AUSTRALIA EXCHANGE PROGRAMME JOINT INDUSTRY BOARD · THOMAS HYLAND | JIB EXCHANGE PROGRAMME REPORT 2013 2. Electrogroup Training Qld, known as EGT is a ‘Registered Training Organisation’

December 2013

AUSTRALIA EXCHANGE PROGRAMMEJOINT INDUSTRY BOARD

On the 9th November 2013 Thomas Hyland, a Balfour Beatty apprentice, participated in theJoint Industry Board’s (JIB) Tripartite Apprentice Exchange programme between the UK JIB,the Electrogroup in Queensland, Australia and the New York JIB. Thomas was chosen torepresent the UK on a trip to Queensland, Australia for six weeks. In this report Thomas willdiscuss his experiences and findings from his time spent living and working down under.

December 2013



December 2013



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THOMAS HYLAND | JIB EXCHANGE PROGRAMME REPORT 2013

Contents Page

Introduction Page3

Acknowledgments Page3

About me Page4

The Joint Industry Board UK &Electrogroup Queensland

Page5

Comparisons Between the UK &Australian Industries

Page6

Sustainability Page6

Safety Page9

Cable Standards Page10

Cable Pulling Page11

Moving to Australia Page11

Apprenticeships Page12

Applying for an Apprenticeship Page12

Employment During and Apprenticeship Page13

Apprenticeship Programme Structure Page14

Pay Rates Page16

Apprenticeship Training Facilities Page17

Conclusion Page19

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IntroductionIn November 2013 I was given the fantastic opportunity to represent the Joint Industry

Board (JIB), Electrical Contractors Association (ECA), Joint Training Limited (JTL), Unite the Union

and Balfour Beatty on the International Tripartite Apprentice Exchange programme.

On this once in a life time trip I spent six weeks living and working in Queensland, Australia. During

this time I worked with a range of companies, met a lot of interesting and talented people and

learnt a great deal about the industry over there. The main aim of the exchange was to identify

and learn about the similarities and differences between the UK and the Australian Industry. In

this report I will discuss my findings from my trip and share my personal experiences and views

that were influenced and developed throughout the exchange.

AcknowledgementsThroughout this exchange programme I have received a tremendous amount of support and

guidance from many people, both here in the UK and Australia. I would like to take this

opportunity to thank a few of those people.

Firstly I would like to thank the JIB, JTL, ECA and Unite the Union who all made this trip possible. I

have learnt a great deal about the industry from the exchange and this knowledge has helped me

to develop my career further. I would like to say thanks in particular to Richard Clarke from Unite

the Union, Richard Dady, a representative of JTL, Ivor Williams the Chairman of FEF and Andy

Reakes, National Officer at JIB who took the time to interview me back in July and selected me to

represent the UK.

I would also like to thank my employer, Balfour Beatty. They have been unbelievably supportive of

me throughout my whole apprenticeship and allowed me the time participate in this whole

experience.

I would particularly like to extend my thanks to Ray Clements, Balfour Beatty Regional Director,

Carl Nicholas, Balfour Beatty Contracts Manager and Gary Hodgkinson, JTL North West Assistant

Regional Manager who have given me help, guidance and support from start to finish of the

exchange programme.

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About MeI live in a small town in Cumbria and this is where I completed a four year electrical

apprenticeship. Throughout my whole apprenticeship I worked on a Nuclear Licence Site, which is

a unique site and one on which safety is absolutely paramount. I had to be trained to a very high

standard and was trained alongside a highly skilled and experienced work force. All equipment and

materials used on this site had to meet specific safety specifications and these are often the best

available on the market. Safety is embedded into your work ethic as a Balfour Beatty employee

and working on this site help to reinforce the importance of this.

Alongside my apprenticeship I was given many opportunities and I tried to ensure that I made the

most of them. One of these opportunities was enrolling, and successfully completing an ONC and

an HNC in electrical engineering. These courses ran alongside my apprenticeship and although at

times it was difficult, I was given the support and guidance I needed from my company.

