The fact is that a career within the electrical sphere is a frequent alternative for many people. Although often assigned to as \’Electro-Mechanical Engineering\”, we will simply refer to this as the Electrical Industry. Furthermore, we will focus on the UK market and the domestic and commercial elements rather than those from elsewhere around the world. By starting on the main subjects and checking the \’add-ons\’ later on we can review the centre of the electrical industry.
Really there are two main ways to enter the electrical market. Whilst many candidates opt to join later on in their life, there still exists the more traditional route of the apprenticeship. We have to reference individuals so we will plainly do so by \’Junior\’ and \’Mature\’ entrants.
People who do not want to pay any extra salaries, but want to enter the industry with the focus of being self employed are who we refer to as Mature Entrants. Whereas the \’Junior Entrants\’ train alongside regular electrical employment to pick up practical work place skills as they gain their qualifications. After they leave school a young apprentice will have many skills to learn during their first few years of working life.
Entry has two separate approaches to teaching. It is the involvement with NVQ\’s (or SVQ\’s for Scotland), that differentiate the Junior Entrants. There is a particular requirement to attain the NVQ qualifications as part of the overall program. Often, this means that students have to gain an apprenticeship in order to be able to realise the course work and testing requirements of the job.
Mature Entrants do not appear to seek the NVQ element but instead they go after the most commercially suitable qualifications. For example by concentrating on those qualifications aimed at giving them the best return from their training costs. Although this may offer quicker and more commercial options, it does reduce the official requirements set for certain areas of the industry.
In terms of typical earnings, we have two clear routes – those relating to employment and those for self-employment. The question remains as to how much work per week a self-employed person puts in – for the sake of this review we assume that it is full time. Salary options are often affected both by the know- how and the knack for doing things as well as any perceived formal levels of understanding.
With the right level of experience, \’Junior Entrants\’ salaries can rise considerably from twelve to thirty thousand pounds per annum. Conversely, the UK newspapers often report experienced mature electricians can expect an income of anything up to 70.000. Often costs such as tools, clothes and even transport need to be assessed and included in the business mix overall. They will also have to make allocations for personal or professional insurance and accountancy. That aside, whilst the work is open to market-forces to some degree, the current skills shortage in the UK means that there\’s a high work-load available. If a student wanted to work every day of the week this would be possible in some areas. To achieve the high salaries of 70+ thousand then you will need to put in very long hours and commit yourself fully.
Firstly, it is worth pointing out that the working week between the Junior and Mature electricians can vary enormously. Most \’Junior Entrants\’ do not work at the weekends. While on the other hand, the opportunities in the domestic market (where mature entrants often work) can be heavily dependent upon when the clients get home. Again, this varies considerably, and many self-employed electricians make the mainstay of their income from office and small business installation, testing and inspection, which is Mon-Fri 9-5pm.
Once a Junior Entrant is employed within a company, then any follow-on knowledge they gain is often down to the employers\’ activity as opposed to anything else. However, many mature entrants gain extra skills by learning those trades such as gas and plumbing work. If they are working mostly in the domestic market, this makes it easier for them to take on larger jobs across a range of disciplines (without having to sub-contract.)
An area that is relatively new to the industry overall, yet requires new expertise is that of \’Green Engineering\’. Looking together to the UK and the EEC this activity could be of benefit to both Junior and Mature Entrants, providing new growth and opportunities to both disciplines.
Author: Scott Edwards. Try www.MidLifeCareerChange.co.uk/GMLCC.html or Electricians Courses.

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