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Electrician CV example and template (South Africa)

Electrical contractors, mines, factories, municipalities and solar installers all hire qualified electricians, and since load shedding began they have added a steady stream of inverter and solar PV work. A hiring manager or contractor reads an electrician's CV for proof, not promises: your trade test certificate, your N-level results, whether you are registered with the Department of Employment and Labour to sign Certificates of Compliance (CoC), and the kind of installations you have actually done, from house rewires to three-phase industrial boards.

The example below is for a qualified installation electrician about five years after finishing an apprenticeship. If you are still an apprentice or waiting for your trade test date, list your apprenticeship employer, your SETA (usually MERSETA, EWSETA or CETA), the modules and practical tasks you have completed, and your N3 subjects. Put your driver's licence near the top, because most electrician posts involve driving to sites with a van full of tools and cable.

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Electrician CV example

Thabo Mokoena

Registered installation electrician with 5 years' residential, commercial and solar experience

072 555 0316 · thabo.mokoena@example.co.za · Pretoria, Gauteng

Profile

Qualified electrician with a trade test certificate and registration as an installation electrician with the Department of Employment and Labour. Five years of residential and light-commercial work in Tshwane, including DB board upgrades, rewires, CoC inspections to SANS 10142-1 and more than 60 inverter and solar PV backup installs. Code B licence and own hand tools. Looking for a senior electrician or site supervisor post.

Work experience

Electrician

Volt Line Electrical Contractors (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria | Aug 2021 – Present

Inspect and test houses for property transfers and issue Certificates of Compliance to SANS 10142-1
Install hybrid inverters, lithium batteries and solar PV panels for homes and small businesses, more than 60 systems since 2022
Upgrade old distribution boards with earth leakage units, surge protection and correct circuit labelling
Find and repair faults on single and three-phase supplies, geysers, stoves and pool pumps
Supervise two apprentices and sign off their logbook tasks

Apprentice Electrician

Actom (Pty) Ltd, Germiston | Jan 2018 – Jul 2021

Completed a MERSETA electrical apprenticeship in the workshop and on industrial sites
Wired motor control panels, starters and contactors under an artisan's supervision
Ran cable trays, conduit and trunking in factories and shopping centres
Passed the electrical trade test at INDLELA in June 2021

Education

N3 Electrical Engineering (Heavy Current)

Tshwane South TVET College, 2017, NQF level 4

Subjects: Mathematics N3, Engineering Science N3, Electrical Trade Theory N3, Industrial Electronics N3

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Hebron College, 2015, NQF level 4

Subjects: Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Electrical Technology, English Home Language, Setswana First Additional Language, Life Orientation

Skills

Single and three-phase installation and fault-finding
CoC inspections and testing to SANS 10142-1
Hybrid inverter, battery and solar PV installation
Distribution board upgrades
Motor control circuits
Insulation resistance and earth loop testing
Reading electrical drawings
Supervising apprentices

Certificates

Trade Test Certificate, Electrician, INDLELA, 2021
Registration as Installation Electrician, Department of Employment and Labour, 2022
PV GreenCard Installer Training, SAPVIA accredited training provider, 2023
Working at Heights, Accredited safety training provider, 2024

Achievements

Completed more than 60 inverter and solar backup installations with no call-backs for workmanship faults

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Own transport:: Yes
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: Setswana (Home language), English (Fluent), Sepedi (Good)
Notice period:: One month
Availability:: Available for standby, weekend call-outs and travel within Gauteng

References

Pieter van der Merwe

Owner and Master Installation Electrician, Volt Line Electrical Contractors (Pty) Ltd

012 555 0428

Lerato Nkosi

Apprentice Mentor, Actom (Pty) Ltd

011 555 0261

Electrician CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

Qualified electrician with a trade test certificate and registration as an installation electrician with the Department of Employment and Labour. Five years of residential and light-commercial work in Tshwane, including DB board upgrades, rewires, CoC inspections to SANS 10142-1 and more than 60 inverter and solar PV backup installs. Code B licence and own hand tools. Looking for a senior electrician or site supervisor post.

