Electrotechnical Industry Consultation: Electrician Apprenticeship Standard
1. Electrotechnical Industry Consultation: Electrician Apprenticeship Standard
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The standard-based apprenticeship for electricians has been in operation since September 2015, with more than 31,000 starts. In that time, technology and the policies around apprenticeships have moved on. It is therefore timely to review the apprenticeship to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
Tasked by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE), an Employer Review Group has developed an updated and revised Electrotechnical Apprenticeship Standard. This retains most of what is in the current standard with additional elements and it is now ready for wider consultation.
IFATE have strict requirements around covering more than one occupation in a single standard and this has significant implications for design of the apprenticeship and funding. As a result of this, we propose to rename the standard "Electrician”.
Current IFATE requirements state that apprenticeships can have various formats to ensure full competence at the end of a programme. Apprenticeships could follow a core and options format or a single occupational standard structure. Core and options is a way of grouping two or more related occupations that employers recognise as sharing a common set of knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs). Occupations grouped together in this way will share a core set of KSBs and each occupation within the grouping will also have its own additional and distinct KSBs in the option. In this format, apprenticeships are allocated one funding band only, which will be assigned based on the lowest cost option in the structure to achieve the apprenticeship.
We propose the revised apprenticeship standard to be a single occupational standard that covers both installation and maintenance areas under one single (core only) apprenticeship standard. The title "Electrician” will capture the scope of competence as outlined in the content. Apprentices will be assessed against all KSBs via a tailored end point assessment plan, which will follow the AM2 assessment structure.
Following completion of the apprenticeship, apprentices will be eligible for an ECS gold card. This card will be designated either Installation Electrician or Maintenance Electrician according to the work context they operate in, ensuring parity with current industry practice.
Our industry is changing with increased emphasis on new technology including digital and low carbon installations, and the related demands on Electricians’ knowledge and skills. We envisage the apprenticeship will continue to provide foundation knowledge and skills in several areas which can be further developed through technology specific courses following completion of the apprenticeship.
As you go through the attached draft standard please note that:
- If it is in the standard, every apprentice taking the apprenticeship must complete it to successfully achieve the apprenticeship. This means undertaking the activity required in the workplace. It is important that occupational duties and KSB statements are reasonably generic to enable a diverse range of employers to offer apprenticeships. Training can be contextualised by providers.
- If you think new areas should be added please be very clear whether you think these new areas should be Knowledge only or Knowledge and Practical Skill. Niche or specialist areas may be best addressed as Knowledge only to build understanding or as specialist training to be undertaken once the apprenticeship is completed.
- Whatever is added must be deliverable for all our employers and training providers
- The apprenticeship should remain achievable within 48 months / 4 years as at present, so if you are proposing new content, please suggest any old content that could be removed
- The end point assessment will be an updated version of the current industry assessment of competence, AM2, delivered in a NET licensed centre.
- We understand the funding for the apprenticeship needs to be increased but this stage of the process is about getting the content right. Once we have the content agreed by our industry IFATE will follow a defined process to rate the funding and we will engage with them as an industry as part of that process.
The employer group is keen to seek industry feedback on the proposed content. Please read the draft apprenticeship standard and respond to the questions found in the following SmartSurvey. Feel free to share the link with others who you think should, or would like to be, involved.
This consultation will close on the 9th September 2022.
2. As explained in the introduction to the consultation we are proposing to change the name of the apprenticeship standard from “Installation Electrician and Maintenance Electrician” to “Electrician” with the differentiation occurring during the qualification pathway. Do you support this change? If not please give your preferred title below.