I have also taken on the role as ‘sustainability champion’ for my region. Sustainability is a core

value of Balfour Beatty’s and is split into three areas; healthy communities, profitable markets and

environmental limits. My role was to focus on the ‘healthy community’ area and this has been

something I have thoroughly enjoyed. As part of this, I became a STEM (Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics) ambassador. This involved me attending events and local schools

to help raise the profile of apprenticeships within the industry. I have attended over 20 events,

speaking to over 3000 students to help guide them into a career that will suit them. This role gives

me great satisfaction as when I was at school I wasn’t aware of all the opportunities available to

me and would have greatly appreciated the help and guidance that we aim to offer the students

today.

Having the opportunity to extend my learning to the Australian industry has been fantastic and

something I have gained a lot from. My understanding of the industry has increased greatly and I

feel that there are many things that the UK and Australia could learn from one another. I have

seen brilliant practices and strategies in both countries and I believe that combining the best of

these practises would result in an industry that is safer, more profitable and a more sustainable

future.

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The Joint Industry Board UK and ElectrogroupQueensland

The UK’s Joint Industry Board (JIB) was created in 1968 with the aim of striking a balance between

employers and employees. The ECA (Electrical Contractors Association), the representative body

for employers, and Unite the Union who represent employees, both recognised that there was a

need for a mutual party to mediate between the two. As a result of this, the JIB was formed. Its

role today is to set standards for the workforce, improve employment conditions and maintain

healthy relationships between employers and employees. Although many companies do, joining

the JIB is not compulsory. With just under 1200 member companies employing roughly 20,000

operatives, the benefits for both employer and employee are apparent. Membership benefits

range from health care, holiday pay, insurance, pensions, training funds, employment advice and

access to mediation services. This organisation is vital to the success of the electrical industry.

Electrogroup is a company based in Queensland who specialises in electrical training for the

benefit and development of the electrotechnology industry. The prime objective is to provide

safe, competent and highly skilled apprentices and tradespeople for the Electrotechnical industry

(www.electrogroup.com.au).

Similar to the UK, the Electrogroup was formed by Master Electricians Australia (formerly Electrical

and Communications Association) who represent employers and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU),

a representative for employees. It was created in 1998 when the need for an apprentice

representative was identified. Two members of each of the representative bodies, Master

Electricians Australia and Electrical Trades Union, sit on the board of the Electrogroup to help run,

organise and develop the company.

Within the Electrogroup, they operate two companies. These companies aid in achieving the goal

of training highly skilled electricians. These companies are:

1. Electrogroup Apprenticeships Qld, known as EGA is a ‘Group Training Organisation’ whose

core business is to recruit, employ and train electrical apprentices for careers in the electro

technology sector.

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2. Electrogroup Training Qld, known as EGT is a ‘Registered Training Organisation’ which

provides trade institute training for electrical apprentices, post-trade electrical training for

licensed electricians, pre-apprenticeship courses and a range of short courses.

Both these companies are valuable to electrotechnical industry in Queensland as they ensure that

there is a set high standard for all wishing to join the industry as well as ensuring that those

already employed are suitable to work efficiently, safely and to this set standard.

Comparisons between the UK and AustralianIndustries

During my trip to Australia I learnt a great deal about the Australian Industry. When comparing the

UK and Australian industry there are many differences between the two. Each industry has some

excellent practices and although they differ massively, both industries are continuing to be

successful. However, both industries could gain a great deal and improve their productivity, safety

and overall success if best practices were shared between one another.

Sustainability

Sustainable energy sources are at becoming more and more important in today’s society. With

energy being at the heart of everyday life for many people across the globe it is important to

consider what sources we use to produce the energy we need. At present, we are mainly relying

upon non-renewable energy sources. The stocks of non-renewable energy sources are diminishing

and it is inevitable that these will run out, leaving us without any electricity. It is therefore

extremely important that we find the best and most efficient ways to make the most out of the

renewable energy source that we have available to us.

