David Feakes, a director of Marrison Electrical Ltd, in Attleborough, a contracting firm specialising in all areas of electrical contracting.

Qualified Electrician

Answers supplied by David Feakes, a director from Marrison Electrical Ltd, Attleborough, a well established local contracting firm specialising in all areas of electrical contracting.

What does the job entail?
Initially training is spent working beside and assisting a qualified electrician, combined with off site training at a college or training centre. Under supervision, an apprentice will learn the trade and gradually gain in confidence enabling them to improve their skills from labouring to more responsible duties. The work is quite diverse, from rewiring and upgrading existing systems to the design, construction and installation of complete electrical services to new buildings.

What skills and qualifications are needed?
Most apprentices join the industry at the age of 16 and train for approximately four years. All must pass an initial assessment, although four GCSEs or equivalent at grades C or above in maths, English and science would be a good inidication of suitability.

What type of person will fit in?
You need to have good common sense and a practical ability to think out and solve problems. The ability to be well organised, conscientious, tidy and safety-conscious are also attributes which will help.

What are the pluses and minuses of the job?
As with all careers, an electrician’s life will be full of variety — some jobs
may be quite straightforward while others will require a considerable technical input. The workplace will vary considerably. Some unsociable hours of work may be experienced, but the satisfaction of seeing a neatly installed electrical installation, or reinstating a power supply after a failure, gives you a great sense of achievement.

What opportunities exist for career progression?
Career prospects are good, due to a shortage of qualified electricians. Opportunities exist in design, maintenance, estimating, costing and eventually management.

What can I expect to earn?
Salaries are variable depending on the area of work. London rates tend to be much higher than local rates. As a general guide, an apprentice can earn from £7,500-£8,500 per year. Once qualified they average from around £19,000 to £25,000 per year, and with JIB (Joint Industrial Board) registered companies, pension and BUPA benefits.

Any hints on getting a job in this area?
The training board for the electrical industry is the JTL who should be contacted initially by anyone who is interested in entering the trade. They can be contacted on freephone 0800 0852308 or visit their website at www.jtlimited.co.uk. Once qualified, jobs can be found in the job sections of your local papers or by visiting the local job centre.