Conduct a wide range of marine electrical work.
Marine electricians install, maintain, fault-find, and repair electrical and electronic systems on boats ranging from narrowboats and sailing vessels to superyachts. Apprentices learn to read electrical and engineering drawings, design system layouts, carry out calculations, and apply galvanic bonding and cathodic protection. The training covers AC and DC distribution, power generation, navigation systems, radar, radio, helm controls, alarm systems, and interface protocols. Work runs from initial design through to commissioning, testing, and supporting sea trials, all in compliance with relevant legislation and industry regulations.
On any given week, an apprentice might be wiring a new electrical assembly in a workshop, troubleshooting a faulty navigation system on a moored vessel, or running cable runs in confined spaces below deck. They use electrical measuring equipment to test circuits, consult technical drawings, and liaise with boat builders, engineers, and project managers on the same job. Customer contact is regular, whether taking a brief on new requirements or explaining diagnostic findings. Work happens in workshops, boatyards, marinas, and occasionally at sea during trials.
Completing this apprenticeship opens roles such as marine electrical technician, marine electronics installer, marine electrical fitter, and commissioning technician. Progression can lead to senior technician or supervisory positions, or specialisation in areas such as superyacht systems or commercial vessel electronics. Employers include boat manufacturers, refit and repair yards, marinas, and specialist marine electrical companies across the leisure, small commercial, and superyacht sectors. With experience, some move into project management or technical surveying roles recognised by bodies such as the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.
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No training providers currently listed for this standard.
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Marine Electrical Technician, Marine Electrical Fitter, Marine Electronics Technician, Marine Electronics Installer, or Marine Electrical Commissioning Technician. These are hands-on positions responsible for the full cycle of electrical and electronic work on vessels, from installation and commissioning through to fault diagnosis and repair, working across systems including AC and DC distribution, navigation, communications, and power generation.
With a few years of post-qualification experience, technicians commonly move into senior or lead technician roles, taking responsibility for supervising work and managing more complex projects on larger vessels such as superyachts or commercial workboats. From there, two tracks tend to open up: a technical specialist path focusing on advanced diagnostics, systems integration, or a particular technology such as radar or helm control systems; and a supervisory or project management path, overseeing multi-trade refit programmes and liaising directly with clients and regulatory bodies.
The main employers are boat manufacturers, refit and repair boatyards, marinas, and specialist marine electrical or electronics contractors. Work spans the leisure marine sector, small commercial marine operations, and the superyacht industry. Most employers are small to medium-sized businesses, though superyacht refit yards and larger manufacturers can be significant employers. The sector is predominantly private, with some overlap into regulated commercial maritime work overseen by bodies such as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Lloyd's Register.
Learning takes place on the job, with apprentices building competence in marine electrical and electronic work throughout the programme. Before moving to final assessment, a gateway check confirms that the apprentice and employer agree the apprentice is ready, and that all required learning and evidence has been completed. Final assessment then establishes whether the apprentice can perform the full range of duties the role requires, including design, installation, diagnostics, and repair of marine electrical and electronic systems. Assessment arrangements for many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
Throughout the apprenticeship, learners should keep records of the work they carry out, including installations, fault-finding exercises, maintenance tasks, and any sea trials they attend. Building a body of workplace evidence as work happens, rather than trying to reconstruct it at the end, makes the gateway and final assessment considerably more straightforward. Regular reviews with both the employer and training provider help identify any gaps early, giving time to address them before the readiness check.
Providers worth shortlisting will have direct industry connections: tutors or assessors with hands-on marine electrical backgrounds, not just general electrical qualifications. Check the FATP profile for achievement rates above 65% and, given this is a niche standard, look hard at cohort size. A small cohort with a high achievement rate is more reassuring than a large cohort with a middling one. Strong providers will be able to point to apprentices completing sea trials, working with regulatory bodies such as MCA or Lloyds Register, and gaining experience across AC and DC systems, diagnostics and cathodic protection in real yard or workshop settings.
Be cautious of providers who deliver this standard alongside a broad portfolio of unrelated engineering apprenticeships and cannot explain how marine-specific content is taught and assessed. Generic electrical training with a thin marine overlay is a common weakness. If a provider cannot describe the physical environments apprentices train in (boatyards, hardstanding, afloat, confined spaces), that is a concern. Vague answers about how fault-finding and commissioning are assessed in practice, or no evidence of links to marine trade employers, should prompt further questions before committing.
There are no nationally mandated entry qualifications for this standard, but most employers will expect a reasonable level of English and maths, typically GCSEs at grade 4 or above, or equivalent. Some prior experience with electrical work or a practical background in engineering can be useful, though it is not required. Employers set their own entry criteria, so check directly with your chosen training provider or employer about their specific expectations.
The typical duration is 42 months, though the actual length depends on the individual's prior experience and the employer's programme. The apprentice is employed throughout, working alongside qualified marine electricians and learning on the job. A proportion of time is spent in off-the-job training, covering theory, technical knowledge and practical skills. The exact off-the-job requirement is subject to current government reforms, so check the apprenticeship standard page on gov.uk for the current specification.
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through gateway, where the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm that all required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been achieved. Assessment models for many standards are being updated under current Skills England reforms, so check gov.uk for the live assessment plan. The apprentice must demonstrate competence across marine electrical installation, diagnostics, fault-finding, testing and commissioning before they can be signed off as qualified.
The funding band for this standard is £23,000, which is the maximum amount of apprenticeship funding that can be used to cover training and assessment costs. Employers who pay the apprenticeship levy draw training costs from their digital account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with the government, typically contributing 5% of training costs. Employers taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 may pay nothing at all if they have fewer than 50 employees. Contact your training provider to confirm current rates.
Day-to-day work covers installing, maintaining and repairing electrical and electronic systems across a range of vessels, from narrowboats and sailing boats to superyachts and commercial workboats. Tasks include reading electrical drawings and specifications, running cable, wiring control panels, fault-finding using measuring equipment, and commissioning completed systems. Apprentices also work with navigation systems, radar, radio and alarm systems, apply cathodic protection, and deal directly with customers and suppliers. Work takes place in workshops, boatyards, marinas and on the water, including sea trials.
Completion leads to roles such as marine electrical technician, marine electronics installer or commissioning technician, with responsibility for more complex projects and independent work. Experienced marine electricians can move into supervisory or project management positions within boatyards, refit companies or superyacht operations. Further professional development is available through bodies such as the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). Some progress into specialist areas like navigation systems or high-voltage installations, or move into surveying and compliance work for organisations such as Lloyd's Register or the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 625.
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