- Location
- Cardonald Campus
- SCQF Level
- 5
- Start Date
- 27 Jan 2025
- Qualification Type
- NQ
- Course Type
- Short Full-Time
- Duration
- 18 Weeks (January to June)
Applications are now closed
If you are considering becoming an electrician or electrical engineer, or are thinking about a career in renewables, this pre-apprenticeship electrical installation course will give you the foundation knowledge to help you achieve your goal.
This course is designed to help you to be taken on an apprentice electrician in the electrical contracting industry, or to progress to further study in electrical engineering.
What will I learn?
During the pre-apprentice electrical installation course you'll learn:
- Fundamental electrical principles
The basic physics relating to electricity, resistors in series and parallel and Ohm's law - Basic electrical systems and protection
Electrical circuits and how they operate - Introduction to renewables - the importance and array of renewable energies available today and how they work
- Basic electrical installation skills
How to design a domestic lighting and small power circuit, and install and test before commisioning - Installation project
Design your very own electrical installation - Health and safety at work (appraisal gaining an ESC Card)
The importance of health and safety and you - Computer aided design
How you can integrate CAD within the electrical industry - Mathematics
The transposition of formula wihtin electrical design calculations - Information technology
How to integrate IT into your electrical design
Entry requirements (minimum)
- Two National 5s, or equivalent, in National 5 English and either National 5 Maths OR National 5 Physics. Please note National 5 Applications of Maths is not accepted.
- Although the SECTT test will be part of the course, it would be an advantage if you have previously passed the SECTT apptitude test, which can be found here www.sectt.org.uk
- This course is designed for school leavers aged 16 to 19.
Take a look at the course progression map for electronics and electrical engineering courses.
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications (SCQF) Framework can help you to check if you're choosing the right level of study. Take a look at the SCQF Interactive Framework here.
Employer and industry links
The Pre-Apprenticeship course is linked to the electrical contracting industry through SECTT, (Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust) who oversee the training of every apprentice electrician in Scotland. To help you to understand whether an apprenticeship is right for you, take the SECTT aptitude test at www.sectt.org.uk.
The SECTT Training Officer for Glasgow Clyde College liaises with electrical contractors in Glasgow, the west of Scotland and further afield. H.F. Group, A. Alexander & Son, Arthur MacKay, to name but a few.
We initially piloted the pre-apprenticeship electrical installation course and have over 20 years of experience in delivering it. Around 150 electrical contractors now regularly select their prospective apprentices specifically from our pre-apprentice course.
Statistics from SECTT currently show that 80% of pre-apprenticeship students who complete the course gain employment as apprentice electricians and go on to become time-served tradesmen through continuous training at Glasgow Clyde College during their apprenticeship.
Jobs and further study
SECTT statistics show that 80% of participating students gain employment from this course.
Successfull students could also go on to:
- Modern Apprenticeship in Electrical Installatio (SVQ Level 3)
- HNC Electrical Engineering, which is designed for electricians who wish to further their understanding and prospects within the industry
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application and we will be in contact as per the following stages:
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Invited to book a short interview session. Please bring copies of your qualifications to interview.
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to interview, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 7 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course. Remove we will check SQA in August for results.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
You will be informed of decisions within one week of interview.
Once an offer is received you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place.
If a place is unavailable at your first choice of campus, you may be offered a place at one of our other campuses and you must respond to this within the timescale above.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent further information such as an induction date and student funding, joining instructions and kit list.