KEY POINTS:
What: National Certificate in Electrical Engineering (Level 4)
Where: Three year on-job apprenticeship with off-job training by ETCO (The Electrical Training Company Ltd). People wanting to start apprenticeships can approach an electrician willing to take them on or they can contact ETCO for advice on finding job placement.
Contact: Ph 0800 ASK ETCO (275-3826), website www.etco.co.nz, email training@etco.co.nz. Auckland training is based in Mt Wellington.
Course costs: $1240 each year. Courses commence in February and July.
Prerequisites: Open entry but recommended NCEA Level 1 or 2 with achievement in maths, English and science.
Starting salary: Approx $9.50 to $11 for new apprentices. Pay rates increase as apprentices become more competent and productive.
Working hours: 40 hour week.
Additional info: The National Certificate in Electrical Engineering (Level 4) is made up of competency-based unit standards covering skills and knowledge achieved on and off the job.
In the case of Brian Driscoll, his apprenticeship is made up of two parts, the skills he learns and the experience he gains on the job with Hall Electrical Services in Sandringham, Auckland, and the knowledge he learns with his off-job training provider, The Electrical Training Company Ltd (ETCO).
On-job training involves working with and assisting an electrician and being shown how to do the job. By watching, learning and helping, apprentices reach a level of competence where they can do the job unaided.
Brian also attends a three-hour night class once a week at ETCO's Mt Wellington training centre to learn about electrical theory and regulations, so apprentices understand not only how to do the job competently and safely but also why it must be done a certain way.
Once a year, he attends a two-week block course, also at Mt Wellington, to complete practical exercises to cement his understanding of the theory, to be assessed in practical competencies and to receive instruction in first aid/CPR and safe working practices. (ETCO provides 115 night classes each week from 32 venues throughout the country, and block courses from each of its training centres in Mt Wellington, Rotorua, Wellington and Dunedin.)
Peter Rushworth, CEO of ETCO, says Brian should have finished his off-job requirements towards his apprenticeship by the end of this year. He will then sit the Electrical Theory Examination and the Electrical Regulations Examination (both three-hour exams) to become a registered electrician
THE APPRENTICE
Brian Driscoll, 25
Hall Electrical Services
I have been with Hall Electrical for three years. I started my apprenticeship with another company and then came to work here. I was interested in electrical work as I am learning continuously and it presents a challenge every time I step out into the work field. And apprenticeships are a good means of hands-on, one-to-one training.
Work starts at 8am with team meetings and then assignment of jobs. We work until 4.30pm with half-an-hour for lunch and 15-minute tea breaks morning and afternoon.
The ETCO training helps a tremendous amount. They teach you about cables, electricity, wiring, schematics and the physics. They give you a fair idea about wiring in general. You can ask the tutor questions and everything they teach applies to what you are doing on the job. You get the theory at night class and the practical at work.
The night classes have about 20 people but we also get a lot of one-on-one tutoring. Mid-year you do a block course; you do practicals for a week and they can see how you are going.
THE EMPLOYER
Phil Hall, owner,
Hall Electrical Services
Our work involves electrical installation and repair of anything electrical but not really small appliances. The bulk of our work is commercial installation and maintenance.
A typical day sees the electricians wiring houses, repairing anything from stoves to hot water, lights and power points. That can involve crawling in ceilings or under houses.
Brian had started his apprenticeship with someone else but they were running out of work. So he asked if he could work with us.
We usually advertise for apprentices and then we get our applicants in and ask them why they should be the one who gets the job. Then all 10 of us, as a company, select who we think would be the best for the job, as the apprentices need to fit in with our group and our company culture.
A lot of the companies have applicants sitting tests and then they pick the smartest. But we tend to think - as long as the applicants are okay in maths and English and good with their hands, willing to learn, clean and tidy - the rest can be taught as long as they are prepared to do the hard yards of tech and day school.
Our apprentices are taught and guided by tradesmen. They start off following around, looking, helping and passing stuff; and eventually they have to do the work themselves. But it's like driving: you pass your driving licence but do you know everything about driving when you get it?
It's the years of experience after you're a tradesman that make the difference.
