Electrician

Working life

The NHS relies on electric power and electrical equipment. They are essential to keep hospitals and other NHS buildings safe and working efficiently. Many NHS services use complex electrical equipment to treat patients, keep IT-based records and provide services such as heating, catering, laundry, etc.

As an electrician in the NHS, your work will include:

• planned maintenance
• repairing equipment that is broken or faulty
• testing equipment and systems
• improvements and installations

Who will I work with?

You'll work alongside other estates services staff such as plumbers, carpenters or bricklayers as well as estates and facilities managers. You may travel between sites in an NHS vehicle or their own van.

While electricians are working inside a building, staff and patients may be there, but electricians do not have direct contact with healthcare staff or patients.

Electricians may work for businesses providing electrical services to the NHS.

Entry requirements 

To be fully qualified as an electrician, you need a level 3 qualification, usually an NVQ and/or a Diploma in Installing Electrotechnical Systems and Equipment.

Although electricians often join the NHS fully qualified and experienced, it may be possible to train as an electrician.  Employers usually ask for at least three GCSEs (or equivalent), including maths, English and science. They may ask for some experience in construction or other practical work and a driving licence.

There are sometimes apprenticeships in estates support/estates maintenance that can provide this type of experience. Find out more about apprenticeships

Skills needed

Electricians need to be

• very health and safety aware
• able to follow procedures
• careful and responsible
• able to work alone or unsupervised when necessary
• able to work to deadlines
• good manual (hand) skills
• organisational skills
• time management skills

Training and development 

When you start as a trainee electrician, your training will include

• health and safety
• how to use the tools and equipment
• all aspects of electrical work

You will be encouraged to study for qualifications such as NVQs.

• Pay and conditions

  Estates staff working in the NHS are paid on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay system. As an estates support worker, you could start on AfC band 2. As a qualified electrician in estates maintenance, you will typically start on AfC band 3. With further training and experience, you could apply for more senior positions at bands 4 and above. 

  Electricians in the NHS work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. The job may involve shifts including early starts, evenings and weekends. Electricians may be part of an on-call rota for emergency cover.

  Terms and conditions will usually be different for electricians working outside of the NHS.

• Where the role can lead

  Once fully qualified and with experience, an electrician can become a team leader, supervising the work of others. With further experience you could progress to manager, responsible for electrical services in a hospital, area or trust.

  Electricians may be able to move into other estates services roles such as estates technician. They can apply to train as engineers. 

  There are opportunities outside the NHS.

• Job market and vacancies

  If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS or in an organisation that provides NHS services, you'll be asked to show how you think the NHS values apply in your everyday work. Find out more about NHS values.

  Most NHS trusts advertise their vacancies on NHS Jobs. Some advertise on their own websites. You can find a list of NHS organisations on NHS Choices.

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• Further information

  • Construction Industry Training Board
  • Electrical Contractors Association