College component of electrical apprenticeship

Ihavequestions123

From the UK and just trying to understand the differences in electrical qualifications.

The UK level 3 quals are nominally at least one (or is it two) levels below the Irish equivalent, but does this represent a genuine difference between the material covered in the college phases and the city & guilds courses? Or more a product of the different entry points (GCSEs vs leaving cert)?

Tbh, the Irish material does seem a bit more in depth although couldn't track down any detailed specifications.

2011

Hi,

I served my time as an electrical apprentice in Ireland starting at the beginning of 1991 so my information may be outdated. I was offered the option of completing some City & Guilds courses during my apprenticeship by my employer. In my third year I completed C & G 236 part 2 (AKA the "B's") which I was told was the final qualification at the time for electricians in the UK. At this point I had yet to complete my final year in college of my apprenticeship, so this represented quite a gap in the training between the two countries. Now looking back,I'm not too sure how accurate that information was.

There is no official requirement to have even sat the leaving certificate to get an electrical apprenticeship in Ireland, however this is requirement of many employers.

A big deal is made of the level maths required for the electrical apprenticeship, but to be honest the apprenticeship has no material mathematical that goes beyond pass leaving cert / honours Junior cert.

You may get a better and more up to date response to your query in the electrical forum:

https://www.boards.ie/categories/electrical?utm_source=sidebar_categories

Ihavequestions123

Thanks, I will post to the electrical forum as well. I think there was a C qualification as well though not sure what that corresponds to now.

Would the maths involved involved be basic algebra and plugging numbers into formulas?

Jim2007

OP, what is your objective here? Are you already qualified in the UK and seeking to get recognition here or are you from the UK and intending on doing your apprenticeship here.

At the end of the day, like all qualifications, after say 5 to 10 years it will not make much difference to an employer which qualification you have unless you need it order for your work to be certified for say insurance purposes or regulatory purposes.

2011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042087#Comment_120042087

Correct, that is the 236 part 3. I also have this qualification. This is a higher qualification than the Irish electrician qualification. As far as I know this course is no longer run.

To answer your second question, the maths has some basic algebra and basic trigonometry (limited to right angled triangles and pythagorean theorem).

I would agree with the point made by Jim2007, once you are qualified a number of years it makes no difference. Besides the UK qualification is recognised in Ireland.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043002#Comment_120043002

There is one nasty twist though since BREXIT. The EU/EEA/CH agreement on qualification recognition applies on to qualifications held by EU citizens at the time they were granted. And the new trade agreement states that such qualifications will only be recognised for temporary or occasional work - it is aimed at supporting trade by allowing for the installation or configuration of goods nothing else.

I have seen statements from the UK government saying they will continue to recognise Irish qualifications, but not from other EU countries, so far. But seen a statement from Ireland stating the same. And I don't know if it is even possible to do so. So if anyone has a link to such a statement I'd be happy to receive it.

The main reason I asked the OP what his intentions was is because it is no sure that a British citizen obtaining a qualification from an EU/EEA/CH state will be recognised in other member states.

2011

Here is a link that might help you::

https://www.cru.ie/professional/safety/electrical-recognition-process-for-international-qualifications/

From my own direct experience there are many UK qualified electricians working in Ireland without any issues. I have also worked with UK qualified electricians in Germany, Poland, Spain and the Netherlands, again no issues.

Can you share links to the points you are making?

I work in an engineering consultancy so I’m interested in this as I work with engineers that have obtained degrees from countries outside the EU including India, Canada and USA.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045097#Comment_120045097

BREXIT happened, when did you do all this? Refer to the exit agreement to see you the current situaition is.

2011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120049262#Comment_120049262

I’m still doing this. I work with many people from outside the EU.

Also the link I provided you with is from the CRU, I’m sure they have to be up to date. There are a number of people from the UK on our team.