Employers who choose Nottingham College benefit from a high-quality apprenticeship programme that develops skilled, safety-conscious operatives for the highway electrical sector. Apprentices gain practical, hands-on experience alongside industry-relevant training, helping them make a positive contribution to your organisation from day one.
With dedicated support from experienced trainers and assessors, we work closely with employers to ensure apprentices develop the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to maintain and install vital highway electrical infrastructure safely and effectively.
Key information
Key information about this apprenticeship programme, with the main details like the level, duration and industry/sector. Full details about this standard can be found on the Skills England website.
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Level: 2 (Intermediate)
The level of the apprenticeship programme.
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Duration: 24 months
The overall duration of the apprenticeship including the end-point assessment (EPA) period.
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Training location: McCann Training
The primary location where training/assessment for this apprenticeship will take place.
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Mode of Attendance: Block release
How an apprentice participates in their training and learning activities as part of the programme.
- Industry/sector: Construction and the built environment
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Maximum funding available: £9,000.00
This is the maximum amount the government will contribute toward training and assessment costs for that apprenticeship.
Apprenticeship overview
Installing and servicing electrical support structures, equipment and systems on roads and motorways.
The key skills, knowledge, behaviours and duties that will be carried out by the apprentice as part of this apprenticeship.
Skills developed
- Understanding the employer’s health and safety and environmental requirements and procedures. Applying these requirements and procedures by hazard identification, site specific risk assessments and following safe systems of work and applying these to their own work in order to keep themselves, their colleagues, other workers, pedestrians and the travelling public safe.
- Understanding the employer’s requirements and identifying what work is required, what their responsibilities are and what plant, equipment, tools and materials are required. Applying this through the planning, preparation and organisation of their own works (e.g. by making sure the right materials are available) so that work can be carried out efficiently and without delay
- Understanding the employer’s requirements. Being courteous and polite; getting on with others and communicating verbally or in writing effectively
- Identification of the common types of highway electrical equipment and the underlying principles of how these are installed and maintained (e.g. street lights, traffic signals, traffic signs, safety cameras) – together with detailed specialised understanding on the chosen sub- sector(s). Applying this in practice by ensuring component parts are correctly assembled and installed; and by carrying out replacement of defective parts so that the equipment is safe and functions correctly
- Understanding of and applying the employer’s requirements and typical installation techniques and hazards on site (including identifying and managing typical hazards e.g. traffic, members of the public, underground and overhead services (e.g. electricity, water, gas); Installing infrastructure equipment and some components (e.g. excavating and using lorry mounted cranes to install lighting columns or traffic signal posts; using steps or mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) to install street lighting lanterns or traffic signal heads) safely (including the use and operation of plant, equipment and tools; safe lifting and safe excavation and reinstatement)
- Understanding the practices of maintenance techniques both routine (e.g. regular inspections of internal wiring, structural inspection of the posts, changing lamps and cleaning streetlight bowls) and reactive (e.g. identifying typical faulty components such as lamps or fuses). Carrying these out in practice to ensure safe and efficient operations
- Understanding the employer’s requirements and procedures covering emergency attendance and emergency work. Following procedures on site to identify hazards and the actions required to ensure the site is safe - (e.g. after a road traffic incident where a vehicle hits a streetlight or traffic signal - liaising with emergency services and electricity company, ensuring the site is safe for traffic and pedestrians)
- Understand how to identify and apply the appropriate systems of surface protection (e.g. applying paint to lighting columns) safely and how to dispose of waste appropriately; Carrying out appropriate surface preparation safely (e.g. using mobile elevated work platforms, ensuring the public and property are protected from injury); Apply appropriate systems of surface protection safely;
Further information
- Highway electrical operative
- Highway installation operative
- highway maintenance electrician
- Highway maintenance operative
- highway operative
- highway site operative
- highway technician
A Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative is a multi-skilled operative able to carry out both the installation of equipment (e.g. street lighting columns, traffic signal poles) and the maintenance of that equipment (e.g. correcting faul ts when equipment is non-operational, changing lamps upon or close to failure). There are many sub-sectors within the highways electrics sector – e.g. street lighting, traffic signals, safety cameras, and highway communications. Each uses different equipment and processes, and the apprentice will choose one of these depending on the specialism of their employer. The general duties, skills, competencies and behaviours are common across the sub-sectors but the detail and application is sub-sector specific depending on the sub-sectors chosen (e.g. the installation of traffic signal poles is different to the installation of lighting columns, but the principles of safe excavation and safe working are common)
1. Occupation(s)
A Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative is a multi-skilled operative able to carry out both the installation of equipment (e.g. street lighting columns, traffic signal poles) and the maintenance of that equipment (e.g. correcting faul ts when equipment is non-operational, changing lamps upon or close to failure).
