Electrical Installations

WorldSkills Occupational Standards (WSOS)

Occupation description and WSOS

The name of the skill competition is

Description of the associated work role(s) or occupation(s)

An electrician works on commercial, residential, agricultural, and industrial projects. There is a direct relationship between the nature and quality of the product required and the payment made by the customer. Therefore, the electrician has a continuing responsibility to work professionally in order to meet the requirements of the customer and thus maintain and grow the business. Electrical installation is closely associated with other parts of the construction industry and with the many products that support it, normally for commercial purposes.

The electrician works internally or in teams, in the homes of customers and on small and major projects. They will plan and design, select and install, commission, test, report, maintain, fault find, and repair systems to a high standard. Work organization and self-management, communication, and interpersonal skills, problem solving, flexibility and a deep body of knowledge are the universal attributes of the outstanding electrician.

With a constant developing technology an electrician will face new challenges where new systems will be needed and new working methods have to be used.

Whether the electrician is working alone or in a team the individual takes on a high level of personal responsibility and autonomy. From working to provide a safe and reliable electrical installation and maintenance service, in accordance with relevant standards, through to diagnosing malfunctions, programming and commissioning home and building automation systems and create documentation, concentration, precision, accuracy, and attention to detail every step in the process matters and mistakes are largely irreversible, costly, and potentially life threatening.

With the international mobility of people, the electrician faces rapidly expanding opportunities and challenges. For the talented electrician there are many commercial and international opportunities; however, these carry with them the need to understand and work with diverse cultures and trends. The diversity of skills associated with electrical installations is therefore likely to expand.

An electrician also has many career opportunities including advancing to leading or managerial positions.

The WorldSkills Occupational Standards (WSOS)

General notes on the WSOS

The WSOS specifies the knowledge, understanding, skills, and capabilities that underpin international best practice in technical and vocational performance. These are both specific to an occupational role and also transversal. Together they should reflect a shared global understanding of what the associated work role(s) or occupation(s) represent for industry and business (www.worldskills.org/WSOS).

The skill competition is intended to reflect international best practice as described by the WSOS, to the extent that it can. The Standard is therefore a guide to the required training and preparation for the skill competition.

In the skill competition the assessment of knowledge and understanding will take place through the assessment of performance. There will only be separate tests of knowledge and understanding where there is an overwhelming reason for these.

The Standard is divided into distinct sections with headings and reference numbers added.

Each section is assigned a percentage of the total marks to indicate its relative importance within the Standards. This is often referred to as the “weighting”. The sum of all the percentage marks is 100. The weightings determine the distribution of marks within the Marking Scheme.

Through the Test Project, the Marking Scheme will assess only those skills and capabilities that are set out in the WorldSkills Occupational Standards. They will reflect the Standards as comprehensively as possible within the constraints of the skill competition.

The Marking Scheme will follow the allocation of marks within the Standards to the extent practically possible. A variation of up to five percent is allowed, if this does not distort the weightings assigned by the Standards.

