How to Become an Electrician

The Adult-Learner Route (Fast-Track) 

In this first section, we’ll explore what I refer to as the “adult learner” pathway, how someone with no prior electrical qualification can progress to a fully competent electrician. 

So students or learners (which every one you like) become increasingly confused when trying to pick the right electrician course for them. Forgot the students being confused there is confusion within the industry when a definition is needed of what a “fully qualified electrician.” In my view, it’s someone who is authorised to carry out and certify both domestic and industrial installations independently. You’ll often see advertisements claiming you can become “fully qualified” in just six weeks, but the route most widely recognised by employers and supported by job-board data from Reed and Monster, involves the following steps: 

1. City & Guilds 2365-02 Certificate (Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations)
    
2. City & Guilds 2365-03 Certificate (Level 3 Diploma in Electrotechnical Technology)
3. 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2018 qualification)
4. City & Guilds 2357 NVQ Level 3 (Competence-based practical qualification)
5. AM2 Assessment (Independent end-point practical and written test)
6. Apply For Your ECS JIB Gold Card (competency scheme needed)
7. City & Guilds 2391 Certificate (Inspection and Testing ) 

Completing these elements establishes you as an electrician who can both perform and sign off work across domestic and industrial settings, exactly the standard most employers seek and most importantly the standers that Elec Trainings working partners expect when we place students into placement.  

Who is it for?
Career-changers aged 19 plus who need to keep earning, maybe parents returning to work or ex-forces engineers. 

Target outcome
A “fully qualified electrician” able to wire domestic and commercial installs, test, certify and appear as a “Qualified Supervisor” on a Competent Persons Scheme. 

Step-by-step path most Centres Follow 

So step 6 and 7. 

6. Apply For Your ECS JIB Gold Card (competency scheme needed)
7. City & Guilds 2391 Certificate (Inspection and Testing )

Steps 6 and 7 are optional in some employers eyes, I’ll explain, very rarely some employers are not too concerned if you have your ECS JIB Gold card as long as your competent, here is the kicker as I would say, you cant sign off your own work, so in essence if you was to leave that work place, you would not be able to work on your own, or set up your own company (old school companies used to use this as a method of control).  

The 2391 add on, some companies try and sell this with the 18th edition as the go to route. I’m sorry if this is what you have done, you have wasted your money. Yes the 18th edition is needed and later on the 2391, but with out the basics of your 2365-02, you cant become fully qualified. Its like doing you’re a-levels and applying for University but they still require you to have a C in English (GCSE’s, yes I am showing my age).  

So as my father would say, do it right and do it right the first time.  

At Elec Training, we do it slightly different, with a nvq level 3 electrical fast track option, the reason we can do this is we guarantee you a placement for your NVQ portfolio. Most students struggle to become fully qualified as they cant get work, that’s where we tend to get the cry for help, it goes something like this.