Electrician who received poor apprenticeship

nomurf

Hi, I am from the Cork area and finished my electrical apprenticeship last year. I basically spent 4 years pulling cables and doing donkey work. I didn't do E&I and I feel this was the reason. I started out at a small company and wasn't given the option to do E&I and when I moved to this unnamed company was given a terrible apprenticeship. Once I was qualified I was let go and haven't applied for an electrical job since out of the fear of pure embarrassment of not being capable of doing proper work. I am just wondering can anyone give me any advice on what to do next, be it a course or a job that may suit someone with a limited knowledge of the electrical game, (I have worked minimum wage jobs and to be honest it is sole destroying at this age) I am currently unemployed and am a real stage in my life where I don't know what to do next. I've looked at courses online and dont have the money to partake in a 4 year course but express or short courses are something I have looked out for with no luck. I am still only 26 so have time to sort out a career but it is running out fast, thanks to anyone for any help I greatly appreciate it.

Stoner

Could you stay with someone in Dublin

Would you consider BIM or Engineering

Have you a leaving cert
Is it good
How did you do tech

nomurf

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. As for Dublin I don’t know anyone up there to stay with.As to BIM and engineering I don’t feel I am able to take on a full time course and that pretty much seems the only option with them here in Cork.

I do have a leaving cert but it probably wouldn’t be the best to be honest. Didn’t care much in school and regretting it now.

I didn’t understand the bit at the end about tech sorry?

gifted

If you qualified as a spark then you must have passed all your exams?

nomurf

gifted wrote: »

If you qualified as a spark then you must have passed all your exams?

Yes I actually got credits in all my trade exams so found that all okay, it was just when I was out working it was on a big pharmaceutical and was basically used for cable pulling and that was the height of my apprenticeship.

November Golf

nomurf wrote: »

Hi, I am from the Cork area and finished my electrical apprenticeship last year. I basically spent 4 years pulling cables and doing donkey work. I didn't do E&I and I feel this was the reason. I started out at a small company and wasn't given the option to do E&I and when I moved to this unnamed company was given a terrible apprenticeship. Once I was qualified I was let go and haven't applied for an electrical job since out of the fear of pure embarrassment of not being capable of doing proper work. I am just wondering can anyone give me any advice on what to do next, be it a course or a job that may suit someone with a limited knowledge of the electrical game, (I have worked minimum wage jobs and to be honest it is sole destroying at this age) I am currently unemployed and am a real stage in my life where I don't know what to do next. I've looked at courses online and dont have the money to partake in a 4 year course but express or short courses are something I have looked out for with no luck. I am still only 26 so have time to sort out a career but it is running out fast, thanks to anyone for any help I greatly appreciate it.

Sorry for my ignorance but: What is E&I ??

august12

nomurf wrote:

I do have a leaving cert but it probably wouldn’t be the best to be honest. Didn’t care much in school and regretting it now.

There is no point in dwelling on the past, once you are over 23 you can apply for third level courses as a mature student if you do not currently have a degree or dropped out of college, this is called a second chance student, you could also check out the apprenticeship site, there are quite a number of apprenticeship jobs advertised there including electrical instrumentation, 26 is still very young.

micks

nomurf wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. As for Dublin I don’t know anyone up there to stay with.As to BIM and engineering I don’t feel I am able to take on a full time course and that pretty much seems the only option with them here in Cork.

I do have a leaving cert but it probably wouldn’t be the best to be honest. Didn’t care much in school and regretting it now.

I didn’t understand the bit at the end about tech sorry?

Tech is the theory end of the apprenticeship

To be honest I would think that you are closer to the norm that you think

If you can get in with some of the bigger contractors on big jobs you would be surprised how much you are able to do
How are yo with the "mechanical" aspects of the job? eg unistrut/containment/ladder/trunking/conduit etc?

Its a busy industry at the moment and companies would be willing to take you on and see how you get on

Alternatively if you found a smaller company and were honest and willing to work they may take you on below full rate to catch up as so to speak

If you've got through the 4 years and got good grades dont beat yourself up
You'd be surprised how many people finish their apprenticeship and are far from the finished articel

micks

Mike Foxtrot wrote: »

Sorry for my ignorance but: What is E&I ??