There are many sub-sectors within the highways electrics sector – e.g. street lighting, traffic signals, safety cameras, and highway communications. Each uses different equipment and processes, and the apprentice will choose one of these depending on the specialism of their employer. The general duties, skills, competencies and behaviours are common across the sub-sectors but the detail and application is sub-sector specific depending on the sub-sectors chosen (e.g. the installation of traffic signal poles is different to the installation of lighting columns, but the principles of safe excavation and safe wor king are common)
2. Occupational profile
The main duties and tasks of someone who is a competent Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operative within the relevant sub-sector(s) are to:
- Install & maintain highway electrical support structures, equipment and systems (e.g. excavating and installing streetlight posts in the ground, installing traffic signal or safety camera poles, fitting Streetlighting lanterns or traffic signal heads, carrying out first line fault finding when items are reported as not working, carrying out routine replacement of lamps )
- Carry out first line (i.e. first on site) emergency attendance and emergency works (e.g. after a road traffic incident where a vehicle hits a streetlight ensuring the site is safe for traffic and pedestrians)
- Carry out work efficiently, effectively and safely to keep costs within budget, ensure works are completed in accordance with drawings, specification of works and instructions given by an experienced worker or manager and within the specified time duration to avoid delays and accidents
- Maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, managers and members of the public whilst carrying out the works
- Work on their own initiative and in small teams (which consist typically of 2 people) Optionally: Apply surface protection
3. Requirements: Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
This is the core of the Apprenticeship standard. The knowledge and skills that are required by employers for competent Highway Electrical Maintenance and Installation Operatives are shown below.
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Knowledge and Skills |
What is required |
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A. Transferable Knowledge and Skills Requirements (across all sub-sectors) |
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Health, Safety and Environmental (Transferable across all sub-sectors) |
Understanding the employer’s health and safety and environmental requirements and procedures. Applying these requirements and procedures by hazard identification, site specific risk assessments and following safe systems of work and applying these to their own work in order to keep themselves, their colleagues, other workers, pedestrians and the travelling public safe. |
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Planning, preparing and organising works (Transferable across all sub-sectors) |
Understanding the employer’s requirements and identifying what work is required, what their responsibilities are and what plant, equipment, tools and materials are required. Applying this through the planning, preparation and organisation of their own works (e.g. by making sure the right materials are available) so that work can be carried out efficiently and without delay |
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Effective communication (Transferable across all sub-sectors) |
Understanding the employer’s requirements. Being courteous and polite; getting on with others and communicating verbally or in writing effectively |
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B. Unique Knowledge and Skills Requirements (to the particular sub-sector chosen) |
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Highway Electrical Equipment and Systems (Unique to sub-sector) |
Identification of the common types of highway electrical equipment and the underlying principles of how these are installed and maintained (e.g. street lights, traffic signals, traffic signs, safety cameras) – together with detailed specialised understanding on the chosen sub- sector(s). Applying this in practice by ensuring component parts are correctly assembled and installed; and by carrying out replacement of defective parts so that the equipment is safe and functions correctly |
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Installation Techniques (Unique to sub-sector) |
Understanding of and applying the employer’s requirements and typical installation techniques and hazards on site (including identifying and managing typical hazards e.g. traffic, members of the public, underground and overhead services (e.g. electricity, water, gas); Installing infrastructure equipment and some components (e.g. excavating and using lorry mounted cranes to install lighting columns or traffic signal posts; using steps or mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) to install street lighting lanterns or traffic signal heads) safely (including the use and operation of plant, equipment and tools; safe lifting and safe excavation and reinstatement) |
