Contents
Why Should You Consider Upskilling?
What Are The Main Steps To Upskilling?
What Upskilling Opportunities Should You Consider?
Speak To PTT
If you’re looking to spark new life into your career, upskilling is something you should definitely consider since it can open up new opportunities. So, carry on reading to find out how upskilling can benefit you and how PTT can help!
Upskilling For Electricians: How To Spark Life Into Your Electrical Career
As a qualified, practicing electrician, you will already have undertaken comprehensive training and qualifications covering the core areas of electrical installations and safety, but what options are available to you to expand your skill set and keep your knowledge base up-to-date as you progress your career?
Whatever your skillset, level of experience, or age, there are many training opportunities of which you can take advantage, enabling you to improve your desirability while learning as you earn. We have written this guide for practising electricians looking for a cost-effective and practical means of upskilling and developing their expertise – whether working independently or as part of a contracting business. It will also be of interest to electrical engineering business owners looking to develop their in-house capabilities and skills through targeted training for their
employees.
In the sections below, we will outline the main steps to take on your upskilling journey and highlight some of the most lucrative opportunities available to qualified electricians. For more information about our courses or to discuss your training goals with one of our experienced electrical training experts, please call PTT today on 01442 828754.
Why Should You Consider Upskilling?
Upskilling is the process of acquiring new abilities and closing gaps in professional knowledge and skills. It is crucial for electricians wishing to pursue new career avenues, to expand their services, or to improve job security.
However, for electricians who work independently or manage their own business and, therefore, do not have a Human Resources department looking after their professional development, it is easy to overlook the importance of upskilling and for the skills gap to widen.
Upskilling is not just for people with limited experience or a narrow repertoire of skills, but is equally suited to highly qualified electricians who are seeking to re-energise their career or refresh and update their knowledge.
1) Change Your Career Direction
Acquiring new skills through targeted professional training can uncover new career prospects that you may not have considered before, including specialised areas of electrical installations in emerging areas (e.g. sustainable energy, electric cars), and sought-after expertise that many other electricians are unable to offer.
2) Give Yourself Control
If you are currently employed by a business, upskilling could make self employment a realistic alternative. Working for yourself offers many benefits for skilled electricians, such as greater flexibility in how and when you work and the ability to set your own rates of pay. To offer a comprehensive range of services as a self-employed electrician, you will need to be appropriately trained and qualified with the up-to-date knowledge required by commercial and domestic clients, so upskilling will ensure you are adequately prepared for the challenges of self employment.
3) Improved Job Security
When your services are in demand, your job is more secure and stable. Undertaking ongoing electrical training will ensure that your knowledge and skills remain relevant and needed, and that you are qualified to undertake the widest range of installation tasks. If you are self-employed, increased skills and capabilities will give you access to more employment opportunities, while employed electricians seeking to revitalise their career will be able to market their new skills to other companies.
4) Improve Your Core Skills
Focusing on the more complex aspects of your trade through upskilling will enable you to sharpen and develop your core skills, so that you achieve consistent competency when carrying out the basic elements of your job – as well as specialising in particular areas of value and interest to your target customers.
5) Earn as You Learn
If attending an electrical training course meant dispensing with your salary until the qualification was complete, there are few who could afford to undertake it. Fortunately, most ongoing professional development courses for electricians are short courses held over a few days, with supplementary self-paced e-learning to reinforce your knowledge. This makes advanced training accessible to electricians who are working full-time, and/or with busy family commitments.
6) Expand Your Business
If you own an electrical business and wish to expand the number and type of projects that you can undertake, upskilling will ensure that you are suitably qualified and knowledgeable to carry out the work. Attempting work that you are not qualified to complete puts you and others in danger and exposes you to prosecution should an accident occur. Upskilling will ensure you can legitimately advertise an extensive portfolio of services and increase customer interest in your business.
.webp)
What Are The Main Steps To Upskilling
Upskilling offers many benefits for electricians and can be decisive in giving your career or business the fresh start it needs. So, how do you turn your vision into a reality, and are there any pitfalls of which to be aware along the way?
Do Your Research
The first step is to identify your professional goals, how these will be achieved, and the impact that professional electrical upskilling will have on your career, your business, and your customers. Knowing which qualifications are the most important and relevant to your area of electrical engineering can be challenging, so consider the services you already offer and, crucially, which you currently cannot provide to customers. (If you are employed but seeking a change of direction, check the person specifications for your ideal jobs to see which qualifications employers are looking for.) You will also need to investigate how long it will take to complete the different qualifications and the costs involved.
