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Posted By: Trumpy Inspector here - 10/13/06 08:12 AM
Sorry,
I forgot to mention that before I took on the job as a Fire Safety Officer, I passed my Electrical Inspectors Exams here.
Isn't life so fast-paced these days?.
Since then I have inspected 2 houses re-wired by Electricians and both passed.
There used to be a thing here that you had to have 10 years and Advanced Trade behind you.
I had the Advanced Trade, just before they changed the wording, which is called Level 5 (Electrical Advanced) these days.
My one idea about exams here in NZ these days, is that they need a huge boot up the backside.
If you cannot score at least 80% in a exam, you are not fit for this trade.
People's lives are in your hands.
Would you like a 60% Electrician?
Posted By: RODALCO Re: Inspector here - 10/14/06 06:44 AM
Congratulations Mike.

I entirely agrre that the pass mark for electricians should be at least 80%.
In this day and age with all the PC nonsense, the pass rates are set too low.
Lifes are dependant upon good workmanship which includes testing all the aspects of the completed job as per the electrical regulations.
Unfortunately if that level was set the ones who fail probably still keep doing backdoor jobs and may get away with it, How on earth do you know if a COC was taken out for the job anyway.
The good electricians doing it by the book while other ones may create potential hazards which may never been picked up untill too late and someone is electrocuted.
Posted By: Eddy Current Re: Inspector here - 10/14/06 10:50 AM
Need a 70% to pass in Canada. Better, but not enough. Alot of guys are failing too. Our test is too general, many questions are concidered "general Knowledge" where there is no code to get the answer, your just suposed to know it.
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Inspector here - 10/15/06 09:22 AM
However,
LK (Les) said in the Chat rooms.
When it was found that apprentices were failing the exams, they made them easier.
What does that say to the customer?.
The industry wants more trainees these days.
We have folks that can't even use a Megger.
Bigger pass rate.
OK, Which would you sooner employ?.
Also, what does that say to us folks that passed some pretty horrendous tests to qualify as Electricians and know how to use this gear.
We should be all equal in knowledge.
Posted By: Alan Belson Re: Inspector here - 10/16/06 11:16 PM
Well, I must say I'm glad we never had 80% pass rates in 'O' Levels or in Engineering, or I'd have failed the bloody lot along with all me mates!!!

80%???!!! You must have had all the answers written on your fingers in biro! [Linked Image]

I did!

Anywey, it 'istn wot u kno, i'ts Hoo!!
Posted By: OldAppy Re: Inspector here - 10/17/06 08:10 AM
Would be fine to set a higher pass rate. BUT the exam i sat had a 24% pass rate, so low the clown that set it got the arse. The appys were then given their next exam at no cost.
Remember we have a massive rate of people dropping out of the trade, And this does not surprise me at all, also every appy we have had through has moved to the UK within 2 months for there OE, and why wouldn't you!
We need 60% or the like to replace the ones we loose.
Also We have clowns in wellington making it harder for us to do our job - not helping.
OA

[This message has been edited by OldAppy (edited 10-17-2006).]
Posted By: RODALCO Re: Inspector here - 10/17/06 06:21 PM
Welcome in the forum ! OldAppy

Now these days safety is a big issue and you expect an electrician to do a good and safe job.

It is not good practise to drop standards of workmanship and knowledge to achieve good pass rates in examns.
If you fail an examn sorry, next time put a bit more effort in it and you will pass, at least that is the way I look at it.
It is a shame that the teacher who set that 24% pass rate examn got the sack, to much PC from higher up obviously.

Wellington bureaucrats are a pain and only create more paperwork and costs to keep licenses up to date, and keep their own jobs safe.
Posted By: TeesdaleSparkUK Re: Inspector here - 10/17/06 09:17 PM
"also every appy we have had through has moved to the UK within 2 months for there OE, and why wouldn't you!"

Why? Isn't the pay any good there?
Posted By: OldAppy Re: Inspector here - 10/18/06 07:29 AM
"Why? Isn't the pay any good there?"
Crap as far as I'm concerned

They are just youngsters that have a trade and want to travel, heck for 3 years we have been making them do all the **** work (according to them), reality is they have it very good indeed.
Posted By: 400volt Re: Inspector here - 10/19/06 07:03 AM
The question is How difficult are the examination questions? How relevant are the exam questions? How much on -job instruction has been given in relation to the important tasks and safety. This includes Electrical Inspection,Testing and Verify that the Electrical Installation is "Electrically Safe".
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Inspector here - 10/19/06 02:41 PM
Personally,
I didn't do this for any sort of monetary gain per se.
I thought it would be a good challenge and I'm glad I passed, on the other side of the exam.
Having said that, I reckon that will be about the end of doing exams and things such as that, between all of the courses I've sat as a FF, a chopper pilot and an electrical worker, I've got qualifications fatigue. [Linked Image]
Mind you, I'm always looking to take on new skills and it is amazing just how many different things we do pick up in a life-time.
I'm all for personal development (not the Anthony Robbins or whatever he's called type though).
I was talking to a tutor I had when I was doing my time as a sparkie and he told me something that really astounded the hell out of me.
Apparently, when people are taken in on these pre-trade courses here in NZ, not only are they helped along after the exam if they (dare I use the word) fail, but during these pre-trade courses, they are allowed to have all the material required to answer the questions (called an open-book exam) with them at the time of the exam.
Now call me backward, call me what you will, but I was under the impression that an examination was to test how much you could remember from what you had been taught??.
This sets a rather interesting precident, in that, while Polytechnics like to have as higher mark average as possible, they are giving people that want to be in this trade a false impression of what the real exams will be like.
Crikey, when I did my First Qualifying exam as an Electrical Apprentice, you weren't even allowed to use a calculator, in case it stored formulae and that would give you an unfair advantage over those that never bought one, so we were told.
My old tutor said that pretty much these days the training system here is more about "bums on seats" rather than any sort of quality in the actual training.
I don't think it's that bad though, I've been to a few refresher courses that probably could have been better, but it got the job done.
Posted By: Alan Belson Re: Inspector here - 10/19/06 09:07 PM
In serving writs I made such a name
That an articled clerk I soon became.
I wore clean collars and a brand new suit
For the Pass Examination at the Institute.
That Pass Examination did so well for me
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen’s Navy!
Of legal knowledge I acquired such a grip
That they took me into the Partnership.
And the Junior Partnership I wean
Was the only ship I ever had seen!
But that sort of 'ship' so suited me
That now I am the Ruler of the Queen’s Navy!



“When I was a lad I served a Term.”
HMS PINAFORE
Gilbert and Sullivan
Posted By: SteveFehr Re: Inspector here - 10/19/06 09:11 PM
Quote
If you cannot score at least 80% in a exam, you are not fit for this trade.
People's lives are in your hands.
Would you like a 60% Electrician?
I'm taking the PE exam this friday- they don't publish the raw score, but it's apparently around 50% correct to pass! Even then, pass rate for the exam is only about 30-50%, it's a really hard exam.

But that's right that it's so hard- people's lives are in our hands when we design, build and inspect. There is very little room for error...

[This message has been edited by SteveFehr (edited 10-19-2006).]
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