In BC, an individual can become certified as a Construction Electrician by completing the Electrical apprentice program. Level 2 – Electrician common core (EPP) program is level 2 technical training for apprentices in the electrical trade, designed to provide students an opportunity to gain knowledge and applied skills necessary to perform the occupation. This program supports building a strong BC economy as well as strengthening BC’s Electrical Industry by providing well-trained apprentices.

Electricians install, alter, repair, and maintain electrical systems designed to provide heat, light, power, control, signal, or fire alarms for all types of buildings, structures, and premises. Electricians need to be proficient in many applications of electricity. There are four main settings in which Electricians typically work:

• residential (housing developments), commercial (office buildings),
• institutional (hospitals), and
• industrial (plants, factories).

Level 2 is the second-year theoretical and hands-on training component of the four-year program. Upon successful completion of the certificate requirements, students will receive certification as a third-year apprentice. Included in the Level 2 program, the student will learn single-phase AC theory, single-phase transformers, DC motors, basics of HVAC systems, advanced motor control, advanced electronics, Canadian Electrical Code, and more.

Prior to acceptance, applicants must successfully complete the admissions interview and meet each of the following requirements listed under items 1), 2), and 3) below.

1. Must have completed either one of the following:
   • a) Electrician Level 1 technical training from an institution recognized by Skilled Trades BC.
   • OR
   • b) Foundation Electrician technical training program from an institution recognized by Skilled Trades BC.
2. Students must be a sponsored apprentice registered with Skilled Trades BC prior to starting the program and writing the Skilled Trades BC Certification Exam.
3. Students must fulfil Language Proficiency Requirement.

All applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria (a, b, c, or d)

a) Evidence that 3 years of full-time secondary education (Grades 8-12), or 2 years if the Grades are 10, 11, or 12, have been successfully completed in the program’s language of instruction in a country where the language of instruction is one of the principal languages*.

*Applicants are advised to contact ACE Community College to confirm whether their country is officially recognized as one where English is a principal language of instruction for the purpose of meeting this requirement.

b) 2 years of full-time post-secondary education* have been completed in the program’s language of instruction in a country where the language of instruction is one of the principal languages (includes international education credentials recognized through WES, ICES, and IQAS).

*Language development courses (i.e., ELL courses) cannot be included in this calculation.

c) Provide official, verified transcripts showing results for one of the English language proficiency tests listed below, with scores that meet or exceed the minimum requirements specified for each test.

Test results must be dated no more than two years before the start date of the program:

• • International English Language Testing System:(IELTS) Academic Minimum overall score of 5.5
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) IBT: Minimum overall score of 46
  • Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): Minimum overall score of 40
  • Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP): Listening 6, Speaking 6, Reading 5, and Writing 5.
  • Duolingo English Test (DET): Minimum overall score of 95
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: Minimum overall score of 43
  • Cambridge English Qualifications: B2 First exam (FCE)
  • Institutions may include other Cambridge Qualifications at a higher level (i.e., C2 Proficiency (CPE)): Minimum overall score of 160 or “C”
  • Cambridge Linguaskill: Minimum overall B2 level
  • LANGUAGECERT Academic: Minimum overall B2 level
  • The Michigan English Test (MET): Minimum overall B2 level
  • iTEP Academic: Minimum overall score of 3.5
  • EIKEN: Minimum placement of Grade Pre-1

d) Mature student applicants ONLY:

Applicant is 19 years or older at the start of the program and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who cannot access is their educational records or provide sufficient evidence of secondary or post-secondary education as outlined above:

• • I. Applicant must provide attestation that they have completed at least three years of full-time instruction in English in a country where the English is one of the principal languages.

• II. Applicant completes an Accuplacer English Assessment (Next Generation: Reading, Writing and WritePlacer) and achieves the following minimum scores:
  • ✓ Reading: 230
  • ✓ Writing: 230
  • ✓ WritePlacer: 4

Construction Electrician Level 2 program allows employer-sponsored students to continue in the Construction Electrician apprenticeship pathway. Through instruction in the classroom, as well as working in the lab and shop, students will build on the skills learned in Level 1, including mathematics, circuit concepts, and more.

