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English electrician - help!

English electrician - help!

Old Jan 22nd 2014, 7:16 pm
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Default English electrician - help!

Hi,
I'm an english electrician with 15 years experience looking at moving over to the BC area, I'm stuck at what to do next, i know that taking a red seal exam will greatly enhance my employment chances but i'm unsure of how to apply for the exam and what books i will require for studying. Any suggestions on the next step would be much appreciated

Thanks
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Old Jan 22nd 2014, 7:26 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by Robbie82k
Hi,
I'm an english electrician with 15 years experience looking at moving over to the BC area, I'm stuck at what to do next, i know that taking a red seal exam will greatly enhance my employment chances but i'm unsure of how to apply for the exam and what books i will require for studying. Any suggestions on the next step would be much appreciated

Thanks
Read the wiki on this site on immigration.
Go to the ITABC website for challenging the provincial electricians exam and what materials you need. You can only work under supervision unless you have passed the exams and get certified in BC.
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Old Jan 22nd 2014, 7:41 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Thank you for your quick reply and for the information, I'll look at that now
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Old Jan 22nd 2014, 8:00 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by Robbie82k
Thank you for your quick reply and for the information, I'll look at that now
You'll need to prove around 9000 hours work experience to challenge the exams. A lot of the terminology is different.
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Old Jan 23rd 2014, 2:12 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Is your background:

A Construction Electrician? In Canada, they cover domestic, commercial and industrial, you cannot just be domestic.

OR

An Industrial Electrician? Maintenance, Troubleshooting, project work in Manufacturing facilities or Natural Resource based mines/ mills etc.

These are 2 separate Electrician career paths in Canada. You need to know which one you are pursuing in Canada.

You will need to become eligible to challenge the Interprovincial Red Seal Exam by proving your foreign credentials, then you will need to study to pass it.

From my experience, all this is very difficult if you dont live here.

Darren
(Industrial Electrician)
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Old Jan 23rd 2014, 3:18 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by scimdarren
You will need to become eligible to challenge the Interprovincial Red Seal Exam by proving your foreign credentials, then you will need to study to pass it.

From my experience, all this is very difficult if you dont live here.

Darren
(Industrial Electrician)
It is actually number of hours provable work experience to challenge the exam, nor foreign credentials.
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Old Jan 23rd 2014, 5:21 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by Aviator
It is actually number of hours provable work experience to challenge the exam, nor foreign credentials.
Yes I know but I had to show my indentures and BTEC diploma as well
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Old Jan 23rd 2014, 7:52 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Would i be able to go on holiday there to take the exam if I'd been studying here in england for it??
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Old Jan 23rd 2014, 7:57 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Just to add to a previous post that I'm an industrial electrician and not domestic, the job I'm doing at the minute and for the last 8 years is refrigeration
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Old Jan 24th 2014, 1:47 am
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by Robbie82k
Would i be able to go on holiday there to take the exam if I'd been studying here in england for it??
You can, you do need to have a registration number to take the exam. Contact the training authority in your province of choice several weeks abefore arrival, get your number and book your exam before booking a flight. As this is a Red Seal endorsed trade, it is an interprovincial qualification, so would be recognised in all provinces that participate in Red Seal.
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Old Jan 24th 2014, 3:09 am
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

You need Canadian ID to write the Red Seal or TWP of some sort.......it is very likely you will fail the exam without having any sort of experience here.....they run a course at BCIT in Lower Mainland for 10 weeks which prepares you for the red seal.

You need to challenge the trade through the ITA and that cost also includes 2 attempts at the red seal but if you did the course or gained some experience here first you are more likely to pass first time.

My hubby had 2 job offers of 4th year apprentice within 5 weeks of us moving here. They don't appear to be interested in you unless you are actually here.

Good Luck
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Old Jan 24th 2014, 4:14 am
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by CanadianDreams
You need Canadian ID to write the Red Seal or TWP of some sort.......it is very likely you will fail the exam without having any sort of experience here
You don't need Canadian ID, visitors can sit the exam, visitors can and have sat the exam, ITABC have a work around.

It is impossible to say anyone is likely to fail without having any work experience in Canada. You don't write the 'Red Seal' you write the BC Provincial trades exam, which is a Red Seal endorsed trade.

Lots have taken it and passed, as many with Canadian experience have failed.
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Old Jan 27th 2014, 12:34 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by Aviator
You don't need Canadian ID, visitors can sit the exam, visitors can and have sat the exam, ITABC have a work around.

It is impossible to say anyone is likely to fail without having any work experience in Canada. You don't write the 'Red Seal' you write the BC Provincial trades exam, which is a Red Seal endorsed trade.

Lots have taken it and passed, as many with Canadian experience have failed.
I am offering my 'advice' on experience.....not knowing any electricians that have passed the exam first time without taking the ITP course and if you want to be pernickety you write the 'Interprovincial (Red Seal) certificate of qualification!
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Old Jan 30th 2014, 9:00 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by Robbie82k
Hi,
I'm an english electrician with 15 years experience looking at moving over to the BC area, I'm stuck at what to do next, i know that taking a red seal exam will greatly enhance my employment chances but i'm unsure of how to apply for the exam and what books i will require for studying. Any suggestions on the next step would be much appreciated

Thanks
Hi Robbie

We've been in this boat a while so have lots of advice for you! My husband Steve is a spark in Manchester, he has so far sat and failed the Red Seal in BC twice (third time lucky hopefully) so I hope you can learn from our mistakes: the exam is hard, don't underestimate it. Steve studied for three months the first time, three months the second time (failging at 57% and 66% respectively). We did have some family issues the second time that contributed to the failure and he struggled badly with jet lag but still - an expensive fail as he spent 6 days out there each time.

When you pay to challenge (after you proivde evidence of your 9000 hours) you get two opportunites to challenge the exam, so at least the re-sit is free (I hope you don't need it but it seems many do). On the third attempt, you need to sit a course before you are allowed to challenge again. Steve is currently doing an online course, costs $300 and he wishes he did this in the first place - I highly recommend you at least look into it as it helps the info sink in.

Re study materials, Steve has six revision guides plus the 2012 Canadian Electrical Code, they're a bit pricey but what can you do. Google the CSA website to purchase - they arrive within a couple of days in the UK. You must buy the Code as you will be given a copy to refer to in your exam and so need to know your way around it swiftly to maximise time.

You need to contact ITA BC to challenge the exam. In May last year they told us they were working on a route for overseas electricians to challenge from their own location however as yet this has not materialised.
The exam is four hours, 100 questions, you need 70% to pass. Be cautious of jet lag. When you arrive at the exam they use your British passport ID to register you, they do ask for a mailing address in Canada (we used a friends) but they have never contacted us via that mailing address as it is all done by email.

Once you sit the exam, it generally takes two weeks (although they prepare you to wait six weeks) for your results to come back.

Once you have your Red Seal, you can apply for jobs from the UK or apply for the Skilled Worker Visa. Recent advice suggests this visa takes up to two years to process.

Good luck and message me if you want any more info.

Sinead
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Old Feb 4th 2014, 11:18 pm
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Default Re: English electrician - help!

Originally Posted by CanadianDreams
I am offering my 'advice' on experience.....not knowing any electricians that have passed the exam first time without taking the ITP course and if you want to be pernickety you write the 'Interprovincial (Red Seal) certificate of qualification!
Yeah never thought it had to be so competitive on here as to who is the most informative. I'm glad I dont work with him!
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