The second stage of the Electrical Apprentice of the Year competition is underway, after a month of deliberation from judges.
The competition is run in association with partners Scolmore Group and Voltimum, and has seen more than 540 electrical students complete the first stage of the competition – an online exam comprising 40 multiple choice questions relating to electrical installations.
Now the top 20% of entrants will go to the second heat of the competition, where they will take part in a two-hour written exam held at several locations across the UK.
Kicking off in Corby, the second stage of this year’s competition, which will run until April, will test the apprentices’ understanding and knowledge of installation practices in a two-hour written exam. The eight highest scoring students will then go through to the Grand Final, which will take place at Scolmore Group HQ.
All those taking part in stage two will receive a goody bag from NICEIC and ELECSA, Scolmore Group and Electrical Apprentice, with the eight finalists also getting a brand new iPad courtesy of Scolmore Group.
Scolmore Group is also supplying the main prizes for the winner and two runners up. The overall winner will win a £2,000 holiday voucher, the runner up will take home a £750 holiday voucher and the third place candidate will receive a £250 holiday voucher.
The college that produces the overall winner will receive £1,000 worth of Scolmore Group products, while the employer will also receive one year’s free registration with NICEIC or ELECSA.
Darren Staniforth, group senior technical presenter for NICEIC and ELECSA said, “This is the fifth year we have run the competition and the benchmark score to qualify for stage two has gone up each year. This is the great news for the judges and is very promising for the industry as a whole.
“Each year, we see more and more entrants with a better understanding of the requirements to be an electrician enter the competition. These bright and talented young men and women are coming to the end of their apprenticeships and will be taking on work of their own in the near future, so it is vital we promote and encourage these talented individuals and apprenticeships as a whole to others working in the industry.”
