You don’t always need academic qualifications to start an electrical apprenticeship.

Still, employers will often look for at least three GCSEs at Grade 4 or above, one being in a technical or science subject alongside good English and Maths skills.

As an electrical apprentice, you’ll need to be good at solving problems, structuring your workload and, working as part of a team, and demonstrating willingness and motivation to learn.

Once you’ve been invited for an interview, it’s time to show your interviewer that you’ve got everything they’re looking for in an apprentice.

1. Research – find out more about the company and the types of projects they work on in advance so you can ask relevant questions and demonstrate qualities that seem important to them.
2. Prepare – even if you don’t know exactly what will be asked on the day, you can prepare a list of key facts about yourself to keep you focused when answering.
3. Ask questions – have some questions prepared to show that you are interested in learning more about the company and apprenticeship.

Carried out in 3 Stages over a 3 and a half – 4-year period.

STAGE 1:
This consists of 17 weeks of block release at a local college. The typical pattern starts with 5 weeks at college and a further 3 blocks of 4 weeks before July the following year. Site experience is gained in between the college attendance. Skills learned will be both practical and theoretical, e.g. health and safety, wiring systems, wiring enclosures, installation regulations, etc.

STAGE 2:
This consists of 11 weeks of block release, again at a local college, with site experience gained in between the college attendance. Skills learned will be both practical and theoretical, e.g. cable selection, motors, Electrical Installation projects, etc.

STAGE 3:
This consists of site experience with one week at college. Skills learned, e.g. assessment of safe working practices, safe isolation, inspection, testing and commissioning of electrical installations.