APPRENTICE TRAINING NOW AT THE ECA(SA) IN PRETORIA

By Cecil Lancaster, Regional Director, Bosveld Region

Earlier this year, the ECA(SA) proudly opened our new Artisan Training Centre for Electrician (Construction) training at our premises situated at 1074 Francis Baard (Schoeman) Street in Hatfield, Pretoria.

We have already successfully concluded two courses and the students have received their certificates.

This is an ideal opportunity for any member to help his employees, family members or friends to become an artisan-electrician in a safe and familiar environment.

The apprenticeship programme is officially a three-year training venture but upon success in all courses, competencies, tests and other requirements it can be completed in a shorter time, but never less than 18 months.

The first requirement is that the incumbent must be employed by a registered electrical contractor (electrician), who will provide the required practical experience and training as well as mentorship. Part of the employment arrangement would then be a three-way apprentice agreement between the student, employer and the ECA as training institution.

Once that is in place the apprentice normally joins the site crews for a few weeks to get exposed to and familiar with the type of work, environment, tools, equipment and practices of the career-life he is entering into.

The first official training is a four-week course referred to as ‘Modules 0-3’, presented at our training centre. It runs from Mondays to Fridays, 08h00 to 16h00 and covers Induction, Installing wireways, Wiring and Installing Cables.

That must be followed by minimum twelve week’s practical experience at the workplace before the two-day evaluation test (Trade test A) for these modules can be attempted.

Upon receiving results of being successful with Trade test A, arrangements can be made for the next official four-week training course referred to as ‘Modules 4-7’. This is also presented Mondays to Fridays, 08h00 to 16h00 at our training centre and covers Installing transformers, Install DC Motors, Install and Maintain AC Motors, Testing and Fault Finding.

This must, in turn, be followed by a minimum 17 weeks’ practical experience at the workplace before the evaluation test (Trade test B) for these modules can be attempted.

Upon receiving the results of having been successful with Trade test B, application can be made for a trade certificate.

For our members, the cost for the modular training blocks is R 8 500 (Vat incl) per person for each of the courses, and then R2 690 for Trade test A, and for others R9 900 and R3 090 respectively.

Note that the same Modules 0-3 training and trade test A applies for upgrading Elconop 1 to Elconop 2, and Modules 4-7 training and Trade test B when upgrading Elconop 2 to Elconop 3, and the same costs.

The courses are presented by Mr. Hein Dippel, who many of our Bosveld members will know, as he has been training apprentices for our members at PREMOS for many years. The course content also remains exactly the same as it was at PREMOS.

The training centre is fully accredited by QCTO and offers the same training as our other training centres, and any other training centre.

The requirement of ultimate qualification is a N2 certificate, with these four subjects passed with a minimum of 40%:

Mathematics (not maths literacy),
Physical Science,
Electrical Trade Theory,
Industrial Electronics or Technical Drawing.

We, however, recommend that students acquire the same up to at least N3-level before starting an apprenticeship, as that is what would be required to obtain a ‘Wireman’s Licence’ and ultimately run his or her own business.

It is incumbent on the student to keep his or her log book up to date throughout.

We do not have accommodation available on-site but can recommend a person who has several rooms for rent about ten minutes away.

Our next courses are scheduled for: