The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP) has prepared a new version of the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification (EAS) Qualifications Guide for publication. The new guide is effective for all new applicants from Monday 18th September 2023 and now includes reference to the Domestic Electrician apprenticeship and Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA) as accepted qualification routes.
The guide is hosted by IET here and is now also available on the Electrical Careers website so employers, learners and training providers can access it and receive guidance where required. The EAS sets out the minimum requirements for a business to be recognised as technically competent by a Certification or Registration Body (such as the NICEIC).
EAS no longer accepts short courses, auditable evidence, or certificates of competence as forms of recognised training and education. This has effectively closed ‘short course’ entry routes for new Qualified Supervisor (QS) applicants. ECS was referenced as part of an earlier update to the Qualifications Guide for Qualified Supervisors with Electrotechnical Certification and Competent Persons Schemes, positioning the ECS gold card as a quick and simple method of evidencing the standards achieved by an Installation or Maintenance Electrician.
Qualified Supervisors are responsible for the quality and safety of the work being performed, and should a QS change, the Principal Duty Holder has 30 days to inform the certification body. A new QS must be in place within 120 days. Existing QSs are required to hold an 18th Edition Wiring Regulation qualification; they can no longer simply demonstrate an understanding of it.
For those new to the position of QS, the qualification requirements have changed. To meet these new requirements, new QSs (and QS applicants) will be required to hold the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations and relevant inspection and testing qualifications as well as other qualifications available through apprenticeships or experienced worker assessment routes and CPD.
The Domestic Electrician Experienced Worker Assessment became available earlier this year, giving the opportunity for people working solely in the domestic sector to show their skills and knowledge to the same standard as a Level 3 apprenticeship route. The Domestic Electrician EWA is based on the same content as the Domestic Electrician apprenticeship standard, so both new entrants and existing workers are assessed and accredited to the same industry standard.
Further information about ECS card types and their qualification requirements is available here