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If you're interested in becoming an electrician, you may be wondering: do electricians have to be registered? In short, no. There is no legal obligation for electricians to be registered but it is strongly recommended. This is for your own safety, and to ensure the quality of the electrical work done on your property. 

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Adult Electrician Courses

 

Here at Access Training, we are huge believers in the importance of learning - at any age! Our students enrol onto our electrical courses for adult learners for many reasons. This could be for a complete change of career, to learn a new trade, or to top up on existing trade skills. No matter what your goal is, we have a range of electrician courses for adult learners to help you get there. 

Access Training is a trusted UK course provider, and we have electrical training centres dotted all over the country! Gain your electrical qualification with us, and benefit from our industry expertise and ongoing career support.

Start Today! - Our Electrical Courses

 

Am I too old to retrain as an electrician? 

You're never too old to learn a new trade or retrain as an electrician. There is no time limit on learning - that's why we do what we do! Our comprehensive electrician courses for adult learners are open to all ages and backgrounds. You don't need any experience either - our skilled trainers have that all in hand and are more than happy to spend 1-to-1 time with students.

We'll help you to learn the electrical trade, get qualified and start your new career as an electrician - and every goal in between!

The autonomy that comes from learning a trade can be relieving. Gaining electrical qualifications not only opens up career opportunities with established companies, but it also creates a clear route to self-employment. Being your own boss is always an option with Access Training. 

By 2023, the UK will need between 7,500-10,000 electricians. No matter your age, you could be one of them by enrolling onto our electrician courses for adult learners.

 

How long does it take to become a qualified electrician? 

Electrician apprenticeships generally take three years to complete. After completion, it is up to the student whether they decide to continue onto higher education courses or other electrical training.

At Access Training, we're a bit different - we speed the process up without sacrificing quality education.

Students at Access Training can achieve the very highest level in the electrical trade and earn industry-recognised qualifications in a matter of weeks. These include highly-recognised PAT Testing courses and 18th Edition qualifications!

 

What makes Access Training better than other electrical training centres? 

We understand that adult learning can seem daunting at first. That's why we provide fast-track training from trusted UK training course providers. We never put our students through more than they need to - with us, there's no need to spend three years doing an apprenticeship. We'll get you exactly where you need to be.

Our flexible electrician courses for adult learners enable you to learn your trade and start work, or self-employment, within a far shorter timeframe than traditional routes.

Not only that, but our unique course packages include unlimited online learning, intensive practical training, and ongoing career support for up to 3 years after enrolment. 

 

Are you ready to take the next step?

For more information on our electrician courses for adult learners, click the buttons below and kickstart your new career today. 

Our Electrical Training Courses      Get In Touch

Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen. 

 

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If you're interested in becoming an electrician, you may be wondering: do electricians have to be registered? In short, no. There is no legal obligation for electricians to be registered but it is strongly recommended. This is for your own safety, and to ensure the quality of the electrical work done on your property. 

 More...

How to become an electrician

To become a qualified electrician in the UK, you will need to complete either a Level 3 Technical & Vocational Qualification or an Electrical NVQ Level 3 Diploma. Depending on your career aspirations, you may also need to work towards a number of other industry-recognised electrical qualifications, such as the ECS Gold Card. A university degree is not required to be an electrician.

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Apprentice electrician

An electrical apprenticeship is kind of like a cross between a university course and a full-time job. Electrical apprentices carry out real-life electrical work (under the supervision of an experienced electrician, of course) and get paid for it; but they also spend part of their time in the classroom, studying their new trade and the theory that underpins it. 

Electrical apprentices typically spend at least 20% of their working hours studying.

Some see the traditional apprenticeship route as a rite of passage for budding tradespeople. But an electrical apprenticeship is rarely the most efficient way to get qualified and start your career.

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First thing’s first: anybody can be an electrician, with previous experience or not. In reality, there are only a few important things you need:

  • Theory and practical training preparing you for exams and career
  • Industry recognised qualifications from an accredited awarding body (such as EAL or City & Guilds). 
  • A good work ethic, and a commitment to working in the trade industry.

