Electrical contracting in the current climate

gambithh

i an based in the mid west and qualified as an electician in 2006 and worked mostly in the heavy industrial area,when the recession hit in 2008 i like many was let go and moved on and am currently in a very secure job in the security industry.
The few i knew that remained in the industry were working as self emplyed subcontracted in,( with no job security and no industrial pay rate,had to make their own tax returns etc)
I swore i would never go back to this uncertainity,but recently a friend has returned after a similar decade long absence and is earning big money.He tells me the overtime is always there and his company is crying out for qualified electricians.Its starting to give me itchy feet in my own job.
Can anyone one the ground tell me if this is what they are withnessing? Have we got a few good years of employment in front of us or am i better off in my safe (low paying) job.

2011

Things have definitely picked up and clearly there is a shortage of electricians. It will take a long time for the supply of electricians to be replenished.

In my opinion a good electrician will always find work even when times are bad.

In the domestic area there has always been some element of a "race to the bottom", resulting in some being poorly paid. The better paid jobs still tend to be in the industrial sectors.

There are a number of alarm installers that have little or no qualifications and consequently are on low saleries, this drives down the pay for those with hard earned qualifications (such as electricians) that are working in the same industry. If I were in your shoes I would be working as an electrician and trying to work my way up the ladder. There may not be the same opportunities in a few years time.

I would expect this uplift to continue for some time due to the shortage of electricians and the increase in demand, but God only knows what Brexit will bring.

JonnyM

Definitely picking up and most if the bigger companies hoovering up all the electricians as the pay is better and smaller companies can't compete with them.

It seems most of this work is in the Dublin region so you may have to travel.

Plenty of money to be made as there's no shortage of overtime at the minute with my current employer. (Evenings and saturday)

If I were you I would most definitely look into coming back and earning better money for the foreseeable future.

gambithh

bump on this,still not made the jump back to electrical but getting busier down Limerick way.

mark085

Thinking of starting my own electrical business but I'm looking for people's views on how the current economic climate is, is it feesable ? I am registering with safe electric but before I invest in myself I would like to get some advice. Any feedback is appreciated thanks