This is an Apprenticeship standard, which includes training at work with your employer and at college 1 day per week. You will be employed as an Apprentice and will work 30 plus hours.
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.
Apprentice 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. Apprentice electricians can also work on the maintenance of electrical and electronic installations including automated production systems.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to install, maintain and repair electrical systems in industrial, commercial and residential environments including communal areas.
The scope of an apprentice 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, processes, of electric systems or services. 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, using where appropriate, Modern Methods of Construction including offsite and prefabricated components.
Apprentice electricians may work in both indoor and outdoor settings on a range of electrical equipment and systems. They can work on their own proficiently and work without immediate supervision in the most efficient and economical manner.
They may contribute to the design of electrical systems. They can set out jobs from drawings and specifications and requisition the necessary installation materials.
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:
● Their 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 apprentice electrician will sometimes work within a team or supervise a small team and may often be accompanied an apprentice.
An apprentice electrician 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 for transporting materials such as 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.
Key requirements for successful electricians include professionalism, high regard for client satisfaction and safety prioritisation throughout the job from inception, proposing solutions including design, providing quotations, undertaking work, commissioning and handover.