FAQs

NET is no longer a FESS End Point Assessment provider for the FESS apprenticeship standard.

There are two approved EPA Organisations for the FESS assessment:

BPEC 
Garry Glover, EPA Manager
gglover@bpec.org.uk
T: 07949 193636

Highfield Assessment
Mike White, Employer Engagement Manager
Mwhite@highfield.co.uk
T: 01302 363277

If you are completing the Experienced Worker Assessment and have already passed the AM2, you will only have to undertake a supplementary AM2E unit rather than the whole assessment.

The unit to be completed depends on when the original AM2 was passed:

• Before April 2010: Testing and Safe Isolation supplementary unit
• After April 2010: Containment and Safe Isolation supplementary unit

Some assessments in 2010 were carried out after the April changeover, but as part of NET’s checks during the application process it will be confirmed which unit you will need to carry out.

Find out more on our AM2E Supplementary Units page.

The training provider, learner and employer should collectively agree when the learner is ready to be put forward for the assessment. This is confirmed to NET via the checklist which is signed by all three parties to confirm the candidate has the correct level of knowledge and practical competence to take the assessment.

Both City & Guilds and EAL state that learners should not be put forward for assessment until they are ready to be assessed as competent. Both awarding organisations include the following instruction in their quality manuals:

Learners should not be put forward for the independent assessment unit (2357-399) (QEOC3/001) an ‘Assessment of Occupational Competence’, the Electrotechnical Occupational Competence unit (2357-399) (EOC3/001), until they are deemed ready to be assessed as competent. This underpins the assumption that the learner has sufficient technical expertise, knowledge, skill, and maturity to meet the expectancies of employers in terms of ‘Occupational Competence’. This unit is widely known and often referred to as the AM2.

NET reviews each checklist submission and ensures the candidate is registered on the appropriate qualification with the Awarding Organisation.

NET and its licensed centres do not support, endorse or recommend any AM2, AM2S or AM2E prep courses. Providing you have been able to complete your Checklist with confidence that you have the skills and knowledge needed for each area of the assessment, the resources provided below will be sufficient for you to prepare.

• Download the Readiness for Assessment Checklist which details everything you’ll need to do and ensure you’re confident in each area before you take the assessment.
• Download our Pre-Assessment Manual for more help on how to prepare.
• Watch our Top Tips Videos for hints and advice on each section of the assessment.

From 31 August 2019, a 2-year time limit will be introduced for candidates to pass all required elements of an assessment.

Individual sections that were passed will ‘expire’ after that time if the candidate has not successfully completed the remaining sections. A candidate can re-register but will be required to complete all sections.

This will apply to assessments where the first sitting takes place from 31 August 2019.

Please note: all new assessment bookings will require a gateway check and a new completed checklist will need to be submitted for approval. Old or existing checklists will not be accepted if your assessment has expired.

The assessment centres are strictly controlled environments, visits are not permitted unless pre-authorised by NET for an agreed specific purpose.

Yes, the Assessment of Occupational Competence certificate will come directly from NET within 2 weeks of passing the assessment. 

If you are on the current framework Apprenticeship, your training provider will apply for this certificate, which will be issued by the Awarding Organisation that operates the qualification. This can take between 4-6 weeks.

For candidates who are on the new standard apprenticeship, NET will apply for the apprenticeship certificate from ESFA.

Information for Training Providers

Training Providers are responsible for providing the correct details when registering the candidate. NET does not independently check or verify the candidate or employer details provided by the training provider, so the onus is on the provider to ensure these details are correct and/or contact NET to provide changes or updates to the registration details prior to the EPA.

NET takes the information submitted by the training provider and uses this to apply for the apprenticeship certificate(s). Therefore we stress the registration details must be correct.

NET has no oversight of the process of the apprenticeship certificates, which is managed by ESFA. We can only supply information on the delivery status once it is available (there is no confirmation of when this will be).

Employers

In the event that the employer has not received the apprenticeship certificate, they must get in touch with us by emailing info@netservices.org.uk. We can then verify the address and recipient details with the employer directly and apply for a re-print.

Candidates

For the Apprenticeship Standard completion certificate, this is supplied by ESFA after NET applies for it. Assessment certificates (AM2, AAC, AM2S, FESS) are sent to the candidate by NET to the address provided at the point of candidate registration.

