If you are planning on running a business online where you are selling services or products, you will need to find a way to accept credit cards. You can’t run an online business by taking checks or money orders if you really want to make money.

Not accepting credit cards is a way to see your business fail and go to some other site who does offer credit card facilities to their customers. Instant payment is expected by every internet user so whether you are supplying a service or product you need to be able to send it out as soon as payment is made.

Any professional company that has an e-commerce website will make sure that every type of payment system is in place including the ability to accept credit cards online. If you don’t take payments this way then you should esquire about having the option of online payments available as soon as you can.

This advice is crucial and will determine how serious you are about your internet business. As it is possible to use more than one method to accept credit cards online, many larger internet businesses use more than one to attract additional customers.

Most online payment systems are similar to those you will find in any retail store or restaurant, alternatively you can use the system that many others are using now called Paypal. Paypal is not as common as the first method, but it is gaining in popularity.

A person can use their credit card in their Paypal account as it makes check out faster and easier, and some feel, more secure. This is something you must be prepared to provide.

For a site accepting credit cards online, it must ensure that every transaction is encrypted so personal details of the card user cannot be used at another time for dishonest purposes. Any website that accepts credit cards online will be a secure site with the first letters of the website address being https://, This provides peace of mind to the user, so if you do not have this facility your customers will go elsewhere. Your customers want their credit card details to be safe from prying eyes so you need to make sure you do everything you can to keep their credit card details secure to make them feel at ease about ordering through your site.

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Amenities – Many amenities are only used during part of the year such as the pool and tennis court. Also evaluate the hours of operation. If people are not using the service they will understand pairing it back.

Quest Fees – If you complex is attractive you may be able to sell memberships to the gym, swimming pool and and tennis courts. You can also charge a small fee for quests.

Sell advertising – Sell advertising in the newsletter, in common areas and on the website. One easy way to sell advertising on the website is through Google adsense.

Lower Maintenance Landscaping. Many developers only think of initial costs when landscaping. Many times there is little thought put into long term landscaping costs. Roses and Hydrogena take much more care than bulbs and ornamental grasses.

Collect Past Due Fees. Monies owed to a condo association can drag it down. Also you want to make sure fees are collected before they get so high the property goes into foreclosure. Lawyers many be willing to work on contingency.

Insurance Claims – If in the last five years your association had to get a loan (like those from SBA or FEMA) for repairs (Storm, Hurricane, Natural Disaster, Tornado or any accident) your regular condo attorney many not be enough. Contact an attorney who focuses on insurance claims. Many insurance companies deny underpay insurance claims. Many times the law states that the insurance company has to pay the legal fees. Moreover, many attorneys will handle insurance claims in a way that no funds will be out of pocket.

Rehabilitate instead of Replace. instead of copper pipe repair can be rehabilitate to better than new condition with epoxy pipe lining from CuraFlo. It is generally 30% cheaper than re piping and is much less obtrusive. RLS Solutions offers sewer lining and manholes to increase their life and save on costs.

Property Manager – employ a property manager who is experienced in cutting costs. A PM with experience will also know which contractors come in on budget and which ones have a history of completing jobs late.

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Traffic tickets can end up costing people a lot of money. Unpaid tickets will continue to cost a person money. The fine it’s self is bad enough, but when interest and penalties are added, a person may be looking at shelling out a small fortune. Anyone, would expect that once the ticket has been paid, the matter is closed but this is not the case.

Insurance rates can be greatly increased as a result of repeated tickets. Too many may actually cause insurance companies to cancel a policy. This is not to mention legal fees which will be incurred. People may in fact be arrested and jailed, and find themselves in need of a lawyer. This of course will mean even more money will be wasted.

People who want to avoid receiving speeding tickets, should start by doing their best to obey speed limits. This of course will also ensure the safety of anyone who’s on the road. When some people are in a hurry, they tend to speed. This does not always get people to their destination more quickly. This is a major cause of serious accidents, which may end someone’s life.

