Your ultimate guide to the Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA)

What is the Experienced Worker Assessment?

The Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA) is a process designed for individuals who are already working in the electrotechnical industry, but who aren’t qualified to the industry Level 3 benchmark.

If you have years of hands-on experience as an electrician, but are starting to find that your lack of formal qualifications is holding you back, then read on – the EWA might be the right qualification for you.

There are two main EWA ‘routes’, which tie in with the two main apprenticeship routes for electricians:

1. Installation Electrician EWA – qualifies you to carry out commercial, industrial and domestic installations.
2. Domestic Electrician EWA – qualifies you to carry out installations in residential properties.

At NICEIC, we offer both routes, so if you’re unsure you can always give us a call to discuss your circumstances and decide which EWA route might be right for you.

Who is eligible for the EWA?

Prospective EWA candidates must complete a free initial self-assessment called the Skills Scan to prove their eligibility for the qualification.

To be eligible to take the EWA, you must:

• Have worked in the electrotechnical industry for at least five years (for the Installation Electrician pathway) or three years (for the Domestic Electrician pathway). This does not include any time spent in training.
• Hold at least a Level 2 electrical qualification.

A level 2 qualification will provide candidates entering the electrical industry with foundational electrical skills and theoretical knowledge. It’s an important stepping stone to more advanced qualifications such as the EWA.

If you don’t have a Level 2 qualification, you may be eligible to take the Electrical Underpinning Knowledge and Understanding Test instead. This test, introduced in June 2025, replaces the need for a Level 2 qualification and allows you entry onto either one of the two EWA routes. Please note that the Electrical Underpinning Knowledge and Understanding Test isn’t a short cut to the EWA, and not all electricians without a Level 2 qualification will be eligible. It is designed for candidates who typically have at least 10 years’ experience working as an electrician and already possess the practical knowledge and theoretical understanding they need to move straight on to the EWA.

How does the EWA work?

Think the EWA might be right for you? Here’s how the process works.

• Complete the Skills Scan and Candidate Background Form

The Skills Scan self-assessment process will require you to list your existing qualifications and self-assess your level of practical competence across a wide range of electrotechnical skills, including safe isolation, installation, inspection and testing, and fault diagnosis.

If you have at least ‘adequate’ experience in nearly all the sections, this suggests the EWA may be the right option for you.

If you have significant gaps in your knowledge or practical experience, you may need to undergo further training before taking the EWA, or you might decide to enrol on an apprenticeship or NVQ route instead.

• Follow-up technical discussion

An assessor from NICEIC will arrange a follow-up session to review and verify your Skills Scan.

This will involve a process called ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’, which is designed to assess your existing qualifications, skills and experience against the EWA assessment criteria.

• Filling in the gaps

You will then build a portfolio of work that fills in any gaps in your knowledge and take any additional qualifications that are required to complete the EWA.

• Book your AM2E/AM2ED assessment

The last step is to book your end-point assessment, called the AM2E (Installation Electrician route) or AM2ED (Domestic Electrician route) at an independent NET centre. Once you pass this, congratulations – you’ve completed your EWA!

How long does the EWA take to complete?

The qualification must be completed within 18 months. Given that the EWA is designed for those who already have significant technical knowledge and practical experience, however, most learners will complete the EWA within six – 18 months and it can be done in as few as three.

The amount of time it will take you to complete the EWA will depend on factors such as:

• How long it takes you to generate the portfolio of evidence required.
• Whether you need to undertake any additional training (such as 18th Edition or an inspection and testing qualification) to complete the EWA.

The shorter time taken to complete the EWA when compared to an apprenticeship does not mean that it is a short cut to qualification. It is designed to provide formal recognition of your existing experience and skills, which you need to have built up over several years prior to taking the assessment.

It allows you to be accredited to the same industry standard of your peers who have qualified through more traditional training routes.

How is the EWA assessed?

The EWA is assessed via a combination of on-site assessments, portfolio building, and the AM2E (Installation Electrician route) or AM2ED (Domestic Electrician route) end-point assessment. This final assessment is designed to mirror the assessment taken by electrical apprentices at the end of their training.

