I have been reading this thread with an equal mixture of interest and horror. I am still not quite clear what form of registration is being discussed: is it a JIB (gold) card; comprehensive NICEIC/NAPIT membership; or domestic installer?

What rather horrifies me is the notion that one has to have done something for a certain length of time to be any good at it. The World Snooker is about to resume in 1/2 hour - do people say that somebody is too young to become world champion, or do they celebrate somebody for holding that record?

If you are competent, you are competent. You do not need to keep proving it. You do not take exams on an annual basis though appraisal is a completely different matter.

I don't think that being an electrician is very different from any other profession. You need to know some stuff and (like a surgeon, for example) you need some hand skills. You need to keep up with developments: the laws of physics and human anatomy don't change, but the kit with which you deal with them certainly does. Steel scalpel/fuse, or laser/AFDD?

The last thing which bothers me is the notion of returning to practice. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. have this well worked out, largely because of career breaks brought about by motherhood. It shouldn't be a huge obstacle.

Chris Pearson said:

I have been reading this thread with an equal mixture of interest and horror. I am still not quite clear what form of registration is being discussed: is it a JIB (gold) card; comprehensive NICEIC/NAPIT membership; or domestic installer?

All of them. The Rules changed last September (maybe 2020?) for NAPIT/NIC, so an NVQ3 is now required to be even a domestic installer. Previously,  just 2382/17th/18th and some form of testing cert. was required. And one site visit to see the work you prepared beforehand for your assessment.

The JIB card has been like it for a while now, either finished apprenticeship papers, and AM2 (passing the apprenticeship isnt enough?), or the 'modern' NVQ3 in electrical installation and AM2.

I've taught 4 good apprentices in the last 5 years, all passed easily (one got into an electrician of the year final), but I have never qualified for a Gold Card, and cannot get membership of NIC/Napit due to a lack of NVQ3.

I'm doing the C&G2346 soon, it pains me to do it, but I'm finding some work has been excluded from coming my way due to lack of a JIB card. (I dont generally do domestic work), and, can only see it getting worse, so am biting the bullet, and have been diligently photographing anything out of the ordinary that I do 185mm 3c bus bar chamber last week, earth matting for a new supply late last year, including fitting the new meter box etc. though maybe that sort of stuff is OTT for thr NVQ, and they want to see someone neatly wiring a DB with their safety gear on?

Imagine having an NVQ3 but it's still not good enough to join. It's not like I've qualified as a chef previously, it's electrical installation and commissioning!!

"And he that strives to touch the stars, Oft stumbles at a straw." Edmund Spenser.

"Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught." Oscar Wilde.

"Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught." Oscar Wilde.