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Maintenance Techniques (Unique to sub-sector) |
Understanding the practices of maintenance techniques both routine (e.g. regular inspections of internal wiring, structural inspection of the posts, changing lamps and cleaning streetlight bowls) and reactive (e.g. identifying typical faulty components such as lamps or fuses). Carrying these out in practice to ensure safe and efficient operations |
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Emergency Attendance(Unique to sub-sector) |
Understanding the employer’s requirements and procedures covering emergency attendance and emergency work. Following procedures on site to identify hazards and the actions required to ensure the site is safe - (e.g. after a road traffic incident where a vehicle hits a streetlight or traffic signal - liaising with emergency services and electricity company, ensuring the site is safe for traffic and pedestrians) |
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Optional - Apply Surface Protection (Transferable across all sub-sectors) |
Understand how to identify and apply the appropriate systems of surface protection (e.g. applying paint to lighting columns) safely and how to dispose of waste appropriately; Carrying out appropriate surface preparation safely (e.g. using mobile elevated work platforms, ensuring the public and property are protected from injury); Apply appropriate systems of surface protection safely; |
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Behaviours |
What is required |
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(Transferable across all sub-sectors) |
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Health, Safety & Environment) |
Promoting a positive Health, Safety and Environmental culture through being aware of hazards and the situation and how these might change, reporting unsafe practices and hazards and setting a personal example working safely and being alert so as to ensure no harm comes to employees and the public |
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Accepting responsibility |
Taking responsibility for own actions and standards of work. Being aware of the limits of their own competence and seeking advice as and when required. Cooperating with the employer to ensure that their competence is maintained and up to date |
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Personal Effectiveness |
Showing enthusiasm, consideration and commitment. Being able to work both on their own initiative to solve problems, seek out critical information and plan and organise work activities; and also being able to work in teams in a positive and constructive way |
4. Duration
The typical duration of this Apprenticeship is 24 months for achievement of competence in the sub-sector chosen (e.g. streetlighting, traffic signals)
5. Entry requirements
Individual employers will set the entry requirements. Apprentices without level 1 English and maths will need to achieve this level and apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to take the tests for this level prior to taking the end-point assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
6. Qualifications
This is a Level 2 Apprenticeship and achieving the standard will result in achieving the following:
- A mandatory knowledge Level 2 Certificate in Highway Electrical Work endorsed for the sub-sector chosen
- A Level 2 NVQ Certificate or Diploma - in Highway Electrical Systems endorsed for the sub-sector chosen
- To comply with industry standards, apprentices will complete their works in accordance with industry and employer Health, Safety & Environmental procedures including completing the Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) Highway Electrical version H&S test and requirements of the Highway Electrical Registration Scheme (HERS) (see http://www.thehea.org.uk/) which results in the issuing of an ECS HERS Card being a licence to practice and work in the industry.
Successful apprentices may also be able to progress further onto the Level 3 Highways Electrician/Service Operative apprenticeship.
8. Review date
This apprenticeship standard should be reviewed no more than three years after approval of the standard
Hire an apprentice today!
Are you interested in this apprenticeship for your business or company? Get in touch with our dedicated Business Development Manager for this industry/sector to find out more. Alternatively, you can fill out our employer interest form below and we'll get back to you.
Jenni Walker
Job title: Business Development Advisor - Construction & Engineering
Call Jenni Walker on: 0115 884 2678
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Information provided for this apprenticeship programme is sourced from the Skills England formerly the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). For the information authored by Skills England, this was last modified on 4th August 2022.