Retraining to be an ELECTRICIAN and getting an ECS BLACK CARD

Retraining to be an ELECTRICIAN and getting an ECS BLACK CARD - eFIXX Apprentice Hub

День тому

Retraining as an electrician is a challenge, especially when you are in your 30's or 40's. Gary Hayers talks to Kyle Philips, electrical project manager for Powercor, to explore the route he followed to become an electrician.
In less than 10 years Kyle has gained an ECS Black Card and now manages teams of electricians and projects for Powercor.
Find out more about Powercor - electrical contractors and lighting specialists
www.powercor.co.uk/
ECS - Electrotechnical Certification Scheme
www.ecscard.org.uk/content/EC...
== 🕐 Time Stamps - Cut to the action 🕕 ==
00:00 Retraining to be an Electrician
00:10 Black ECS card
00:17 Gold ECS card
00:37 Level 2 evening course
01:11 Taken on by Powercor
01:28 Running a team of electricians
02:03 NVQ level 3
02:14 On-line training
02:43 Put in the effort
03:02 City and Guilds 2394 and 2395
03:38 From retail to running a team of electricians in 10 years
04:46 Kyle "it's not an easy route"
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Presented by Gary Hayers - Editor eFIXX
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#efixx #electricians

КОМЕНТАРІ: 73

@electrician247 2 роки тому

Lovely interview and great to hear a story of someone coming into the trade as an older learner. 👍👏👏👏

@GSHElectrical 2 роки тому

Retraining at 25 and making a success of it 🙌🏻.

@brianoneill350 2 роки тому

Retraining at 58 😂😉😂

@callumsimpson7483 2 роки тому

Iv done smart meters since 21. I’m now 29 and doing a weekend course. Can’t believe how much I already know with Competence and how much I never even knew about. Just on my level 3 and everything is starting to make sense. Just left my job notice ends this week and going to do some solar and ev with a friend and gonna do what ever improver/ mate work I have to too fill in my portfolio. I will start my own company once I got some good experience. Can’t wait for what the future has in store

@akdarklight156 2 роки тому

So power cor company helped you, wow we need more companies like these

@elguapo1507 2 роки тому

I think you can congratulate yourself there! Very well done! 👍

@danielvelinski9522 2 роки тому

Great interview, great electrician journey!

@TheAdamEdward 2 роки тому

Brilliant video Gaz!!

@mhmg511 2 роки тому

Good job Carl!

@RichardArblaster 2 роки тому

Great interview 😎

@fennegvdgvd 2 роки тому

Quit a decent office job and retrained to be an electrician at 36 :) Part time self employed now. Definitely been interesting so far! The field seems much more structured in the UK though, with these cards, apprentice/journeyman status etc. (Belgium here)

@brianwood5220 2 роки тому

Well done Kyle

@nodwaa9227 2 роки тому

31 and just finishing 2nd year of apprenticeship. best decision for sure

@APRS 2 роки тому

My background is electrical wholesale management. Currently doing my 2365 level 2&3 at the weekends as I believe there's a better future in the installation and design side than the wholesale side. I've got a very good range of product knowledge and good relations with contractors. Hoping that when I finish my level 2&3 I can combine those skills with my commercial skills to win work for a contractor on materials quoting and also get the experience in installation to achieve my level 3 NVQ. I'm in my early 30s and my goal over the next 5 years is to qualify with a gold card, get my installation experience up to scratch and set up my own contracting business whilst trying to juggle the mortgage and family life.

@maudsteyner-wu6708 2 роки тому

The best electrician in the world! 🤩

@ianstanley5157 2 роки тому

I was told to get a trade first, then go and find something I enjoy doing. I left school as I turned 16. Did a bit of line work, then started as an appy electrician, was forced to spend 2 years in the military (South African law in 1983) then continued with my apprenticeship during which time I had to spend 3 months doing riot control in the military each year and 3 months technical training. It took 7 years to qualify as an electrician. I then completed the training to become an installation electrician, both theory and practical. At 25 I started a small electrical business, trained to become a master electrician. Feb this year I celebrated 30 years in business.

@efixx 2 роки тому

Great story thanks 🙏

@adamscott2599 2 роки тому

23 years working in entertainment, but fancied a switch up for a while now. Completed my level two at college last year, during the lockdowns. All the time at home gave me the opportunity to really get my head around the fundamentals, pass my all my exams and build confidence. This then allowed me to attain my ECS ‘Electrical Labour’ Status. Start my Level 3 next month. Bought my the regs last week and began revising with an aim to sitting the exam in a year (Q. Is one year enough prep time to get exam ready?). Exciting journey, HARD work, but absolutely loving it! Difficult part seems to be getting that real world experience, but working on my CV now and putting the feelers out all the time. People seem receptive if you can show commitment to the industry, which I think passing those initial exams give you. I’m 36 and would recommend it to anybody who is a little uncertain and looking for a change in their working life. P.S. Love the channel, a great resource- watch it more than Netflix 👍

@efixx 2 роки тому

Great story - Thanks for sharing and keep up the hard work it will pay off! 👍

@aidanleach7036 2 роки тому

Fingers crossed be qualified for 21

@joem9124 2 роки тому

I didn't finish my apprenticeship 14 years ago due to reasons,I got level 2 nvq but I continued working in the industry. I got my 17th edition and 2391 off my own back. But then I began working in special effects but with electrical bias. I do want to get my nvq3 it's quite hard to get in my position now though

@thegadgetZ Рік тому

Can international students apply for this card?

