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Thinking of becoming an electrician. Anyone had experience of JTL?

So yea, I wan't to become a sparky. Not just a random out of the blue decision. It's always been my backup plan really if uni didn't work out.

Had some work experience in year 10 with an electrical contractors firm, and I really enjoyed the constant changing places and driving to new sites. Got a practical mindset and I enjoy fault finding too.

So to anyone who is thinking about, or in the process of training to be a sparky, can you give me some tips as to how to get started? Also, anyone had experience with JTL training? I have an assesment day in July :s-smilie:

I'm 20 btw.

Thank's!! :smile:

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Reply 1
Bumpity bump :wink:
Reply 2
Being 20 you'd have to pay for your college course yourself I think, But first you'll have to find an electrical company that will take you on as an apprentice! Im 1 1/2 years into becoming an electrician, and currently on the verge of quitting, being an electrician is HARD from the experience i've had anyway. I'm thinking about going back into education to study A-Levels for uni.
Do you mind if I ask, Have you been to uni? What did you study? What A-Levels did you do? What grades did you get? What GCSE's have you got?
I ask this because I need to find out as much information I can before I make my decision.

I hope this doesn't count as 'taking over a thread' i'm new to this whole forum thing....
Reply 3
Original post by RyanLee
Being 20 you'd have to pay for your college course yourself I think, But first you'll have to find an electrical company that will take you on as an apprentice! Im 1 1/2 years into becoming an electrician, and currently on the verge of quitting, being an electrician is HARD from the experience i've had anyway. I'm thinking about going back into education to study A-Levels for uni.
Do you mind if I ask, Have you been to uni? What did you study? What A-Levels did you do? What grades did you get? What GCSE's have you got?
I ask this because I need to find out as much information I can before I make my decision.

I hope this doesn't count as 'taking over a thread' i'm new to this whole forum thing....


Yea I am looking at doing an apprenticeship to be an electrical/mechanical maintainance technician instead. I don't think I want to be house bashing :s-smilie:

My GCSE's were mostly C's, except for DT which I got an A* in.

A levels were Environmental studies (B) and Geology AS (B).

I also had UCAS points from two BTEC's that I got distinctions in.

My advice would be to stick it out as an electrician. Unless you plan to do a Bsc in a hard subject at uni then the prospects after the electrical apprenticeship are much better (money wise).

Your choice though mate, do whatever makes you happy in the end.

Btw, what GCSE's did you get? Just wondering whether I will have enough for the apprenticeship.
I would suggest doing hnc in electrical engineering first then going for an appreticeship simply because your a little older than others applying straight from school so some employers might see an hnc as an advantage over some that has just came from school. At least that what two of my mates are doing and they're the same age as you.
Reply 5
Original post by Foghorn Leghorn
I would suggest doing hnc in electrical engineering first then going for an appreticeship simply because your a little older than others applying straight from school so some employers might see an hnc as an advantage over some that has just came from school. At least that what two of my mates are doing and they're the same age as you.


I think HNC in engineering would be a struggle (for me) because I don't have electronics or maths/physics at A level. I did it at GCSE, but the jump up would be crazy to HNC.

I don't think you need a HNC to do maintenance, but I'm not sure. The definitely look for city and guilds level 1-3 and NVQ. As well as a good knowledge of the 17th edition wiring regulations.

What are your mates with the HNC's going into?
Reply 6
I got A's and B's at GCSE Levels, my employer wasn't interested in these AT ALL. Still in the process of deciding to leave and study A-Levels full time, or stay and study A-Levels at home, whilst still completing the apprenticeship. However, I wish to go on and study at university in the future, and the Level 3 NVQ i'm currently working towards is worthless to most universities...
Original post by 331sam331
So yea, I wan't to become a sparky. Not just a random out of the blue decision. It's always been my backup plan really if uni didn't work out.

Had some work experience in year 10 with an electrical contractors firm, and I really enjoyed the constant changing places and driving to new sites. Got a practical mindset and I enjoy fault finding too.

So to anyone who is thinking about, or in the process of training to be a sparky, can you give me some tips as to how to get started? Also, anyone had experience with JTL training? I have an assesment day in July :s-smilie:

I'm 20 btw.

Thank's!! :smile:

Just some advice. I have a brother who studied to become an electrician, got all the qualifications. Worked for about 2 years and in the past few years hasn't been able to find any steady work, just part time contracts. Its so bad he had to change profession. It seems like a really bad time to become an electrician (according to him and his colleagues). Anyway goodluck with what you plan to do.
Reply 8
Original post by RyanLee
I got A's and B's at GCSE Levels, my employer wasn't interested in these AT ALL. Still in the process of deciding to leave and study A-Levels full time, or stay and study A-Levels at home, whilst still completing the apprenticeship. However, I wish to go on and study at university in the future, and the Level 3 NVQ i'm currently working towards is worthless to most universities...


Hey thank's for the input :smile:

What apprenticeship are you doing? Domestic electrical?

I think the NVQ should mean something to them, even if it means you have to do a year access course before the degree. Better than 2 years of A levels...

Plus it's good to have a trade to fall back on I guess. So really you are in a good position :wink:
Reply 9
Original post by anonstudent1
Just some advice. I have a brother who studied to become an electrician, got all the qualifications. Worked for about 2 years and in the past few years hasn't been able to find any steady work, just part time contracts. Its so bad he had to change profession. It seems like a really bad time to become an electrician (according to him and his colleagues). Anyway goodluck with what you plan to do.


