The career path of an electrical construction operator
By Pierre Foot
There are three categories of labour known as electrical construction operator (Elconop) defined in the Main Collective Agreement of the National Bargaining Council for the Electrical Industry of South Africa. These are Elconop 1, Elconop 2 and Elconop 3 and all form an integral part of the career path for the electrical industry.
There is no formal training programme for the Elconop 1 but the Elconop 2 and Elconop 3 are required to undergo prescribed formal practical training at an accredited, institutionalised training centre.
The Elconop career path is summarised here.
Elconop 1
The employment of an Elconop 1 (or promotion from electrical assistant to Elconop 1) is based solely on the employer’s assessment of the capabilities of the employee who has received on-the-job training by the employer. The employer can appoint or promote the employee to Elconop 1 simply by informing the Bargaining Council in writing of his/her decision.
Elconop 2
The employer will identify an Elconop 1 in his employ whom he feels is a suitable candidate for promotion to Elconop 2, and will arrange with an accredited training provider to undertake the prescribed practical training course.
The four-week training course comprises:
Module M0: Induction.
Module M1: installing wireways.
Module M2: Iinstallation of cables.
Module M3: Wiring of premises.
On completion of the course, the candidate will return to the employer for three months’ on-the-job exposure of the training, after which the candidate is required to undertake the Elconop 2 final test. Only on successfully passing the final test is the candidate promoted to Elconop 2.
Note that the candidate remains on his/her Elconop 1 wage level even while undertaking on-the-job Elconop 2 work following the prescribed practical training course, and will only qualify for the higher wage rate on successful completion of the Elconop 2 final test.
On passing the Elconop 2 final test, the candidate will be issued with an Elconop 2 card by the Bargaining Council.
Training and promotion of employees are solely at the discretion of the employer.
Elconop 3
The employer will identify an Elconop 2 in his employ who has been an Elconop 2 for a continuous period of 12 months and who he feels is a suitable candidate for promotion to Elconop 3, and will arrange with an accredited training provider to undertake the prescribed practical training course. The four-week training course comprises:
Module M4: Three-phase transformers.
Module M5: Motors and starters.
Module M6: Testing of installation.
On completion of the course, the candidate will return to the employer for three months’ on-the-job exposure of the training, after which the candidate is required to undertake the Elconop 3 final test. Only on successfully passing the final test is the candidate promoted to Elconop 3.
The candidate remains on his/her Elconop 2 wage level even while undertaking on-the-job Elconop 3 work following the prescribed practical training course, and will only qualify for the higher wage rate on successful completion of the Elconop 3 final test.
On passing the Elconop 3 final test, the candidate will be issued with an Elconop 3 card by the Bargaining Council.
The training and promotion of employees is solely at the discretion of the employer.
On complying with certain criteria, the next step of progression in the career path for the Elconop 3 is artisan status.
The definition of and duties of the various Elconop employee categories are outlined in the Bargaining Council Main Collective Agreement, published in Government Gazette No. 40713 of 24 March 2017.
The ECA(SA) provides the prescribed practical training courses for Elconop 2 and Elconop 3, as well as the relevant final tests, at its Meadowdale and Cape Town training centres, and also via training providers in the other major centres.
Contact your ECA regional office for further information.
CONTACT DETAILS FOR ECA(SA) REGIONAL OFFICES
Area office Telephone Fax Email
Johannesburg +27 (0)11 392 0000 +27 (0)11 974 9402 info@ecasa.co.za
Pretoria +27 (0)12 342 3242 +27 (0)12 342 3455 infopta@ecasa.co.za
Durban +27 (0)31 312 6313 +27 (0)31 312 0851 ecakzn@ecasa.co.za
Bloemfontein +27 (0)51 447 0859 +27 (0)51 430 2355 pieter@ecasa.co.za
Port Elizabeth +27 (0)41 363 1990 +27 (0)41 364 0162 adminpe@ecasa.co.za
East London +27 (0)43 726 6359 +27 (0)43 726 6740 adminel@ecasa.co.za
Cape Town +27 (0)21 462 2690 +27(0)21 465 6319 ecact@iafrica.com
