Mike Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I am planning to move, lock stock and barrel to France with my family. Our first thoughts were to run gites but that idea is fastly diminishing. I am a qualified electrician with 26 years experience and would like to hear from any electrician currently working and living in France. I would like to know what loops i would need to jump through to become qualified the French way and what it's like working with other Frence trades people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Not many. You don't need French qualifications to be an electrician here.If you are employed or self-employed as an electrician in the UK, dig out your certificates and have them translated by an official translator when you arrive. For good measure, bring employer pay-slips or self-empoyed accounts to prove that you have some experience in the field.If you don't fully understand French methods, I'd suggest that you find an electrician to "shadow".Do a forum search and see what is required of self-employed people here (I doubt if yo will get a job). 8 in the morning and I am drowning under paperwork which I have to present to the bank at 9:30.That said, every electrician I know (self included) is up to his eyes in work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Thanks Nick for replying.I'm bemused though! Your comment in brackets 'I doubt if you will get a job', what do you mean by that?Kind Regards, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Mike, I take it as meaning that you would have to be self-employed as an electrician as Nick thinks it is unlikely that a French company would take you on as an employee.Nick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Thanks, that what I thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 [quote user="Cat"]Mike, I take it as meaning that you would have to be self-employed as an electrician as Nick thinks it is unlikely that a French company would take you on as an employee.Nick?[/quote]Exactly. There are plenty of unemployed French people ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawny Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 You would go a long way to find an unemployed sparks, well one that wanted to work.Good chance of finding work with a company but it will depend on where you want to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 [quote user="shawny"]You would go a long way to find an unemployed sparks, well one that wanted to work.Good chance of finding work with a company but it will depend on where you want to live.[/quote]There is? Where? I'm sick of being self-employed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawny Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Ever applied, or is yours pure presumption ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlemouse Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 A large electrical contractors in Brest are looking for Electricians and when I was speaking to them about qualifications, they were more interested in if you could do the job then what qualifications you had,such are the difficulties in recruiting staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 [quote user="shawny"]Ever applied, or is yours pure presumption ?[/quote]My what?That aside, are you recommending that the OP ups sticks and arrives here on the assumption that he will get a job? That is a little presumptious IMHO.Brest is a little too far for me, which is a pity. Anyone else fancy offering me/finding me a job? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawny Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 [quote user="Nick Trollope"]That aside, are you recommending that the OP ups sticks and arrives here on the assumption that he will get a job? That is a little presumptious IMHO.[/quote][:D]Read this, you might even recognise yourself.............. Not many. You don't need French qualifications to be an electrician here.............. So encouragement there I noticeIf you are employed or self-employed as an electrician in the UK,dig out your certificates and have them translated by an officialtranslator when you arrive. For good measure, bring employer pay-slipsor self-empoyed accounts to prove that you have some experience in thefield. Hello ! Even more encouragement thereIf you don't fully understand French methods, I'd suggest that you find an electrician to "shadow". Hello, again even more encouragement thereDo a forum search and see what is required of self-employed peoplehere (I doubt if yo will get a job). 8 in the morning and I am drowningunder paperwork which I have to present to the bank at 9:30. Well here we have even more, take a look at how much work this chap has on his handsThat said, every electrician I know (self included) is up to his eyes in work... Come over to France, just look how much work we all have !!Now what was you saying about presumption ? All that adds up to the OP seeing just how much work there is for a sparks.I simply implied that France was crying out for skilled men, such as electricians, what the OP does about that, is for him to decide. I suggest you go in to a temping agency, especially around the big towns and see what they offer you. And that is only for starters but my bet is that you much prefer to work for yourself if truth be known Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 I wasn't trying to discourage him, just tell him that he is unlikely to get a job. Which bit of that didn't you understand, newbie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawny Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 [quote user="Nick Trollope"]I wasn't trying to discourage him, justtell him that he is unlikely to get a job. Which bit of that didn't you understand, newbie?[/quote]Well, I would say, just about all of it I guess. He won't get a job but all the sparkies are working flat out. Littlemousesaid they were crying out for sparkies near him (and his is not the only town desperate for trades people) but you said that wastoo far for you but perhaps, not too far for the OP. And as I saidbefore look in the temping agencies, seen quite a few places advertising for Electricians aroundFrance.Is being called a newbie an insult or just a sign of someonewho lost an argument and feels the desire to call someone a very sillyname ? Never mind Nick, I am saddened for you but not disillusioned by yourfeeble attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Hi Shawny ,The chances of working for a French Company as a electrician in France ,without speaking french are , zilch. The self employed route working for english homeowners on day one , is the only way until the language is mastered.ps.Nick Trollope has helped many people with his sound technical advice and his prudent comments and , has definately gained my respect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawny Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Hi Leo,Sorry but when did speaking French come in to the equation ? This was, I thought, a general question and none of us actually knows if he speaks French anyway. I would think it pretty obvious that anyone with no language skills of the intended country, may well find it pretty difficult but certainly not impossible (or zilch as you put it) in something as technical as the World of electrics. Please don''t say zilch as if it is a certainty. I know of British plumbers, sparks and chippies who have succesfully found work with a company here and their French was pretty awful in the beginning. Some of them went on to become self employed after.[quote] Nick Trollope has helped many people with his sound technical adviceand his prudent comments and , has definately gained my respect![/quote]Oh ! fair enough that being the case, let him feel free to insult my opinion then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmt Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 [quote user="Nick Trollope"]Which bit of that didn't you understand, newbie?[/quote]Gosh, it's turning into TF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le_Jars Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 snigger! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 OK so it was probably an assumption that the poster couldnt speak French and Nick doubted that he would get a job, however if he does speak it then I doubt that he would want one knowing the hours and pay making Nick's suggestion to shadow an electrician and then work self employed a far more likely scenario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlemouse Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Its not strictly true that you can't work as an electrician if you can't speak french. Its more about can you read a plan, can you do the job ,type and size of the company that your going to work for etc.Learning the language comes as you go along,I'm not saying that it doesn't help to speak the language either.Its too easy to say your chances are zilch when all circumstances are different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted October 31, 2007 Author Share Posted October 31, 2007 Well, sorry that I have caused such a stir!I will be coming out to France and will go down the self-employed road.I am taking private French lessons as is my family.Thank you for all the responses but I'm not much better off than in the start. However, I would like to speak with an actual electrician who has been working out there and just fire some questions if that would be ok.If there is anyone out there who fits the description who wouldn't mind me actually speaking with them then please let me know.Kind Regards to all, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aly (used to be Charlotte3) Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I'm with you on that littlemouse......if you have talent, determination and are willing to work hard you CAN succeed, whether you speak the language or not.I know, I've done it and I'm sure I can't be the only one!Aly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired (I am now) Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Mike,I have a cunning plan. Rather than wait to find an english sparks who wants to talk to you, why not phone a few of the adverts of english electricians. Just tell them that when you come you'll be working in the opposite corner of France and not competing with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted November 6, 2007 Author Share Posted November 6, 2007 I have done just that 'nearly retired' and it as proved fruitful.Wish I was nearly retired, would be a lot easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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