For those slow at learning 
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viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71681&p=923414&hilit=Agency+working+directive#p913565
Thanks for your info but Iāve already researched the job. I know of the situation, and as with most industries itās all down to where you live. Thereās been plenty of perm jobs on good wages in Nottingham recently, and a jump in wage from 7.50 and miserable in a crap dead end job to 11+ quid in a job that will stimulate me and be different everyday is worth it. Also as you assumed I will be on domestic work thatās not neccessaryly true I want to train up to JIB standard and get into com or ind work. Minimum 15 quid then and so many different sectors to go into or going it alone and being my own boss.
I know it wonāt be easy but then itās not easy to get into driving a HGV in most parts of the country and I managed it 
I wonāt be qualified for two years so it could be even worse by then or it might be better, but one thing is Iāll not be stuck in this area of work I detest more then anything being treated like crap for much longer 
He who daresā¦ 
cherkhan:
OllieNotts:
Agencys are on the whole a waste of space, however one kept me in continual work last year and money wasnāt bad either to say I was home every day for tea. I had glowing reports from all their customers, and theyād tell me who the useless ones were and gave me priority especially going into new customers as they trusted me(to a degree). They werenāt perfect, but Iāll be ringing them next week as Iāve handed my notice in today. Just had enough on general haulage Iām bored out of my mind and miserable and start college in sept, so after being told last night as I neared my 15 hour spread ācarry on till you get the job done and write rta on the back of your card youāll be fine and we need it tippedā I got up this morning, came to the yard for a re load and gave notice on a piece on notepad paper
Iāll use them as I am used to suit and hopefully in 2 years time Iāll be sparking on same or more money for half the hours Iām doing currently with no nights outThen you better hope things improve in the electrical world as I am an electrical techniian and there is not a damned thing out there right now. Little to no new builds, already masses of electricians. Electricians earn from as little as Ā£18k per year plus perhaps any o/t. Quotes of Ā£40k plus pa are far from the truth. Not sure what rates you are getting on your lorry but expect only about Ā£10 to Ā£11 for a sparky. True no nights out unless you get a position in a company that requires you to work away. Or throguh agencies that require so much travel that you need to stay away at your expence.
I know having a trade is thought a great idea and it has saved me several times. However, do not believe the hype over shortage of skilled workers. Donāt expect to earn masses of money especially when just qualified. You may, just may get a good first time job but more likely the truth is that you will be forced to source contracts through agencies.
OllieNotts:
Thanks for your info but Iāve already researched the job. I know of the situation, and as with most industries itās all down to where you live. Thereās been plenty of perm jobs on good wages in Nottingham recently, and a jump in wage from 7.50 and miserable in a crap dead end job to 11+ quid in a job that will stimulate me and be different everyday is worth it. Also as you assumed I will be on domestic work thatās not neccessaryly true I want to train up to JIB standard and get into com or ind work. Minimum 15 quid then and so many different sectors to go into or going it alone and being my own boss.
I know it wonāt be easy but then itās not easy to get into driving a HGV in most parts of the country and I managed it
He who daresā¦
Youāve got a big shock coming Ollie, a very big shock.
You can throw all the money at training that you want, you can take as long as you like doing it. But trying to earn money as a sparky in Nottingham is just as difficult as trying to earn money driving a lorry.
The oneās who are earning, & it can be done, are the oneās whoāll succeed in just about anything they turn their hands to, & if you failed in something as simple as driving a lorry, you have little to no chance of succeeding in something like becoming a sparky.
theyāll drop you like snot mateā¦ in my experience anyway
whats the score with agency can i be [zb] off anytime they want to get rid of me and are they any good to be with, they say its a permanent contract like
I havenāt failed at driving a lorry 
Itās a crap job crap pay crap full stopā¦for me! I know and respect it suits a lot of folk and Iām not putting that down. I also donāt expect to walk into a job, I also donāt believe itās a gold mind. Itās two years away from being qualified, and I will make a better life for myself without watching Tarmac and working 15 hour days and hardly seeing my kid grow up. I have a positive attitude and will make it work long term. If I was qualified now Iād already have work as a self employed contractor through someone I know but in two years that offer may not be there, then again it might be I canāt see into the future. Theyāre stopping the way into the trade this year so it will be either an apprenticeship or you need to be in the trade to qualify for the course so there is a lot of sparks now, but the amount going into it will slow down.
Thanks for your āadviseā though, better cancel my place on the course now and get back to tramping as youāve told me I wonāt get a job before Iāve started 
From what i can remember MANPOWER will employ a driver on a guaranteed 40 hour contract, its worth speaking to them, they pay well too.
OllieNotts:
I havenāt failed at driving a lorry
Itās a crap job crap pay crap full stopā¦for me! I know and respect it suits a lot of folk and Iām not putting that down. I also donāt expect to walk into a job, I also donāt believe itās a gold mind. Itās two years away from being qualified, and I will make a better life for myself without watching Tarmac and working 15 hour days and hardly seeing my kid grow up. I have a positive attitude and will make it work long term. If I was qualified now Iād already have work as a self employed contractor through someone I know but in two years that offer may not be there, then again it might be I canāt see into the future. Theyāre stopping the way into the trade this year so it will be either an apprenticeship or you need to be in the trade to qualify for the course so there is a lot of sparks now, but the amount going into it will slow down.
