What is a Marine Electrician and what do they do?
- It is part of the engineering and manufacturing sector within the marine industry. During and after the apprenticeship you may work for boat manufacturers, refit and repair boatyards, marinas and specialist marine electrical and marine electronic companies.
- The broad purpose of the occupation is to conduct a wide range of marine electrical and electronic work operations. That includes the design and installation of marine assemblies and sub-assemblies.
- In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other marine electricians, line managers and a wide range of associated marine trades such as boat builders, marine engineers, stock control staff, and project managers.
- They also interact with customers, suppliers, other technical staff, and regulatory and industry bodies (e.g. Lloyds Register, Maritime Coastguard Agency, Royal Institution of Naval Architects, and Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology).
Where can you work as a Marine Electrician?
- Marine electricians’ work operations can be undertaken on boats in a workshop environment, on boats moored or stored outside on hard standing near the water, or in the water. They may also attend sea trials.
- Marine electricians need to work safely and may work in confined spaces, on or near water, aloft, or at height.
Typical Job Titles
- Marine electrical commissioning technician.
- Marine electrical fitter.
- Marine electrical technician.
- Marine electronics installer.
- Marine electronics technician.
Qualifications needed
English and Maths
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.
Additional mandatory qualifications
- City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Marine Construction, Systems Engineering and Maintenance – all relevant units. (Level 2, Ofqual regulated)
- City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Marine Electrical Engineering (Advanced) – with the exception of unit 312 learning outcome 5 which is integrated into the EPA (Level 3, Ofqual regulated)
- British Marine Electrical Technician (BMET) (Level 2)
- Marine Electronics Installer (MEI) (Level 2)
- Very High Frequency (VHF) License. (Level 2)