Oh dear, maybe I should re-think my options then :frown:

Just so confused at the moment, pulling my hair out with trying to figure out what to do with my life.

I think that your brothers case reflects the economy, less building = less need for sparkies. Not just the trades that suffered, most jobs were not that stable then I guess, or even now.

What did he change profession into?
Original post by 331sam331
Oh dear, maybe I should re-think my options then :frown:

Just so confused at the moment, pulling my hair out with trying to figure out what to do with my life.

I think that your brothers case reflects the economy, less building = less need for sparkies. Not just the trades that suffered, most jobs were not that stable then I guess, or even now.

What did he change profession into?

He went into courier work. But yhh i guess it has been every trade that has suffered.
Reply 11
Original post by anonstudent1
He went into courier work. But yhh i guess it has been every trade that has suffered.


Oh right, I wouldn't mind doing that tbh lol :tongue:

Did he have to do much training to get into being a courier?
Original post by 331sam331
Oh right, I wouldn't mind doing that tbh lol :tongue:

Did he have to do much training to get into being a courier?

It was hard to get a route to start of with, as they do want drivers with some experience but after putting in some effort and putting up with some ********s for employers, he has a steady job now. Not any training needed though.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 13
Original post by anonstudent1
It was hard to get a route to start of with, as they do want drivers with some experience but after putting in some effort and putting up with some ********s for employers, he has a steady job now. Not any training needed though.


Yea I bet it was tough getting his foot in the door. Especially in these times :s-smilie:

At least he is proof that it's not impossible.

Pay doesn't seem too bad for what you ar doing either. Looks like between £14,000 and £17,000 :smile:
Original post by 331sam331
Yea I bet it was tough getting his foot in the door. Especially in these times :s-smilie:

At least he is proof that it's not impossible.

Pay doesn't seem too bad for what you ar doing either. Looks like between £14,000 and £17,000 :smile:


Its actually quite a bit more 20-24k, but that's because there is opportunity to put in extra hours. Its meant to be quite hard though.
Reply 15
Original post by anonstudent1
Its actually quite a bit more 20-24k, but that's because there is opportunity to put in extra hours. Its meant to be quite hard though.


Damn that's pretty good.

Yea I imagine driving all the time and lifting heavy parcels must be pretty knackering. But for that money it's not too bad I bet.
Reply 16
I'm at the end of my apprenticeship and leaving to go to uni myself.

If you enjoy the job then it's great, I'm more specialised and into control and automation than actual sparky work but any sparky could specialise later.

My advice is don't go to college off your own back, find an apprenticeship vacancy first, then if it is a good company they will pay you through all your qualifications.

Go down the industrial route too, not domestic. Domestic is lower paid, and less secure (in general).

Try the big companies - utility companies (water, gas, electric), national rail, national grid. Bigger the company the better, because in my experience they are more likely to have a job at the end for you to slot into and they are more likely to pay you through both an ONC and an HNC, maybe even a degree. Smaller companies may take you on, use you as cheap labour for a couple of years while you just do basic ONC and NVQ3 qualifications, then throw you out.

Expect to start with a large company on £12-14k, rising to above £20k in your final (4th) year.

Specialise in control and automation, but keep a good sparky background (something I lack as I haven't done it as part of my apprenticeship) and you could earn £35-40k in a comfortable job. Go to a more high demanding, high pressure job such as commissioning and you could earn up to £100k with a bit of experience. You won't see these wages in domestic work :wink:

Why am I leaving such an awesome job? It's not for me. I don't want to be a sparky, it interests me very little (I tried getting some experience by spending some time with sparks and did not get on with it at all, not to mention the quite frightening voltages they were working with). Without the sparky experience my prospects are limited. Tbh I was sold the job wrong, it was sold to me as more IT/programming, when in reality it isn't.

If you really enjoy it then it's a good industry to work in though. But I guess what I'm trying to say is really understand what it is you are going to be doing before going ahead and dropping out of whatever you currently do. If I were doing it again then after being offered the job I would of spent a few days visiting them, finding out what I would be doing, as I actually spent my first year in college full time so never found out what the job was really about until about 10 months in.
Original post by 331sam331
I think HNC in engineering would be a struggle (for me) because I don't have electronics or maths/physics at A level. I did it at GCSE, but the jump up would be crazy to HNC.

I don't think you need a HNC to do maintenance, but I'm not sure. The definitely look for city and guilds level 1-3 and NVQ. As well as a good knowledge of the 17th edition wiring regulations.

What are your mates with the HNC's going into?


Electrical Engineering of some sort and ones becoming a sparky.
Reply 18
Original post by mike101
I'm at the end of my apprenticeship and leaving to go to uni myself



Hey, thank's for the reply :smile:

Sounds like you did a decent apprenticeship though. The reason I thought domestic is just because I don't think I would be able to cope with the more complex electronics, just not brainy enough in maths.

The sort of salary I would be after would be maybe £24,000 max. I could easily live off that.

Not interested in a big house and an expensive car.

What field would pay that? I was thinking maybe factory maintenance or something like that. Would I need to know programming?

Could you explain a bit more about what your job entails? I'm guessing less programming than you wanted?

I don't know what to do really, ahhh lol :s-smilie:

I am looking into welding and fabrication now, as there is a comany a few miles away that does tanker design and digital welding. Could be a good trade to learn :confused:
Reply 19
Original post by Foghorn Leghorn
Electrical Engineering of some sort and ones becoming a sparky.


Oh OK thank's :smile:

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