Directional signals are an important part of an automobile. Still, many people refuse to use them. Often these are the same people that are surprised when they are hit from behind by a driver who did not know they were turning. People should remember to use their signals, any time they turn. This will keep people safer and save them money from traffic tickets.

The reality is that we all make mistakes occasionally. Some people may not realize that they are driving too fast, or forget the directional signal while avoiding missing a turn. Others may decide to continue through a yellow light, only to have it turn red at the last moment. Every town has a spot, which is a notorious area for police to watch traffic. It is as though they sit just waiting to find someone doing something wrong so that they will have the opportunity to fine them. Frequently a police officer will claim that he is just looking out for a person’s safety. Although this may be true, it does not cause people to drive any differently.

When a person chooses to pay a traffic ticket rather than fighting it, they have admitted that they are guilty of the charge. This is an irreversible decision. Not only will they have to consult with a paralegal team and their insurance company, but this person chooses will have record of this admission. Even if the insurance company chooses to do business with this person, it will indeed be more expensive. The better choice is to always plead not guilty and fight the ticket. This will give individuals the opportunity to possibly not have to pay the fine.

Delaying the court appearance may also help a person to avoid being found guilty. Because everyone is busy, police do not have time to continue scheduling court appearances that are canceled. Instead, eventually, they may just not show up. This will cause most traffic cases to be dismissed.

Following the rules of the road is a great start to avoiding fines. People who take the time to fight traffic tickets may save themselves a great deal of stress and money.

Experienced Canadian professionals can offer superior legal support for your Peterborough traffic tickets at affordable prices. The dedicated Trenton paralegal team is committed to assisting you with any driving offences.

Using the right disability lawyers is a good goal for increasing your chances of success in filing a claim. Some find them through a family member or a close friend who has had to go through the process themselves at some time, and had success. Others simply go through the phone book and make calls and inquiries. And yet others may choose to try the state bar association for recommendations.

Anytime you decide that you are going to make a claim, and you need to go and find an attorney, there are going to be some key questions to ask yourself before you choose to let any certain one represent you. They need to specialize in the particular kind of case that you are bringing. This is a very important thing not to overlook. You need to ask around about any other cases they have taken, and how their success rate is.

A lot of people who have never filed before, but are around others who know someone who has, or even who have filed themselves, come away with a few misconceptions about the process. One myth they always hear, is that everyone gets denied on their first time. This is not the truth, although it is mostly true. Many more get turned down on their first time than get approved, but that does not mean that ALL do.

Another thing people should know, even before they seek an attorney, is that filing for disability due to a problem with drugs or alcohol is not a guarantee of success. If the drug in question, or the alcohol, is considered material to the case, you will not get approved. If immaterial, you may still. This means that if you should quit the use of the drug, or the alcohol, and your condition improve, then you will be turned down. If it would not improve your condition, then you may be able to get approved.

One thing to understand about filing, is the time it can take. Anyone who is considering filing, should get it done as quickly as they can. The solid truth is that the process can be very long and trying, and for people who truly need and deserve the benefits, they need to get the wheels in motion as fast as they can. This gives your disability lawyer more time and resources to prepare a case.

After you get denied for the first time, if you do, that is the time for you to find yourself an attorney to represent you. This is when your case becomes more of an appeal than a file motion. You are appealing the fact you were turned down. This takes a lot of know-how, and a lot of paperwork, and most people cannot do it without the aid of a good attorney. And it should again, be one that specializes your type of case.

When it comes to the paperwork involved, these lawyers are worth their weight in gold. They know how to meet the deadlines, and they know just what you need to do in order to position yourself for a successful outcome before a judge when your hearing takes place. It is imperative that you have everything in order if you want things to go smoothly and have a more positive outcome.

Using the right disability lawyers is crucial to many cases. If you should somehow choose one who is not so good with your particular situation, you could be shooting yourself in the foot. These hearings are life changing for many people. And these are good people, who just need help in order to survive, have a meaningful life, and find their place in the world. So if you are one who is considering filing, do so right away, and go ahead and be shopping around for the attorney who is going to be able to do the best job for you and your situation.