Within any industry, an effort should be made to use renewable energy sources where possible

and to ensure that the amount of waste products is kept to a minimum. This is something that I

have seen actively happen in the UK and Australian industry. As sustainability champion, this is an

area I particularly interested in and seeing what both countries are doing is very interesting.

Over recent years the Australian government has worked hard to create a sustainable country. As

a result of this, they created an agency named ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) in

July 2012. The main aims and objectives of ARENA are to improve and develop renewable energy

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technologies within Australia while increasing the supply of renewable energy to homes and

businesses. There has been a big push with the aim of making the most of the renewable energy in

Australia and this agency has been given a $2.5 billion (AUD) budget to fund projects and research

to ensure that the country can achieve its goal to become a greener, more sustainable place to

live.

During my time in Australia I worked with the electrical firm ‘Stowe’. I was given the opportunity

to visit a project that they had only recently been completed and one where sustainable energy

was the focus. Griffith Universities Gold Coast Campus has recently had a renovation project with

the aim of being a self-sustaining complex. A new building was designed and built to make the

most of sustainable energy to supply not only itself, but the rest of the campus with the energy

they require to run on a day to day basis.

This is the first building of its kind in the world as with zero emissions, using renewable energy

only. It utilises solar power, hydrogen power, and water harvesting to generate all the power

required. It also has a clever system designed which takes advantage of the wind power and uses

it to air condition the building. This was an incredible building and something I had never seen

before. It was a real eye opener being able to see what could possibly be accomplished with the

backing of the government and the inspiring vision of talented designers and planners who

created this fantastic building.

Here is an image I took from

the outside of the building.

The glass screen at the front

of the building is part of the

air conditioning system:

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This is an image of the roof of the University building. Down in Australia, solar power is one of the

main forms of renewable energy that can be used due to the climate. In the UK, the amount of

solar energy utilised has

increased. However, this

form of energy can be

unreliable and inconsistent

due to the weather. When I

saw the amount of solar

panels that were on the

roof of this building I was

taken back as the scale of

this was amazing and was

great to see:

In the UK, a development such as this has yet to be built. Although there has been massive steps

taken to help develop our ability to utilise sustainable energy, we have not yet integrated it in

ways such as this. Within the industry however, I have seen small but significant changes being

made to help us move towards a sustainable future.

Balfour Beatty are taking massive steps forward to help accomplish this aim. They have ‘The

Sustainability Blueprint’ strategy which informs their employees and clients of the company’s

goals and aims regarding sustainability and what we are doing in order to achieve this. This

strategy can be found at: http://www.balfourbeatty.com/index.asp?pageid=141.

One of the small changes that has been made within my region is use of an electric powered car.

This car only requires a small amount of petrol and when in motion, it charges the battery so most

the power used to fuel the car is self-generating. This car helps to cut down on non–renewable

fuel consumption as well as dramatically reducing carbon emissions. Although Balfour Beatty and

other companies are taking many steps such as this, I do believe that using the Griffith University

building as inspiration the industry as a whole could improve dramatically on its sustainability

efforts. Although solar power may not be as reliable for us as it is for those in Australia, utilising

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our main renewable sources such as wind power could be something we could consider. For

example, using the same air condition system as the Griffith University could be a starting point

for similar systems within the UK.

Safety

Safety is, and has to be, at the heart of everything we do. I have seen in both the UK and Australia

massive efforts in making safety the overriding priority. Having trained and worked on a Nuclear

Licensed Site while working for a company with a strong safety culture, I have experienced a

working environment that puts safety first and where the standard in which we work is incredibly

high. Therefore, after working on one of the safest sites in the UK I went to Australia with a clear

awareness of a safe working environment.

In general, I found that although the safety standards were high in Australia, there are still

improvements and adjustments that need to be made in order to meet the standards here in the

UK. It is important to remember that I have come from a Nuclear Licensed Site however, where

safety standards have to be incredibly high. Although, I did feel that this previous experience

helped me to identify some small improvements that needed to be made which would help to

increase the safety of these sites.