Candidates are informed of the process via their results notification and what they need to do in the event they do not receive their End Point Assessment certificate.

Please refer to the guidance on the ECS card website

NET cannot advise on the type of ECS card to apply for, any ECS criteria or the qualifications relating to an ECS Card application, please visit ecscard.org.uk for further information.

To be recognised as a qualified Electrician by the industry and the ECS card scheme you need to hold appropriate Level 3 technical qualifications. Download the full list of currently accepted certificates.

The AM2 is the final step in the journey to qualification and cannot be taken if you either do not already hold relevant qualifications or are not currently enrolled on a qualification where AM2 is the final unit. For more information, please refer to the recommended Training Routes on the Electrical Careers website.

If you are a practising electrician without technical qualifications, you may be able to qualify through the Experienced Worker Assessment route.

The training provider, learner and employer should collectively agree when the learner is ready to be put forward for the assessment. This is confirmed to NET via the checklist which is signed by all three parties to confirm the candidate has the correct level of knowledge and practical competence to take the assessment.

Both City & Guilds and EAL state that learners should not be put forward for assessment until they are ready to be assessed as competent. Both awarding organisations include the following instruction in their quality manuals:

Learners should not be put forward for the independent assessment unit (2357-399) (QEOC3/001) an ‘Assessment of Occupational Competence’, the Electrotechnical Occupational Competence unit (2357-399) (EOC3/001), until they are deemed ready to be assessed as competent. This underpins the assumption that the learner has sufficient technical expertise, knowledge, skill, and maturity to meet the expectancies of employers in terms of ‘Occupational Competence’. This unit is widely known and often referred to as the AM2.

NET reviews each checklist submission and ensures the candidate is registered on the appropriate qualification with the Awarding Organisation.

Checklists must be sent to the chosen assessment centre and not to NET head office.

Any checklists sent to NET head office will be destroyed and not returned or forwarded on.

The only exception to this is the AM2E Supplementary Unit checklist – there is a different process for those who need to take the AM2E and already hold AM2. In this instance you apply directly via the NET website.

Please refer to the Fees section of our Booking & Admin Help page. Fees are reviewed annually on 1st April.

You, as the candidate, will need to complete, sign and date the Readiness for Assessment checklist. In addition, your training provider and/or employer will also need to complete, sign, and date the checklist. 

Your training provider and employer, as well as yourself, are all required to complete, sign, and date the candidate Readiness for Assessment checklist.

No. All assessments require a checklist completed, signed, and dated before a booking can be made.

A gateway check is a mandatory check to ensure that the compulsory elements of an apprenticeship or training programme have been completed, before an assessment can be booked. Please see details for your chosen assessment on the NET website.

NET currently licenses a network of centres to deliver a range of assessments. Bookings should be made directly with your chosen centre; the NET head office cannot book assessments. To find an assessment centre please visit our Find a NET Centre page.

The Candidate, Employer or Training Provider can book assessments on behalf of the candidate. Assessments have to be made with the NET-licensed centre and not directly with the NET head office. Visit our Find a Centre page to search for a NET licensed centre in your area.

To be recognised as a qualified Electrician by the industry and the ECS card scheme you need to hold appropriate Level 3 technical qualifications. Download the full list of currently accepted certificates.

The AM2 is the final step in the journey to qualification and cannot be taken if you either do not already hold relevant qualifications or are not currently enrolled on a qualification where AM2 is the final unit. For more information, please refer to the recommended Training Routes on the Electrical Careers website.

If you are a practising electrician without technical qualifications, you may be able to qualify through the Experienced Worker Assessment route.

You will need to contact the assessment centre where your booking was originally made to rectify incorrect information or add missing details. Please refer to the person(s) or organisation who made your assessment booking.

All personal information will need to be authorised for change by the assessment centre. Please do not send personal information via the NET enquiries page.

To be recognised as a qualified Electrician by the industry and the ECS card scheme you need to hold appropriate Level 3 technical qualifications. Download the full list of currently accepted certificates.

The AM2 is the final step in the journey to qualification and cannot be taken if you either do not already hold relevant qualifications or are not currently enrolled on a qualification where AM2 is the final unit. For more information, please refer to the recommended Training Routes on the Electrical Careers website.