@rossmurdoch1886 2 роки тому

Ok I have looked up the Black ECS card. It's a Construction Management qualification. Not as implied here an Electrical higher knowledge More power to anyone pushing into a Managers role but this doesn't appear to increase tech abilities. Surveys and Health and Safety are likely to be taught not Electrical science or practices. Happy to be put right if this is inaccurate. I'm very keen on education and adding knowledge providing it's clear what's on topic and what's related content only

@Zombie_Longwinger 2 роки тому

Black cards are for any tradesmen with the SSSTS who can project manage

@amd7267 9 місяців тому

Learning is all about the individuals. There are 10 year sparks who are shocking and 2 year sparks who are fantastic, all about the learners' capabilities and knowledge

@ElectricianTV 2 роки тому

Great interview really enjoyed it.The black JIb card. You can get without even being qualified I know loads of sparks that I’ve got the black one without having NVQ level three.All y ou need to do is the health and safety course.

@efixx 2 роки тому

Thanks for your input Midfield General 👍🏻

@rossmurdoch1886 2 роки тому

This lad has done extremely well getting himself retrained and more power to him.However the tone of Gary's interview was that somehow the Black card is above a Gold Card in the Electrical Qualification status. There are lots of way to improve your Electrical knowledge but Site Management and Safety of site guys is not one of them. Go for your Approved ticket, or 2391 ,or Technician exams or sidestep into an HNC for Engineering maybe, if you want to go deeper into the Science or Technical aspects of what we do. Any of these things are listed on the back of your Gold Card if your able to get there.

@sockitz.splatez Рік тому

i renewed my Black Card last year and for the first time in 15 years i had to send my IET membership , IOSH and LCGI certificates to renew .

@paultipton743 2 роки тому

I knew about the Black card after I had to replace my Gold card because of the date earlier this year, it looks like the black card is for Management which I guess could include electrical Qualifying supervisors counter signing EICR'S. What gets me with the Gold card is I had to do a health and safety assessment as that had ran out but I had already done health and safety training modules with certificates for the company I work for just a few weeks before to update records but couldn't use them to update the ECS health and safety assessment.

@ThePsychicFish 2 роки тому

Yeah they do that with the H&S assessments. Making you do it again to get the card despite the health and safety in your course. The good thing is the ECS H&S assessment is pretty straightforward, so long as you use common sense, process of elimination and a decent understanding of the terminology/relevant laws.

@JihadHorse 2 роки тому

I’ve got nvq lvl 1,2 &3 electrical installation HNC&HND EEE and EEE degree but I’ve never worked any electrical job and no card either

@edwardduffy6813 2 роки тому

Great interview and a great channel. Well done on becoming an electrician. Just a question, was you required to do the AM2 practical as I thought a learner/apprentice couldn't get a gold card without this. Thanks

@liamfenwick6320 2 роки тому

Pretty sound it counts as part of level 3 nvq

@cocoino2307 2 роки тому

the am2 its the last thing you want to do before you finish your nvq, you should be basically a electrician at this point

@kakhead 2 роки тому

I'm aiming for a gold card even if I don't end up using it. Just found out about the black card from this video but I don't think that will be something I'm interested in. Maybe just for bragging rights but apart from that.... Fair play to the geeza he did well glad his hard work paid off

@paultipton743 2 роки тому

I trained through JTL and with JIB but didn't replace my Gold card for years as I was no longer working on construction sites and only working on social housing so at the time it wasn't needed. The only reason I renewed it is because the Company I work for said everyone must have CSCS card and the gold card being the ECS equivalent.

@PheonixHDz 2 роки тому

JTL are awful in my opinion. Nothing but hassle and lack luster training/support.

@paultipton743 2 роки тому

@@PheonixHDz it was back in 1989 when I did my apprenticeship through JTL, I wasn't aware of anything else back then and no Internet at the time

@chrs87 2 роки тому

I have lv2 lv3 18th edition, inspection and testing, sssts going now for nvq am2. Will I be able to get a black card?

@marlonw6236 Рік тому

Great content. The obsession with 4 year apprenticeships is misplaced.