Students will learn all of the general area competencies required of a Level 2 electrician and be prepared to continue their apprenticeship pathway at the conclusion of the technical training. After successful completion of the program, students will be able to work as a 3rd year apprentice. Upon graduation, students can qualify as apprentice electricians on both residential and commercial construction projects.

Required Reference Material

• 1) Electrician Apprenticeship Program: Level 2: Harmonized (2028) – Print Edition – Two (2) Binder Set.
  • a. AUTHOR: Crown Publication
  • b. PUBLISHER: Queen’s Printer
• 2) C22.1-24 Canadian Electrical Code, Part I (26th edition), Safety Standard for Electrical Installations
  • a. AUTHOR: CSA Group
  • b. PUBLISHER: CSA Group
• 3) Electrician Common Core Exercise Book -Level 2
  • a. AUTHOR: ACE Community College
  • b. PUBLISHER: ACE Community College
• 4) Electrician Common Core Lab Book -Level 2
  • a. AUTHOR: ACE Community College
  • b. PUBLISHER: ACE Community College

Reference Books (Optional)

• 1) Delmar’s Standard Textbook of Electricity, 7th Edition
  • AUTHOR: Stephen L. Herman –
  • PUBLISHER: Nelson Canada
• 2) Applications of Electrical Construction
  • AUTHORS: Robert Clidero and Kenneth Sharpe
  • PUBLISHER: Irwin
• 3) Electrician’s Guide To AC Motor Control
  • AUTHORS: Richard Cox
  • PUBLISHER: COXCO (2027)
• 4) AC Fundamentals
  • AUTHORS: Duff and Herman
  • PUBLISHER: Delmar
• 5) DC Fundamentals
  • AUTHORS: Loper and Tedson
  • PUBLISHER: Delmar
• 6) Electrical Wiring – Residential
  • AUTHORS: Mullin and Fraser
  • PUBLISHER: Nelson Canada
• 7) Practical Problems In Mathematics For Electricians
  • AUTHORS: Herman
  • PUBLISHER: Delmar
• 8) Ugly’s Electrical References 2027
  • AUTHORS: Ed Hart
  • PUBLISHER: J&B
• 9) Basic Electricity (2Nd Ed) Schaum’s Outline
  • AUTHORS: Gussow
  • PUBLISHER: McG
• 10) Basic Mathematics For Electricity & Electronics (Schaum’s)
  • AUTHORS: Beiser
  • PUBLISHER: Mhr

• The total program hours are 300.
• The full-time program length is 8 weeks.

The campus determines the program start date and delivery frequency based on enrollments. Students enter the program only in its introductory phase, as it is cohort-based.

On-campus courses run Monday to Friday, with students attending all 8-hour sessions. Specific class hours and schedules are provided upon enrollment. In B.C., students typically write the Interprovincial exam during the final week of the last technical training session. The ITA is responsible for tracking technical training completions in Skilled Trades BC Direct Access and administers the IP Red Seal exam. To qualify for the IP exam, students must complete all technical training sessions for their registered electrician trade.

Homework expectation is a minimum of ten hours per week to support course learning.

The program is offered through in-class instruction.

Course delivery is instructor-led, combining theory lectures with laboratory demonstrations and practical laboratory engagement.

• In-class lecture including demonstrations
• Focused course activities
• PowerPoint Presentations as applicable
• Application-based exercises

Self-test quizzes validate student module progress. Students use these quizzes to identify strengths and areas for improvement; difficulties are addressed by seeking additional assistance. A quiz (campus test) is included in the course grade upon completion of each module. A minimum of 70% is required to pass each test.

The final Skilled Trades BC exam is also taken on the last day.

• Successful completion of all on-campus tests, including the Skilled Trades BC exam, with a minimum of 70% overall average.
• Successful completion of Level 1 First Aid and WHMIS training, completed during the program.