Electrical & Instrumentation

Stoner

That's fine , that's what I meant by tech, as in how did you do in college in tech studies

You could work as a sparks in Dublin and go to college part time

You'd get the first year off your level 7.

It's possible. You'll have to change things up a bit but it's possible if you want it enough.

It's all started up this week
You might make it.

You'll have your three years over in no time.
BIM is an excellent opportunity for sparks

You can train off line yourself

I've a paper drafted on same, visualization skills can be very strong in tradespeople, very transferrable.

If you want to PM I could talk to you a bit off line with some people who've been in your situation.

gifted

nomurf wrote: »

Yes I actually got credits in all my trade exams so found that all okay, it was just when I was out working it was on a big pharmaceutical and was basically used for cable pulling and that was the height of my apprenticeship.

Don't knock yourself....if you passed all your exams then your capable. Working in pharmaceutical projects is very different from commercial and domestic....same principle but thousands times bigger.

At the end of the day you are a qualified spark, apply for jobs and just tell any employer you don't have much hands on experience....start off small and build up your experience.

nomurf

micks wrote: »

Tech is the theory end of the apprenticeship

To be honest I would think that you are closer to the norm that you think

If you can get in with some of the bigger contractors on big jobs you would be surprised how much you are able to do
How are yo with the "mechanical" aspects of the job? eg unistrut/containment/ladder/trunking/conduit etc?

Its a busy industry at the moment and companies would be willing to take you on and see how you get on

Alternatively if you found a smaller company and were honest and willing to work they may take you on below full rate to catch up as so to speak

If you've got through the 4 years and got good grades dont beat yourself up
You'd be surprised how many people finish their apprenticeship and are far from the finished articel

I have considered getting on to companies and explaining my situaton but havent been sure how to word it but that is something I will look into.

Unfortunately my "mechanical skills are pretty much non existent"

Perhaps a reduced rate job is the way to go for now and hopefully get up to speed with the other tradesmen in time, thank you!!

nomurf

gifted wrote: »

Don't knock yourself....if you passed all your exams then your capable. Working in pharmaceutical projects is very different from commercial and domestic....same principle but thousands times bigger.

At the end of the day you are a qualified spark, apply for jobs and just tell any employer you don't have much hands on experience....start off small and build up your experience.

I will do that, I may as well give it a go anyway, thanks for giving me the push in the right direction!

nomurf

august12 wrote: »

There is no point in dwelling on the past, once you are over 23 you can apply for third level courses as a mature student if you do not currently have a degree or dropped out of college, this is called a second chance student, you could also check out the apprenticeship site, there are quite a number of apprenticeship jobs advertised there including electrical instrumentation, 26 is still very young.

Maybe applying for an electrical apprenticeship could be a good way to go than I could pick up some more electrical experience as well as learning the instrumentation side also, thank you!

November Golf

nomurf wrote: »

Maybe applying for an electrical apprenticeship could be a good way to go than I could pick up some more electrical experience as well as learning the instrumentation side also, thank you!

Could you not just apply for a job as Year 3 or Year 4 apprentice. I mean if your fully qualified its unlikely you need another cable pulling exercise & whatever your lacking in, you would probably pick up quickly with a good employer.

khaldrogo

There are dozens of newly qualified mechanics in this same position every year. You will get experience as you go

nomurf

Mike Foxtrot wrote: »

Could you not just apply for a job as Year 3 or Year 4 apprentice. I mean if your fully qualified its unlikely you need another cable pulling exercise & whatever your lacking in, you would probably pick up quickly with a good employer.

Sounds like a good idea! I'm gonna prepare a cover letter and start applying for those start of roles right away, thanks!

November Golf

nomurf wrote: »

Sounds like a good idea! I'm gonna prepare a cover letter and start applying for those start of roles right away, thanks!