@mikhugh4326 Рік тому

good vid , 1 question - i qualified via jib apprentaship in 95 236 part 1-2 am2 , i dropped out of the game , 2023 recently i wanted to get back into the electrician game , i opened a ecs account and put my national insurance number in to the ecs site and they confirmed i was eligible for a gold card !! which i got , problem is i dont have any experience in the modern game and dont want to chance it , so i asked a few sparky people if i could go on site as an improver to slowly get back in the game, i was told that esc will strip me of the gold card if i do that , do you have a any info on this situation ?

@user-wy4oy6di4x 2 роки тому

If I complete my engineering level 3, can I transfer into electrical role slightly quicker, or a shortcut?

@ThePsychicFish 2 роки тому

not sure, I believe the theory in the Level 3 electrical installation overlaps with engineering a fair bit. Perhaps you might be able to go straight to level 3 electrical course. But then again maybe not because the level 2 give you the foundation of knowledge and practical assessments. Ask your local college I would say. But an engineering background will certainly make the theory segments easier.

@jordanwells2639 2 роки тому

I’m an approved electrician with my gold card. I have also passed my lv3 test and inspection and my level 4 design and verification. Also passed my iosh managing safely. Does this mean I can apply for a black card?

@raymurphy9749 2 роки тому

Best people to ask are the JIB

@stevensmith4449 2 роки тому

Think Got to be approved for 5 years

@ass90 2 роки тому

I started at 23, im 31 now. Im at the gold card stage and just passed my 2391. I know the feeling, Its a long repetative journey to get qualified. I had to get paid less than a apprenrice wage and work in retail in the evenings & One day a week course. It was a crueling struggle, but it all paid off. Now doing maintainance and fault finding for ev chargers and loving it.

@davidmarjason4222 2 роки тому

It took you 8 years to get a gold card? Isn't that abit long?..

@ass90 2 роки тому

@@davidmarjason4222 no i did the nvq 1,2 & 3 thats was 5 years. Got my gold card and 2 years later got my 2391. Due to covid the last course/exam was very delayed.

@davidmarjason4222 2 роки тому

@@ass90 nvq? Isn't it the level 2 installation 2365 and then the level 3 2365? What path did you went to get qualified? Because I thought after you do the level 3 2365, you would require to work as an electrician mate to gain needed experience in the industry for atleast 2-4 years afterwards to do the level 3 nvq and then after the nvq, you would require to do the AM2 to get fully qualified. To get the gold card, you would obviously need to become a competent electrician and do other exams. I thought this was the pathway, or am I wrong? Perhaps you did the apprenticeship route?

@andrewcarter3748 2 роки тому

So with the qualifications u have now,i know ever couple of years u have to re take change of edition but other than that can u just get a gold card ever few years for the rest of your working life without retraining

@ethanselby5961 2 роки тому

Got my level 3 technical diploma, tried ringing around companies and they don't want to take people who don't drive like myself but all I need is an opportunity to join a firm as an electricians mate and hopefully for them to put me through my NVQ. Maybe someone out there from Nottingham sees this and could help me out. Thanks in advance

@goodplacereviewer2495 2 роки тому

Well if you've been given feedback it's because you don't drive , ring them up an say you would like an interview anyway... Tell them if that's the only thing holding me back ill be in touch on the day I pass My test and have my car and go from there . If not, don't wait round for an apprenticeship , get your level 2 and 3 college side out the way and then sign up to electrical/construction agencies in your area and be ready to take what ever job comes up

@goodplacereviewer2495 2 роки тому

Side note: before you start work on site you'll need to obtain an ecs card give them a ring and they'll tell you which one to go for , probably electrical labourer to start off with

@harry7647 2 роки тому

If you have not done a level 3 qualification before they are fully funded under the government skills for life programme, you would obviously still need to be in work to do the nvq but I’m pretty sure you would be more attractive to employers if you tell them you already have the means to fund your nvq yourself

@ThePsychicFish 2 роки тому

I'm in the same predicament mate, even same area lmao

@louispalmer1133 2 роки тому

wow I've been a commercial electrician about 18 years never heard of a black card 🤷‍♂️

@allanmould2633 2 роки тому

So what is an easy card?

@efixx 2 роки тому

🤦🏻‍♂️

@sam04019491 2 роки тому

You just stick to Christmas and Birthday cards mate.

@rossmurdoch1886 2 роки тому

Black Card ? Never heard of it. What is it and is it a weakening of an already challenging area for people to know who is and who is not actually qualified and registered to carry out work?

@cocoino2307 2 роки тому

big sites need the supervisor to have a black card, its only for your supervisor/boss

@GARRYEASTON 2 роки тому

More money from sparks to the JIB, what next!

@Stormf0rce999 2 роки тому

Not an electrician but I retrained and went to college at 40 and now a IMI Level 3 light vehicle technician (Mechanic)

@richierich8334 2 роки тому

Doesn't mean shit getting level 2, 3 and 2391 test and inspect. Without that practical experience that colleges don't give you, you're fucked. Colleges are very good at teaching the very very basics of being a domestic electrician but the rest, unless you can get someone to teach you all of it over a year or 2, which is hard to do, you won't get anywhere.