SELECT launches Youtube training videos for budding and existing electricians

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  Posted by: electime      8th February 2018

It is vital that in such a complex craft that training electricians fully understand what they’re learning, for the sake of everyone’s safety.

SELECT, the campaigning trade body for Scotland’s electrical sector, has produced, on the behalf of the SJIB, a series of detailed instructional videos, which will be vital during and in the final stages of apprenticeship training, in order to help apprentices safely join the ranks of qualified electricians.

The videos, which are available to watch on Youtube and SJIB’s website, are primarily aimed at apprentices at the end of their five-year training programme when they will need to pass the Final Integrated Competence Assessment (FICA) to ensure the completion of the apprenticeship.

The production values of the videos are said to be of such a high standard that they would be of help to electrical professionals and will be used by SECTT, the Trust that manages training on behalf of SJIB.

Fiona Harper, of SELECT, explained that the series of ten videos focus on the test sequence and specific tests required to verify that a new electrical installation complies with BS 7671:2008 (as amended). Testing is one of the most important skills that a qualified electrician should possess.

She said: “Inspection and testing is vital. It is about verifying that an electrical installation is safe before it goes into use, and the regulations require that the person verifying it is suitably competent.”

“However, it can involve live working, so apprentices don’t have much chance of hands on experience. People might be hurt. Until now, they have had to learn by watching a qualified electrician doing the verification work.”

The SJIB has acknowledged that Inspection and Testing is one of the most difficult parts of FICA to learn. They found that young people were turning to Youtube for guidance, so much so that using that medium seemed the obvious choice in order to communicate clear, accurate, accessible and authorized guidance.

Candidates face a grueling two-days of practical simulations of various aspects of electrical installation in a modern environment, with the training videos being the latest addition to the FICA regime.

The Scottish Joint Industry Board has three assessment centres for the FICA – in Aberdeen, Cambuslang and Edinburgh.

SELECT’s 1200 member companies account for around 90% of all electrical installation work carried out in Scotland. They have a collective turnover of around £1 billion and provide employment for 15,000 people.