Are the IET restricting electrical contractors

Former Community Member
Former Community Member

The IET define the EAS. As I have observed they have removed the competent person from Sept 21 from being acceptable with just an 18th edition qualification.

Now they have removed that and the acceptable verification for this level is beyond what most 48 year old plus contractors have. 

there are contractors out there who have experience and older quals (anyone who says grandad rights is in bed with these lot) who can no longer be a QS should they lose them, forcing them to employ people who aren’t really QS level but satisfy EAS set out by IET.

From my experience in assessing tue EAS, this is a money making agenda.

IET is restricting the electrical contract industry to make money.

kind regards 

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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member in reply to gkenyon

    Very large hand in decisions with tue ESC included, also administrative responsibility (you have to got to the IET to access the document)

  • For many years, my company has employed contractors who are over 50 and have extensive industry experience. Despite having various qualifications and skills, we had to enrol in college in 2014 to complete NVQ level 3 and get Gold cards. This is the minimum requirement to be an ECS electrician. We did not complain and achieved our ECS registered electrician Gold Cards. Furthermore, we had to undergo the 3 day AM2 assessment, which was not easy or cheap for us.
    I believe that the EAS should value and acknowledge the existing qualifications and experience of electricians, and create a category that exempts those who have demonstrated their competence in their specific sector.

  • I reckon there are moves afoot to direct the career route for a electrician towards degree level, just as they did with nursing, and look where that got us. It is now beneath a nurse to have to empty a bedpan, the task which now has to be carried out by what are perceived to be by nurses as being lowly 'ward carers'.

    "Change a light bulb?" Sorry, it is beneath me, so go find a handyman instead".

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member in reply to whjohnson

    I can’t see that happening. It’s a money generator for unneeded training. 
    This approach does not happen in any other trade (who are paid as well)

    The EAS is a joke. You will be better off being a plasterer in the long run.

  • I reckon there are moves afoot to direct the career route for a electrician towards degree level, just as they did with nursing, and look where that got us.

    I am not sure about that.

    When I went to university in the late 1970s, only about 15% of the population did so and the nation could afford to train its doctors, etc. free of charge. By the time that nursing became a degree subject, more like 50% of school-leavers went to university and they had to pay their own way.

    Now apprenticeships seem to be on the way back. The pay is not great, but at least it is in the right direction

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member in reply to Chris Pearson

    That doesn’t really address the problem with people 40+ who are being forced into unnecessary education via the EAS which is backed by the IET

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member in reply to AMK

    People like you are few and far between.

    I don’t think you should be allowed to pay for an NVQ, C&G qualification and the EAS declares it useless. I disagree with the the IET EAS. We jump through hopps at our own cost to do what. No other trade requires this level of retrospective education. 

  • It is wrong that we have to constantly update our education to comply with the evolving standards of the electrical industry. No other trade faces this kind of challenge and bias.

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member in reply to AMK

    Send me your number. I will get in touch. I agree with you and it needs addressing 

  • It is wrong that we have to constantly update our education to comply with the evolving standards of the electrical industry. No other trade faces this kind of challenge and bias.

    Well, not always 'education'. What's wrong with continuing professional development (CPD) ?

    I can understand the situation that, when there's no "formal record" of CPD, 'qualifications' become 'out of date'.

    CPD is a core tenet that the Engineering Council promotes, and that Registered Members of the IET support.

    I don’t think you should be allowed to pay for an NVQ, C&G qualification and the EAS declares it useless. I disagree with the the IET EAS

    'Old' qualifications don't cover changes in practices and technology. It's not "IET EAS".

    If there had been a strict record of CPD that could clearly demonstrate a path between the time of gaining qualifications, vs current practice, that would be another story?

    I don't think we talking about individuals who are Professionally Registered, or possess ECS Gold Card etc, but other cases where there isn't a continued record of 'keeping up-to-date' ?