If you are looking to become a Qualified Electrician you've come to the right place.
CITY & GUILDS ELECTRICAL
There are NO shortcuts to becoming an electrician in the UK. This page aims to provide information on the industry-recognised routes open to new entrants and experienced workers, including what options are available to you after you become a qualified electrician.
*Routes differ in Scotland and NI. More info is available on this page.
FREE EVENT
Confused by electrical qualifications and not sure what you need to become an electrician? Register for our FREE webinar where we will help demystify the world of electrical training.
REGISTER NOWTo become an electrical apprentice, you will need to be employed in the electrical industry and be carrying out a suitable range of work to complete your portfolio of evidence. There are no upper-age limits to becoming an apprentice; it is never too late to learn!
Apprenticeship Key Facts:
We offer two apprenticeships:
If you have already started your electrical training, you can swap to one of our apprenticeships at any point. For example, if you have completed a Level 3 Diploma and just need to complete NVQ Level 3, you can complete it as a funded apprentice.
Speak with our Apprenticeship Team to find out more
Not everyone can find suitable employment for an apprenticeship to start their electrical training. The self-funded route allows you to front-load your technical training. If you gain employment you can transfer to an apprenticeship or continue to self-fund your journey to become an electrician.
This route is particularly popular with adult learners who have the time and the finances to invest in themselves to gain skills and qualifications upfront.
You will need to gain employment to fully complete your training.
NVQ Level 3 E-Portfolio
Complete our 4 Steps and AM2 to become a fully qualified electrician eligible for an ECS Gold Card.
This assessment recognises occupational competence for people who have been working as an electrician for over five years but haven’t been able to complete an apprenticeship or achieve an equivalent Level 3 vocational qualification.
If you are under the age of 19 and don’t have suitable employment for an apprenticeship, this classroom-based route will provide you with technical knowledge and some practical skills that you can gain at a college or training centre, with the potential for work experience or contact with employers. You’ll still need to get practical experience in the workplace before you can become qualified.
Generally, students aged 14-19 can receive funding for this route. If you are under 19 and are interested in this full-time route, you can contact your local college for more information.
Firstly, let us point out, the knowledge and skills learned in both programmes are fundamentally the same. The differences between the two programmes are how they are delivered; the big difference is employment. To do an apprenticeship, you need a job before you can begin. However, you can start our 4 steps (Self-Funded) programme without a job. The 4 Steps Programme is flexible, as it allows you to complete your training at your own pace. You will need to be working to complete the final Step 4, which is the NVQ and AM2.
The 4 Steps programme front-loads the technical training and you will complete your on-site assessments (portfolio) during Step 4 when you are working and gaining experience, whereas an apprenticeship combines work experience with technical training and you will complete your on-site assessments as you progress.
Let’s get one thing straight. There are NO fast-track routes to becoming an electrician. There are ‘domestic installer’ schemes available from competent person schemes such as NICEIC and NAPIT, however, these are options for qualified electricians.
Many electricians chose to specialise in domestic only, if this is your preferred option you may wish to consider our Domestic Electrician Apprenticeship or our 4 Steps to Qualified Electrician Programme.
This depends on the route you take. We offer:
Installation/Maintenance Electrician Apprenticeship
Domestic Electrician Apprenticeship
Self-funded route (4 Steps)
Experienced Worker Assessment
Domestic Experienced Worker Assessment (Coming soon)
Generally speaking, an apprenticeship is run over 3-4 years. If you go down the Diploma & NVQ route, the timescales can vary, but most people complete it in 2-3 years.
Electricians are the highest earners of all the trades. On average, a salaried electrician earns £32,540 per year. However, self-employed electricians and contractors tend to earn much more. Find out more here.
There are many excellent reasons to become an electrician and join this ever-growing industry. Once you have your core skills and qualifications, there are so many areas to move into. It is an exciting and financially rewarding industry.
Our 4 Steps to Qualified Electrician Programme is the perfect example of how you can do this.
There are many areas you may wish to diversify into once you become an electrician including domestic, commercial and industrial. You may consider working with green technologies such as EV charging, solar PV, battery storage, smart homes, wind or heat pumps. You could also consider Periodic Inspection & Testing, electrical design or HVAC. The possibilities are endless!
You can start self-funding your training on Steps 1-3. You will need suitable employment in the electrical industry to complete your Step 4 NVQ and AM2.
If you find suitable employment at any point, you may wish to transfer to one of our funded apprenticeships to complete your training. For more information visit our apprenticeship page.
It’s best to reach out to reputable electrical contractors and employers, such as housing associations or builders.
When you enrol on one of our courses, you will have access to a job board, where you can find job notifications from the many employers we work with.
An NVQ is not a training programme, it is an assessment framework that assesses your skills in the workplace. When you have completed your portfolio, there is one last assessment known as an AM2 assessment, which is your final assessment of competency. The time taken to complete an NVQ can vary, but it can be completed much quicker if you have a lot of variety in your job.
Great news! You can now consider one of our bolt-on courses including:
To name just a few. Please browse our website for more information, or get in touch.
No. 🙂