The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) has announced that Defence Awarding Organisation electrical military qualifications for the Corps of Royal Engineers will form a route to an Installation Electrician occupation and ECS Registered Electrician status.
The quality of training provided by the Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME) to the Royal Engineers at Chatham in Kent is extremely high, with personnel typically spending a minimum of five and a half years in the Corps.
However, military qualifications have rarely, if ever, been fully recognised outside the armed forces, with many candidates having to undertake additional civilian vocational qualifications once they have made the transition from military life. The Joint Industry Board (JIB), National Electrotechnical Training (NET), Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) and Unite the Union have been working with the Royal Engineers at Chatham to map these worthwhile and valuable qualifications into the electrical industry, for equivalence to the established National Occupational Standards and industry criteria.
Qualifications undertaken through the Royal Engineers for electrotechnical studies and practice culminate in the awarding of Level 3 or Level 4 Diplomas in Electrotechnical Studies and Practice (Military Engineering). An AM2 end point assessment is also required. Furthermore, upon completion personnel achieve continuing professional development qualifications for inspection and testing, and BS 7671: 2018 through City & Guilds.
The Ministry of Defence has established the Ofqual approved Defence Awarding Organisation (DAO) to award vocational qualifications to armed forces personnel, helping individuals to gain this valuable recognition, and as such the Royal School of Military Engineering were able to work with the JIB to gain recognition through ECS. Industry and employers value the skills, work ethic and organisation of those who have been in the military. This is why ECS cards awarded to those who qualify through this route will be recognised with ‘HM Forces Trained’ on the reverse of their ECS card.
For personnel who trained prior to the introduction of vocational qualifications through the DAO, the industry has the Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA) which includes facility for industry Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for training via HM Forces routes.
