Just a quick reminder guys about the Elex exhibition at Ally Pally today and tomorrow - also don't forget to check out #tradestalklive 

The 18th edition training group on my SparkyNinja Facebook page has just reached 1000 members - this is a great example of how electricians and learners can work together and develop themselves.

I returned to Wales last week to deliver another 1 day update course for the Wiring Regulations. Was all the advice and information I asked the last group passed forward and delivered to these guys to prepare them more effectively?

I noticed an electrician this week using LinkedIn as a job searching and moaning site so thought I would give him some advice to adjust his profile so potential employers would want to engage with him.

So in today's news we saw video footage of a worker driving a mini digger through the front door of a newly furbished Travelodge Hotel in Liverpool. It looks like the dispute was over the worker not being paid is wages to the amount of £600. In this podcast I briefly mention the importance of thinking things through and maybe considering the benefits of approaching a union or similar with your pay disputes.

Having just done a second stream on YouTube one of the things discussed was the clients driving down the prices of the inspection and testing. In this podcast I discuss why you shouldn't lower your prices.

Yesterday was a long day for me. I had to drive hundreds of miles to an agreed training event in which the candidates were not informed properly on the course. So what did I do..

Let's talk about the exam. It appears from feedback via twitter and Facebook that some training companies are making candidates remove all of their tabs that they place while undertaking the training, one college actually cut them plush with the page. 

Whilst some others allow full on practice question papers to be left with them during their exams.

What are the actual requirements for this?

What is the PASS mark?

Well here I talk through the City and Guilds documentation which is the guideline for all training companies delivering this course within their enrolment.

In this episode I want to talk about a new Regulation in the Wiring Regulations which finally introduces the need to consider the varying types of RCD. I explain why this is something that we should have been considering years and give a practical example of why something as simple as a washing machine may result in an RCD not operating properly if it is protected by the 'off the shelf' type AC RCD.

Another device that has created many questions is the AFDD. It's a new device with a very interesting background. In this episode I talk a little bit about the Regulations covering this device and how it's application is being interpreted.