The Experienced Worker Assessment is for learners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only. If you are based in Scotland, the ‘Crediting Electrotechnical Competence’ Scheme is for candidates who hold existing relevant electrical apprenticeship qualifications to SCQF Level 6/7 and are currently employed and working in the electrical installation field. Both UK and Non-UK qualifications can be accepted.
The scheme is for when these candidates want to obtain industry-recognised qualification, allowing them to qualify for SJIB grading. It enables individuals to have their existing qualifications assessed against the standards set out in the current SVQ in Electrical Installation at SCQF Level 7.
Once qualified, candidates can then apply for an SJIB grade card as an electrician.
Find out more on the SECTT website
To be eligible for the Experienced Worker Assessment you must hold at least a relevant Level 2 qualification as shown in the Skills Scan.
This applies to both the Domestic Electrician EWA and the Installation/Maintenance EWA route (the latter requirement was introduced in September 2023 when the V2 of the Installation/Maintenance apprenticeship standard was introduced).
If you do not hold one of the qualifications listed in the Skills Scan, you will not be eligible to register for the EWA. Training providers must seek advice/approval from TESP if the candidate wishes to enrol with a qualification that is not listed.
Please refer to our FAQ sections on Eligibility for more information.
Non-UK Qualifications: Any candidates with non-UK qualifications must undertaken an Ecctis mapping. Non-UK qualifications cannot be accepted without this. Please refer to our FAQ section on Overseas Qualifications for more information.
The practical performance assessments and portfolio evidence within the EWA qualification must relate to current work carried out in the UK, so it can be properly verified and assessed on-site. This is a standard requirement of awarding organisations for quality assurance processes.
This is why it’s important you ensure you can readily generate the evidence required before you register on the EWA..
Previous experience can, however, be taken into account in terms of the years of experience as a practising electrician, which is required in order to be eligible to register on the EWA. You will need:
- 5 years’ experience for the Installation Electrician EWA or
- 3 years’ experience for the Domestic Electrician EWA.
Short specialist qualifications in isolation do not meet the Level 2 entry criteria – a full technical certificate is required. The list of accepted qualifications is available within the Skills Scan document.
Once enrolled on the EWA, those candidates with Inspection & Testing or BS7671 can use these towards the additional requirements of the qualification, but they cannot be accepted towards the Level 2 technical certificate entry requirement.
Training providers must seek advice/approval from TESP if the candidate wishes to enrol with a qualification that is not listed in the Skills Scan.
The Skills Scan is a first step self-assessment designed to help you determine your eligibility for the Experienced Worker Assessment by reviewing the depth of knowledge, skill and experience that is required to complete the assessment. It’s designed to help you avoid wasting money and struggling to complete qualification or the assessment process if this is not quite the right pathway for you.
The Skills Scan asks for details of any relevant technical qualifications you hold. These can be used to show that you have the required electrical knowledge to take the EWA, through Recognition of Prior Learning. You must hold a minimum Level 2 electrical technical certificate from the list in the Skills Scan. The training provider will need to verify your certificate(s) and will also carry out a documented or recorded technical discussion to confirm that your knowledge is up to date. Where there are gaps, the training provider may recommend you undertake further formal training before taking EWA.
The Skills Scan also asks about your practical experience. This is because you will need to provide performance evidence in the EWA. If you are not working across the full scope of activity required, you may find it difficult to provide the range of evidence that will be required. The EWA must be completed within an 18 month period.
The EWA is designed for practising electricians and requires evidence of at least 5 years (for Installation / Maintenance Electrician) or 3 years (for Domestic Electrician) experience – this cannot include any time spent in education or training. Evidence of work you have completed can help to demonstrate your eligibility for the EWA but cannot be credited against the performance units.
If you feel that the Skills Scan shows that EWA is the right route for you once you have completed the document, you should contact an EWA training provider. The provider will verify in detail the information you have provided.
The discussion will be documented or recorded and forms part of the auditable evidence that will be checked as part of the quality assurance processes.
This will depend on how readily you can generate the performance evidence that is required and whether you need to undertake any training to gain the required elements such as BS 7671:2018.
The EWA must be completed within 18 months. This means completion of the EWA qualification and submission of the gateway application to take the AM2E must be within this period. The AM2E assessment itself can be sat after this point, providing the gateway submission is made within the 18 months.
In reality most learners will take anywhere between 6 and 18 months. Most of the time spent will involve portfolio building and on-site assessment of your current work. You should ensure that the work you are undertaking will provide you with the breadth required before you enrol on the EWA.
If you don’t hold BS 7671 and either the Initial Verification unit (for the Installation Electrician EWA) or the full Inspection & Testing qualification (for the Domestic Electrician EWA), these are taught and assessed as if they were taken separately outside of the Experienced Worker Assessment.
The AM2E Assessment (Installation Electrician route) or AM2ED Assessment (Domestic Electrician route), which is separate to the Experienced Worker Qualification, is the industry assessment of competence which mirrors the end assessment in the industry apprenticeship. It is a practical assessment taken under controlled conditions in a NET-licensed centre. This can only be booked after the Experienced Worker qualification is achieved.
At least one performance assessment must take place while you are carrying out work onsite with the assessor physically present. You will also need time to complete portfolio work, but this can be done inside or outside of work hours. As each candidate’s experience will differ, we are unable to provide an estimate of time required off the job.
You will have usually attend an approved centre to undertake the following, if you don’t already hold these:
- Installation Electrician EWA: BS 7671:2018 and Initial Verification
- Domestic Electrician EWA: BS 7671:2018 and full Inspection & Testing qualification
You will also need to complete the AM2E (for Installation Electrician) or AM2ED (for Domestic Electrician) Assessment, which is separate to the Experienced Worker Qualification. This is a practical assessment where you will have to attend a NET-licensed centre.
Each training provider will set their own price for delivery of the Experienced Worker Assessment process and you should check their website for details, TESP does not have any influence in this area.
Some training providers will include the cost for the AM2E or AM2ED in their overall price, others may not. The training provider should provide you with clear, written information.
The Installation & Maintenance Electrician EWA is available from City and Guilds and EAL recognised centres who offer this qualification.
The Domestic Electrician EWA is available from EAL centres currently and will be available from City & Guilds training centres later this year.
You can find training provider links in our Find an EWA Provider section and can search by regional or national providers.
If you aren’t currently working as an electrician, you will not be able to complete the EWA’s practical assessments. The EWA is targeted at practising electricians, and the performance assessments have to be based on current, authenticated activity. You may have evidence from past work that will confirm that you’re a suitable candidate for EWA, but you’d still need to be working now in order to generate up to date evidence across the range of activity required.
Unfortunately, there are no exemptions from the performance units within EWA.
This is why it’s important that you ensure you can readily generate the evidence required across the full scope of work detailed in the Skills Scan, before you register on the EWA.