WorldSkills Occupational Standards

Section		Relative importance (%)
1	Work organization and management	5
	The individual needs to know and understand: Health and safety legislation, obligations, and documentation The principles of working safely with electricity The situations when personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used The purposes, uses, care, maintenance, and storage of all tools and equipment together with their safety implications The purposes, uses, care, and storage of materials The importance of keeping a tidy work area Sustainability measures applying to the use of ‘green’ materials and recycling The ways in which working practices can minimize wastage and help to manage costs whilst maintaining quality The principles of workflow and measurement The significance of planning, accuracy, checking, and attention to detail in all working practices Impact of new technology
	The individual shall be able to: Develop and follow Health, Safety, and Environment standards, rules, and regulations Diligently follow electrical safety procedures Identify and use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) including safety footwear, ear, and eye protection Select, use, clean, maintain, and store all tools and equipment safely Select, use, and store all materials safely Identify and take care of expensive fixtures/fittings Plan the work area to maximize efficiency and maintain the discipline of regular tidying Measure accurately Manage time effectively Work efficiently and check progress and outcomes regularly Establish and consistently maintain high quality standards and working processes
2	Communication and interpersonal skills	5
	The individual needs to know and understand: The significance of establishing and maintaining customer confidence and trust The importance of maintaining and keeping knowledge base up-to-date The roles and requirements of related trades The value of building and maintaining productive working relationships Techniques of effective teamwork The importance of swiftly resolving misunderstandings and conflicting demands
	The individual shall be able to: Interpret customer requirements and manage customer expectations positively Provide advice and guidance on products/solutions e.g. technological advancements Visualize and translate customer wishes making recommendations which meet/improve their design and budgetary requirements Question customers closely/deeply to fully understand requirements Provide clear instructions Introduce related trades to support customer requirements Produce written reports for customers and the organization Produce cost and time estimates for customers Recognize and adapt to the changing needs of related trades Work effectively as a member of a team
3	Problem solving, innovation, and creativity	5
	The individual needs to know and understand: The common types of problem which can occur within the work process Diagnostic approaches to problem solving Trends and developments in the industry including new technology, standards, and working methods e.g. “smart house” and energy saving measures Potential problems with procurement and alternate solutions
	The individual shall be able to: Check work regularly to minimize problems at a later stage Identify problems originating from the work of a related trade e.g. heating pump, ventilation system, etc. Challenge incorrect information to prevent problems Recognize and understand problems swiftly and follow a self-managed process for resolving Recognize opportunities to contribute ideas to improve solutions and overall levels of customer satisfaction Demonstrate a willingness to try new methods and embrace change e.g. ready- made components Recommend customers alternative solutions for better, smarter and more cost efficient and sustainable installations
4	Planning and design	10
	The individual needs to know and understand: Different types of standards, drawings, installation descriptions, and manuals Range of materials and installation techniques to be used in different environments
	The individual shall be able to: Read, interpret, and revise drawings and documentation including layout and circuit drawings Follow written instructions Plan installation work using drawings and documentation provided
5	Installation	35
	The individual needs to know and understand: Ducting and wiring systems for commercial, domestic, residential agricultural, and industrial use and when and where to use a specific ducting and/or wiring system The range of electrical switchboards used for commercial, domestic, residential, agricultural, and industrial uses and when and where to use a specific switchboard system Types of electric lighting and heating systems for commercial, domestic residential, and industrial use Control devices and socket outlets used for commercial, domestic, residential, agricultural, and industrial uses, including smart building technologies Structured cabling systems including: computer network cabling, fire/burglar alarm (conventional and addressable), evacuation control (audio and optical), control and monitoring, access control (“stand-alone” and ‘network supervised’), closed circuit television (cameras, lenses and attachment components), recorders and monitors Energy production systems such as solar- and wind-power Systems for charging of Electrical Vehicles
	The individual shall be able to: Select and install equipment and wire ways as per drawings and documentation provided Install ducting and cabling systems on different surfaces as per manufacturer’s instructions and current industrial standards Select and install single and double insulated cables inside ducts, conduits, and flexible conduits Install and securely fix double insulated cables onto cable ladders, cable trays and different surfaces as per manufacturer’s instructions and current industrial standards Install metal and plastic ducting (trunking); accurately measure and cut ducts at specified lengths/angles; assemble without distortion to joints and to specified tolerances Assemble different termination adaptors, including glands onto ducts and attach ducts, of different types, securely onto surfaces Install metal and plastic conduits/flexible conduits and accessories and attach securely onto surfaces, maintaining even radius bends, without distortion to conduits if manually bent. Correct termination adaptors used for entry of conduits into boxes, boards, and ducts Install and securely attach different types of cable ladders and cable trays to surfaces Install electrical switchboards onto surfaces in a secure way and assemble switchboard apparatus in switchboards as per layout drawings/instructions to include main switches, RCDs, MCBs, fuses, controlling equipment such as relays and timers and home and building automation devices Terminate and install wiring inside switchboards according to circuit drawings Connect equipment as per instructions provided to include structured cabling systems as per manufacturers’ instructions and current industrial standards and regulations Install systems such as electrical car chargers, solar panels, energy management systems and other related systems for a sustainable future
6	Testing, reporting, and commissioning	25
	The individual needs to know and understand: Industrial regulations and standards applicable to different types of installations Verification standards, methods, and reports to be used to record verification results Types of measuring instruments Tools and software used for parameterization, programming, and commissioning The correct operation of the electrical installation in accordance with the planned specification and customer requirements The importance of delivering correct and proper documentation “as built” after finalized installations for future reference and maintenance purposes
	The individual shall be able to: Test installations before energizing to ensure personal and electrical safety to include insulation resistance and earth continuity tests, correct polarity, and complete visual inspections Test installations when energized by checking complete function on all equipment installed to ensure correct operation of new installations as per instructions, for example, correct voltage, phase rotation and correct functioning of protection devices Set-up equipment to include: selecting and using the appropriate software for programming programmable relays, bus-systems; creating necessary settings on devices such as timers and overload relays; programming programmable relays: downloading and importing applications required and programming bus-systems, for example KNX, DALI, Modbus, and IP or IT based systems Set installations to fully functioning and ensure customers can operate Provide data for updating drawings and other related documentation after finalized installation work
7	Maintenance, fault finding, and repair	15
	The individual needs to know and understand: Different types of installations for specific environments Different generations of installations The purpose of a specific installation The customers’ needs for various functions
	The individual shall be able to: Adapt to changing circumstances Troubleshoot electrical installations and identify faults including short and open circuits, incorrect polarity, insulation resistance and earth continuity faults, incorrect settings on equipment, and incorrect program on programmable devices Diagnose electrical installations and identify problems including bad connections, incorrect wiring, high loop impedance, and equipment failure Verify that existing electrical installations still meet current standards Use, test and calibrate measuring equipment including insulation resistance, continuity, and installation testers, multi, clamp and network cable testers Repair and replace faulty components in electrical installations Rewire and or repair faulty installations Recycle replaced equipment in a correct and sustainable way
	Total	100

References for industry consultation

General notes

WorldSkills is committed to ensuring that the WorldSkills Occupational Standards fully reflect the dynamism of internationally recognized best practice in industry and business. To do this WorldSkills approaches a number of organizations across the world that can offer feedback on the draft Description of the Associated Role and WorldSkills Occupational Standards on a two-yearly cycle.

In parallel to this, WSI consults three international occupational classifications and databases:

ISCO-08: (http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/isco/isco08/)
ESCO: (https://ec.europa.eu/esco/portal/home )
O*NET OnLine (www.onetonline.org/)

References

This WSOS appears most closely to relate to Electrician:
https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-2111.00

or Domestic Electrician:
http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/5dbb9cf0-b226-402c-a295-2f42ef05ff8b

These links can also be used to explore adjacent occupations.

ILO 7411.

The following table indicates which organizations were approached and provided valuable feedback for the Description of the Associated Role and WorldSkills Occupational Standards in place for WorldSkills Lyon 2024.

Organization	Contact name
SCI Electric Public Company Limited	Mano Setasith, Senior Advisor
KNX Association	Casto Canavate, Marketing Team Leader