WHY BECOME
AN ELECTRICIAN?

Electricians are highly skilled professionals. It’s an excellent career that offers great job satisfaction and long-term opportunities.

The trade is very stable because there’s always a need for electrical services, whether it’s design, installation or testing and maintenance. New build developments will always need qualified people on site, as will commercial or industrial buildings with large-scale electrical infrastructure.

Just be ready to study hard if you decide to retrain as an electrician – proving you’re safe and competent can take time. You’ll also need plenty of work experience along the way. That said, it’s one of the most secure roles and there’s great earning potential, so you’ll quickly see a return on your time and investment.

Average Earning Potential

Electricians are always needed, be it for domestic or commercial jobs. According to online recruiters, the average UK electrician salary when fully qualified ranges from around £22,000 for a new starter up to £42,000 for those with more experience. However, these figures could be much higher if you decide to set up your own business.

Demand for the Trade

There is a consistently high number of electrician job vacancies across all regions of the UK. Electricians took top spot for the trade most in demand according to the UK Domestic Trade Skills Index 2022, so there’s plenty of opportunity to land something quickly and begin earning good money.

Desirable Skills

An electrician’s skills will be varied due the work required at each job. There are also distinct disciplines you should be aware of – for example, the work of an electrical engineer is very different to that of a commercial electrician mainly working on domestic properties.

Generally speaking, you’ll need the following skills to become an electrician:

  • Understanding of electrical circuits and safety
  • Ability to install cables, conduits, tubing etc.
  • Familiarity with power tools
  • Repair and maintenance knowledge

Don’t forget about these too:

  • Teamwork
  • Ability to solve problems
  • Physical fitness and flexibility
  • Basic maths
  • Customer service

Qualifications

Training for electricians is varied and depends on your end goal. You will find some training providers offer a ‘Part P’ course, which typically last five weeks and teaches you very basic skills. You will not be fully qualified on completion of these courses, so focus on these recognised electrician qualifications instead:

Level 2 Diploma in Electrical Installations (2365)

The 2365 Level 2 course is the first step for anyone who wants to become a fully qualified electrician without doing a four-year electrician apprenticeship.

Level 3 in Electrical Installations (2365)

The 2365 Level 3 course builds on the knowledge you’ve gained, but with a greater focus on inspection and testing, advanced electrical science and system design.

NVQ Level 3 Electrical Installation

This is the final stage towards becoming a fully qualified electrician. Unlike the other two, it’s not a technical certificate, but instead a qualification completed in a place of work.The course involves on-site assessment.

Gaining an NVQ Level 3 takes time but it’s worthwhile, as this will allow you to be recognised as an electrician by the Joint Industry Board and gain a Gold ECS card.

Your Career Options

Apprenticeships in this field typically take four years to complete, so it’s best to consider the qualification path above if you need to begin earning quickly.

As someone who’s already had a career, you may be more comfortable learning while shadowing a qualified professional. This way you’ll learn quicker and be ready once assessments are due.

THOSE INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN ELECTRICIAN HAVE SEVERAL OPTIONS:

Bear in mind you’ll need to invest a significant amount of your time as you train to become an electrician. It’s arguably the most complex trade and requires formal qualifications. No business will hire you without evidence of your competency and customers will want to know you’re safe before hiring. While there’s no ‘quick route’ to learning this trade, the pay-off is well worth it.