Q. I’ve heard industry apprenticeships now include ‘green’ skills. What exactly will apprentices be learning?
To reflect the fact that much low carbon technology installation needs the core skills of an electrician, both the Installation & Maintenance Electrician and the Domestic Electrician apprenticeships now feature elements of low carbon learning.
This means your recent, or next, apprentice will be learning about this in college, and it will form part of their End Point Assessment.
This type of learning provides a great foundation from which they can move on to further upskilling, to gain qualifications in relevant low carbon technologies once they complete their apprenticeship.
During the apprenticeship, they’ll develop an understanding of technologies such as electric vehicle charging equipment (EVCE), solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and electric energy storage. Domestic Electrician apprentices will also learn about heat pumps and micro wind turbines for residential dwellings.
During their End Point Assessment, to assure occupational competence, they’ll encounter aspects of these new technology areas alongside their wider electrical installation evaluation, to test what they’ve learnt during their apprenticeship.
If your business doesn’t currently install these technologies, you can still access the apprenticeship and benefit from an introduction to these areas.
For the Installation & Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship, the new updates are relevant to those who were registered after September 2023. Apprentices who started before this will be eligible to undertake upskilling qualifications in solar PV, EVCE and electric energy storage following apprenticeship completion.
It’s worth checking out TESP’s Electrician Plus campaign for the approved qualifications, aligned to the forthcoming new work categories in the Electrotechnical Assessment Specification.
With apprentices building their low carbon skills, it’s a stepping stone to full competence and taking advantage of future business opportunities in these growing technologies.
Get more information on the Electrician Plus concept here
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