Review Current Market Trends and Technologies
Another way to narrow down which electrical training opportunities you should undertake is to find out about the emerging trends and technologies in the market (e.g. electric car charging station installation and maintenance). Without the relevant skillset, you won’t be able to exploit new technologies as they evolve, so professional training will ensure that you are kept up to date with advances and equip you with the knowledge and skills to provide expert service in these areas.
Set Targets
Setting realistic targets is an important part of the upskilling process, as it will allow you to identify how quickly you wish to complete your training and to track your progress, keeping you focused on your desired outcomes. This can be invaluable when you are learning on top of your existing job and life commitments, as you will be more able to balance the competing demands and ensure that you don’t fall behind with your training or your work.
What Upskilling Opportunities Should You Consider?
Even as a practising full-time electrical engineer, it is imperative that you stay abreast of changes in regulations and new innovations in the sector, to increase your capacity to tackle the most challenging or in-demand projects in commercial, industrial, or residential settings.
At PTT, we deliver a range of professional development courses for qualified electricians, so why not browse our extensive training catalogue, or consider one of the following qualifications to take your career or business to the next level?
EV Charging Point Installer Course
With soaring concerns about the declining state of the world’s climate, electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining in popularity in the UK, with nearly 2 million in the UK at present – a trend that is certain to continue in forthcoming years. The network of Electric Vehicle Charging Points will need to be dramatically scaled up to meet demand for EVs among businesses and private car owners, so gaining a qualification as an EV Charging Point installer could be a lucrative step.
Solar PV Courses
Demand for sustainable energy is growing as consumers switch from conventional fossil fuels to other forms of energy, including Solar PV. Upskilling in this specialist area will provide you with lucrative avenues for career and business growth and make your CV more attractive to employers and consumers.
Download Your Solar PV Installation Guide
EAL 5982 Level 3 Electrotechnical Experienced Worker Qualification
The Level 3 Electrotechnical Experienced Worker Qualification is designed for electricians who have been working in the electrotechnical industry for a minimum of five years but have not yet obtained official qualifications, and who wish to work towards an ECS Installation Electrician Gold Card using the experienced worker route. Level 3 Electrotechnical Experienced Worker training is an important part of this qualification.
We also offer accredited courses in:
• Electrical Energy Storage Systems
• Lightning Protection Systems
• Fire Alarm Systems
• Emergency Lighting Systems
• Temporary Power Systems for Events
Speak To PTT
Choosing the right training provider is a key part of the upskilling process, as it will ensure you are supported throughout your training journey and guided towards achieving your goals.
At PTT, we offer high-quality, affordable, and accessible electrical training courses that help qualified electricians expand their skillset and increase the portfolio of services that they offer.
Registered to BS EN ISO9001, PTT is the electrical training specialist that you can trust.
Our team of experts are happy to discuss your training needs free of charge and help you to map out your career progression so that your most important goals are met as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
We can also support you by giving you an insight into opportunities that you haven’t yet considered, so you feel empowered to make an informed decision about how best to progress your career or revitalise your business.
Why Upskill with PTT?
✓ Personalised training that meets your career goals and fits around your work and family schedule.
✓ Online training sessions you can complete on your lunch break or from the comfort of your home.
✓ Expert knowledge and skills – we are one of the UK’s leading electrical training providers, with courses accredited and awarded by City & Guilds, EAL and LCL
✓ Extensive industry experience acquired over decades in the sector.
✓ Training provided by certified experienced electrical engineering experts who are fully up to date with the latest safety regulations and emerging technologies shaping the sector.
✓ Access to up-to-date training resources to maximise your engagement and support your acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
✓ A supportive, professional, and friendly team to assist you at all stages of your learning journey.
Just Do It!
Finally, if you have the ambition to take your career or business to the next level, you’ve identified the training programmes that best meet your needs, and you’ve set timely and realistic goals – now is the time to take the plunge and get started! The sooner you commence upskilling, the quicker you will reap the rewards.
Your Next Steps
To find out more about our training courses, or to register on a course of your choice, please contact PTT on 01442 828754 or send us an enquiry and one of our team will be delighted to assist you.