One variation in standards was the required clothing that must be worn while working. Here in the

UK it is mandatory to wear full length pants and long sleeved tops. With as much skin being

covered as reasonably possible, it helps to reduce the risk of cuts and burns directly onto the skin.

Although other mechanisms and procedures should be in place to prevent cuts and burns from

occurring, the long sleeves and pants are seen as an extra layer of protection. Therefore, when I

was in Australia I was surprised to see the work force working in short sleeves and shorts.

Although the conditions in which they work in are much hotter than here in the UK, I still expected

the work force to wear the same amount of protecting clothing as we do.

Using barriers to prevent any workers entering an unsafe area is a small but effective measure.

Here in the UK, if a MEWP (Mobile Elevated Working Platform) was in use then the whole area

would sectioned off to prevent anybody walking under the MEWP, where there is a possibility to

be hit by falling objects. It also helps to ensure that nothing hits the MEWP while it is in use. This

stops the potential of damage to the machine and danger to those working on or around the

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MEWP. This is normal procedure for me but when on a construction site in Australia, I witnessed a

MEWP being used with no barriers in place. Although there were workers on the ground

supervising the use of the MEWP I still feel that safety was compromised without a barrier. This is

a very simple precaution and one that could easily be implemented which could potential save a

workers life or prevent them from a serious injury. Implementing this across their sites would also

help to increase safety standards.

Cable Standards

Here in the UK it is considered best practice to use SWA (Steel Wired Armored) cable. Although

this is not compulsory, this cable is considered to be one of the safest available on the market. This

type of cable is lined with steal braiding an is usually earthed at both ends which makes creates a

cable which is extremely safe for workers to handle. Also, the steel braiding helps to prevent the

cable from becoming damaged. If the cable for whatever reason did become damaged it could

cost extra time and money to rectify the problem. Although SWA cables are much more expensive

to buy and can be difficult to install in comparison to PVC cables, it is considered here in the UK

that the benefits of using these cables far out way the disadvantages.

Australia however, see this as an unnecessary cost and still use PVC cables, even on major

installations dealing with 630mm cable. These cables are still of high quality and are still used

occasionally in the UK but are not to the same safety standards as SWA cables. Unfortunately,

whilst working on a project in Queensland I learnt that a few weeks previous to my visit there had

been a serious accident where an electrician was cutting a tie rap from the cable and damaged the

PVC protection. As a result he received severe burns from an electrical shock. This would not

happen if the cable was armored as the knife would not have cut the steel braiding. The company

had therefore put a temporary ban on using PVC cables and had started to use the SWA cables.

This for me reiterated the point that even if some consider it to be unnecessary, the UK’s safety

standards are incredibly high, despite cost. After this incident, that particular company may make

it policy to continue to use the SWA cables to help prevent such an accident from occurring again.

I also hope that other companies will see the benefits of using SWA cables and also switch to this

to help reduce incidence like this from occurring.

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Cable Pulling

When working on large industrial and commercial sites, it is common for electrical cables to be

pulled into position by cable pullers. In the UK this was once part of the role of an electrician.

However, there was no specific training in place on how to carry and pull the cable correctly and

as a result there was a lot of strain injuries due to cables being pulled incorrectly. Eventually, it

was decided that there would be a specialist trade created to do this job and they are now known

as ‘cable pullers’. These specialists are trained specifically how to pull cables correctly and in a way

that will not cause any injury to themselves while doing so. By creating a separate trade the

amount of injuries being recorded during the process of pulling cables has dramatically reduced.

However, in Australia this job is still the role of an electrician. When looking at the safety records

in Queensland I was able to see that this task also causes many injuries such as sprains and strains,

impacting on the work the electrician can do and often resulting in them being put on light duties.

This is a big issue for the industry at the moment as it is costing time and money. As a result, I can

see a chance to improve this by adopting a system which is similar to the UK’s.

