If you have been working as an electrician for years but never completed a formal apprenticeship or Level 3 NVQ, the Experienced Worker route can provide a way to have that experience formally assessed and work towards your ECS Installation Electrician Gold Card.
There is also an ECS card specifically for people while they are completing that process. The ECS Experienced Worker card with a gold stripe (EWC) provides evidence that you are formally registered with an approved training provider and working towards the Experienced Worker Assessment.
Here’s what you need to know:
What Is The ECS Experienced Worker Card?
The Electrotechnical Certification Scheme, or ECS, is the industry card scheme for electrotechnical workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its familiar Gold Card is used to demonstrate that an electrician has met the relevant qualifications and competency level for their work – and is a requirement on many construction and industrial sites.
The Experienced Worker card is different. It does not mean that you have already achieved Gold Card status. Instead, the white card with a gold stripe is available to people who are registered with a JIB Registered or Preferred Training Provider to complete an Experienced Worker Assessment.
The card is valid for 18 months and cannot be renewed, reflecting the fact that it is designed specifically for the period in which you complete your Experienced Worker Assessment.
Why Can This Be Useful While You Qualify?
For experienced electricians, one of the frustrations of formalising existing skills can be the period between starting the qualification and achieving the final result. You may already have substantial practical experience, but you cannot yet present the completed industry qualification required for the relevant Electrician Gold Card.
You’ll still need to complete the Experienced Worker Assessment and meet the relevant ECS requirements before applying for your Gold Card, but the EWC gives you a straightforward way to show employers and contractors that you are formally enrolled on the recognised assessment route, rather than simply intending to gain the qualification ‘at some point’.
Starting The Experienced Worker Route With PTT
At PTT, we offer the City & Guilds 2346 Level 3 Electrotechnical Experienced Worker Qualification for electricians who have been working in the electrotechnical industry as practising electricians for at least five years.
Once you’re registered on the Experienced Worker route with PTT and have a current ECS Health, Safety and Environmental Assessment in place, you can then apply for your experienced worker card on the ECS website.
For more information, please talk to one of our specialists today.
Image Source: Envato