Thanks for your āadviseā though, better cancel my place on the course now and get back to tramping as youāve told me I wonāt get a job before Iāve started
No, go ahead and do your sparky training. You can get in to āPart Pā fairly easy with little to no experience if yuo have a mate that can give you a srat up. JIB is another question entirely. You can only get this by working in a position within a company as your work has to be checked and you need to cover a whole spectrum of different installations, industrial, commercial, domestic etc. You will never get that unless someone takes you on.
NEIEC? Can never remember that name:). Same as JIB, unless you are working in it, you will never get it. Takes years really for either method.
What is this about 'things changing very soon? I have not heard anything about that so would be interested in your feedback.
From Ā£7.5 to Ā£11? Yep that is a huge leg up isnāt it and incentive enough. Be aware though that sparkying isnāt just installing wires to building regs etc. There are calculations that have to be made and some maths involved etc such stuff as transposition of formulae to get an unknown from a known. When I qualified as an apprentice way back in 1980 I believe it was, the regulations course was not open book. You had to know the regs. Now it is all open book. Sensible really as you are able to check calculations though somewhat deskilling the exam. It was C&G Installation course āBā and āCā when I did it. (Approved electrician, Electrical Technician). I would suggest you take āTest and Inspectionā though but this does get a little heavy on the maths but broadens your chances.
Personally I have to take the 17th regs and Part P. My old regs have never been updated as I mostly do Aircraft and other wireman positions but would love to get my hands dirty again wiring houses etc.
Like driving, experience will screw you initially. Take the first position that pays and gain experience. It may be low money but experience in the electrical game is paramount. There are a LOT of COWBOYS out there. Good luck to you though but never forget, driving LGV is always good for a fallback should things get quiet. I wouldnāt run it down because you will never know when you may need it even for the odd weekend here and there to gain a few quid.
I expected a massive put me down rant then, not quite but almost
Youāve said nothing I donāt know, but you did fail to inform me I need nvq level 3 to even apply for JIB status and I know Iāll need a job and experience and 2391 and part p among others ffs do you really think Iāve just thought āoh I wanna be a sparks 50k a year 20 hours a week easy job anyone can do itā
Iāve researched thoroughly, and I believe I will be successful itās a long term plan, if I have to work for only 11-12 quid an hour to start then Iāve improved myself. I would like to finish level 2 first and get a job as a mate next year so Iāll start to get a feel for the job. I donāt really fancy doing domestic unless I go it alone but then itās way into the future when I have the right experience.
Iāve got 40 years left at work 
Iām not spending it living in a tin box or earning same pay or less then a shelf stacker I am worth more then that and this industry is always getting worse never better so when 2014 comes round I wonāt need to pay for the dcpc to keep going.
Big Truck:
mac12:
but if they send you for 6 weeks then send you somewhere else for 6 weeks they will only need 2 drivers swapping jobs and you never get 12 weeks.They are not going to give us drivers anything if they donāt have to, and where you see on other posts on this forum where people think they will get 50% pay rise it will never happen.Bloody hell,
The āAgency Working Directiveā is RETROSPECTIVE, google the word for its meaning
seems that you disagree,so what why wonāt they do that?do you no many agencies that donāt try to con there driverās.
OllieNotts:
I expected a massive put me down rant then, not quite but almost
Youāve said nothing I donāt know, but you did fail to inform me I need nvq level 3 to even apply for JIB status and I know Iāll need a job and experience and 2391 and part p among others ffs do you really think Iāve just thought āoh I wanna be a sparks 50k a year 20 hours a week easy job anyone can do itā
Iāve researched thoroughly, and I believe I will be successful
Iāve got 40 years left at work
Nope, no put down and I would not know about NVQ requirements as I am already qualified. You have a bit of a nasty attitude there though donāt you. I am only trying to let you see how much work will be involved and not accept hype that is out there. Donāt shoot the messenger. On that I will leave you to your own devices.
Chas:
OllieNotts:
Thanks for your info but Iāve already researched the job. I know of the situation, and as with most industries itās all down to where you live. Thereās been plenty of perm jobs on good wages in Nottingham recently, and a jump in wage from 7.50 and miserable in a crap dead end job to 11+ quid in a job that will stimulate me and be different everyday is worth it. Also as you assumed I will be on domestic work thatās not neccessaryly true I want to train up to JIB standard and get into com or ind work. Minimum 15 quid then and so many different sectors to go into or going it alone and being my own boss.
I know it wonāt be easy but then itās not easy to get into driving a HGV in most parts of the country and I managed it
He who daresā¦Youāve got a big shock coming Ollie, a very big shock.
You can throw all the money at training that you want, you can take as long as you like doing it. But trying to earn money as a sparky in Nottingham is just as difficult as trying to earn money driving a lorry.
The oneās who are earning, & it can be done, are the oneās whoāll succeed in just about anything they turn their hands to, & if you failed in something as simple as driving a lorry, you have little to no chance of succeeding in something like becoming a sparky.
Fully agree, weāve a fully qualified sparky and a gas safe plumber driving for us on the silage harvest, both say that the work has dried up.
Apologies if thatās how it comes accross I was mealy trying to imply I know everything youāve told me and it isnāt a a decision I took lightly. The nvq is needed for a JIB status so it sounds like itās not your field? Thereās obviously more to being a spark then passing the first two years Iām ready for it 
If it does come across I have an attitude itās more likely due to my pure hatred of this job/industry but each to their own as Iāve said. If it all blows up and I fail at least Iāve tried and if I succeed then thereās one more driver off the road meaning someone who enjoys the job takes mine.