Level of qualification needed to obtain licence?

[D Skelton]

I am genuinely interested to see what others thoughts are on this matter.

Hypothetically speaking, the government disbands the current scam schemes and puts out to tender a GasSafe style system for electricians. Costs are lower, standards maintained, enforcement carried out blah blah blah.... Lets just say the new system is hunky dory for arguments sake. The main difference however is that in order to practise as an electrician in the UK, you now legally have to hold an electricians licence. The word 'electrician' is also protected by statute from fraudulent and unlawful use and only useable by licence holders.

I want to know what qualifications you guys think an individual would have to posses in order to gain a licence and be legally allowed to call themselves an electrician.

I want to make it clear that I'm not into this becoming a Electrical Trainee bashing thread, I am genuinely interested as to be honest, I am currently on the fence and would like to hear your views.

 

[Megavolt]

I would of thought even tho I won't be popular that what ever it is it should be renewed every 5 or so years and be modular i.e qual for domestic separate one for commercial and so on.

What are your thoughts on the matter

 

[danzor]

2391

 

[uksparks]

I would probably say your 17th regs, NVQ3, 2394/95 or 2391, or a min level of three for testing etc. I think it's probably fair to say you have to draw the line somewhere and saying you must have 2391 or equivalent will turf out a chunk.

I would say anyone who had gone as far as obtaining 2391, 94/95 genuinely has a passion / vested interest in wanting to learn the trade and is seen to have me some form of recognised effort.

I know there's a lot of very qualified by experience people out there who do not have 2391 who would then possibly end up peeved off.

Just my opinion.

 

[D Skelton]

I would probably say your 17th regs, NVQ3, 2394/95 or 2391, or a min level of three for testing etc. I think it's probably fair to say you have to draw the line somewhere and saying you must have 2391 or equivalent will turf out a chunk.

I would say anyone who had gone as far as obtaining 2391, 94/95 genuinely has a passion / vested interest in wanting to learn the trade and is seen to have me some form of recognised effort.

I know there's a lot of very qualified by experience people out there who do not have 2391 who would then possibly end up peeved off.

Just my opinion.

Completely disagree mate. It's a common misconception that the 2391/94/95 sorts the wheat from the chaff. Too many 5WWs hold it as they have been schooled for the exam and dragged through it on their course.

I specifically left this qual out of the poll for this very reason

 

[Andy78]

I would say the JIB grading system has had definitions well clarified for a long time. This would make a good starting point in any further official discussions imo.

 

[bigdavs83]

Out of interest on this topic. I sat my trade test and a couple of weeks later I got sent through my "craftsmans certificate" which indicated I was now qualified to svq level 3. Is the certificate just a scottish thing? Obviously the svq and nvq are the same thing. As soon as you have that you are essentially a qualified spark. But that doesn't mean you know anything it just means you can pass a preordained examination. I would personally go down the competency renewal every 5 or so years. Just to make sure you are up on the latest regs and current advances in the industry

 

[JD6400]

For me it is the 2391 , not sure about 2394 / 2395 as I thought these were just a watered down version of the 2391 for all the side trackers that now infest our once proud industry !
I hope I am wrong about them being watered down , but if judging by the last bloke that " was " employed by us with these qualifications I very much doubt it !?

 

[D Skelton]

Out of interest on this topic. I sat my trade test and a couple of weeks later I got sent through my "craftsmans certificate" which indicated I was now qualified to svq level 3. Is the certificate just a scottish thing? Obviously the svq and nvq are the same thing. As soon as you have that you are essentially a qualified spark. But that doesn't mean you know anything it just means you can pass a preordained examination. I would personally go down the competency renewal every 5 or so years. Just to make sure you are up on the latest regs and current advances in the industry

I have to admit my ignorance on what the 'SVQ' actually is. The English NVQ3 contains the practical as well as just the theory. You have to sit the course, learn the science and principles, pass the exams, complete practical exams, complete an on site portfolio (proof of experience) and after all that, do a 4 day AM2 practical and theory to show you can put into practice everything you have learned over four years.

Is the SVQ the same as this? If so then yeah, I guess this is what you need to be a 'fully' qualified spark

 

[D Skelton]

For me it is the 2391 , not sure about 2394 / 2395 as I thought these were just a watered down version of the 2391 for all the side trackers that now infest our once proud industry !
I hope I am wrong about them being watered down , but if judging by the last bloke that " was " employed by us with these qualifications I very much doubt it !?

Read my post #5 mate.

If anything the new 94 and 95 combined is a tiny weeny bit harder than the 2391 IMHO, but it is still pi$$ easy for any spark worth his weight.