As an experienced Canadian law firm, every Ontario disability lawyer here is dedicated to fighting for your individual claims and rights. Navigate the legal sector effectively by contacting a qualified disability lawyer today!

For people looking to steer clear of bankruptcy, an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) is a substitute; it is an agreement with the creditors of an individual looking to maintain paying their debts but, due to a change in their financial situation, can no longer make the initially agreed repayments.

The individual’s circumstances are taken into account to make the agreement flexible and are based on a mixture of capital, income and other payments. When proposed, creditors will make a decision via a vote which must see over 75% agreement for an IVA to go ahead.

Although not mutually exclusive, an IVA can be used as an alternative to bankruptcy. An individual can apply for an IVA which would require approval of a proposed IVA and a Court annulment of the bankruptcy order if they have filed for and been made bankrupt.

The advantages and disadvantages of an IVA are dependant on the circumstances of the individual debtor, professional advice is usually sought to decide upon the best option. An IVA will not automatically restrict the debtor from obtaining credit but a proposal usually will.

Unlike with bankruptcy, an individual will not have to reveal anything about an IVA, but some lenders may ask. An IVA will not be viewed in the same light as bankruptcy by creditors as it shows a dedication to repayment, however the existence of an IVA in the first place generally suggests poor credit on behalf of the debtor and both will stay on the individual’s credit file for 6 years.

A creditor is restricted by the decision to approve an IVA proposal and cannot take any enforcement action to retrieve the debt. Unlike bankruptcy, an IVA proposal doesn’t usually include any property of a debtor but in some cases the creditor may recommend a re-mortgage or propose a degree of income based assistance because of the debtor’s equitable interest in the property.

Are you struggling to afford you debt repayments, then visit The Debt Advisor to see if you could qualify for anIndividual Voluntary Agreement.

If you are planning on running a business online where you are selling services or products, you will need to find a way to accept credit cards. In fact when was the last time you saw a company selling products online that took money orders or checks?

Not accepting credit cards is a way to see your business fail and go to some other site who does offer credit card facilities to their customers. Instant payment is expected by every internet user so whether you are supplying a service or product you need to be able to send it out as soon as payment is made.

Any professional company that has an e-commerce website will make sure that every type of payment system is in place including the ability to accept credit cards online. If you don’t take payments this way then you should esquire about having the option of online payments available as soon as you can.

This advice is crucial and will determine how serious you are about your internet business. As it is possible to use more than one method to accept credit cards online, many larger internet businesses use more than one to attract additional customers.

Most online payment systems are similar to those you will find in any retail store or restaurant, alternatively you can use the system that many others are using now called Paypal. Paypal is not as common as the first method, but it is gaining in popularity.

A person can use their credit card in their Paypal account as it makes check out faster and easier, and some feel, more secure. This is something you must be prepared to provide.

For a site accepting credit cards online, it must ensure that every transaction is encrypted so personal details of the card user cannot be used at another time for dishonest purposes. Knowledgeable customers will click away from a site that does not have the obligatory https:// at the start of the domain name as it means the site is not secure and information will not be encrypted. You will be on the right lines if you provide the customer with a website where the ordering is easy and they feel safe making a purchase.

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We often read in the press of the salaries that the Plumbing trade is achieving. Salaries of 30-70k p.a. are often discussed, along with the lack of plumbers within the UK. The question now is – are we being lied to, or is this the truth? For the competent and correctly skilled person, this level of salary is realistic. In fact, earnings in excess of 70 – 100k p.a. are achievable – but that is solely for those who work within the self-employed market-place, rather than those who work within established employment routes.