Moving to Australia

If a qualified electrician wishes to move to Australia, there are certain procedures that must be

followed before being allowed to work. Firstly, an application will need to be submitted to the

Trade Recognition Australia (TRA) who will evaluate the qualifications and experienced gained by

each individual. The TRA look at projects each individual has previously worked on and will even

investigate the tools and materials they have worked with to gain a full picture to determine if

they are competent enough to work in their country. With regards to qualifications, it is beneficial

to be a member of the JIB as TRA considers these to be a high professional body. They will

evaluate each case individually and if they believe that you are suitable, they will issue an

Australian certificate. This certificate is to show employers and regulators that your qualifications

are acceptable and have been approved.

Once this certificate has been issued, the individual will need to apply for an ‘A’ license. This

license is needed before being able to work for a company. To gain this license, the Licensed

Electrical Assessment (LEA) must be sat. This exam consists of a Licensed Electrical Theory (LET)

exam as well as a Licensed Electrical Practical (LEP) exam. Applicants can go straight into these

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exams although it is recommended that they attend the TAFE 1 week course beforehand. There

are many differences between the UK and Australia rules and regulations and sitting this course

will ensure that the differences are made clear to each individual. Once these exams have been

passed an ‘A’ license will be granted and they will be considered a fully qualified electrician in

Australia.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are extremely important within both the UK and Australian electrotechnical

industry. Both countries make a massive effort to ensure that their apprentices are trained to a

high standard and become competent and highly skilled electricians. During my time spent in

Queensland I spent a great deal of time with the Electrogroup whose responsibility it is to train all

the electrical apprentices within Queensland. During my time I learnt a lot about the

apprenticeship programme from how their apprentices were trained, the facilities that were used

to train them to the standard that they set. Although the apprenticeship programme between the

two countries varies massively both work well and have programmes that are designed to train

the apprentices how they see fit.

Applying for an Apprenticeship

This process is very important as training providers and employers need to ensure that they are

selecting the candidates that are suitable for the job, no matter which country you are applying in.

Both the UK and Australia have a similar application system and one that which is made easy for

potential apprentices as well as one that helps employers select the right people.

In the UK the process is very simple. If an individual wishes to apply for an apprenticeship they

have two options. One option is to contact JTL who will interview each candidate and asks them to

sit an aptitude test which they must pass. Once the candidate has successfully passed both of

these stages they will be put onto the JTL database. When companies are looking for apprentices

they will contact JTL who will then send the apprentices on this database to the interview. If a

particular candidate is selected by the employer then will then make their own arrangements with

the company and inform JTL of their start date. The second option that an apprentice in the UK

has is to actively look for advertisements of apprenticeships. Often companies will advertise in

local papers and schools to inform people of the vacancy with the business. If an individual applies

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and is given the job, that individual will then have to inform JTL that they have a job. JTL will then

request that the individual must sit an aptitude test and must pass the test before they agree to

become their training provider.

Although the Australia apprenticeship application process is very similar to here in the UK,

apprentices are directly employed by the training provider, Electrogroup Queensland. Apprentices

apply directly to Electrogroup which is now an online application form. Electrogroup then review

the application forms and select the top candidates to then complete an aptitude test. Candidates

must sit a Maths and English test to ensure that they have the skills they will need in order to

successfully complete the apprenticeship. If the potential apprentice passes this test then they will

attend an interview. If the interview panel agrees that the candidate has what it takes to become

an electrical apprentice, the candidate will be offered an apprenticeship. This process works really

well in helping Electrogroup select the right people to become a part of this valued profession.

Employment during an Apprenticeship

In Australia, the employment of apprentices is completely different to the system here in the UK.

In Australia the apprentices are employed by EGA directly and from there they are placed with

different employers from across Queensland. However, in the UK the apprentices are employed

directly by an employer who is responsible for the ‘on the job’ training. A specialised training

company, such as JTL, then takes on the responsibility for the formal, educational side of the

apprenticeship and will provide the apprentice with a qualification at the end of the programme.

