FICA booking process

The decision to put your Apprentice or Adult Trainee forward for the FICA should not be taken lightly. The employer determines when an Apprentice or Adult Trainee is ready to sit the FICA.

The FICA has been designed to ensure that any qualifying SJIB Installation Electricians achieve the minimum standard that employers within the electrical industry expect of newly qualified Electricians.

To be eligible to sit the FICA, a candidate must have completed the third stage of their apprenticeship and then have completed at least one further year of site experience (post third year). They must also accurately complete the Site Activity Portfolio based on the required site experience.

Simply meeting this minimum criteria alone does not guarantee that an Apprentice or Adult Trainee is automatically ready to sit the FICA. The Apprentice or Adult Trainee needs to have practical work-based experience and skills across a wide range of areas. They will also need to have a good working knowledge of key industry regulations including BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations, Scottish Building Standards and health and safety legislation.

Before a decision is made to put an Apprentice or Adult Trainee forward for their FICA, we would encourage you to take time to work with them to ensure they are prepared. We would recommend that you go through the FICA self-assessment checklist to identify any gaps in experience and knowledge.

Once you are confident that your Apprentice or Adult Trainee is ready to sit the FICA, the booking should be made with SECTT. Employers will automatically receive a FICA booking form once their Apprentice has completed stage 3.  If you would like further information on the booking process, contact SECTT on 0131 445 5659 or email admin@sectt.org.uk