Training

HOW IS AN ELECTRICAL WHOLESALER’S TECHNICAL PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE BUILT?

Tracy Hewett, Education and Training Consultant at the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA), the trade association for UK electrical wholesalers, talks about the professional knowledge being acquired on the other side of the trade counter.

As a contractor you rely on the knowledge of electrical wholesalers to help you choose the right products for the job. But have you ever thought about how that knowledge is acquired? For many wholesalers it may take years of on-the-job training, but is there a way to acquire that knowledge more quickly? Is there a training course for electrical wholesalers? You may be surprised to learn that indeed there is – 12 training courses in fact. It’s called the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) Product Knowledge Programme and it is both City & Guilds and CPD Accredited.

The programme is the wholesaler’s product knowledge foundation course upon which they constantly build with training from their key manufacturer suppliers. It is this knowledge that sets the electrical wholesaler apart from a DIY outlet or a website.

As you know, well-trained team members are motivated, confident, self-reliant, problem-solvers and worth their weight in gold to any business.

Speaking your language

There are many reasons why you choose your wholesaler supplier: friendliness, good credit terms, product range, returns policy or just the opportunity to have a chat and a good cuppa, but none of that matters if they are clueless about your requirements, uninformed about the products they sell and they don’t speak the same technical language as you. Trade counter staff are the essential link between you and the manufacturer and need to know about the latest products to enable them to offer you the very highest levels of advice, support and problem-solving, otherwise you’re likely to take your business elsewhere. That’s why so many of the EDA’s wholesaler members invest in these EDA training modules. The training is comprehensive – each course requires 40 hours of study before an end assessment that is graded pass, credit or distinction (or sometimes fail). In the past two years over 1,800 modules have been completed with several wholesaling staff achieving all 12.

The modules are mix-and-match, and businesses choose the order and combination of study based on which products they sell the most. They include:

• Introduction to the Principles of Electricity • Lighting Introduction • Lighting Systems and Controls • Cables and Cable Management • Wiring Devices and Controls • Distribution, Switchgear and Protection • Fire, Safety and Security Systems • Heating and Ventilation • Renewables • IT and Data Infrastructure • Industrial Controls • Customer Services

Pooling knowledge

Electrical manufacturers know their products. So it was to the manufacturers that the EDA turned when designing the modules. The EDA’s manufacturer members volunteered their time to work with senior wholesalers, subjectspecialist authors and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) to write these award-winning training courses. The whole process took two years from inception to completion, ensuring the materials were correct and current.

The current Product Knowledge programme launched in 2018, and in 2020/21 went through an audit and revision process reflecting the latest technical, legislative and product changes (including changes brought about by Brexit).

Each course has its own textbook, which the learner keeps and refers to, ensuring that they always have expert knowledge on hand to support their customers.

Rigour

The modules are a City & Guilds Accredited programme, with a pass, credit or distinction assessment. The assessment comprises three testing methodologies: multiple choice, short answer and essay-style questions. Each element has to be passed, so learners really need to know their stuff. Questions are marked by industry specialists at the IET and then quality assured by City & Guilds.

“Electrical manufacturers know their products. So it was to the manufacturers that the EDA turned when designing the modules”

Apprentices on both sides of the trade counter

As we all know, apprenticeship training is a well-established entry route for electricians, but did you know that the same is true for electrotechnical wholesaling? The EDA was instrumental in leading a Trailblazer group of senior wholesalers in the creation of a new apprenticeship standard. Trade Supplier Level 2 launched in 2018 and has become the gold-standard training option for those wanting a solid grounding in running a merchant business. The apprenticeship provides the sector skills required to work within the industry and the knowledge and understanding of the electrotechnical wholesaling environment.

Frequently, these trade supplier apprentices study the EDA modules alongside their apprenticeship. This shows great commitment and also ensures that they qualify with excellent B2B expertise backed-up by sound product know-how.

On your next visit

So next time you are at a wholesaler trade counter, and that wholesaler is an EDA Member, why not ask them if they have done the EDA Product Knowledge Modules? You may be extra lucky and be in the branch of one of the EDA’s Learner Achievement Award winners – marking them out as a high-flying apprentice or with a record of module distinctions. Check out this year’s winners on the EDA website.

If they are EDA training and apprenticeship alumni, please test out their knowledge and skills and then be super-impressed with their customer support and service.