Today marks the end of our first ever UP Skilling – Electrical Skills Training to become Electrically Competent Persons 12-week training programme.
The candidates joined us as non-electrical technicians with the aim of becoming electrically competent. The Electrical Safety Regulations 2002 defines a competent person as someone who has acquired, through training, qualifications, experience or a combination of these, the knowledge and skill enabling the person to inspect and test electrical equipment.
To achieve this goal the candidates went through weeks of theoretical and practical training in the basics of electricity. Covering areas including Magnetism, Voltage, Current, Resistance, Capacitance, Induction and many more. This then progressed to cover electrical components, circuits, electrical measurements and testing.
Next up was for them to build a contactor panel from scratch, the contactors were then configured to carry out an old-style cascade start. This construction then had various faults introduced which the candidates had to diagnose and correct.
PLC’s followed with the use of PC based and physical simulators, showing the outcome of ladder logic programming beginning with pressing a button to start a conveyor belt and advancing to automatically sorting random sized components into their respective trays. This gave a good grounding for the introduction to SCADA systems again using PC based simulators.
To give more legitimacy to the grade of electrically competence, we also included EAL accredited PAT Testing and 17th Edition Wiring Regulations qualifications. The candidates were given option to sit the EAL exam if they wished. This component was particularly well received by the candidates.
Health and safety measures, both general and electrical, aiming to reduce accidents at work on electrical installations are obviously discussed at various times throughout the course to ensure safety is always at the forefront when working.
The last couple of weeks involved covering motors, generators and even an introduction to HV switching. Finally, the group sat their competency assessment covering all of the subjects included in the course. We are extremely pleased to report we had a 100% success rate in EAL examinations and are pretty sure the competency assessments will follow once marked and officiated. This is largely thanks to our two lecturers Alan Jones and Dave Jameson, who guided the candidates from day one. As we closed the course today with a presentation and buffet lunch, the candidates took time to thank both lecturers personally for their support throughout the course which reflects on the effort put in by both Dave and Alan throughout the programme.
A huge thank you to the lads who attended our first UP course, we couldn’t have asked for a better group. You will be missed! Your hard work reflected week in and week out throughout the programme and we are sure it will open many doors for you all in the future.
Congratulations!
