Jenna is doing an Apprenticeship in Electrical Installation at Exeter College. She needed a C grade in GCSE English, Maths and Science as well as IT key skills level 2 to start the course.

Jenna has found college very different from school, especially being responsible for her own time management and motivation and being treated like an adult by tutors who are supportive but expect autonomous working. College includes both lectures in the technical knowledge required for electrical installation, including complex maths and science, plus the practical skills and application needed to be an Electrician. Work days are varied and interesting, learning new skills, meeting new people and going to new places, which Jenna finds very exciting.

This clip shows Jenna analysing a circuit and taking electrical current readings.

With thanks to: Exeter college

Curriculum topics covered:

• Measuring electrical quantities - current and voltage
• Electrical power
• Working safely with mains electricity

Also in this film:

• Returning to college after work
• Personal time management and the working day
• Health and safety requirements

Suggested practicals:

Energy carried by an electrical current
Measure current and voltage to find the power supplied to different lamps (as shown by Jenna in the film).

Learning to use voltmeters
Jenna also uses a voltmeter to measure the voltage between two terminals in a mains circuit.