Day November 27, 2025

The question comes up constantly on forums, in Facebook groups, in phone calls to training providers: "Do I have to quit my job to become an electrician?" The short answer is no. The slightly longer answer is: it depends which bit you're talking about. Here's the thing. The UK is staring down a shortage of roughly 15,000 qualified electricians over the next five years. Net-zero targets, EV infrastructure, solar installations, heat pump rollouts. The demand is real, and it's not slowing down. Construction as a whole could be short 217,000 workers by 2025, with electricians among the most affected trades. CITB reckons we'll need 47,860 extra electrotechnical workers by 2027 alone.

The question shows up constantly in training enquiries, on Reddit, in Facebook groups: "What actually is the NVQ 2357?" Closely followed by: "Is it the same as Level 3?" and "How long does the portfolio take?" Honestly, the confusion is understandable because training providers deliberately blur the lines between technical certificates and competency qualifications. Here's the thing. The NVQ Level 3 2357 is not a classroom qualification. It's not something you can complete in 8 weeks or 13 weeks or any timeframe that involves only theory study. It's a competence-based portfolio proving you can install, maintain, test, and certify electrical work safely and in accordance with BS 7671

Yes. You can retrain as an electrician after leaving the Armed Forces, and the data shows you're more likely to succeed than civilian learners. Veterans over-index in skilled trades (18.8% compared to 8.7% for non-veterans), bring discipline and technical backgrounds that employers actively want, and benefit from specific funding options designed to support military-to-civilian career transitions. Around 14,000-16,000 people leave the UK Armed Forces every year, joining a veteran population of 2.6 million. Employment outcomes are strong: 88% of Career Transition Partnership (CTP) users find work, and only 1.4% of veterans are unemployed.