If you are working for a traditional company within the UK, then the hours of Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm are normal. Indeed salaries of between 15k and 30k p.a. form part of what is expected from employed status in this area, along with the added reward of holiday pay and sickness allowance. Whilst the ability to earn more than through normal means exists, the self-employed plumber usually has to consider working longer hours. This is clear when self employed plumbers have to work evenings and weekends, where their domestic clients are working during the day.

Then there is the matter of working for yourself, which agrees with some people more than others. This can include getting to grips with advertising & marketing, getting your own cost-per-hour correct and the need to learn and use good ‘business’ sense. Similarly, to cover additional elements such as legal and accountancy fees and materials and transport, will require the planning of most self-employed people. These charges should always remain a small proportion of the overall income so that any profits created always outweigh them. And the downsides are nearly always outweighed by the proceeds!

Initially, by searching for standard work a Student Entrant can get the majority of training especially with working knowledge and experience. Alternatively, the Self Employed Entrant needs to quickly establish those certificates that they will rely on in industry. In fairness it is the ‘domestic’ market rather than the commercial sector that attracts the majority of the self-employed workers in the UK. (Whilst not everyone does the majority do!)

Furthermore, each route into Plumbing has a necessity on the certification process overall. It is when the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) is considered that a considerable discrepancy becomes clear.

To begin with, the Student Entrant appears to rely more heavily on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. In trying to meet their client’s needs many Self Employed Entrants will employ a wider range of qualifications. The self employed person needs to consider the wishes of their household clients and use the relative domestic-centred qualifications to satisfy them. In a similar way to an apprenticeship the Student Entrant will, once the core learning tools have been learned, enter the workplace and be able to carry on the NVQ element of their study. The Student Entrant can also make financial savings at the start, as it is a cheaper form of study overall. But the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster (motivated by a more commercial viewpoint) and will therefore be achieving considerable financial reward long before the Student Entrant.

Clearly this illustrates the need for a careers discussion that covers certifications and study alongside those of financial returns. It is often the issue of spending time at college and then having to go back to an apprenticeship for up to 3 years that proves difficult to many adults especially those that have a family to look after. Normally, self-employed students to pay for their courses themselves whereas the younger Student Entrants have the majority of their courses paid for them as part of their apprenticeships. These courses can run between 3k through to 10k+, depending upon the course and level of certification required and that is something that people need to consider.

For the most part the private colleges are the domain of the Self Employed Entrant whereas the Student Entrant is required to study at recognised further-education colleges. Plumbing training companies can offer commercial routes in to reputable training paths that cover the necessary qualifications and skill-sets. The situation whereby Self Employed Entrants can continue with their current job and maintain their financial position remains one of the core advantages of training in evening, part-time or self study classes. With the high number of colleges it makes sense to gather as much technical data as you can. To review your options why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and you can come back and review the links and adverts we have provided for you.

By going on added training programs many plumbing students seek to increase their ‘marketability’. These courses can provide a range of additional certifications in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical. As part of the commercial and domestic heating procedures, Gas training continues to be popular with Plumbers.

Gas Training, with subjects followed by a focus on NVQ’s is recognised as an accurate and exact training program. For those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at extra skills this also offers many options for their on-going development. From this idea the mature student works better with a fusion offered by Gas/Plumbing training. By reducing the NVQ parts the Mature Student appears to be able to allow the focus on the core subjects.

It is from this particular training program that the self-employed professional gains ground. There is a great empathy for earning money whilst learning a wider range of work skill sets. This alone can add to their industrial viewpoint, as opposed to relying on sub-contracting core elements to third parties. Of equal concern is the lowering of customer value as they have to wait for essentials to be handled by others and the reduction of the overall earning potential that ensues from sub-contraction. The higher the skill level of a Plumber the more that they can offer their client base.

In conclusion, the Self Employed Entrant can enjoy a much higher (and more quickly achieved) income than a Student Entrant, but they would have to work at developing a broader range of certifications (and consider the business side of things too.) Note: This information deals with industry requirements and policies for the UK market alone.

Copyright Scott Edwards 2009. Go to Part Time Plumbing Courses or www.NewCareerOptions.co.uk/incarop.html.