There are a couple of ways you can gain the training and qualifications to start your career as an electrician. You will need to choose the option that both suits your lifestyle and provides you the best outcome. The two most common are:

  • Apprenticeship. 
    • This takes 2-4 years to complete, typically involving large classes and infrequent training.
    • Poor starting wage.
    • Good experience gained working with professionals for a long period of time.
  • Private training academy 
    • Private academies involve professional tuition in small, focused groups.
    • Amount of time training is the same as apprenticeship, but is condensed to full time or flexible courses so people can work at the same time as training.
    • Courses last from 2 weeks to several months depending on the qualifications being obtained. 
    • Experience needs to be gained quickly and confidently .
    • Great starting wages as qualifications have already been earnt. 

Access Training is a private training company which offers the training courses necessary to become a qualified electrician. It gives you the necessary qualifications, and a leg-up into the electrical industry, providing you with essential experience, skill, and qualifications. Speak to our career support team today to explore all the options available.

READ MORE: How to Become an Electrician

Here’s a breakdown of what Access Training can offer anybody starting out on an electrical career, or already experienced in the field, wanting to add a string to your bow. Our courses range between the following:

 

  • Essential - Offering the essential skills and qualifications necessary to becoming a domestic electrician; this course is the base layer requirement for getting you out and working in domestic environments.
  • Professional - For those serious about going far in an electrical career, this course builds on the qualifications on offer; for wider career options, greater skill-set, and more work opportunities, choose this course.
  • Premier - This course will give you everything you could possibly need out of an electrical career; not only will you be a fully qualified and desirable employee, but you will also have the means to work for yourself, and be your own boss.

 

How training works:



With the right mindset, all you need to do is pick the right course for you, sign up, and our tutors will take care of the rest.


Learn your trade. Get qualified. Make it happen.

Can an Electrician Install a Vehicle Charger?

 

With more and more people shifting towards a sustainable-focused lifestyle, there is no surprise that the demand and popularity of environmentally friendly living solutions have increased. More people are buying into and investing in green alternatives in their day-to-day lives, particularly the vehicles that they drive. With more and more electric vehicles on the market, a new skills gap has opened up. People are looking for trained electricians who are capable of installing vehicle chargers outside their homes and workplaces.

Who can install an electric vehicle charger?

Despite both pure electric and hybrid electric vehicles, commonly referred to as EV’s, only accounting for a small share of the new car market in the UK, figures have steadily grown in the past few years. However, one of the primary concerns amongst the public is the lack of charging infrastructure available. This presents an opportunity for individuals who are skilled and qualified in installing electric charging points to accommodate homes and businesses that may require the needed infrastructure.

But who can install a vehicle charger? Any qualified, experienced electrician can, as long as they've had the necessary training. Adding this skill to your arsenal can be a lucrative opportunity for experienced electricians. As more people turn to electric vehicles, more people will need charging points installed, thus creating increased demand for work!

Learn how to install electric vehicle chargers

Here at Access Training Academies, we now offer a fantastic 2-day electrical vehicle charging point installation course, designed for experienced electrical installers who are looking to add this niche skill to their range of electrical abilities. Completion of this course will allow electricians to achieve the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for the Installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points and enable them to register on the Rolec-approved installer scheme, which can lead to a number of rob referrals and grants of up to £500 per installation through the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

Our Electric Vehicle Charging Point Course >

What are the course requirements

Before applying for our electrical vehicle charging point installation course, electricians are required to meet the following criteria:

  • Aged 18+
  • Experience in installing PVC/PVC cable and SWA cable
  • Ability to provide initial verification on electrical installations (including paperwork)
  • Up-to-date knowledge of 18th Edition Wiring Regulations

As well as possessing a qualification to install electric vehicle chargers, the main thing that is required from electricians looking to install vehicle charges is competence. Electric vehicle charging points can be very dangerous if they're installed incorrectly because there can be very high charging currents when the charger is in use. 

Electricians need to understand earthing and bonding requirements relating to EV charging points, as well as the general requirements of the installation such as selecting the correct RCDs, having dedicated circuits, and isolation in place. Installing an electric vehicle charger isn’t the same as installing a standard 13A socket.

There are specific regulations, such as BS7671:2018 Section 722 and the Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation – 3rd Edition, that outline all of the necessary information associated with EV charger installation. It's important that you understand all of the legislation around electric vehicle chargers before you attempt to install them, and the team here at Access Training can help equip you with the knowledge and skills you need!

