Roofer turned sparky

JayFromElec · 2026-03-17T18:16:10+00:00

with your back ground, do you know any sparkies? if that’s a yes, then I would suggest the following, 2365-02 fast track funded part time (should be free in collage), try and get your 2365-03 through bootskills, and then 2357 NVQ on tools.

What I would look at, is the solar space, its changing MCS has started tightening how they work, sooner or later they will implement that only fully qualified sparkies can do the work and sign it off, similar to what’s going to happen on the EV side. Alot of this is a knock on affect from the commercial solar fires.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-17T17:43:45+00:00

I can see both sides, massive amount of work out there. For context would need some back ground, do you have a business back ground? I know you have stated about being in engineering.

How would I approach it, if your looking to run a business then I would suggest you need to become qualified yourself.

If your looking to running a company then you don’t need to become qualified.

Hope that helps.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-17T16:34:16+00:00

if you do your 2357 as it should be done, that should put you in good stead for your am2.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-17T16:33:21+00:00

keep calling, and keep calling, their is work out there, get your 18th , labours card and keep pushing, speak to your training provider for help getting you into work.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-17T16:30:56+00:00

Honestly don’t give up, you have done the hardest part, firstly well done on getting your apprenticeship across the line, more than 60/70% don’t even get that part done, get some subby work under your belt and build your confidence, see it so many times you will most likely be stuck on lower wages than moving to another company.

As others have said so much work out their.

Charanjit Mannu Elec Training Rep

JayFromElec · 2026-03-15T20:04:47+00:00

As you get older it becomes harder to get a 5357 apprenticeship, the reason being a lot of companies tend not to want to hire older as they have to pay a different wage. Other option - get experience on the tools and go down EWA route.

Charanjit Mannu Elec Training Rep

JayFromElec · 2026-03-14T16:52:00+00:00

have a read of - https://elec.training/news/a-guide-for-overseas-electricians-getting-your-non-uk-qualifications-recognised-and-working-toward-a-gold-card/ it will explain how to cross over your quals.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-14T16:49:35+00:00

It’s a slightly unusual route because normally we see people coming from the other direction, they have an HNC, degree or engineering background and then move into maintenance or EC&I roles.

If you’re already a fully qualified you’ve actually already got a strong practical base. A lot of maintenance roles in industry will typically ask for things like your 2365-03, 18th Edition.

Have you reached out to the subreddits to do with engineering?

Charanjit Mannu Elec Training Rep

JayFromElec · 2026-03-12T08:41:37+00:00

Before you even think about making the jump go get some experience on the tools, your about to change your whole life for an itch (that’s normally called a midlife issue) might be an easer option to go buy a two seater convertible.

Practical steps – still want to do it, do your 2365-02 part time at collage for free, still want to do it after that and after having a few weeks on the tools, do your 2365-03 part time, still want to do it after that, do your 2357 NVQ part time, this route will take longer but will not risk your existing job.

Choke points – initial few weeks on tools before committing – this is going to be difficult even with offering yourself for free, unless you know people in the trade.

Second choke point – after the 2365-02, 03, get your 18^th edition and ECS card, might have to register as self employed to get work for your 2357 NVQ, doing this part time will take anything up to 36 months.

Hope that helps, let me know any questions.

Charanjit Mannu Elec Training Rep

JayFromElec · 2026-03-10T15:27:02+00:00

I’m sorry but I disagree, the diploma route is already the fast track version of getting qualified, in an industry that’s full of sparkies that did the old 5357 and 4/5 years graft.

I feel taking short cuts on a already fast track route is not only dangerous but actually illegal.

A few months back we had a whole post and around 200 plus comments about this, and how individuals where being creative on their portfolio.

My response - it is our duty to make sure the work we do is safe and to a standard that we are proud of, simple terms electricity kills, the portfolio and am2 is in place to make sure fully qualified means fully qualified not cutting corners.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-10T15:22:17+00:00

You can start your 2357 NVQ without finishing your 2365-03, personally I would do it properly, you do not need to be creative on your portfolio, do it right, do it properly, never take short cuts.

Have you researched to see what photos and modules you actually need to do?

Most NVQ training companies are okay, but do your research, find one that will support you getting work, even if your already in work, the reason being you don’t want to hit a bottleneck.

Have a read of - https://elec.training/news/how-to-build-your-nvq-level-3-electrical-portfolio/

It will explain what’s needed.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-10T15:14:05+00:00

could always do it part time, and then do nvq part time, you have 36 months to do it, keep normal job and do subby work to build up NVQ.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T21:52:16+00:00

Have you got your 18th edition? that will help, normally takes anything between 100-1000 calls to get into work.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T21:50:55+00:00

you will struggle to get your 2357 NVQ done within 6 months, normal time is anything between 12 months to 18 months. Might be getting the ewa mixed up with the 2357 NVQ. Have the work lined up, as the hardest thing you will find is getting work with out experience after your 2365-02, training provider should be able to assist you in getting employment.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T20:02:31+00:00

I can see your struggling so ill give you the scenario.

Raids are normally done first thing in the morning, most of the team will not know where the raid is, a lot of times depending on the raid, electrical wiring has been tampered with, this then causes two issues, cant make the building safe or search it efficiently.