If you are a practising electrician without technical qualifications, you may be able to qualify through the Experienced Worker Assessment route.

NET and its licensed centres do not support, endorse or recommend any AM2, AM2S or AM2E prep courses. Providing you have been able to complete your Checklist with confidence that you have the skills and knowledge needed for each area of the assessment, the resources provided below will be sufficient for you to prepare.

• Download the Readiness for Assessment Checklist which details everything you’ll need to do and ensure you’re confident in each area before you take the assessment.
• Download our Pre-Assessment Manual for more help on how to prepare.
• Watch our Top Tips Videos for hints and advice on each section of the assessment.

On the day of the assessment candidates will need to bring with them a photographic form of identification, which is current or within expiry date. Without photographic ID, candidates will not be permitted to take the assessment.

Acceptable forms of identification:

• Passport
• Driving Licence
• ECS Card
• Employer photographic ID card

All materials and equipment will be supplied by the assessment centre.

PLEASE NOTE: if you require specialist tools due to a medical condition please view our Reasonable Adjustments policy on our Policies page.

The AM2 is largely edition-neutral. From 1^st January 2019 the Inspection and Testing section will use 18^th Edition forms and we would advise that you familiarise yourself with these.

The changes from 17^th Edition are very minor – covering dates and two boxes on the Inspection checklist. The practical tests and online knowledge exam  are not impacted at all by the edition change.

The following publications will available on the day of your assessment and will be supplied by the assessment centre.

• BS7671 18^th Edition Wiring Regulations
• Onsite Guide
• Guidance Notes 3, Inspection & Testing
• IET Electricians Guide to the Building Regs

Candidates are not permitted to bring their own materials to the Assessment Centre.

NET is not able to confirm the candidate’s assessment results. Assessment result notifications are sent via email and candidates must wait for this email confirmation. If there are issues with the email being received, you should contact your assessment centre in the first instance. 

The Candidate, Employer and Training Provider will all receive email notification of the result, however the candidate will receive the results before the Training Provider and Employer.

Yes, please contact your assessment centre directly, they can print or email a PDF copy. 

Once you complete your assessment, you should be notified of the result within 5 working days.

If you have not received an email by this time, you must contact your assessment centre in the first instance to check they have the correct email address for you. If necessary the centre can then request an amendment to your incorrect details and a re-issue of the results.

This will depend on the reason you are applying for a replacement certificate.

If you are applying for a name amendment/change or damage to original copy, then you have to return the original copy with the replacement request form.

This is not applicable to replacement certificates that have been requested in the event the original certificate was never received.

NET can only issue a certificate to a UK-based address.

Replacement certificates whether free of charge or purchased will be send recorded delivery.

Please ensure that, at the address supplied on the form, there will be someone available to sign for the certificate when it is delivered.

NET aims to process all replacement certificate requests within 3 working days, providing all requested information/evidence is supplied with the form.

Providing we receive the certificate request form in the office within 30 days from the day the assessment was completed, the replacement certificate will be free of charge.

After this date a charge of £50.00 will be incurred. Please visit our Certification page for further information.

No, only the candidate can apply for a replacement certificate, not the employer, training provider or a relative. 

In the first instance you should check your address details with your assessment centre. If the address is correct, they can contact NET who will check:

• The printed & posted date
• The unique tracking numbers (available for all certificates issued from January 2018)
• The returned post in the office (as all certificates have a return address on reverse of envelope).

Certificates are issued to the candidate and will go to the address provided and signed for at the time of taking the assessment.

If you are not sure of the address submitted at the time of sitting the assessment, please contact your assessment centre who can verify the address provided to them.

Certificate are posted First Class recorded post and should arrive within 10 days of completing and passing the assessment.

If the certificate has not been received within 2 weeks,  please visit our Certification page for the process to apply for a replacement.

All certificates are sent recorded delivery, so please ensure that when booking your assessment you supply an address where someone will be available to sign for it on arrival.

 NET will issue the Assessment of Occupational Competence certificate once the candidate has been successful.

For all assessments and re-sits taken from 01 April 2021, Section A will be broken down into sub-sections. This means that if you need to re-sit, you will only need retake the failed sub-section/s and not retake the whole of Section A.

This will benefit candidates as it will reduce re-sit costs and the associated stress linked to time away from work to repeat the whole Section A installation.