These are completely different systems and both work well for different reasons. The advantage of

the Australian system is that an employer can ask for apprentices when they have the work for

them. They can employ extra apprentices to help complete the work and then when the project

slows down or the amount of work is minimal they are able to send them back to Electrogroup. I

felt that this was excellent as it meant that the company was saving money during quiet periods

while also ensuring that the apprentices weren’t left unemployed. The apprentice is always

employed by Electrogroup who pay and train them. They also technically act as what we would

call an ‘agency’ for the apprentice as they will deal with employers and find work for them. If

Electrogroup do not have an employer for an apprentice they still need to pay them so they put

them on training courses to make the most of this time. However, the apprentice may have

completed all relevant course and therefore have none to attend. During a case such as this, the

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apprentice will be ‘stood down’ which means that they will not get paid nor need to come into

work. Although this could be difficult for the apprentices, this can only been done for the duration

of one month, but can be done three times a year.

Here in the UK employers such as Balfour Beatty identify a need or want for an apprentice and

advertise this opening. Candidates are then able to apply for this position and if successful are

then employed by that company. JTL will then step in to provide the academic side of the course,

ensuring that apprentices get a high quality education alongside the practical experience gained

from working with the employer. If there is no work then the company can make the apprentice

redundant and although they will be supported by JTL to find another position, it is up to the

apprentice to arrange another job to complete their apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship Programme Structure

In the UK an electrical apprenticeship lasts roughly 4 years. The programme has been designed to

ensure that the apprentice gains both practical and theoretical knowledge that is required to

become a fully competent electrician. The table below shows how the programme is structured

throughout the four years:

Electrotechnical Technology UK Apprenticeships

Year 1 2 3 4

Qua

lific

atio

ns a

nd e

xper

ienc

e’s g

aine

d

Apprentices will worktowards a Level 2 certificatein ElectrotechnicalTechnology Installation.Apprentices are required toattend college one day aweek where the theoreticalside of the apprenticeship islearnt. The other 4 days aweek is to be spent doingon-the-job training. Analternative to this is to useblock release to train for setperiods, often severalweeks.

Apprentices will worktowards a Level 2 certificatein ElectrotechnicalTechnology Installation.Apprentices are required toattend college one day aweek where the theoreticalside of the apprenticeship islearnt. The other 4 days aweek is to be spent doingon-the-job training. Analternative to this is to useblock release to train for setperiods, often severalweeks.

Apprentices will worktowards a Level 3 certificatein ElectrotechnicalTechnology Installation.Apprentices are required toattend college one day aweek where the theoreticalside of the apprenticeship islearnt. The other 4 days aweek is to be spent doingon-the-job training (or onblock release).

However, during this yearapprentices will also berequired to start theNational VocationalQualification includingfilling in a log book withverification of their work.

This year is mainly spentdoing on-the-job trainingcompleting the NationalVocational Qualification. Atthe end of the 4th yearapprentices will be requiredto take the industry’spractical performanceassessment known as anAM2. This exam tests thepractical skills of eachapprentice to ensure thatthey are capable to workindependently as anelectrician. Once this ispassed, the apprentice willbe graded and receive anECS card which means theyare fully qualified.

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The Australian programme structure is very similar to the UK as it is also a four year course. The

major difference between the two courses is that apprentices in the UK will continually be in

employment and gaining on-the-job experience. Although they have the state of the art facility to

train at, unfortunately for the Australian apprentices they may not be working on a project for the

whole of the apprenticeship. Below is the Australian apprenticeship programme structure:

Electrotechnical Technology Australian Apprenticeships

Year 1 2 3 4

Qualificationsand

experience’sgained

Apprentices will worktowards their Certificate3 in ElectrotechnologyElectrician. They maycomplete a Cert 2 prior totheir Cert 3, which willgive them a time credit ofabout 6 months.An apprenticeship iscompetency based &they have certaincompetencies that theyneed to be reachedthroughout their 4 years.They will do approx. 8weeks of college in twoblocks of 4 weeks at atime full time, paid for bythe employer. The rest ofthe time is dedicated toon the job training.Apprentices mustcomplete a weekly log ofall activities completedthat week, throughouttheir wholeapprenticeship.