If you do not have them already, you will also be required to undertake the following qualifications:

• An up-to-date Wiring Regulations qualification, such as NICEIC’s Level 3 Award in 18th Edition (2382-22) Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671.
• An initial verification inspecting and testing qualification, such as NICEIC’s Level 3 Award in the Initial Verification of Electrical Installations (Installation Electrician route).
• An initial and periodic inspection and testing qualification, such as NICEIC’s Level 3 Award in Initial and Periodic Electrical Inspection and Testing (Domestic Electrician route).

Your portfolio

Your portfolio will need to include projects that provide evidence of your competence across the following Level 3 performance units:

Domestic Electrician

• Apply Health, Safety and Environmental Considerations in Dwellings
• Plan and Oversee the Electrical Work Activities in Dwellings
• Apply Design and Installation Practices Including Termination and Connection of Conductors in Dwellings
• Inspect, Test, Report and Commission Electrical Systems in Dwellings
• Apply Fault Diagnosis and Rectification in Dwellings.

Installation Electrician

• Apply Health, Safety and Environmental Considerations
• Organise and Oversee the Electrical Work Environment
• Terminate and Connect Conductors
• Inspect, Test and Commission Electrical Systems
• Apply Fault Diagnosis and Rectification
• Apply Design and Installation Practices and Procedures.

At NICEIC, we ask our EWA candidates to upload their portfolio to an e-portfolio platform, so that we can conduct regular online reviews and offer support as you progress.

AM2E/AM2ED Assessment

This practical assessment is the final step in the EWA process and can only be booked and completed once you’ve completed all the above steps. It usually takes place over a three-day period.

You will be asked to undertake several practical electrical tasks covering safe isolation, installation, fault-finding and inspecting and testing, which will be assessed by an experienced electrician.

I’m already working as an electrician – why do I need the EWA?

If you’re an electrician with significant hands-on experience in the industry, you might be wondering why you’d bother with the time and effort of an additional qualification.

Here are just a few of the ways that having a formal Level 3 qualification can enhance your career:

• You can join NICEIC

A Level 3 competency-based qualification is a requirement for joining one of NICEIC’s schemes and registering as a qualified supervisor (QS).

NICEIC certification, as well as being a recognised mark of quality among domestic consumers, is often compulsory to be considered for large construction tenders and projects for public sector bodies such as local councils and housing associations.

• You can apply for an ECS gold card

Successful completion of the EWA will enable you to apply for the ECS gold card, which you can only get if you’ve achieved a Level 3 industry qualification.

The card is recognised across the industry as proof that you are a fully qualified electrician, with the ability to work safely and independently on the installation, commissioning and maintenance of electrotechnical systems. It’s a further mark of quality, building your credibility with customers and opening up additional work opportunities.

• You can undertake further training and qualifications

Many industry training courses that enable practicing electricians to upskill in new areas (for example, renewable technologies like heat pumps and solar panels) require you to have a Level 3 qualification before you can attend.

For example, NICEIC’s renewables courses are part of the Electrician Plus scheme, which requires all learners to be fully qualified to Level 3 standard, ensuring they already have the necessary grounding in electrical fundamentals and theory.

And, given that almost 60% of homeowners in a recent survey expressed interest in installing solar panels, while 26% were considering installing a heat pump, building your skills with advanced training courses could open up significant opportunities for your business.

Why should I do the EWA with NICEIC?

There are so many benefits to doing your EWA qualification with NICEIC.

• Affordable payments

Firstly, we understand that investing in your career is a big decision and a significant financial outlay. That’s why NICEIC offers a flexible payment plans to help spread the cost – so you can focus on studying without worrying about your finances.

• A reputation for training excellence

With over 20 years of training experience, NICEIC has a reputation across the industry for the quality of our training courses and qualifications. When you do the EWA with NICEIC, you can be sure that you’ll have the support of some of the industry’s leading educators and assessors.

If you haven’t already done the BS 7671 or inspection and testing qualifications required by the EWA, we can also help you get booked in for those at an NICEIC training centre near you.

• We’ll support you to join one of our schemes

Once you’ve completed your EWA qualification with NICEIC, our Applications team will be on hand with all the advice and guidance you need apply for the NICEIC scheme of your choice.

What are you waiting for?

Enquire about the EWA today and take your career to the next level with NICEIC.