City & Guilds 2391-52 Level 3 Award in Initial and Periodic Inspection and Testing of Electrical Installations

For electricians ready to move beyond day-to-day installation work, the City & Guilds 2391-52 Level 3 Award in Initial and Periodic Inspection and Testing of Electrical Installations is the benchmark qualification that proves genuine competence in inspection and testing, both on site and on paper. Delivered over five classroom-based days, it combines initial verification and periodic inspection and testing within one course, rather than treating them as separate qualifications.

Delegates work through test sequencing, fault finding, certification and the correct application of classification codes, building exactly the kind of detail-level knowledge that separates a competent electrician from a qualified supervisor. It's also worth pairing this alongside other technical CPD; anyone still working from the older regulations should look at the City & Guilds 18th Edition 3-Day Course (2382-18) first, since current wiring regulations knowledge underpins everything covered here.

For many electricians, the 2391-52 is the recognised route toward Qualified Supervisor status under Competent Person Schemes such as NICEIC or NAPIT, giving them the authority to self-certify their own work. Learners who complete the course successfully can progress further still to the City & Guilds Level 4 Award in the Design and Verification of Electrical Installations, opening up senior and specialist roles across the sector. Electricians looking to diversify into newer, growing areas of the trade often combine this qualification with the City & Guilds (2919-01) EV Charging Point Installation Course (Domestic, Commercial & Industrial) or the City & Guilds 2921-34 Level 3 Award in the Requirements for the Design and Installation of Domestic and Small Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging Installations, both of which build naturally on the inspection and testing skills developed here.

Delegates should note that photographic ID, such as a passport or driving licence, must be brought to every assessment session, and depending on the qualification route taken, an online skills scan may be required before enrolment.

By the end of this City & Guilds course, candidates will be able to:

• Safely isolate electrical circuits and installations prior to inspection and testing
• Carry out initial verification procedures for new installations and additions to existing systems
• Conduct periodic inspection and testing to assess the continued safety of existing installations
• Complete Electrical Installation Certificates (EICs), Minor Works Certificates (MEIWCs) and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) accurately
• Interpret test results and apply correct classification codes to identified defects
• Use multifunction testers correctly across a full range of test types
• Understand the regulatory framework and legal responsibilities governing inspection and testing
• Differentiate clearly between initial and periodic inspection procedures and their respective requirements

This electrical course will cover the following topics:

• Regulations, legislation and legal responsibilities in inspection and testing
• Safe isolation techniques for circuits and complete installations
• Initial verification: procedures for new and modified installations
• Periodic inspection and testing: assessing existing installations
• Test sequencing and methodology, including tests before and after energising
• Commissioning and functional testing
• Completion and issuing of EICs, MEIWCs and EICRs
• Classification codes: assigning, interpreting and reporting defects accurately
• Fault finding principles and practical application
• An overview of progression routes, including Qualified Supervisor status and the Level 4 Design and Verification Award

The course has four assessed components, all of which must be passed to achieve the full qualification: a practical assignment demonstrating hands-on inspection and testing competence, a visual inspection task carried out without reference materials, an online multiple-choice test covering underpinning knowledge, and a written short-answer paper, centre marked, testing applied understanding. For the practical and written elements, candidates may reference BS 7671, the IET On-Site Guide and IET Guidance Note 3. Photographic ID, such as a passport or driving licence, must be brought to all assessment sessions.

This course is designed for practising electricians working towards Qualified Supervisor status under NICEIC, NAPIT or similar Competent Person Schemes, professionals looking to formalise and evidence their inspection and testing expertise, and learners planning to progress to the Level 4 Award in Design and Verification of Electrical Installations.

Candidates must hold a formal Level 3 electrotechnical qualification or equivalent, along with a minimum of five years' electrical industry experience, including practical inspection and testing work. Candidates must also be 18 or over, and an online skills scan may be required prior to enrolment depending on the chosen qualification route.

Photographic ID, such as a passport or driving licence, must be brought to every assessment session, and depending on the qualification route taken, an online skills scan may be required before enrolment.