Requirements for the effective supervision of apprentice electricians

Overview

An apprentice requires supervision from a licensed electrician when doing electrical installation work (as defined by the Electricity Safety Act 1998). An apprentice electrician is a person employed under a training contract as an electrician that is registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA).

The requirements for the effective supervision of apprentice electricians were updated in September 2025

Read, download or print the requirements:

The document outlines the legal responsibilities for employers and supervisors to provide effective supervision of their electrical apprentices. Full details on responsibilities can be found in section 39 of the Electricity Safety Act 1998 and Regulation 507 of the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019.

The requirements do not alter the responsibilities of employers and supervisors under other legislation, for example health and safety laws.

• Information on safety supervision obligations is available from WorkSafe Victoria.
  Find out more at Worksafe OHS Responsibilities and Duties
• Information on supervision requirements for cablers is available from the Australian Communications and Media Authority
  Find out more at ACMA Unregistered Cablers must be Supervised
• Information on responsibilities for managing apprentices is available from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
  Find out more at VRQA Manage Apprentice or Trainee

Why do we have supervision requirements?

All apprentices should be safe.

Apprentice supervision requirements were first introduced in 2019. The supervision ratios were updated in 2025 to reflect that the least experienced apprentices should have the greatest level of oversight. More experienced apprentices can have greater autonomy for lower risk electrical work.

This video outlines the key changes between the original and the updated requirements.

Frequently asked questions

In June and July 2025, we held a series of Q&A webinars about the new requirements.

The answers to the questions asked during the sessions may assist employers, supervisors, apprentices and teachers in understanding the updated requirements:

Apprentice Supervision FAQ

What is electrical installation work?

• Electrical installation work means the installation, alteration, repair or maintenance of an electrical installation
• An electrical installation means electrical equipment that is fixed or to be fixed, in, on, under or over any land. It does not include a part of a supply network of a railway or owned or operated by a major electricity company.
• Electrical equipment means any appliance, wire, fitting, cable, conduit or apparatus that generates, uses, conveys or controls (or that is intended to generate, use, convey or control) electricity.
• The Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2020 define the electrical installation work that must be carried out by a licensed electrician:
  • electrical installation work carried out on an electrical installation ordinarily operated at:
    • low voltage, or a voltage exceeding low voltage. Low voltage is defined as a voltage greater than extra-low voltage (i.e. 50 V ac, or 120 V ripple-free dc.)
    • any voltage in a patient area (other than communication equipment operated at extra low voltage)
  • electrical installation work carried out on an a.c. electricity generation system, or on a d.c. electricity generation system with a nominal operating voltage or open-circuit voltage above
    50 V d.c. and an individual or combined rated generation capacity of at least 240 watts.
• electrical installation work carried out on all or part of a battery or battery energy storage systems that have a nominal operating voltage above 12 V d.c. and an individual or combined rated storage capacity equal to or greater than one kilowatt hour.
• An apprentice electrician may undertake this electrical installation work only under the effective supervision of a licensed electrician.
• An apprentice electrician is a person employed under a training contract as an electrician that is registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA).
• For further definitions refer to the Electricity Safety Act 199, the Electricity Safety (General) Regulations 2019, and the Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2020.