For many people, a career within the electrical industry remains an interesting and varied choice. Whilst the original term is ‘Electro-Mechanical Engineering’ we will simply refer to the subject as the Electrical Industry. In addition, we will stay with the UK market and especially items relating to the domestic and commercial sectors rather than global issues. We will begin by reviewing the main issues first and come back to the ‘add-ons’ later, because of the huge number of options available as a career within this subject.

Essentially, we see two distinct forms of entry into the electrical market. To being with we have the older apprentice course and then secondly we have the option for those who wish to make a career change to join the industry. For the sake of clarity throughout, the first will be known as ‘Junior Entrants’ and the second simply known as ‘Mature Entrants.’

Mature students, or entrants, often train so that they can become self-employed and work on their own projects without having to pay wages to external electricians. Those who join as Junior Entrants, on the other hand, appear to do so with the aim of joining an established electrical firm – in order to gain further qualifications and experience whilst picking up practical and other work-place skills. To be fair, young apprentices leaving school will have a lot of supplementary skills to learn during their early years as a working adult.

The two different ways into the industry have two separate methods of preparation. Junior entrants go through NVQ training in England and Wales, and SVQ training in Scotland. As part of the training program an NVQ would be a requirement to attain. New employees gain the necessary course work and testing elements through an apprenticeship or some form of suitable work program.

Mature Entrants do not appear to seek the NVQ element but instead they go after the most commercially suitable qualifications. Such as obtaining documentation that gives them the best chance to gain from their training endeavours and thereby the best financial rewards. This method allows for a quicker route to the market and does meet the necessary trading elements for the areas concerned despite reducing the overall qualification set.

Salaries are often simply broken down to those that relate to self -employed people and those in general employment. The question remains as to how much work per week a self-employed person puts in – for the sake of this review we assume that it is full time. Salary options are often affected both by the know- how and the knack for doing things as well as any perceived formal levels of understanding.

The basic salary for Junior Entrants tends to start around the 12-15k mark, but rises regularly to around 30k with the right level of experience. On the other hand experienced self-employed electricians have been known to earn around 70 thousand or more within the UK. It should be remembered however that a self employed person must often bear additional costs for items such as vehicles, tools and clothing. They will also have to make allocations for personal or professional insurance and accountancy. That aside, whilst the work is open to market-forces to some degree, the current skills shortage in the UK means that there’s a high work-load available. Certainly, working a full week is a realistic possibility for those who want to. It should be understood that the 70-100k figures that we see thrown around in newspapers are not easily achieved, and would either require working long hours or having assistants (or both.)

For the most part there is a strong difference between the Junior and Mature Entrants’ working week. ‘Junior Entrants’ would normally be required to work Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. While on the other hand, the opportunities in the domestic market (where mature entrants often work) can be heavily dependent upon when the clients get home. Again, this varies considerably, and many self-employed electricians make the mainstay of their income from office and small business installation, testing and inspection, which is Mon-Fri 9-5pm.

Any specialist knowledge the Junior Entrant gains whilst in someone’s employ is usually down to the sectors of industry that company works in. Whereas the mature entrant can gain knowledge from any trade source – even one outside of the core of electrical work. They can take on larger jobs and do all the work themselves then – which is a particularly great benefit to domestic clients.

An area that is relatively new to the industry overall, yet requires new expertise is that of ‘Green Engineering’. This could be an area of interest to both Junior and Mature Entrants, and with the expected growth and governmental (both UK & EEC) support, it could provide some highly lucrative employment and business opportunities.

(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Go to CLICK HERE or 2391 Courses.

To begin with newspapers appear to love discussing what can be earned in Plumbing. The lack of Plumbers in the UK has led to salaries of 30-70k p.a. being exhibited. Is this really a fib – or is this in fact accurate? Without a doubt, a fully experienced Plumber can command salaries of such levels. To be fair, the higher earnings of 70-100k p.a. are generally for those working within the self-employed field.