This applies to any re-sit taken after 01 April 2021, regardless of when the original assessment took place.

The marking criteria has not been amended and the same standard as previous has to be met in order to pass the assessment.

To read full details about this new approach please view our article on Section A re-sits from April 2021.

Introducing such a change to break down and re-structure Section A of the AM2 required significant work to re-programme and and update NET’s assessment and recording IT systems.

From 31 August 2019, a 2-year time limit will be introduced for candidates to pass all required elements of an assessment.

Individual sections that were passed will ‘expire’ after that time if the candidate has not successfully completed the remaining sections. A candidate can re-register but will be required to complete all sections.

This will apply to assessments where the first sitting takes place from 31 August 2019.

Please note: all new assessment bookings will require a gateway check and a new completed checklist will need to be submitted for approval. Old or existing checklists will not be accepted if your assessment has expired.

Re-sits for AM2 can be booked through any of our approved AM2 centres. For AM2S re-sits, approved AM2S centres must be used. You can find AM2 and AM2S centres on our Find a Centre page.

All sections of an assessment must be passed within a 2 year period.

If the whole assessment has not been successfully completed, any individual sections that were passed will expire after 2 years of the first sitting.

A warning notification will be emailed 6 months prior to expiry date – this will be sent to the candidate, employer and training provider.

Yes, you can choose to take re-sits at any centre.

NET provides automated feedback on areas within the assessment where you have been unsuccessful. NET is unable to give detailed feedback on specific marking points, to ensure the credibility of the assessment.

This will depend upon the reasons for failure and the extent to which further training or experience is required. NET strongly recommends a period of 3 weeks, with sufficient training and revising having taken place before a re-attempt of section(s). Please note: re-sits are not permitted within 10 days of initial sitting.

If you want to lodge an official appeal against the outcome of your result please read the information on our Appeals page.

A re-sit must not be booked before an appeal is submitted, during the appeal timeframe, or until it has been reviewed, completed and you have received an outcome.

If you have already booked a re-sit and wish to appeal, NET will be unable to process the appeal until you have contacted your assessment centre to cancel the re-sit.

Please view the Appeals Policy or Complaints Policy our policies page on how to make a complaint or raise an appeal.

No – only the candidate can log an appeal against the decision regarding their assessment result.

Re-sits for AM2 can be booked through any of our approved AM2 centres. For AM2S re-sits, approved AM2S centres must be used. You can find AM2 and AM2S centres on our Find a Centre page.

No, only centres from our approved AM2S list are permitted to take bookings for AM2S, please visit our Find a Centre page and tick the AM2S box within the Search criteria to view the approved AM2S centres.

For up-to-date assessment fees, please refer to the Fees section of our Booking & Admin Help page.

For the Apprenticeship Standard, NET will apply for the apprenticeship certificate. The certificates are produced by ESFA.

Assessments can only be booked up to 6 months in advance.

NET’s registration number is EPA0027

This will depend upon the reasons for failure and the extent to which further training or experience is required. NET strongly recommends a period of 3 weeks, with sufficient training and revising having taken place before a re-attempt of section(s). Please note: re-sits are not permitted within 10 days of initial sitting.

We currently have a database confirming only the successfully achieved results for AM2s taken prior to the April 2010 date (also known as the ‘old AM2’).

If you think or know you have achieved AM2 prior to the April 2010 date, please use our Contact Form and select ‘Pre April 2010 AM2 Results’ from the drop down list. We will require the following:

• Your full name, including any middle names or initials
• Date of birth
• National Insurance Number
• The centre where your assessment was taken and approx. date (optional)

NET will then check the database based on the details supplied and confirm if a successful result exists, i.e. a ‘pass’.

Once you receive the confirmation of a pass, you can then proceed to apply for a replacement/duplicate copy of the certificate from our Certification page.

Please Note:

NET cannot verify the following:

• Training Organisation details of candidates
• Previous postal addresses
• Failed /achieved sections
• AM1 results/certificates (AM2 superseded AM1, therefore making AM1 obsolete. Replacement certificates for AM1 are not available)

We cannot advise candidates on what to do in the event there is no evidence of an achievement. Individuals would need to refer to their training organisation and/or employer from the time of the original qualification and training.