Another Push For Electricians To Get The Professional Recognition They Deserve!

Earlier this year we published an article on Electricians gaining professional recognition. The reasoning behind such campaign was to eliminate those who are not as skilled and competent as they claim to be and such system would allow customers to easily clarify the exact Electrician Training an Electrician has.

Why is this important? Because knowing that only the competent and qualified are working on site immediately lowers the danger of any electrical hazards and safeguards the public from a health and safety point of view.

The topic is now being pushed even further as Jamie Halcro Johnston (Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP) will be addressing the issue once again in the Scottish Parliament later this month.

Here's what he had to say on the issue earlier this year:

Recognition of the vital role that qualified electricians play in safeguarding all parts of Scottish society is long overdue. These are highly-trained, competent and qualified professional people whose contribution to modern life is immense.

Pat Rafferty, Scotland Regional Secretary of Unite the Union, is also backing the campaign as stating he understands how big of a difference the change can make. He stated:

Unite has already contributed to the establishment of the Electricians Working Group which was convened at Holyrood following a concerted awareness-raising push by electrical employers’ association SELECT, the Scottish Joint Industry Board and the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust, together with Unite.

The Government’s own statistics disclose that 69% of all accidental fires in Scottish homes are caused by electricity and it is clear that work carried out by unqualified operators poses a distinct threat to community safety. This motion is a crucial next step in our campaign for recognition and we are optimistic that it will be carried.

Both Jamie and Pat argue the change has been a long time coming and it didn't take long for others to express their opinion too.

Fiona Harper, secretary of the Scottish Joint Industry Training Board, stated the following:

Recognition of the vital role that trained and qualified electricians play in safeguarding all parts of Scottish society is long overdue. These are highly-trained, competent and qualified professional people whose contribution to Scotland’s economy and modern life is immense.

A major point Mr Johnston will be making in Holyrood is the fact that while more than 100 professions in the UK continue to be regulated, there is no protection for Electricians. When looking at it that way, it's hard to believe that for a trade that has been around for so long, with many of us being able to recommend an Electrician, that there is no professional recognition for such highly skilled tradesmen. Many of which have trained for years and gained high level Electrical Qualifications after successfully passing various Electrician Courses.

Are there many electrical faults out there? Yes. Have there been incidents causing fatalities and putting lives at risk? Yes. The aim is to get the Scottish Parliament to appreciate what the movement is trying to achieve, and that's putting the health and safety of the public first.

What do you guys think?

When speaking to students on various Electrical Courses here at Able Skills about the proposal, everyone seemed all for it as they mentioned stories of incompetent and un-qaulified 'Electricians' carrying out shockingly poor work putting innocent lives at risk in both domestic and commercial properties.

Let us know what you guys think! Do you agree that it's finally time to implement such change?