To be fair being with a regular employer often results in working from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm as standard. Salaries of between 15k – 30k p.a. are easily achievable and will include typical benefits such as holiday pay and sickness allowance – what you’d generally expect from any UK employed status. That said it is by working longer than typically 9am to 6pm, Mon to Fri that self employed people achieve higher incomes than those adopting a traditional approach. This is more common in the domestic market where self employed plumbers often have to work evenings and weekends to suit those clients that work during the week.

There is the also the fact which fits some people more than others and that is self employment. Finally there is good ‘business sense’, such as getting the hourly rate correct, advertising and marketing budgets spot on which are all important. Likewise self-employed people need to consider the implications of costs relating to materials and transport as well as legal and accountancy fees etc. Generally the payback outstrip those of the costs, to the extent that these charges should always be a small part of the earnings overall. Added to that, the positives virtually always outstrip the negatives!

Without a doubt Student Entrants are looking for companies who can offer them regular employment and thereby teach them from experience. As quickly as possible the Self Employed Entrant needs to increase their list of accreditations that they will rely upon. To be fair it is the ‘domestic’ market which appeals to a large number of self-employed plumbers and not necessarily that of the commercial sector. (Well the majority do at least)

The certification units, needed by each part of the industry keeps a similarity in terms of Plumbing education. A key debate however comes into play when considering the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland.)

From the outset, it is clear that the Self Employed Entrant does not depend as much upon the NVQ’s as the Student Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will regularly employ a range of certifications in order to meet the needs of their client’s requirements from the beginning. Certainly, it is the qualifications aimed at meeting the needs of the typical household-based client base that self-employed persons need to focus upon. Having covered off the key elements of training within the college, the Student Entrant usually then enters the apprenticeship stage within the workplace – where the NVQ element can be assessed. Considering that it is a cheaper way to study then the Student can make practical savings from the start. It is fair to say that long before the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant can gain financial benefits through establishing certifications faster and by being more commercially motivated.

It is the required financial rewards that drive the urgency of clear careers discussions, whether they are overall study or certification requirements. It would prove extremely difficult for an adult – requiring 20kp.a and having to look after their family – to go back to college and then spend 3 years in low-paid apprenticeship work. Furthermore, many Student Entrants have their studies paid for them whereas the self-employed students fund the variety of course themselves. For self-employed people these costs are set by the course structure and the level of certification sought and can end up between 3k-10k+.

Whilst the Self Employed Entrant can consider a wider range of education forms including private colleges the Student Entrant is limited to known further-education colleges. It is the lead into familiar skill-sets and qualifications that commercially fixed plumbing course companies offer as part of their training paths. In the current climate the ability of Self Employed Entrants to maintain their current financial situation and job, whilst at the same time as training in the evening, part-time or on self study classes remains one of the advantages of this system. From this it makes sense to gather as much detail as you can especially with so many training options available. Why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and then you can come back and review your options from the links and adverts we have provided for you.

Many plumbing students will go on to consider additional courses to increase their ‘marketability’. It is by training in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical that Plumbers can gain extra certifications. A typically popular route for Plumbers is Gas training, especially as this forms part of the usual commercial and domestic heating system.

Without a doubt, NVQ’s that follow on core subjects lead into the careful and precise program that is Gas Training. The opportunity for on-going training is for those who trained first as a plumber and are now seeking to add some extra skills to their repertoire. It could be said that the blend of training covering Plumbing/Gas training is better matched to the mature student. It is by centring on these core elements and dropping the NVQ elements that the Mature Student appears to settle.

It is this distinct training hybrid that appears to suit the self-employed professional. Without a doubt the appeal is to learn a greater range of skill-sets and at the same time earn money from them. Instead of having to rely upon third parties to complete certain skill-sets, this adds to their commercial viability. Whilst sub-contracting can reduce the earning of a particular job perhaps more important is the deterioration of the value in a customer’s eye as they have to wait for jobs to be handled by others before completion of the overall task. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.

