Broadening Horizons: TESP’s New Upskilling Route for Domestic Electricians
Unlocking New Opportunities for Qualified Domestic Electricians
The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP) has revealed an upcoming pathway allowing qualified Domestic Electricians—those who completed the Domestic Electrician apprenticeship or the Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA)—to upskill and become fully recognised as Installation & Maintenance Electricians.
What the New Route Entails
TESP, in collaboration with awarding bodies and NET, is developing a robust bridging route comprising:
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A tailored series of bridging units, blending both theoretical knowledge and rigorous practical assessments.
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On-the-job workplace experience to build competence across the full scope of installation and maintenance work.
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A final NET end assessment of competence to validate readiness for the broader role.
Preserving Standards and Ensuring Rigour
TESP emphasizes that this program is not a shortcut. It maintains strict equivalence in scope, depth, and quality to the standard Installation & Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship. All stages of the pathway will be closely monitored and overseen by TESP to uphold eligibility verification and process integrity.
Who Can Access This Route?
Only Domestic Electricians who have:
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Completed the Domestic Electrician apprenticeship in England, or
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Achieved accreditation via the Domestic Electrician Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA)
are eligible to enroll in this new bridging program.
What TESP Had to Say
TESP Chair, Ruth Devine MBE, remarked:
“Domestic Electricians are now rightly recognised as industry professionals in their own right… this bridging process will provide a progression pathway… benchmarked against the same standard as the Installation and Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship.”
What’s Next?
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Industry consultation on the structure and content of this bridging route is scheduled for late 2025.
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Delivery is expected to begin in early 2026, marking a significant enhancement in career progression opportunities for qualified Domestic Electricians.
Why This Matters
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Career advancement – Enables experienced electricians to access a broader scope of work and enhanced roles.
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Maintained excellence – Guarantees parity with established apprenticeship standards.
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Targeted support – Tailored to those already skilled and recognized, avoiding unnecessary repetition of training.
By blending thorough assessments with real-world experience, TESP’s new route offers a well-structured—and highly credible—pathway to broaden the professional horizons of Domestic Electricians. With consultations underway and delivery on the horizon, this is a development that could positively shape the future of electrotechnical upskilling.
