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For many people, an interesting and varied choice often means a career within the electrical industry. Often (and more correctly) referred to as ‘Electro-Mechanical Engineering’, we’ll simply refer to it as the Electrical Industry for the sake of simplicity here. Furthermore, we will focus on the UK market and the domestic and commercial elements rather than those from elsewhere around the world. As this is such a wide ranging subject matter we’ll begin by sticking to the main area first and come back to the ‘add-ons’ later.

Essentially, we see two distinct forms of entry into the electrical market. Initially there’s the more traditional apprenticeship approach, but equally there is now an alternative, suited to those who are keen to enter later in their life. For the sake of clarity throughout, the first will be known as ‘Junior Entrants’ and the second simply known as ‘Mature Entrants.’

Many Mature Entrants enter the market so they don’t have to rely on others, especially when they can work on their own building ideas and not have to pay for anyone else to help them. Those who join as Junior Entrants, on the other hand, appear to do so with the aim of joining an established electrical firm - in order to gain further qualifications and experience whilst picking up practical and other work-place skills. This could be a young apprentice’s first position since leaving school, so it will be necessary to pick up supplementary working skills.

The two different ways into the industry have two separate methods of preparation. Junior entrants go through NVQ training in England and Wales, and SVQ training in Scotland. Whilst the core syllabus is relatively similar to non-NVQ commercial training, there is a particular requirement to attain the actual NVQ qualifications as part of the overall training program. This means that work programs or apprenticeships have to be sought in order to arrange the necessary course work and testing phases of work.

Mature Entrants do not appear to seek the NVQ element but instead they go after the most commercially suitable qualifications. Such as obtaining documentation that gives them the best chance to gain from their training endeavours and thereby the best financial rewards. Although this may offer quicker and more commercial options, it does reduce the official requirements set for certain areas of the industry.

With regard to regular earning potential we have two clear paths - one for employees and the other for the self-employed. 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. On the other hand experienced self-employed electricians have been known to earn around 70 thousand or more within the UK. 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. Aside from that, the current skills shortage within the UK still means that there’s lots of high value work out there. Without a doubt, the market would allow for some people to work a full seven days a week. Whilst figures of seventy to a hundred thousand are often bandied around in the press, they do not often inform you of the long hours you would need to work to achieve this.

It should be noted that the working week for most electricians differs between the Junior and Mature Entrant markets. Electricians who are ‘Junior Entrants’ would work a simple 40 hour working week. The Mature market is however often reliant as to when their client base is available, especially in the domestic sector. There are however lots of opportunities for self-employed electricians to do work on small business systems during normal office hours.

A Junior Entrant that has chosen to adopt a career within the electrical trade is more than likely to gain follow up expertise within the particular field they fall into, often dictated by the main business activities of their employer. Then again, the mature entrant can even go outside of the electrical field to gas work or plumbing work for example. Certainly if they are employed within the domestic sector this makes it easier to take on work without having to rely upon other people.

‘Green Engineering’ is another area to consider. This requires new skills and working knowledge and is one of the fastest growing areas today. 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. Navigate to Electrical Qualifications or Part P Courses.