Your final year. AM2 assessment, End-Point Assessment, portfolio completion, and the transition from apprentice to qualified electrician. Everything you need to finish strong and start your career.
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Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.
1,000+
UK electricians
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer — DP Electrical
Year 4 is the culmination of everything you have worked towards. The theory, the site experience, the exams, the portfolio — it all comes together in your final year. By the end of year 4, you will have completed the AM2, passed your End-Point Assessment, and earned the right to call yourself a qualified electrician.
This year is demanding. You are balancing the final units of your Level 3 Diploma, AM2 preparation, EPA preparation, portfolio completion, and continuing site work. The workload is heavy, but the reward is significant — a skilled trade qualification that will support your career for decades.
This guide covers the key milestones of year 4: the AM2 assessment, EPA, final portfolio submission, registering with competent person schemes, and making the decision between staying employed and going self-employed.
Every key change in the 2026 amendment on one page. AFDDs, TN-C-S protection, new schedule columns, model forms. Pinned on your van dash.
The AM2 (Achievement Measurement 2) is the industry-standard practical assessment for electricians completing their apprenticeship. It is administered by the JIB at approved assessment centres across the UK.
You receive a specification and drawings for a small installation. Within the time limit, you must install containment (conduit, trunking, or tray), pull and fix cables, terminate at the consumer unit, and connect accessories. The assessment covers safe working practices, quality of mechanical installation, cable management, and accuracy of terminations. Every connection is inspected. Neatness matters — this is not about speed alone, it is about producing work to a professional standard within a reasonable timeframe.
You carry out a full initial verification on a pre-wired installation: continuity of protective conductors, continuity of ring final circuit conductors, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, RCD operation, and prospective fault current. You complete an Electrical Installation Certificate and Schedule of Test Results. Then you diagnose and rectify pre-set faults in a separate installation using safe isolation and systematic fault-finding techniques.
Book your AM2 as early as possible — assessment centre slots fill up quickly, especially in spring and summer when many apprentices are reaching the end of their programme. Allow time for a resit if needed.
The End-Point Assessment is the final hurdle of your apprenticeship. It is conducted by an independent EPAO (End-Point Assessment Organisation) and assesses you against the occupational standard for your apprenticeship.
The EPA is graded Fail, Pass, or Distinction. A Distinction demonstrates outstanding competence and can help you stand out when applying for jobs or registration with competent person schemes.
Your portfolio must be complete before you enter the EPA gateway. This is not something you can rush at the last minute — if your evidence is thin, your assessor will not sign you off as gateway-ready.
Organise your portfolio logically — group evidence by unit or by work type. Make it easy for the assessor to find what they need. A well-structured digital portfolio with clear labels and descriptions is far more impressive than a box of loose photos and scribbled notes.
Digital portfolio management for apprentices. Photograph work with structured templates, collect witness testimonies…
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Passing the AM2 and EPA marks the transition from apprentice to qualified electrician. It is a significant milestone — you have earned a trade qualification through years of hard work, study, and on-site experience. Take a moment to appreciate what you have achieved.
The practical transition involves several steps:
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Start practising freeIf you plan to work independently (self-employed or running your own business), you will need to register with a competent person scheme to self-certify notifiable electrical work under Part P of the Building Regulations.
If you are staying employed, your employer will typically be registered with a scheme and your work is certified under their registration. Individual registration becomes important when you go self-employed or start your own business.
This is one of the biggest decisions you will make after qualifying. Both paths have clear advantages and drawbacks. Here is an honest comparison:
Steady income with regular pay. Holiday pay, sick pay, pension contributions. Employer provides van, tools, and materials. Continued mentoring from experienced electricians. Less admin — no invoicing, tax returns, or chasing customers. Good for building experience in the first 1 to 2 years after qualifying. Typical employed rates: £18 to £24 per hour depending on region and employer.
Higher earning potential: day rates of £200 to £350+ for domestic work. Full control over your schedule, customers, and the jobs you take. Tax efficiency through self-employment or a limited company. Build your own brand and reputation. But: no guaranteed income, you buy your own tools and van, you pay for insurance, registration, and qualifications, and you handle all business admin. Start-up costs: van (£5,000 to £15,000), tools (£2,000 to £5,000), insurance (£500 to £1,000/year), registration (£400 to £500/year).
Many successful self-employed electricians started by staying employed for 1 to 2 years after qualifying. This builds experience, confidence, and savings. When you do go self-employed, you have a financial cushion and the competence to work independently. There is no shame in taking the secure route first — it is the smart approach.
When you are ready to go self-employed, Elec-Mate handles quoting, invoicing, certification, scheduling, and customer management.
Try it free for 7 daysWhether you are looking for a new employer or planning to go self-employed, preparing for the job market should start before you qualify.
List your qualifications (AM2, 18th Edition, Level 3 Diploma), the types of work you have experience in (domestic rewires, commercial installations, consumer unit changes, testing), and any additional skills (EV charging, fire alarm, data cabling). Keep it to two pages maximum. Employers want to see what you can do, not a life story.
Tell people you are about to qualify. Family, friends, neighbours, tradespeople you have met on site — word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool for electricians. Join local trade groups on social media. If going self-employed, start building a presence on Checkatrade, MyBuilder, or Google Business Profile before you qualify so you have enquiries from day one.
Research local rates for qualified electricians — both employed and self-employed. Use the Elec-Mate day rates guide and talk to qualified electricians in your area. Do not undersell yourself, but be realistic about your experience level. You are qualified, but you are also just starting your career as a qualified electrician.
Year 4 is intense, but it is also the most rewarding year of your apprenticeship. Here is how to finish strong:
You are about to join a skilled trade with strong demand, good earning potential, and a career that can take you anywhere — from domestic work to commercial projects, from the UK to overseas. The hard work of the last four years pays off now.
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Elec-Mate is my go to app for business and electrical work. It's feature rich without feeling cluttered. A true all in one app for quotes, certs, calculations, RAMS, EICRs, and more. I use it every day without fail, and it makes my workflow much smoother since I'm not jumping between apps anymore. The price-to-feature ratio is excellent. Any issues I've had, the developer responds within the hour and usually fixes them the same day. 100% recommend.
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Real feedback from real sparks
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer
Sole Trader · DP Electrical
“I've won two contracts this month because I could turn quotes around same-day with the AI cost engineer.”
Nathan Perry
Electrician · NP Electrical Services
“The study centre got me through my AM2. Mock exams and flashcards are brilliant.”
Jake Pizey
3rd Year Apprentice · Apprentice
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“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer, DP Electrical
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