SOLAS Electrical Apprenticeship
Electrical Craft Apprenticeship (Ireland)
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Electrical Craft Apprenticeship is one of Ireland's craft apprenticeships, promoted through the Generation Apprenticeship brand and the apprenticeship.ie portal run with SOLAS, the Higher Education Authority and the Government of Ireland. It is a structured, employer-led route into the electrical trade: apprentices are hired by an employer and combine on-the-job training with off-the-job phases delivered by an approved provider, progressing towards craft qualification as an electrician. It suits school leavers, mature entrants and career changers who want a paid, practical path into electrical work rather than a classroom-only course, and who are willing to commit to several years of combined workplace and college learning.
Assessment for craft apprenticeships is modular: periodic theory and practical examinations set and marked through the training system, covering electrical craft practice (installation, testing and maintenance), electrical science and principles, installation technology and wiring systems, regulations, standards and safety, and industrial electronics, control and renewable energy systems. Because the published source pages retrieved for this profile carry no exam blueprint, question count, duration, pass mark, fee or retake rule, this page does not state any; candidates should confirm all such details with their employer, their local apprenticeship provider or the official apprenticeship portal before relying on them.
Preparation works best in layers: master the science and principles first, then wiring systems and installation practice, then apply both through the regulations and safety lens, and finish with control and renewables. Practise calculation questions, regulation look-ups and fault-finding scenarios, and rehearse safe isolation and test sequences until they are second nature.
What you'll study
About SOLAS Electrical Apprenticeship preparation
Who is the Electrical Craft Apprenticeship for?
It is aimed at people entering the electrical trade through employment rather than full-time college: school leavers, mature applicants and career changers. You need an employer to take you on as an apprentice, and you then combine paid workplace training with off-the-job phases at an approved provider. Entry requirements and recruitment are handled by employers and providers, so confirm them locally.
What does the assessment cover?
Expect theory and practical assessment across five strands: electrical craft practice including installation, testing and maintenance; electrical science and principles; installation technology and wiring systems; regulations, standards and safety; and industrial electronics, control and renewable energy systems. Practical exams usually ask you to install, inspect, test and demonstrate safe isolation, while theory papers test calculation and regulation knowledge.
How many questions are on the exam and how long is it?
The official pages retrieved for this profile do not publish a question count or duration, so no figure is given here. Craft apprenticeship assessments are set module by module, so the format you meet depends on the phase and provider. Ask your training coordinator or provider for the current assessment schedule rather than relying on second-hand numbers.
What is the pass mark and can I retake a failed assessment?
Pass marks and repeat arrangements are not stated on the source pages used here, so they cannot be quoted. In practice these are set within the apprenticeship assessment system and administered by your provider. Confirm the pass criteria and the repeat process, including any limits on attempts, directly with your provider before sitting an assessment.
How should I order my study?
Build foundations first: electrical science and principles, including Ohm's law, power, AC theory and magnetism. Then move to wiring systems and installation technology, applying the science to real circuits. Study regulations and safety alongside practical work so look-ups become habit, and leave industrial electronics, control and renewables until the basics are solid.
What are the most common failure modes?
Candidates typically lose marks through weak calculation fluency, poor regulation navigation under time pressure, and unsafe or badly sequenced testing. Others describe circuits accurately but cannot explain why a protective device or cable size was chosen. Practise safe isolation and test sequences until automatic, and always justify selections by reference to the applicable regulation.
How much maths is involved?
Expect regular use of Ohm's law, power equations, series and parallel networks, AC impedance and three-phase relationships, plus cable sizing and voltage-drop checks. The maths is applied rather than abstract, so practise with realistic installation values and keep units consistent. Fluency with a scientific calculator and transposition of formulas saves significant time.
Is this qualification officially recognised?
Craft apprenticeships are promoted through the Government of Ireland, SOLAS and the Higher Education Authority via the Generation Apprenticeship portal, which is the authoritative place to check recognition and progression. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with SOLAS, the HEA or any provider; always verify qualification details on the official portal.