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After your apprentice training contract ends

There are 3 options when your apprentice electrician training contract is due to end or has ended.

Electrician and apprentice work at a switchboard

There are 3 options when your electrical apprentice training contract is due to end or has ended.

1. If your apprenticeship and schooling are complete, but you haven't passed your licensing assessments

After you complete your apprenticeship, you're only allowed to keep doing electrical installation work for 3 months. You must be effectively supervised by a licensed electrician while carrying out any electrical installation work during this period.

The 3-month period begins on the date you complete your apprenticeship.

To continue to do electrical installation work after 3 months, you must hold a Supervised Worker’s Licence

Image of a Supervised Workers Licence

This licence is temporary. It allows you to do electrical installation work under the supervision of an A Grade Electrician, while you work towards passing all your licensing assessments.

As a Supervised Worker's licence holder, you must still be effectively supervised by a licensed electrician while carrying out any electrical installation work.

To apply for a Supervised Worker’s licence, take the following steps:

  1. Confirm your eligibility using this checklist:
  2. Confirm you have all the correct documentation
  3. Register with ESVConnect
  4. Complete a Supervised Worker's licence application on ESVConnect
  5. Pay the licensing fee

Warning

You can't keep doing electrical installation work if:

  • it's more than 3 months after the completion of your apprentice training contract
  • you haven't obtained a Supervised Worker's Licence.

If you do, you are working illegally. Both you and your employer may be subject to prosecution and severe penalties.

2. If your apprenticeship, schooling, and licensing assessments are complete

You may be eligible to apply for an A Grade Electrician's licence if you have:

  • finished your apprenticeship training contract
  • obtained a Certificate III in Electrotechnology
  • completed all licensing assessments (LEAs).
Electrician's licence

To apply for an A Grade Electrician’s licence:

  1. Confirm your eligibility using the
  2. Confirm you have all the correct documentation.
  3. Register with ESVConnect.
  4. Complete an A Grade Electrician’s licence application on ESVConnect
  5. Pay the licensing fee

Warning

You can't keep doing electrical installation work if:

  • it's more than 3 months after the completion of your apprentice training contract
  • you haven't obtained an A Grade Electrician's Licence.

If you do, you are working illegally. Both you and your employer may be subject to prosecution and severe penalties.

3. If your schooling or profiling is incomplete

You need to extend your training contract if:

  • your schooling or profiling is incomplete, and
  • your apprenticeship training contract will soon finish.

You'll need to take the following steps:

  1. Extend your apprenticeship completion date. You can do this by completing this form: Changing your apprenticeship or traineeship (VRQA)External Link .*
  2. Submit your completed Training Contract Extension form to your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN)External Link
  3. Contact your trade school to complete any outstanding schooling.

* Note: both you and your employer need to complete the form. If your employer is not willing to extend the contract, you will need to find another employer so you can complete your apprenticeship.

Warning

You cannot keep doing electrical installation work if your training contract:

  • ends and is not extended
  • ends and you do not have a new training contract.

If you do, you're working illegally. Both you and your employer may be subject to prosecution and severe penalties.

Check your eligibility - flowchart

Flowchart

Apprentices flowchart - Check eligibility for an Electrician's licence
Flowchart

Apprentices-Check eligibility for an Electrician's licence flowchart

Have you received your apprentice completion letter? -> No -> Contact your Trade School
Yes
|
Have you successfully completed your licensing assessments? -> No -> Complete all licensing assessments
Yes
|
Do you have letters with results of >75% for SWP, LEP and LET assessments? -> No -> Contact your assessment venue
Yes
|
Do you have a Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician? -> No -> Contact your Trade School
Yes
|
Do you have a letter of support from employer? -> No -> Contact your employer
Yes
|
Register at ESVConnect

Definitions: SWP-Safe Working Practice LEP=Licensed Electrician's Practical LET = Licence Electrician's Theory

Download Flowchart

Licensed Electrician's Assessments

You will need a letter from your trade school - 'Authorisation to Undertake the Licensed Electrician’s Assessment (LEA)' - stating that you can attempt an LEA assessment as you've finished the required units. You'll need this letter before you can book an assessment.

You must get a result of 75% or greater for each assessment. To learn more, see LEA sample assessments

To find more information about attempting your assessment, see Undertaking the Licensed Electrician's Assessment

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances apply, you can apply to Energy Safe for special consideration. Special consideration applies for medical and other circumstances to allow:

  • extra time
  • special conditions

to assist you to complete your assessments. See Special consideration for licensing assessments

More information

For further information, contact the Licensing team:

Licensing team hours are:

  • Monday, Thursday, Friday – 9:00am to 4:00pm
  • Tuesday – 12:30pm to 4:00pm
  • Wednesday – 9:00am to 12:30pm.

Keep in touch

We encourage you to stay informed about important developments and safe working in our industry. See our Media Centre for alerts, media releases and more.

Date: 27/04/2024 17:04

The currency and accuracy of this information cannot be guaranteed once printed or saved to a storage device. If in doubt, please check the Energy Safe Victoria website for the current version.

Reviewed 02 November 2023

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