Apprentices will doapprox. 8 weeks ofcollege in two blocksof 4 weeks at a timefull time, paid for bythe employer. Therest of the time isdedicated to on thejob training &working towardstheir competencies.Apprentices mustcomplete a weeklylog of all activitiescompleted thatweek, throughouttheir wholeapprenticeship.

Apprentices will doapprox. 6 weeks ofcollege in two blocksof 4 weeks at a timefull time, paid for bythe employer. Therest of the time isdedicated to on thejob training &working towardstheir competencies.Apprentices mustcomplete a weeklylog of all activitiescompleted thatweek, throughouttheir wholeapprenticeship.

Apprentices will bemainly doing on thejob training. Oncetheir competencieshave been reached,they are eligible totake their final exam(Capstone) This examtests the practical &theoretical skills ofeach apprentice toensure that they arecapable to workindependently as aqualified electrician.Once this is passed &the apprentice issigned off ascompetent, they canapply for theirElectrical Licence viathe Electrical SafetyOffice.

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Pay Rates

When comparing rates of pay between apprentices in the UK and Australia I discovered the hourly

rate to be very similar. When looking at the table below the exact hourly payment can be seen:

When looking at this comparison table we can see that in the first year of an apprentice, you will

be paid higher in Australia than in the UK. However, as each yeah of the apprenticeship passes,

apprentices in the UK gradually will earn more than there Australian counterparts. Therefore,

when comparing the different countries rates together, some would say that financially,

apprentices are on an equal footing. However, one thing that I was surprised by when living in

Australia was the cost of living. The cost of living in Australia is incredibly high in comparison to

here in the UK, although this is usually compensated for in rates of pay. When looking at these

figures with this in mind, it becomes clear that the apprentices working and studying in the UK are

at a financial advantage.

Another important factor when looking at this table is that the ‘Queensland Australia – Work’

column is referring to the hourly rate of pay for an apprentice working with a small firm working

on small projects, often domestic ones. The figures given are subject to change massively

depending on what project the apprentices are working on. A good example of this is if an

apprentice worked in the Australian mines. This is a job considered to be dangerous and a huge

Table 1: Basic Hourly RateConversion Rate of AUD $1 = £ 0.5558

ElectricalApprentice

QueenslandAustraliaCollege

United KingdomCollege

QueenslandAustralia

Work

United KingdomWork

1st Year £8.39 $15.09 £4.54 $8.17 £8.65 $15.57 £5.15 $9.27

2nd Year £8.95 $16.10 £6.60 $11.88 £9.23 $16.60 £7.28 $13.10

3rd Year £9.39 $16.90 £9.55 $17.18 £9.69 $17.44 £10.42 $18.75

4th Year £10.07 $18.11 £10.16 $18.28 £10.38 $18.68 £11.20 $20.15

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part of the industry in Queensland. Apprentices working on these types of projects will be paid a

much higher rate than that quoted in Table 1.

Apprentices Training Facilities

Training facilities for apprentices are extremely important when looking at developing a highly

skilled workforce. They provide opportunities for apprentice to gain practical experience in a safe

and controlled environment while gaining the skills they need. Each country has its own approach

to training however and after being trained in the UK’s system it was interesting to see how they

are trained in Australia.

Here in the UK the training providers rely on the employer mainly to teach the apprentice the

practical skills that are required to become an electrician and a local college for the theoretical

side of the qualification. During my apprenticeship I was supported greatly by my training office

from JTL as well as my employer which was really beneficial. My employer, Balfour Beatty ensured

that I was taught to a high standard as well as ensuring I had gained experienced in each part of

the job. My JTL training officer would ensure that each requirement for becoming an electrician

was meet before I was entered into the AM2 which is the practical examination before qualifying

as a fully trained electrician. When attending college I was taught a specially designed programme

which was specific to developing the knowledge of electrical apprentices. Although there were

some facilities at this college, it wasn’t a specialised training unit and there was not the equipment

and facilities for apprentices to practice their work.

