Dozkat

Afternoon all,

I am an Electrician due to make the big move (finally) in May this year to B.C. I went ahead and ordered the Canadian Elec Code of the internet and it doesn't seem to be as scary as I presumed.

Can anyone who has sat the qualifying exam tell me whether you are allowed to take this book into the exam as you are with the regulation books in the UK?

Any other experience of the exam would be appreciated.

Thanks

lee58uk

hi im a sparks going to alberta, on wp, the code is that bad when you read it, the testing in no were near ours, and yes you can take regs book in exam with you

Dozkat

Thank for the info. Did you mean that the code ISNT that bad when you read it? RE the testing, do you mean that it's not as in depth as the UK.

Cheers

lee58uk

sorry yes it is'nt that bad when you read it! When i was shown around a site i did ask what the testing is like , from what they said a plug in tester and then a council inspector signs job off.
The guy laughed when i told him we put weeks in for testing etc on quite large jobs!

jerry brewer

Hi,
I am in vancouver, the process from landing for me was:-

Three months to get ITA to assess me as being allowed to challenge the exam, ( here there is not a right to take the exam like UK ), then three months to get the first available exam date.
I took the exam (three hours, but multi choice), from just having read the code book, I got 63% ....pass mark was 70% , so i am just finishing a 10 week evening class at BCIT called IP/TQ refresher.
The exam is not just all code, there are BC trade knowledge questions, local health and safety, maintenance questions, motor theory, etc, the exam you take is the same as the one the apprentices take at the end of a four year course.
Be very careful before highlighting/writing anything in your code book only certain things are allowed, anything they don't like gives you a fail.... even if you take out notes about/from the exam.

If you fail below a certain percentage,(50% ?) ,you have to take a course of training before being allowed to take the exam again.

good luck, there is presently a shortage of sparkies, but there is a 'bit of a barrier' to getting work.
if you intend to go the self employed route, another exam is required after you pass the IP/TQ, called a contractor licence ( FSR ?) , without this you cannot work as a self employed electrician, the exam apparently covers all the codes that effect BC installation work, sorry can't be more specific I only recently found out about it.

I was an industrial electrician/BMS technician in the UK but the only exam you can 'challenge' here in BC is construction electrician.

Luckily I have managed to work from two weeks after landing in maintenance.

hope this all makes sense and helps,
pm me if you need anything more

cheers
Jerry

Dozkat

Hi Jerry and Lee

Thanks for your replies. Really helpful, very much appreciated.

Think i'll book straight on to the BCIT course.

Thanks again

scimdarren

Hi

I took the Industrial Electrician Ticket in Manitoba, this is 70% theory and 30% code. Its quite tough to pass if you have been out of school for a while and the study support for it is not great,
Whereas the construction ticket being far more common has a lot more of a support structure, training courses etc.
The trade union, IBEW is mainly for the construction industry and officially, both industrial and construction ticket holders can work in either discipline, although I sensed stigma from the union regarding my situation.

I started in Canada, working in construction but now I am back in maintenance. I find industrial maintenance to be so similar to UK, mainly because most industrial equipment is European!
Whereas, construction I found it to be a steep learning curve.

Darren

Dozkat

Hi Darren

Thanks for the info. Would be interested in hearing how you found getting work in Manitoba?

scimdarren

Hi
I emailed 150 Winnipeg employers, for work opportunities and a chance to meet them, during my recce trip.
Luckily 3 replied who were interested. One enough to offer me a job and go through the laborious work permit stuff. This was for a small but busy, building controls firm (non union).
However, this was not as an Electrician this was as a Technician. Mainly because Technicians do not need to be licensed as Electricians do. Needless to say, I studied hard to get my ticket so I could work as an Electrician with the same employer- as Technicians are not paid well enough for there skills here.
So, without a ticket you would have to be very lucky to find work. The problem now is that 'Electrician' is considered a Licensed trade which means that you cannot be a helper, but either an apprentice or Journeyman, this creates a chicken and the egg situation for immigrants.
But once you have your interprovincial license, you should get work.
Work is in abundance for the trades in Manitoba, apart from the prosperity here, there has been a lot of Electricians flocking to the greener grass of Alberta- all good for people who have no desire to move.
I have since moved on, having had my PR fast tracked (thankyou Manitoba)giving my employer a years service. I now work for the Royal Canadian Mint.
Manitoba is very pro-active for immigration, and I would not be surprised if things have changed to help Electrician immigrants since my 'struggle' in 05/06.

Darren

jerry brewer

Hi,
An update just found out today that after getting your IP/TQ ticket for electrician, you have to wait 1 year before being allowed to take the contractors exam, which allows you to be a self employed electrician.
This means, if successful in all exams, it is at least 18 months from start to becoming a self employed sparkie in BC.
cheers
jerry

Dozkat

It's okay, I'm good at waiting after having gone through the skilled worker process! Thanks for the info though. I phoned up the BCIT last week and spoke to the really helpful course administrator who said that I should contact her direct when I get to Van to secure getting on the next available course.