Dazed and Confused………
This is a tale of two (or several) “august” bodies.
We had an interesting series of events recently which we feel you might be interested in, and yes, it’s that hoary old chestnut; when do you need to be qualified to the 17th edition.
According to the document that is in the public domain, otherwise known as the Electrotechnical assessment specification (EAS) published by the IET. Amongst other things, it provides useful guidance on things like scope and responsibilities as well as information on test equipment. Bedtime reading it isn’t but, in the sub text and on page 9, paragraph 11.11 (sorry if we are sounding like Judge John Deed!), it highlights the requirements relating to a Qualified Supervisor, and in particular, the requirements to have adequate knowledge, and to quote directly from the document, paragraph 11.11 states very clearly:
“A proposed Qualified Supervisor shall be required to hold an appropriate BS 7671: 2008 qualification awarded by a body regulated by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority or the Scottish Qualifications Authority within 12 months of acceptance by the Certification or Registration Body”…….and here it get interesting, because paragraph 11.12 goes onto to say “Registered Qualified Supervisors shall be required to hold an appropriate BS 7671: 2008 qualification awarded by a body regulated by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority or the Scottish Qualifications Authority by the first surveillance visit after 31 December 2010, but by no later than 31 December 2011″…….
And it gets even better!. To quote Alan Wells, head of the electrotechnical business unit at the NICEIC, he says in the very latest issue of Electrical Engineering, “we should all maintain continuous professional development and keep abreast of changes to regulations whilst striving to improve and raise standards of fixed electrical installation work.”. But that wasn’t all. Hew went on to say something else which was a critical comment, it may have slipped under the radar so to speak; what he confirmed was that as we had suspected all along, that the NICEIC requires that all qualified supervisors will have to undertaken and achieved (passed!) a qualification that shows that the person concerned has a good understanding of the 17th edition.
So there you have it………and please don’t shoot the messenger….we are only here to try and clarify what is at the very least a confusing picture.
We will be back next month with another gem, no doubt!
It’s a simple fact of life that we humans always take the least line of resistance……..
We have a cautionary tale for you and yes, it may sound a bit like eggs and suck but please heed our advice!
It goes a bit like this………
A guy calls us……he asks us “how much do we charge for just sitting a City and Guilds 2382-10 examination – that’s the full certificate for the 17th edition no less…..we tell him, “that’s £120.00 plus VAT”….he then says….”that’s a bit steep, I only paid £14.00 for the whole course!”….we say…”what…a full course for £14.00….where is absolute bargain of a course?”…..”Oh….I downloaded it from a really good internet site called www xxxx !”…(we wont name names here, really to protect any embarrassment)………..he carries on “So, is that it….I got through the exam on the download and passed with flying colours”………so we asked him a few basic questions about the number of parts in the 17th…you know the sort of thing….what is a TT system…nothing to heavy mind you……..after that little discussion, it dawned on us and more importantly on him….he really didn’t know his way around the 17th edition – whets more, the questions that he said the download contained were not only badly worded, the answers to 4 questions, that this so called programme gave him, were just plain wrong!
Now I am not here to say, come to us and you will get through the exam……no, and for the record, there is absolutely no such thing as a 100 % pass mark for any training provider….but if you go to a reputable City and Guilds approved centre, then you will be thoroughly prepared for the exam and hopefully pass…….
So, if you are someone that really wants to pass the 17th edition, please, please be wary of downloaded “17th edition” exam questions……you may be wasting a lot of your time………
Like most companies, we send out the odd press release every now and again.
We had an interesting response to something that appeared in a well known trade magazine – the response basically accused us of trying to “scare monger” and “frighten” electricians.
Well, I know that Halloween happens every year, but we aren’t in the business of scaring anyone – lets get a couple of things straight shall we!
The IET has a thing called the EAS – stands for Electrotechnical Assessment Specification – in simple terms, it is a template for all of us that work in the electrical industry – and yes that includes me!
So why am I rattling on about the 17th edition again…..(yawn)……… well it seems as though there is some confusion as to when you have to have achieved the 17th edition – well according to a number of callers out there to some of the larger enrolment bodies and competent persons schemes, and I quote “You do not have to have the 17th edition….yet”…..
Well according to the IET and one of major enrolment bodies, they are saying and publishing articles called “the clock is ticking”………. and that compliance with the 17th edition is required by the end of 2010 or by the next assessment visit – and if there is still anyone out there that is still the doubting sceptic why not check out the IET web site……http://www.theiet.org/publishing/wiring-regulations/eas