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Benefits of learning to install EV chargers

If you feel that you have the required level of competence, then completing our course can be a very attractive option for any experienced electrician. Once approved by OLEV, you will need to provide monthly reports to the scheme. After every installation, you will need to provide specific documentation in order to claim back the government grant. If you work in an efficient manner and manage overheads properly, the returns on installing EV chargers can be huge!

If you’re getting an EV charge point installed at your home or business, then you will need to ensure that your installer has sat a necessary course and has achieved the required qualifications. If they haven’t, then these electricians are at risk of breaching the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR 1989) which is a statutory requirement. They could potentially be installed charge points that do not meet BS7671 or EAWR 1989, which puts you at risk.

If you are thinking about adding EV charge point installation to your skillset and would like to learn more about how Access Training can help, then click below to learn more about our course.

Our Electric Vehicle Charging Point Installation Course >

To learn more about our course, the requirements, and what happens on completion, then please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today.

 

Electrical jobs have long been labelled “future-proof” in the UK, providing an irreplaceable home maintenance service that is vital for day-to-day living. The rise in popularity of electric cars and eco-friendly fuels has only strengthened this theory and the job of an electrician remains one of the most stable and secure occupations in the UK.

But how does this compare to electricians operating in the USA? Is the salary for an electrician in the USA as good as it here in Britain? Well, it appears that electricians in the USA make quite a lot of money for their services too. Electricians throughout the United States demand big bucks and respectable salaries for their services.

 

electrician salary in america

 

Stateside Salaries

According to a recent article published by Forbes, the national average annual wage of an electrician in America is just over $59k. This equates to a highly respectable £46k/annum here in the UK.

To put that into perspective, the Office of National Statistics reports that the average salary for a UK doctor is £41,494, meaning the average American electrician earns 10% more than a British doctor.

Even more impressively, this figure is merely the average salary across the country. Drilling down further into state-specific averages reveals some even more electrifying statistics.

 

Electric Empire

Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Forbes notes that the average salary for electricians varies notably from state to state.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, New York boasts the highest average salary for US electricians with an average electrical salary of $77,810/annum.

In UK money, that translates to an average salary of approximately £60.5k for those working in “The Empire State”, representing a monetary increase of over 10% in the last five years.

 

Crossing Borders

Outside of New York, Alaska, Illinois, Hawaii, New Jersey and Minnesota also offer electricians a healthy chunk of change, all with an average salary of over $70k/year.

Meanwhile, Oregon, California, Washington and Massachusetts round out the top 10 US states for electrical wages, all boasting average electrician salaries of over $68k/year.

Even the lowest-earning states earn over $43k/annum on average which translates to well over £33k a year, which is nothing to sneer at either.

 

Become an Electrician

These facts and figures coming out of “The Land of Opportunity” reinforce the positive attitudes towards electrical work domestically as a viable trade that’s well worth pursuing as a career. Electricians in the UK & USA earn enough money to live comfortable lives, so an electrical career is an appealing option on both sides of the pond.

Whether you’re a young person looking to enter the working world as part of the electrical trade or an experienced worker considering making the switch from your current job to retrain as an electrician, Access Training UK can help make your electric dreams a reality.

At Access Training UK, we have a variety of electrician courses available that are specifically designed to efficiently and effectively allow you to learn how to become an electrician without any prior experience.

Meanwhile, we also offer additional courses for existing electrical professionals looking to hone their craft and develop their skills to become even better in their field of work. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned veteran, we can help you achieve your goals of becoming a better you.

 

For more information on electrician courses from Access Training UK, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online by clicking the button below.

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The last month has seen school-leavers across the UK celebrate and commiserate over their GCSE and A-Level results.

Nevertheless, regardless of the score, the outcome has largely been met by the same question: “What now?”

For many, higher education is the logical next step; however, there is an alternate route that poses a wide range of benefits.

Picking up a trade fresh out of school can be a wise move that pays off for years to come, particularly when it comes to the electrical trade.

How so? Read on to find out…

 

electrical careers, electrical training, electrician courses

 

“University Is Not For Everyone”

Higher education has long been held up as the pinnacle of education and must for school-leavers looking to better themselves.

