IN Brief:
- NICEIC has launched a remote Level 3 EV charging installation course accredited by City & Guilds.
- The one-day programme covers domestic and small commercial EV charge point design and installation requirements.
- The first course dates run across July, August, and September 2026, beginning on 31 July.
NICEIC has launched a remote training course for the Level 3 Award in the Requirements for the Design and Installation of Domestic and Small Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging Installations.
The course is accredited by City & Guilds and delivered through live tutor-led online sessions with remotely invigilated assessments. It is designed as a one-day programme for electrical contractors seeking a recognised EV charge point qualification without travelling to a physical training centre.
The first courses will run across five dates in July, August, and September 2026, beginning on 31 July. NICEIC is also offering a 5% discount on virtual training courses available through its online shop between 1 July and 31 August 2026. The discount can be used alongside other promotional offers, including the existing 10% training discount for NICEIC-certified businesses. Course details and available dates are listed through the NICEIC online shop.
The launch responds to a practical skills requirement created by EV adoption. Domestic and small commercial charge point installations sit at the edge of the electricity system, where installer competence affects safety, performance, grid interaction, and customer confidence. Incorrect design or poor installation can create issues around load assessment, earthing arrangements, RCD selection, cable sizing, protection coordination, PME considerations, and future maintainability.
EV charging installations are also becoming more technically varied. Early domestic charge points were often treated as relatively simple additions to existing electrical systems. Current installations may need to account for solar PV, batteries, heat pumps, dynamic load management, smart tariffs, demand limitation, and communication requirements. Small commercial sites add further complexity through multiple charge points, user access, metering, billing, parking layouts, and higher aggregate demand.
Remote training does not change the technical requirements, but it can widen access to formal instruction. Contractors in regions without nearby training centres face time and travel costs that can slow upskilling. A live tutor-led structure with remote assessment gives NICEIC a route to maintain structured delivery while reducing geographic barriers.
Alex Robinson, head of training at NICEIC, linked the course to rising EV sales and the need for more competent contractors. The organisation has stated that EV sales rose by 28% in 2025, with around one in three new cars sold now fully electric.
The skills issue is likely to intensify as charging moves further into homes, workplaces, depots, retail sites, and public destinations. Charge point installation is no longer a niche specialism. It is becoming part of mainstream electrical work, although the design considerations remain specific enough to require dedicated competence.
Standards and interoperability are also moving quickly. Expanded ISO 15118 capability in EV charging systems reflects the growing role of secure communication, Plug & Charge capability, and smart charging functions. Even where a domestic installer is not configuring complex back-office systems, the installed hardware increasingly depends on correct communication and control behaviour.
Grid constraints add another layer. Local networks were not designed around large volumes of simultaneous high-power charging. Installations may need load curtailment, scheduled charging, dynamic balancing, or future integration with home energy management systems. The installer’s role therefore extends beyond mounting a charge point and connecting a circuit. It includes assessing how the charger interacts with the existing supply, connected loads, protection devices, and future electrification plans.
The course’s focus on domestic and small commercial installations is important because these sectors will account for high volumes of practical work. While ultra-fast public charging hubs attract more power-system attention, the cumulative effect of smaller installations can be substantial across low-voltage networks.
Competence also protects the long-term reputation of EV infrastructure. Poorly designed installations create call-backs, nuisance tripping, underperforming chargers, unsafe arrangements, and customer frustration. Structured training helps standardise the approach to design, installation, verification, and documentation.
NICEIC’s remote course sits inside a broader workforce challenge. Electrification is creating more work at the same time as electrical systems become more complex. Training models that reduce access barriers while retaining assessment discipline will be needed if installation capacity is to keep pace with demand.
