SAQA ID: 786141 Operate a Windows System NQF Level 04 Credits Regular-ELOAC
PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION
Purpose:
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to:
Construct, inspect, maintain, repair and dismantle electrical distribution and transmission line equipment.
A qualified learner will be able to:
Construct electrical powerlines and install related equipment.
Maintain and repair electrical infrastructure and equipment.
Dismantle electrical infrastructure and equipment.
Rationale:
This qualification recognises the skills and knowledge required for the trade of Electrical Line Mechanic: Overhead Lines, in the context of Low and Medium Voltage infrastructure. This is a key occupation to deliver on the South African Government’s Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP) which was established to provide basic access to electricity for all citizens of South Africa.
In order to meet this ambitious target of providing electricity to an additional 14 million households, the number of people practising this trade has to be substantially increased. While such electrical line mechanics have been trained in the past, they have not had recognition through a formal qualification or through formal programmes such as apprenticeships or learnerships.
Typically, learners will be unemployed youth drawn from the communities which are the focus of the electrification or upgrade programmes. Qualifying learners will generally be employed by SMME contractors who carry out the work for the utilities, to build, inspect, maintain, repair and upgrade electrical transmission, distribution and reticulation equipment. Some will be permanently employed by the utilities themselves. Once they have acquired sufficient experience, qualifying learners will be able to select from a number of vertical and horizontal career opportunities including performing more specialised construction and electrical maintenance work, and establishing their own contracting companies.
A formal qualification is an essential mechanism to help ensure that the construction, inspection, maintenance and repair of the electrical infrastructure is performed according to the relevant design and operational standards and contractual agreements, which includes maintaining the quality and the continuity of electrical supply and ensuring that the impact of such work on the environment is minimised. Rigorous and extensive training is also required in order to ensure the safety of the workers, the public and ultimately the energy consumer.
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