Electricians, Apprentices

Cromsey

Hi guys I'm looking for some information from electricians or apprentice electricians about there job? I'm currently considering looking into getting an apprenticeship ,I'm 22 in the army but I feel now is the time to change careers. I would like to know basics on there daily work , career progression, weekly take home pay etc .. Some advice would be great thanks.

Dufftronic

If you can get an apprenticeship you should definitely go for it. It depends greatly on who the employer is on what work you will be doing for them. I did mine in the food industry so i was working in a maintenance department. This meant attending breakdowns and repairing equipment (conveyors, chillers, freezers, packaging equipment, filling equipment, steam injection, hydraulics etc). Replacing sensors, PLC's etc etc. I was 25 when i started mine so it's never too late.

I've since immigrated to the UK where there are more job opportunities and role diversification. Salary expectations depends on where you go. I'm currently on 52K per annum but you will get either more or less depending on what industry and your experience.

Go for it though. Once you get that piece of paper with your qualifications on it, they can never take it off you and you can travel the world. Also, in my experience in the Irish qualification greatly surpasses the English one.

Cromsey

Thanks , would you recommend going into electrical maintenance if I was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship in it?
I've applied for an apprenticeship with mercury since.

Dufftronic

There are far more opportunities for you if you can get into a maintenance role. My apprenticeship was a standard electrical apprenticeship but i am now specialising in robotics. You simply won't get that doing domestic. Not that i'm knocking domestic but it just doesn't offer up as much diversification as i would like. Best of luck to you though.

Stoner

Lads all advice is good just watch the charter guidelines on rates of pay and mentioning companies.
Thank you

Dufftronic

Stoner wrote: »

Lads all advice is good just watch the charter guidelines on rates of pay and mentioning companies.
Thank you

I haven't mentioned who my employer is, does that contravene the rules? If so I'll edit the post

Stoner

Dufftronic wrote:

I haven't mentioned who my employer is, does that contravene the rules? If so I'll edit the post

You're fine i just posted to focus things thank you

2011

Dufftronic wrote: »

There are far more opportunities for you if you can get into a maintenance role.

I am not sure that I agree with this. I base this on my experience of working in both areas. When I worked in maintenance I found that my employer sent me on lots of expensive training courses which was great. Our primary role was to support production at all costs. This inevitably lead to some guntering interesting solutions. During my period in this role I earned significantly less money than when working on construction projects. There was also a lot of hanging around. Preventative maintenance tasks and routine instrument calibrations were carried out at a "leisurely" pace. I am not knocking the team that I worked with, they were some very talented smart people there but the pace did not suit me. Of course that is just my experience many moons ago, others may have very different more recent experiences.

I learnt that maintenance and installation people are very different animals requiring very different skill sets. The training I received in my maintenance role really advanced my career. In my opinion an electrician with industrial installation will have more employment opportunities than a maintenance electrician as this later is a more specialized role. Both roles can be equally technical but the maintenance is more likely to be more technically demanding.

My apprenticeship was a standard electrical apprenticeship but i am now specialising in robotics. You simply won't get that doing domestic.

Agreed. A good electrical apprenticeship can open many doors and take your career in many different directions. I started my apprenticeship "old" at almost 22.

I still work in the industry in a very different role, not "on my tools".

Not that i'm knocking domestic but it just doesn't offer up as much diversification as i would like. Best of luck to you though.

+1
Each to their own.

HoggyRS

If youre looking for a start <Mod snip> are always taking on apprentice sparks and elec instrument techs. <Mod snip> says no vacancies for apprentices at moment but send one in as they are taking on some most years, had alot when busy. I was with them for 3 years (didnt qualify but not their fault i moved trade) and they never messed me about always got the rate always got my lodge had work every week. Better off to get into a factory as maintenance apprentice but no harm to apply to the contractors too.

2011

Mod note
Assisting someone to get an electrical apprentiship is always very much appreciated. However as per the forum charter please do not mention any company names. Anyone that wants this companies details can request HoggyRS to PM them.

Thanks.

Cromsey

Hi guys I have been offered an industrial electrical apprenticeship would you reccomend this?

m.j.w

Hi Cromsey, I was in the exact same boat as you. I joined the army when I was 18 and was in for 4 years. Ended up leaving and done an electrical apprenticeship. Best thing I ever done. Done an apprenticeship as an industrial maintenance electrician. Once I finished my apprenticeship I moved to Canada and have been here since working in the oilsands in Alberta. The money is good although the work has slowed down abit with the price of oil being low. Best thing for me is once you have the trade you can work anywhere.

Codofwar

Cromsey wrote: »

Hi guys I have been offered an industrial electrical apprenticeship would you reccomend this?

Most definitly. If you really want to train to be an electrician I can't recommend training with an industrial company enough. You will still do lighting and power but the range of electrical work that you do will surpass that of doing solely domestic type work for 4 years. Again, as the guys above said, nothing wrong with domestic I just personally feel, from experience in various aspects of our trade that industrial is a fantastic learning curve and you will find it relatively easy to get work as an electrician all around the world.