If you are a training electrician taking on electrical courses with us then things just got a lot simpler when it comes to registering with ECS. You can now easily undertake your Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Assessment remotely, which is essential when renewing or applying for an ECS card. Making the process much easier, straightforward and safer during the pandemic.
The ECS or Electrotechnical Certification Scheme is a partner of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS), so anyone in an electrotechnical-related occupation who's told 'you need a CSCS card' – the ECS scheme is the one to apply for.
Why do I need an ECS card?
Well, if you work on commercial sites or for contractors, you will most likely be asked for an ECS card. The card acts as your identification, it represents your grade within the industry. Each applicant has their skills assessed based on the qualifications and evidence they submit. For example an ECS 'Gold Card' is the highest form of card you can receive as an electrician. This card identifies you as a fully-qualified electrician.
In order to be eligible for an ECS Gold Card you must achieve an NVQ Level 3 qualification or equivalent. Even if you qualified years ago, you can still apply for this card as long as you can provide proof of your qualifications.
What is an NVQ?
An NVQ or National Vocational Qualification is an on site assessment. The certificate is achieved through work/site based tests and portfolio completion as well as an AM2 Assessment. In order to complete this you will need an assessor, the process is relatively easy to achieve as long as you are working within the electrical industry and have access to the right kind of work.
How can I achieve this?
Here at Able Skills, we are a respected training centre and can provide an NVQ assessor! The first step is to undertake a profiling session with your Electrical NVQ Assessor where the processes for achieving a Level 3 NVQ will be explained. Then you'll be assessed at your workplace where one of our assessors will gather documentary evidence of your competence with regards to various different aspects of an Electrical installation on the job.
In order to complete the process you will also need to take on an AM2 assessment, also known as Achievement Measurement 2 this is a practical performance test. The purpose is to ensure that all electricians meet the industry standard, we have a dedicated AM2 centre here at our facility. The assessment usually takes just over 2-days to complete and involves a practical assessment and a short online test.
I'm looking to become an electrician, how can I start my journey?
If your goal is achieving a JIB 'Gold Card' then you're in luck. Here at Able Skills we offer a complete package that is unique to our centre of excellence. This is our Gold Card Approved Electrician Package which includes City & Guilds Level 2 course, City & Guilds Level 3, PAT Testing, 18th Edition, Inspection & Testing, Level 3 NVQ as well as an AM2 assessment!
This it the perfect opportunity for anybody looking to become an electrician from scratch. You'll be taught by our talented instructors through both theory sessions giving you the underpinning knowledge and hands-on practical sessions over an initial 15-weeks with the assessments following on from there.
Currently we have spaces on this huge collection of training in September this year as well as September 2022! To secure your place on this course you can either call us on 01322 280 202 directly for more information and to book the course or you can visit our centre in person.
You can also apply for our courses online, on each course you will see a button 'Reserve your Space' which is where you can see the next available starting dates and fill in your information. Take a look below at the online booking form for our Gold Package...
Want to know more?
If you have any questions about our range of Electrical courses feel free to give us a call on 01322 280 202 - We are here to help in any way that we can whether you are looking for some general advance, ask some question or just gain some insight into what we do here.
You are also completely welcome to visit our training centre in person, our office is always open to anybody interested in Electrical courses or any other training with us. We just ask that at this time you are conscious of social distancing and wear a face covering whilst talking to our staff. Our office is open 7-days-a-week between the hours of 8:30 - 16:30!