home. These virtual classroom sessions are combined with hands-on learning at our training centre, equipping you with both the knowledge and the skills you'll need to succeed.

 

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