In Australia however, I was lucky enough to visit Electrogroup’s specialised training facility. This

facility was owned and ran by Electrogroup and is used to train all the electrical apprentices. The

need for a facility such as this is greater in Australia than here in the UK, as there might be

occasions when an apprentice is not employed so this facility still allows them to practice and

learn the skills that they need to qualify even when out of work. This was a fantastic, state of the

art facility and a place where apprentices could go to develop their skills. As I found out many

times in my apprenticeship, while training you are more likely to make mistakes and errors and

this facility provides the apprentices with a place they can make this mistakes without any

consequences or knock-on effect to the project or employer.

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Below are some images of this training facility:

This image is some of the

equipment that is specifically

designed and set up for the

apprentices to come and practice

their skills on. It was excellent to

see that these apprentices were

able to brush up on practical

skills while at college, not just the

theoretical aspect. I would have

greatly appreciated this type of a

facility in my college as I would

have been able to practice skills before my AM2 examination which I had not used in a while.

When speaking to apprentice in Australia he informed me that he also has a great appreciation for

the facility for that specific reason. He also said that this facility was particularly useful while

waiting for work.

This is another image of some of the

other equipment available to the

apprentices:

After seeing how this type of facility

is benefiting the apprentices in

Australia, I felt that something

similar would be advantageous for

UK apprentices. On my return to the

UK I began to investigate and was

pleased to find that JTL have only

very recently opened a facility in

Birmingham which is very similar to the one I visited in Queensland. It is a place where all electrical

apprentices attend to help their development of practical skills. These facilities are also state of

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the art and I truly believe it will benefit apprentices here in the UK and continue to assist in the

development of an exceptionally skilled and experienced workforce.

One major difference I found between the UK and Australia is the distance that you have to travel

to get from place to place. The college I attended is 15 minutes from my house and my place of

work was 20 minutes. In Australia it is common that people travel at least an hour to get to work

and college. One difficulty apprentices have while working is travelling between work and college,

especially if they don’t drive. Electrogroup are now in the middle of rolling out a new teaching

programme which will address this issue. This programme involves filming lectures at college and

posting these onto the internet so that apprentices can log on when they get home from work and

learn from the comfort of their own home. This takes the logistical issues out of the equation and

helps to continually support working apprentices. Although I was very lucky to live in an area

where everything was local this could be an issue for some apprentices, especially those living in

rural communities. This could be something else the UK should look at. Although Australia hadn’t

yet gone live with this programme, I’m sure that the advantages of filming the sessions will be felt

by the apprentices.

ConclusionWhen reviewing this trip, my understanding and knowledge of the industry in which I work in

has developed massively thanks to this experience. The Tripartite Exchange Programme has been

a fantastic learning opportunity and I now have a new found appreciation for the electrotechnical

industry. With a highly skilled workforce and a trade that is appreciated and valued across the

globe, I can say that I am very proud to be a part of this diverse industry.

After evaluating the two industries I can now conclude that I see both to have a strong and

successful future. Each country has a unique way of running the industry; each works well and has

done for many years. However, both industries need to look to the future to find ways in which

they will develop their industries to make it more financially viable while improving safety and

protecting the environment. I believe that this could be achieved by sharing experiences and best

practices between countries. I have had the privilege to see how both these industries are ran, I

can therefore see that by combining the information and resources each country has, it will create

an industry that both the UK and Australia are looking to develop.

Documents

AUSTRALIA EXCHANGE PROGRAMME JOINT INDUSTRY BOARD · THOMAS HYLAND | JIB EXCHANGE PROGRAMME REPORT 2013 2. Electrogroup Training Qld, known as EGT is a ‘Registered Training Organisation’