Something to start you off:

4th year electrical apprentice
https://ie.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=5808b2c275be2a5c&tk=1cmlnbjog918hec6&from=serp&vjs=3

Sleeper12

Sounds like the main thing they didn't give you in the four years is confidence building.

bonzos

Don't understand estimate yourself, if you have the knowledge to pass all your electrical exams it's a great foundation to build on. I worked in many different aspects for the electrical/maintenance/service industries for years and the lads with an electrical or electronic background can be moulded into loads of different professions. Have you considered lift engineer, HVAC, intruder, fire alarms....all these are jobs that you start with your basic electrical background and learn from in house training and experience.

tweek84

First off I would like to say that you should not be putting yourself down, you have served your time and you have completed your block release and passed your exams you are an electrician you are qualified end off.
The next thing I have to say is that you are not to go off and get a job below the rate, you have served your time you are entitled to that rate.
There are plenty of guys out there that have experience at terminating & glanding and are still no good at it, you have to give yourself a chance and be confident in your abilities. Just because you spent a lot of time pulling cable does not mean that you are stuck to that role if you have an interest doing other electrical work go for it do not limit yourself.
The previous company has failed you in the way they trained you, I have seen this happen lads get stuck on one crew and that’s it, on the plus side they held on to you for the rest of your apprenticeship that tells me that you just weren't there to make up the numbers.
I have seen it in some cases where guys fall in with the right crew of guys and get the best work, I have also seen it where very good electricians and apprentices have had a falling out with the wrong crew and have had their names blackened and get the ****e jobs then get laid off.
I have seen it where lads that are experienced in terminating,glanding, commission etc have gone to college but only to fail their exams.
Do not let one experience with a company deter you, work is out there put yourself forward , if you are not confident in your abilities in a pharma industry go to a commercial setup to get more confidence in terminating etc

jasushaw

Howya I was in a similar position as yourself,
Took me 8 years to get qualified. Working for different lads and not getting signed up and I emigrated for a while etc etc. But all the work I had done was ****e work and I had a brutal apprenticeship sometimes employers said to me when I asked questions about the trade and so on that "you will have to find that out yourself".

It's a horrible feeling being qualified but being embarrassed because you feel you dont know ****. But like the lads said once you have passed the exams and have a read over regs and all. Just get a job with someone doing houses or something it will all come to you naturally after a bit of experience. There are plenty of electricians who have been doing it for years and don't know that much. Just take your time do your work right. Employers are crying out for láds these days just get your foot in the door with some one with a fresh head no beer the weekend before ha and what ever your doing just tell them you have never done before and to show you. Simple as.

2 years ago I hadn't **** all experience and was considering leaving electrical altogether. But just started back doing houses and now I'm working for myself and enjoying my work.
Truth is alot of people don't know much about electrical work apart from what they have experienced themselves but will let on they know it all even if there experience is limited.

Just take your time and take pride in your work and it will come to you

nomurf wrote: »

Hi, I am from the Cork area and finished my electrical apprenticeship last year. I basically spent 4 years pulling cables and doing donkey work. I didn't do E&I and I feel this was the reason. I started out at a small company and wasn't given the option to do E&I and when I moved to this unnamed company was given a terrible apprenticeship. Once I was qualified I was let go and haven't applied for an electrical job since out of the fear of pure embarrassment of not being capable of doing proper work. I am just wondering can anyone give me any advice on what to do next, be it a course or a job that may suit someone with a limited knowledge of the electrical game, (I have worked minimum wage jobs and to be honest it is sole destroying at this age) I am currently unemployed and am a real stage in my life where I don't know what to do next. I've looked at courses online and dont have the money to partake in a 4 year course but express or short courses are something I have looked out for with no luck. I am still only 26 so have time to sort out a career but it is running out fast, thanks to anyone for any help I greatly appreciate it.

khaldrogo

khaldrogo wrote: »

There are dozens of newly qualified mechanics in this same position every year.

Electricians don't generally swap parts first and diagnose problems second.
Having the audacity to charge for work carried out under misdiagnosis.