In consideration therefore the Self Employed Entrant has the chance to earn considerably more and at a realistically higher pace than the Student Entrants, to do so they do have to develop both the range of certifications that they hold and consider the business elements as well. Note: The above information is solely relative to the UK market, industry requirements and policies.

Written by Scott Edwards. Hop over to Click HERE or Plumbing Training.

It’s notable that a career within the electrical industry, with its attractive options, remains a choice for lots of people. Although often assigned to as ‘Electro-Mechanical Engineering”, we will simply refer to this as the Electrical Industry. In addition, we will stay with the UK market and especially items relating to the domestic and commercial sectors rather than global issues. Because of the vast number of options available for a career within the electrical industry, we’ll start by concentrating on the main topics, and come back to the ‘add-ons’ later.

Essentially, we see two distinct forms of entry into the electrical market. Initially there’s the more traditional apprenticeship approach, but equally there is now an alternative, suited to those who are keen to enter later in their life. We have to reference individuals so we will plainly do so by ‘Junior’ and ‘Mature’ entrants.

Mature Entrants who join the industry later on do so with the aim of working for themselves, usually as a one person business. Whereas the ‘Junior Entrants’ train alongside regular electrical employment to pick up practical work place skills as they gain their qualifications. To be fair, young apprentices leaving school will have a lot of supplementary skills to learn during their early years as a working adult.

Clearly these two options have both differing training styles and methods of entry. NVQ’s are the key factor for all junior entrants. Whilst the core syllabus is relatively similar to non-NVQ commercial training, there is a particular requirement to attain the actual NVQ qualifications as part of the overall training program. This requires being in a directly-related work program or apprenticeship of some type, so as to meet the testing and course-work requirements.

Instead of seeking a work-based training environment, the Mature Entrant often seems to focus on working as a self employed person where different qualifications to NVQ’s are preferred. Having said that, the mature student does aim to gain the necessary skills to do the job, whilst at the same time reducing their training costs at all times. This method allows for a quicker route to the market and does meet the necessary trading elements for the areas concerned despite reducing the overall qualification set.

We should differentiate the prospective earnings into the two categories of employed and self-employed. Whilst self-employed people can choose the hours that they work, we assume that they are working full time for the purpose of this review. It is recognised that competence and qualifications add to income levels as well as experience and information gained.

‘Junior Entrants’ can expect a basic salary of 12K at the beginning of their training. With application and experience this figure often more than doubles in time. ‘Mature Entrants’ salaries though are often more difficult to work out, but can rise to 70.000 and above as reported in UK newspapers. Often costs such as tools, clothes and even transport need to be assessed and included in the business mix overall. Furthermore, professional items such as accountancy, tax and insurance need to be considered to make the business work properly. That aside, whilst the work is open to market-forces to some degree, the current skills shortage in the UK means that there’s a high work-load available. Working 7 days a week is totally achievable for most people if they want it. It should be understood that the 70-100k figures that we see thrown around in newspapers are not easily achieved, and would either require working long hours or having assistants (or both.)

To be fair, most Junior and Mature electricians experience very different working hours to each other. Most ‘Junior Entrants’ do not work at the weekends. While on the other hand, the opportunities in the domestic market (where mature entrants often work) can be heavily dependent upon when the clients get home. Although by testing and installing various business systems, many self-employed electricians manage to work during a normal working week.

If a Junior Electrician chooses an electrical career, then the main business actions of their company often dictate the type of expertise that they gain. But by securing work within the fields of gas or plumbing many mature entrants can gain knowledge outside of their chosen path. Without a doubt the extra skills help them in their overall employ whether this is commercial or domestic work.

An up to the minute angle – involving a new level of skills – is that of the so called ‘Green Engineer’. The opportunity to provide both employment and potential service contracts, especially in the UK and the EEC sectors, mean that this area is of interest to both Junior and Mature electricians.

(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Try Electrical Training Courses or CLICK HERE.