ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades How to be an electrician

Can you give me a brief description of how a young person becomes an electrician in your country? Time to be served, training, exams etc. (I am in Ireland, well UK really but thats enough of that!)

I served my time in Scotland with the power company (SSEB, now Scottish Power). Did two years at their training center, followed by two years "on job" training.

First year, went to technical college on day release, one day a week. Two days a week on subsequent years, and also two evenings a week in years three and four.

Finished up with City & Guilds exam certificates (236 parts 1,2 & C and 236 Supplentary electronics), which they assured me would be recognised worldwide. However when I came to the USA, nobody here has ever heard of City & Guilds!

In my opinion, a very good grounding in the field, but there is not a day goes by where I don't learn something new.

Lyle,
I served my time at Electricity Ashburton,
(the local Power board).
It took 10,000 Hours, of on-the job experience, 1 full year at Polytech,
night courses every Tuesday, for 2 years,
Block courses lasting a fortnight, in the middle of the year(5 of them), and a whole host of exams at the end of my apprenticeship, these being Regulations, Theory and 2 Practical Exams, to make sure you can do all of the required tasks of a Registered Electrician, and do them safely.
It was the Power Board that stipulated the 5-
year apprenticeship, normally it is only 4-years(8000 Hours), over here, but they liked to thoroughly train their staff.

Lyle,
What are the requirements in Ireland, for registration as an Electrician?.
What motivated you to take up Electrical
Tutoring?, I take my hat off to you, it takes a special type of person to teach new
people to the trade.
But I, bet you know your basic Theory like no-one else!

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 01-24-2003).]

If you do not come from the UK, Ireland or Scotland, can you still apply to sit City and Guilds exams?.
Can anyone help me in this respect?

Don't forget that Scotland is part of the U.K.

I'm not sure whether there are any restrictions on who can take C&G. You might have a look at their website:
www.city-and-guilds.co.uk