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Fake News! Fake News! Fake News!
18th Edition Training dates this year
We have had a number of clients contact us asking about dates for the new BS7671 (2018), 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations.
Ask “the Don”
Unfortunately, a number of training companies are using the opportunity of the confusion around the introduction of the new 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations to draw attention to themselves & any training they have to offer. If Donald Trump were looking to attend such a course, he would see through this very quickly. It’s Fake News folks!
Such training companies are using the opportunity to mislead potential customers & to offer course dates which will not run – least not with “the” genuine C&G qualification.
You may not be aware
You may not be aware but any C&G or EAL registered Training Centre can pull together their own 18th Edition Wiring Regulations course, get C&G or EAL to “rubber stamp” it for a fee & offer it as an 18th Edition qualification. However, C&G or EAL are not validating the “course content”, just the administration procedures around organising & delivering the training.
Do you want the genuine C&G qualification?
You have to decide what YOU WANT. Previously when we have offered our own 17th Edition Wiring Regulations qualification, in the main, companies & individuals were pretty clear, they wanted the genuine C&G qualification.
There are some FACTS:
- Consultation regarding the specifics of the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations is still on-going
- Until the consultation period is complete, it is guess work regarding what the final draft will be
- The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations book is planned for publication July 2018
- When the book is published, there will be a 6 month window before the new Regs come into force
- The C&G 17th Edition qualification will be available until the end of 2018
- The first “genuine” C&G 18th Edition qualification is expected to be available early 2019
We do not intend to mislead
To try & be first & win business, some training companies are racing to pull together their own courses earlier (& possibly with a C&G or EAL “badge”), but these will not be “the genuine” C&G 18th Edition qualification. Be wary of misleading claims.
Really need coverage of the Wiring Regulations NOW?
We are still offering those companies who need to arrange the C&G 17th Edition Wiring Regs training with us this year a discount off the cost of the genuine C&G 18th Edition qualification when it becomes available & when convenient. As soon as we have details of the C&G qualification (guided hours - duration, dates, fees, books, etc), we will be able to advise training fees & the level of discount.
C&G 17th Edition Wiring Regulations (C&G 2382-15)
Title: 17th Edition Wiring Regulations (C&G 2382-15)
Duration: 3 days
Fee: £570+VAT (includes loan of required books for the duration of the course)
Dates: 26 – 28 Mar; 30 May – 1 Jun; 11 – 13 Jul
Will a short 18th Edition Wiring Regulations Update course be available?
Obviously, until there is final agreement on the scope & content of the 18th Edition Regulations, any decisions are based on guesswork. However, it is generally felt that whilst a short “Update” course may be acceptable between “Amendments” within the same Edition, the step between different Editions of the Regulations (e.g. from 16th to 17th or 17th to 18th) where there may be significant changes, should be dealt with properly.
Following on from this, there is also a further question regarding the number short “Updates” that a person could reasonably attend as Amendments & Editions change before actually attending a “full” course & getting a “proper top-up”.
Frequency of Use
A final point to consider concerns the type of work a person does & the frequency of “thumbing the Regs”. It is widely accepted that Electrical Contractors are required to work in a variety of environments & on a range of installations & are much more likely to be accessing & referencing a wider range of material in the Wiring Regulations than a Maintenance Engineer on an industrial site. Because of this, it is likely that generally the Electrical Contractor will be more familiar with the Regs than the Maintenance Engineer on an industrial site. Conversely, it will be the Maintenance Engineer on the industrial site who will need the more regular refresh as he has a much lower requirement to refer as often to the detail of the Wiring Regulations.
Please note
Past experience shows us that there can be delays to the process of gaining agreement on a major overhaul of the Regulations & then gaining agreement on the standards for the qualification. This means that delays to planned dates are as likely as not to occur.
The planned 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations seems to be the first occasion where the scope or remit of the Regs is extending outside just the requirements for Safety & Safe Installations.
The proposed 18th Edition is to include a topic on Energy Efficiency. Some will view this extension to the Regulations as a concern, especially if the Regulations are to be given the green light to expand into a range of other non-safety related matters.
Books - The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations Guide – “blue book”
Want us to pre-order & get you copies of the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations as soon as it becomes available? As soon as the cost of the new “blue book” is announced, we can pre-order & get copies promptly. Do you want us to pre-order copies for you?
Click here to register your interest & let us know how many copies you require. Once we know the price, if you can let us have your P.O. to cover, we will get the pre-order placed for you.
Books - The 18th Edition Learner’s Guide
The Learner’s Guide has for years been the “must have” reference document to help people prepare for the C&G exam. The book is aimed at the “lay-man” & uses down-to-earth language, explanations & diagrams to cover the material. The book also contains many C&G style questions with model answers – an excellent book.
However, this book is very unlikely to be available at the same time as the new “blue book” & is much more likely to appear towards late 2018 / early 2019 in line with when the “genuine” C&G qualification will become available.
Want to be kept up to date?
If you want to be kept up to date with honest information (minus the spin) on any significant changes to the plan for the introduction of the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations, technical details, dates, course durations, fees, etc.,
simply click here.
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