Do electricians actually need to have the 17th Edition?

[John Lundrigan]

Hi All,
Just recently I have had my interest in electrical work re-awakened because I have a grandson halfway through his apprenticeship and I asked me for help.

The electrical technology was OK as very little of that has changed, but BS 7671 was new to me and so I got stuck into it. I developed some web based resources to assist me grandson and I felt I could make these available to others.

The problem for is that I am unsure of the real need for electricians to actually have BS 7671! It appears from other forums that electricians can work without actually having it. It seems that it is simply an advantage when looking for contracts. This seemed to be confirmed by the existence of Domestic Installer Schemes.

I would be grateful to any forum members who can clear up my confusion.

Thanks

Jonel

 

[Pete999]

Thanks SL

Bad spelling? you mean bad punctuation don't you?

 

[Pete999]

Thanks SL

Not seen you that much before Phillip, were have you been?

 

[bailes1992]

I worked for a college between February and September this year assessing apprentice electricians. The college removed the 17th Edition from the apprenticeship framework recently.
My apprentices when qualified were getting their gold cards without the BS7671 based on their NVQ Level 3 & 2330 alone.
The ECS website almost suggests that to be an electrician all you need is a BS7671.

 

[Pete999]

I worked for a college between February and September this year assessing apprentice electricians. The college removed the 17th Edition from the apprenticeship framework recently.
My apprentices when qualified were getting their gold cards without the BS7671 based on their NVQ Level 3 & 2330 alone.
The ECS website almost suggests that to be an electrician all you need is a BS7671.

Maybe the curriculum at the time you mention, covered BS7671 amendments / changes and the college rightfully removed the course / exam for BS7671 from the curriculum as it was deemed an unnecessary item to hinder the Apprentices with, makes sense to me.
I think the point you are talking about is trying to say that anyone who trained / qualified pre 17th need to sit this qualification, anyone who trained / qualified post 17th are deemed to have the 17th updates etc already.

 

[bailes1992]

Maybe the curriculum at the time you mention, covered BS7671 amendments / changes and the college rightfully removed the course / exam for BS7671 from the curriculum as it was deemed an unnecessary item to hinder the Apprentices with, makes sense to me.
I think the point you are talking about is trying to say that anyone who trained / qualified pre 17th need to sit this qualification, anyone who trained / qualified post 17th are deemed to have the 17th updates etc already.

That seemingly wasn't the case.
I attended the same college while I done my apprenticeship. At the time the BS7671 was a 'bolt-on' that college paid for.
The BS7671 was removed and the only answer I was given was to save money. BS7671 wasn't covered in any part of the curriculum otherwise.

 

[Pete999]

That seemingly wasn't the case.
I attended the same college while I done my apprenticeship. At the time the BS7671 was a 'bolt-on' that college paid for.
The BS7671 was removed and the only answer I was given was to save money. BS7671 wasn't covered in any part of the curriculum otherwise.

Maybe not the BS7671 course, but all the training at that time was BS7671 orientated, don't thinks it's possible to say BS 7671 wasn't covered, in my opinion.
Anyway the Course BS7671 is only an exercise in how to navigate the BS, and as you would have been using the 17th as a reference, it appears the college was right to ditch the 17th course, as an unnecessary expense in both time and money.

 

[I2C]

Anyway the Course BS7671 is only an exercise in how to navigate the BS, and as you would have been using the 17th as a reference, it appears the college was right to ditch the 17th course, as an unnecessary expense in both time and money.

I completely agree Pete999. In fact, my college did an experiment with the 17th Course; they entered one of their reception staff who had absolutely no electrical knowledge at all, but gave them only a couple of hours tuition in how to use BS7671... they passed the exam.

 

[Simonslimline]

The JIB/ECS card is one single card.
There is not a JIB card and an ECS card.
My brother passed his 2391 qualification just before the 17th edition was introduced.
Because the date on his Certificate was after the introduction of the 17th, the JIB assumed he had obtained his 2391 while the 17th was in force.
They showed on his card that not only did he have the 2391 but also the 2382.
My brother has never obtained the 2382.

So it is possible that the 2382 is not required, as long as the core electrical qualifications are obtained while the 17th edition is in force.
However in the not very far future the 18th will be required.

My Gold card also has the (BS7671 wiring regulations, 17th edition)

printed on the back. I have not done this either!

Not so sure why they put it on the card, also the website was saying I didn't hold the correct qualifications for the Installation electricians gold card, and I needed my company to endorse the application. A quick phone call to the jib had everything sorted and in the post, no endorsement needed either.