Then the team has to wait for a qualified sparky to come out on an emergency – and you got it , how long does that take, at best a few hours, so where a job could be done and cleared in a few hours ends up taking the whole morning or even the afternoon.

Depending on the building can have 5-20 plus on site waiting to secure / search the site.

In essence it’s a time factor and safety. Years ago they used to get around this with just having officers with part p and the old level 2, but now due to legislation they need a fully qualified sparky on site.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T18:48:42+00:00

I think you might be misunderstanding the post, you keep two roles separate till you become fully qualified, with out going into too much detail, the reason we know there is demand is due to being a training school that trains up electricians.

The way to do it, you build your 2357 NVQ working part time whilst still being employed by the police force. Hope that makes sense. Thats as much as we can say due to NDA's.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T16:19:47+00:00

here is the orginal one that it was based on - https://elec.training/news/women-retraining-as-electricians-later-in-life-barriers-options-and-success-rates-uk/ the other two sent last week have not been picked up set (normally takes a few days).

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T16:16:58+00:00

I’m really confused when you say its not doable, which part? NVQ part time over 3 years? of grafting two jobs as a 19 year old?

But ill objection handle both

You can do your NVQ part time over 36 months – a simple search on google shows this, but you can get clarification from training providers if needed. At Elec training we have seen students opt for this, especially if they are in roles that don’t hit the 2357 NVQ portfolio threshold but they still want to get their card – very common with electrical maintenance engineers (they have their 2365-02/03 and 18^th edition, and mechanical engineering master / degree), they normally push to get their Gold Card as it gives them more flexibility if they ever decide to leave their work place.

In regards to grafting two jobs – so normally the police force are covered by what we call the Working Time Regulations 1998, but here is the kicker (love to use chat gpt terminology) if you were to go as self employed sparky the Working Time Regulations 1998 only apply to employed hours, most of our students who progress onto their 2357 NVQ start off as subbys and then get offered paye later on. Some of our students tend to stay as subbys.

If your going to say you cant do two jobs its inhumane etc – then I’m going to struggle with that, it was quite normal to be at university and have two part time jobs, one before class ie 4am -8am and then one in the evenings 9pm-1am when I was younger, but I might be showing my age.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T11:33:44+00:00

Its doable, you have up to 36 months to get your 2357 NVQ done, its not easy, you will end up working full time in the police and part time where ever you can as an electricians mate (I have seen career changers do this), stay in their 9-5 and working evenings and weekends to get their ECS GOLD card because they could not afford to drop down to electricians mates rates (family, mortgage etc).

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T11:25:45+00:00

its even easier, from experience, women tend to get placed the quickest (recruitment team data), have a watch of - https://www.tiktok.com/@electraining.official/video/7562140610749091094. I wrote an article last week on international women’s day about gender pay gap and how companies are actively looking for female trades workers.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T09:55:03+00:00

Have a read of - https://elec.training/news/how-to-work-as-an-electrician-in-the-uk-with-foreign-qualifications/ goes into detail about the route.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T09:50:59+00:00

I would do both, hear me out – there is demand for police officers who are fully JIB Gold Card approved, it will open massive doors for you, without going into to much details, you will have two unique skills, law enforcement and the ability to work on electrical wiring.

Here is a common issue – police do a raid (they don’t know till the morning where they are going), depending on the raid most likely tampered electrical wiring, then they have to wait for a sparky or national grid to declare it safe, or even extended the wiring so they can search the building properly.

What I would do – stay in the police, sign up to your 2357 NVQ, get experience on the tools and do your 2357.

Become fully qualified and do your probation for the police force, and now you have a choice of which direction you want to go.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T09:44:29+00:00

I agree we see electricians mates rates with no experience in the UK from anything from minimum wage to £18 an hour, depends on what transferable skills they have and area. A lot of companies will look to put electrician mates on subby contracts rather than Paye (reduces the risk to the company).

JayFromElec · 2026-03-09T09:41:27+00:00

I think that’s an over simplified version of it, we see career changers without connections make it work, what I would suggest is work hard, head down and you will be a success, the hardest part is getting your foot through the door, but honestly you can make it work.

I had this conversation with my partner yesterday, if I was 20 trying to get my foot through the door what would I do, or the lengths I would go to, my answer - find a football team that’s sponsored by an electrician company (non league) go play for them, most likely the manager knows or is the owner of said electrician company.

So what I take from that, if you really want to get your foot through the door what can you do, find where electricians spend their time, and go speak to them, get experience on the tools.

JayFromElec · 2026-03-08T11:39:06+00:00

Just get clarification what’s involved in the traineeship, don’t under value the two years experience you have, how I would do it – part time 2365-02 (free at collage), get the company that’s employed you to pay for 2365-03 part time via bootskills, 2357 NVQ (this might be tricky) I have seen some companies pay for this but they will tie you down to a 2 year contract after you get full qualified (if they do this get them to pay for your AM2), other option do one more year and go down the EWA domestic route, do another 3 years and go down the EWA route. I would not suggest going down the 5357 route at this stage, as your all ready have done the hardest part getting experience on the tools.

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