Do you think you’re too old to train to be an electrician once you reach 40? Think again. This article will provide all the information you need about how and why you should proceed down this route.
There’s no set age on when learning should stop. There’s no point in time where you should cease thinking about how you can better yourself. That’s certainly true when you think about your career and potentially learning the skills that you need to develop a brand new professional path for yourself. Indeed, the right steps here can provide you with a fresh, exciting lease on life particularly if you get the support you need through professional training.
There’s an old saying that you can’t teach an old dog any new tricks. Perhaps you feel like you’re the old dog but this simply isn’t true. Your mind can absorb more than you realise. You’re more flexible than you know. You can and are able to change your career path completely, even after forty. You just need the willpower and determination to do this.
Regardless of whether you want to build on existing skills that you have or learn a brand new patch of tricks, there are structures in place that will provide the support you need. This means that you will be able to become an electrician even after you hit the 40 age mark. However, before you start to explore these options, it’s important to ask one key question.
Why Should You Train To Be An Electrician After Forty?
First, you might think that you’re going to be alone training to be an electrician after you hit forty. Well, we’re pleased to tell you that this won’t be the case. The reality is that there will be numerous people just like you are on the precipice of middle age and still exploring this new, exciting path in their career.
Indeed, recently, the number of people over forty exploring this career change has risen dramatically. Why is this happening?
The answer is simple. The world has evolved and as the professional world has changed over time, new doors have opened. It has become easier to change your career later in life and learn the new skills that you need. For instance, it’s possible now to learn a lot of the lessons to become an electrician online before you even think about operating in a practical environment.
As well as this, there is also a drastic demand for new talent in this industry. Homes powered by electric energy have increased in numbers over the past decade. With a rapidly growing population, there are more homes than ever that need the support of trade workers to keep the systems running and that’s not even mentioning the commercial projects that are accessible on the market as well.
There are even different pathways to explore when you consider how you want to operate on the market. You can choose to be self-employed and work for yourself. Thanks to new technology this has become easier than ever and you can be your own boss while operating as a technician. You’ll be able to choose the clients that you want and take on as much work as you can manage.
Alternatively, if you prefer the more traditional structure, the right skills in electronics will allow you to work under any of the big brands operating in the energy field today. This includes:
- British Gas
- EDF
- E.ON
- Npower
- Scottish Power
- SSE
These companies are constantly looking for new talent on the market to provide the solutions and support that their customers need. They don’t have an age limit on the employees they want to hire either. You can find a position here even if you are over the age of forty.
You can also earn a solid income. When you have acquired the right training and achieved the right skillset, you will be able to earn over £32,000 per year.
What Are The Pathways To Becoming An Electrician After 40?
You might think that the pathways to becoming an electrician are set in stone. It’s true, in the past the main route to gaining these skills and the experience necessary was an apprenticeship scheme. But again, the world has moved on.
Ten years ago, the majority of people training to be electricians were school leavers who wanted to get to work immediately and cut university out of the equation. While this might still be true for a lot of people, there’s also now a large percentage who are exploring this path for a variety of reasons.
Some will be looking for a more exciting and challenging job than the one they are currently stuck in. Others will be using redundancy as a chance to push themselves in new directions. Regardless of the reason for the change that you are exploring all it takes is one step.
The first point you are going to need to consider is training. Again, there are different paths to explore here. You can start an apprenticeship or if this isn’t suitable for your needs, you can think about studying for a diploma. You can even take a domestic installer course. The benefit of these three options is that they will fit into different lifestyles and schedules. You can train to be an electrician part-time while you continue to earn an income. Or, alternatively, you can focus all your time around this goal. It largely depends on the position that you find yourself in right now.
The time and focus that you have will determine how long this training takes. It will also be based on whether you already have some of the skills and knowledge necessary. As such, you can train for between a few weeks and several years. The choice is entirely up to you.
While it is true that a lot of the training can be completed online, you will need practical work experience too. You need to be able to transfer the theory that you learn into a real-world setting. For this, you will need work experience which is why an apprenticeship scheme often is part of the equation.
If you do work as an apprentice electrician, then you’ll get the best of both worlds. The key benefit here, of course, is that you will be working underneath a highly trained and qualified electrician. You can benefit tremendously from the years of experience that they have under their belt and it doesn’t matter how old you are.
On an apprentice course, you can learn numerous topics with everything from health and safety to wiring installation and inspection testing including in the package. You’ll move from operating in workshops to taking your first steps to become a qualified electrician.
Passing The Test
Once you have acquired the knowledge and the practical experience you need, the final step will then be to pass the assessment. Once you have done this, you will be able to operate as an electrician in any part of the industry that you choose.
The specific parts of the assessment that you need to pass are always going to depend on the route that you take here. Regardless of what direction you choose, the final assessment will ensure that you are now a fully-qualified electrician.
Getting Started Without Delay
If you are over forty, then you might not want to wait around for years to complete courses and assessments. As we already mentioned, there are other pathways to consider here. The quickest option available to you is going to be a domestic electrical installer course. With this option, you will be able to get started on the market immediately.
It is crucial to point out that with this option, you won’t be a fully qualified electrician and this will provide limits on what you can accomplish. However, you will still be able to complete numerous residential jobs. This includes home rewiring and installations. The benefit of pursuing this particular path is that you will only need a month before you can get started. That’s all it takes to ensure that you have the essential health and safety knowledge as well as the fundamental skills for residential work.
Another advantage of this route is that it provides you with a way to earn and test the waters of this trade. So, you can find out whether becoming a fully qualified electrician is the right career choice for you.
Should You Become An Electrician At 40?
Ultimately, aside from the healthy salary and career independence, there are numerous benefits to taking your career in this direction later in life. But will it suit you? If you love fiddling with wires and you’re fascinated by how equipment works, then this trade could be ideal for you. You’ll face new challenges each day and work to discover the solutions that your clients need in a variety of different settings.
You should never let your age limit you from exploring this exciting new possibility.
Skills Training Group provide a range of electrical & C&G 18th edition courses. For further information, contact our customer service team on 0808 164 2780.
