What is the work like?

As a qualified electrician, you would fit, test and repair the electrical circuits and wiring found in homes and businesses. Your work might range from fitting a bathroom shower in a customer's home to laying cabling in a new office development.

Your duties would include:

• working from plans to fit wiring, sockets and points
• carrying out an initial installation, known as the 'first fix' – fitting wiring along wall cavities and through ceilings and floors
• fitting fuse boxes, circuit-breakers and earth terminals
• mounting back-boxes on walls to take plug sockets and points
• carrying out a 'second fix' – connecting wiring to sockets, switches, light fittings and appliances.

On commercial projects your tasks would be on a larger scale, for example:

• laying the cabling connecting office equipment to power supplies and computer networks
• installing fire alarms and security systems like CCTV
• inspecting and testing wiring systems and equipment
• fixing faults highlighted by inspections – known as remedial repair work.

See the job profile for Industrial Electrician for more details about working in manufacturing and engineering.

What qualifications and experience will employers look for?

From January 2011, to qualify as an electrician you will need to achieve one of the new Level 3 NVQ Diplomas from City & Guilds (course code 2357) or EAL. These are:

• NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Electrotechnical Services (Electrical Maintenance) or
• NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment (Buildings and Structures).

You would start with a series of knowledge units, and once you have passed these you would progress to practical units which you would mainly complete in the workplace. The two qualifications have many units in common, but you would take the Buildings and Structures option if you were more involved in installing new systems in buildings. New domestic installer qualifications at levels 2 and 3 may be developed in the future.

Follow the links below for more information about the new qualifications:

• City & Guilds
• EAL

The NVQ Diplomas will replace the City & Guilds Technical Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology (2330) and NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Electrotechnical Services (2356). However, if you are already part-way through these qualifications at a local college, you will be able to finish them and they will still be valid for you to work as an electrician.

Follow the link below for a City & Guilds announcement on the delay in launching the new qualfications and the availability of the NVQs in the meantime.

• City & Guilds – Electrotechnical Qualifications News July 2010

There is strong competition for places on courses, and college entry requirements will often include an aptitude test. Due to health and safety regulations, you may not be able to complete a training course if you are colour-blind. Check with your chosen college about restrictions and whether they can offer you a colour vision assessment test.

Industry bodies strongly recommend that you gain a placement or employment with an electrical contractor as soon as possible after starting your course. Your training provider may help with placements but you could also contact companies directly.

You may be able to qualify through an Apprenticeship scheme with an electrical contractor. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. For more information, visit the Apprenticeships website.

• Apprenticeships

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