This occupation is found in the industrial, commercial, and residential construction, engineering, and power industries. The broad purpose of the occupation is to install, maintain and repair electrical systems in industrial, commercial and residential environments, including communal areas.
Electricians may work on the installation, initial verification and testing, commissioning, and maintenance of low voltage (up to and including 1000 V or AC 1500 V DC) electrical and electronic equipment. Electricians can also work on the maintenance of electrical and electronic installations, including automated production systems.
The minimum duration for this apprenticeship is 4 years + End Point Assessment.
It is delivered in the workplace and at college, commencing in September/October.
Once qualified, some electricians may choose to become self-employed contractors.
What you'll learn
The scope of an Electrician’s work encompasses using engineering knowledge and understanding to apply technical and practical skills. They contribute to the design, development, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of products, equipment, and processes of electric systems or services.
Electricians may work in both indoor and outdoor settings on a range of electrical equipment and systems. They can work independently, proficiently and without immediate supervision, efficiently and economically.
They may contribute to the design of electrical systems. They can set out jobs from drawings and specifications and requisition the necessary installation materials.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for completing their own work to specification, with minimal, if any, supervision, ensuring they meet set deadlines. They may be solely responsible for company property, such as tools and work vehicles used to transport materials, including company vans. They will know how to operate within the limits of their own competence and when and from whom to seek help when needed.
Electrical equipment and systems may include switchboards, motors, cables, fuses, thermal relays, protective devices, heating, lighting, air conditioning and metering equipment, as well as property and life safety installations and renewable energy technologies, plus the installation and maintenance of electrical connections of new and emerging technologies supporting low-carbon targets. The new technologies will include enhanced connectivity, green and renewable technologies, including heating and cooling technologies, and, where appropriate, Modern Methods of Construction, including offsite and prefabricated components.
Electrical safety is an important area of Electricians’ work. On completion of their work, the electrical installation must be safe to use. Electricians must comply with statutory and non-statutory requirements, including the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Electricity at Work Regulations (EAWR), the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE), and Working at Height Regulations, BS 7671 and related codes of practice and industry guidance, including but not limited to the Building Safety Act.
In their daily work, a worker in this occupation interacts with:
- Customers—who are usually the contracting company, or they may be the end user of the services.
- The Team Leader or Area Manager, as well as personnel responsible for materials storage and supply, if they work in an organisation.
- Workers in other construction trades who may be working on the same site at the same time.
- Building materials suppliers, merchants, small business support, and others if they are self-employed.
- An electrician will sometimes work within a team or supervise a small team and may often be accompanied by an apprentice.
Key requirements for successful electricians include professionalism, a high regard for client satisfaction, and prioritising safety throughout the job from inception, including proposing solutions (including design), providing quotations, undertaking work, commissioning, and handover.
How you'll learn and be assessed
The minimum duration for this apprenticeship is 4 years + End Point Assessment.
It is delivered in the workplace, and at college, commencing in September/October.
Curriculum Delivery
An apprentice will attend college on one day a week, based on 36 Days delivery during an academic year. Each session will cover the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours as required by the apprenticeship standard. Additional sessions may be run at the college to ensure the apprentice is meeting the course requirements and progressing as expected.
After the first six weeks and then every twelve weeks, the apprentice will meet with their Activate Apprenticeships on-programme assessor to review and record their progress against the apprenticeship standard. At these reviews, evidence will be discussed and recorded by the apprentice. The assessor will observe skills and behaviours in the workplace when necessary to meet the course requirements.
It is essential that employers also ensure that apprentices are being mentored in these practices whilst in the workplace to ensure a satisfactory level of competence and knowledge is achieved prior to End-point Assessment (EPA).
End-Point Assessment
To achieve this apprenticeship standard, the employer, training provider and apprentice will agree when the apprentice has developed all the knowledge, skills and behaviours defined in the apprenticeship standard and clearly evidenced by the on-programme progression review meetings and records.
The independent end assessment ensures that all apprentices consistently achieve the industry-set professional standard and can commence at any point, once the apprentice is competent, after the twelve-month minimum period of learning and development.
Prior to independent end assessment, the Functional Skills English and Maths components of the apprenticeship must be successfully completed.
When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate: ST0152, Installation and Maintenance Electrician Level 3
Progression
Once qualified, some electricians may choose to become self-employed contractors.
Typical job titles include: Electrician, Installation Electrician, Maintenance Electrician.
Professional recognition
This apprenticeship aligns with:
- Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for Technician Member (TMIET)
- The Electrotechnical Joint Industry Board for ECS Gold Card
Please contact the relevant professional bodies for more details.
Entry requirements
To begin one of our apprenticeships, you must be over 16 years old and employed in a relevant role. Every employer is different, and therefore, entry requirements can vary. We are committed to supporting you in developing your skills, whether before or during your apprenticeship journey.
Minimum requirements prior to starting:
16 – 18 year olds: Grade 4 GCSE in maths and English or Functional Skills Level 2/ equivalent in both.
19+: If evidence of achieving a Grade 4 or above in maths or English is not available, the employer will decide if Functional Skills will be a requirement at the interview stage.
