NECA has warned against the recommendation made by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) to reduce occupational licensing for electricians in their submission to the Federal Government’s consultation on the Employment White Paper.

“Electrical work can be extremely dangerous and must only be done by a licensed electrician,” NECA chief executive Oliver Judd says.

“While NECA supports sensible policies, such as mutual recognition of licenses between states, it is ridiculous to suggest that electricians simply provide a ‘personal service’, which doesn’t require extensive training and rigorous licensing.”

He notes that electricians spend four years training to become competent in their trade and to gain their license to perform electrical work, with many undertaking further post-trade training to enhance their skills.

“Reducing licensing standards for electricians would put lives at risk and would lead to a race-to-the-bottom in quality and standards. Working with electricity can be very dangerous, causing death and serious injury to Australians each year and must only be done by licensed electricians,” Oliver explains.

He adds that the qualifications and training required in Australia are quite specific and unique. Whist NECA supports skilled migration, it can only occur under strict licensing and assessment criteria. We must ensure the safety of the community and guarantee our homes and buildings are safe and secure.

“Every day we hear stories of the dangerous work done by people without a licence. As well as putting lives in danger, this undermines confidence in hardworking licenced tradespeople who are qualified to work safely. This report risks exacerbating that trend and misleading the public to believe that anyone can do electrical work, which is simply wrong,” he says.

To ensure industry preparedness, NECA will continue to work with members and inform them of introductions of any relevant legislative and policy changes, and their potential impacts. If you have any industry issues, express your concerns with NECAs Advocacy and Policy team here.