However, in recent years, that has often not been the case, with many graduates struggling to find employment post-university.

Senior Group Technical Presenter at NICEIC, Darren Staniforth, had this to say:

“University is not for everyone and the perception that you can only have a successful career if you get a degree is a false one.

“The construction industry is a well-paid sector that offers a vast array of opportunities. Yet, it is still viewed by some as a third-rate industry for people who do not perform well at school.

“A trade is a viable career path which gives students the chance to learn specific skills that can open up many doors and avenues in the future – including working abroad.”

 

Conducting Research

These sentiments were backed by figures from the Federation of National Builders, who noted that construction apprentices will go on to earn thousands of pounds more every year than many of their university-educated counterparts.

According to their research, the FMB found that the average annual salary of UK electricians was an impressive £47k, while the average university graduate in England earns £32k/year, noting that a shortage in skilled workers makes the construction industry a very lucrative career path.

These sentiments were echoed by the experts at the Pensions Policy Institute, who worked out that even a 22-year-old electrician on an average salary of £18k could have a pension pot worth £111k by the time they retire. Talk about investing in your future!

READ MORE: What is an Electrician's Salary?

 

Electrical Courses with Access Training

If you’re one of those school-leavers fresh off your GCSE or A-Level results, now is the perfect time to consider an electrical career. Both rewarding and useful, a training to become an electrician is extremely worthwhile on a number of levels.

Best of all, with electrical courses at Access Training, you don’t need any prior experience to get your journey started!

READ MORE: How to Become an Electrician

 

New Career Courses

Our beginner courses are ideal for those with limited or no experience.

These include:

Essential Electrical Course

Professional Electrician Course

Premier Electrical Course

 

Trade Professional Courses

For more experienced, we also offer a range of courses designed to build on your existing knowledge.

These include:

Part P Domestic Electrical Installer

18th Edition

Part P & 18th Edition

PAT Testing

Initial Verification

Periodic Inspection & Testing

Fundamental Inspection Testing

Combined Inspection & Testing

Electrical Design Course

 

For more information on electrical training and electrician courses from Access Training UK, why not get in touch today? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online using the button below.

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The summer of 2019 has seen business heat up for self-employed electricians and plumbers across the UK, according to new figures published by Hudson Contract Services Ltd.

Statistics provided by the construction industry payroll experts show that self-employed plumbers and electricians have both seen a rise in pay over the summer months.

This increase builds on an existing trend that has seen plumbers and electricians solidify their status in the top three best paying jobs of all the construction trades covered by Hudson Contract.

 

plumbing courses, electrician courses, self-employed plumbers, self-employed electricians

 

Shock Stats for Electricians

Over the course of June and July 2019, self-employed electricians have seen a 6.4 and 1.1% month-on-month rise in weekly pay.

Managing Director of Hudson Contract, Ian Anfield, had this to say:

“This is an attractive reward for young people who want to learn the trade, be their own boss and enjoy the returns of being a valued supplier. Looking ahead, pent-up demand for new housing and the necessary wiring work will ensure that demand remains strong for skilled electricians.”

 

Plumbing Wages on the Boil

The month-on-month boost was mirrored in the plumbing profession with a 4.7% increase in June, followed by a further 0.6% increase in July.

The Hudson Contract MD added:

“Plumbers are earning the equivalent of an annual salary of more than £59,000, putting them into the top 6% of households by income. Our analysis shows these skilled freelancers are earning a premium for their valuable services and are a world away from ‘gig economy’ workers.”

 

Plumbing Courses and Electrician Courses

With such attractive financial potential, both the plumbing trade and electrical trade offer attractive propositions for those looking to start their careers or change the direction of their working lives.

At Access Training UK, we offer a variety of courses in both fields, designed to help learners of all skill-levels and experience to further their journey in their chosen profession. If you are interested in becoming an electrician or learning the plumbing trade, we can help get you on the right track.

To find out more about the exciting worlds of the plumbing and electrical trades, click on the buttons below and start your journey today. 

Plumbing Courses

Electrician Courses

 

For more information on plumbing and electrician courses with Access Training UK, why not drop us a line and speak with one of our expert advisors? Call now on 0800 345 7492 or get in touch online by clicking the link below.

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