Skills to list on your Electrician CV

Wiring and fault-finding on single-phase and three-phase installations
Installing and upgrading distribution boards, earth leakage units and surge protection
Testing and inspecting installations to SANS 10142-1 (the South African wiring code)
Completing Certificates of Compliance (CoC) and test reports
Using insulation resistance testers, earth loop impedance testers and multimeters
Installing hybrid inverters, lithium batteries and changeover switches for backup power
Mounting and wiring rooftop solar PV panels, isolators and DC protection
Reading electrical drawings, single-line diagrams and wiring schedules
Motor control circuits, starters and contactors
Lockout and tagout, and working safely on live and isolated circuits
Pricing small jobs and writing material lists for the wholesaler
Supervising and training apprentices and electrical assistants

Duties written as strong bullet points

Rewired older houses and flats, replacing old cloth-insulated cable and fitting new distribution boards with earth leakage protection
Inspected and tested residential installations for property transfers and issued Certificates of Compliance as a registered installation electrician
Installed and commissioned over 60 hybrid inverter and lithium battery backup systems, with changeover switches and essential-load boards
Mounted and wired rooftop solar PV arrays, including DC isolators, surge arrestors and earthing to the main board
Traced and repaired faults on three-phase supplies, motors and starters in light-industrial units
Ran conduit, trunking and cable trays for shopfitting projects in shopping centres to the contractor's drawings
Carried out insulation resistance, earth continuity and earth loop impedance tests and recorded results on the test report
Supervised two apprentices on site, signing off their logbook tasks for their MERSETA apprenticeship

Tips for a stronger Electrician CV

State your registration category clearly

Employers need to know who on the team can sign a CoC. Write your exact Department of Employment and Labour registration, such as "Registered installation electrician", and the year you got it. Electrical tester for single phase, installation electrician and master installation electrician allow very different work, so do not just write "registered".

Show the voltage and size of work you know

"Domestic and light commercial, single and three phase up to 400 V" tells a contractor far more than "general electrical work". If you have worked on mine reticulation, MCC panels or high-voltage switching, name it, because those posts pay more and are hard to fill.

Count your solar and backup installs

Inverter and solar work is one of the busiest parts of the trade. Give a number of systems, the brands of inverters and batteries you have installed, and whether you set up the monitoring app for the client. A PV GreenCard or a supplier's installer course is worth listing as a certificate.

List your test instruments

Name the testers you can use, such as an insulation resistance tester, earth loop impedance tester and RCD tester. It shows a contractor you can do a proper CoC inspection and not only install.

Questions people ask

What qualifications do I need to work as an electrician in South Africa?

You need to finish an apprenticeship or a recognised learnership, usually with N2 or N3 in electrical engineering from a TVET college, and pass the electrical trade test at INDLELA or another accredited trade test centre. To sign Certificates of Compliance you must also register with the Department of Employment and Labour in one of the registration categories.

What is the difference between an electrical tester for single phase, an installation electrician and a master installation electrician?

They are the registration categories under the Electrical Installation Regulations. A single phase tester may inspect, test and issue CoCs for single-phase installations. An installation electrician may do the same for single and three-phase installations. A master installation electrician may also sign off specialised installations, such as hazardous locations. Each step needs more training, tests and experience.

Who needs a Certificate of Compliance?

Every electrical installation needs a valid CoC, and one is normally asked for when a house is sold, when new work is added, or when an insurer pays out after a fire. Only a registered person working for a registered electrical contractor may issue one, which is why employers look for your registration on your CV.

Should I join ECA(SA) as an electrician?

Membership of the Electrical Contractors' Association of South Africa is for electrical contractor businesses rather than individual employees. If you run your own small contracting business, membership and registration as an electrical contractor are worth listing. If you are employed, mention ECA(SA) courses or wiring code updates you attended.

Can I apply for electrician jobs before my trade test?

Yes, apply for posts such as "electrician's assistant", "apprentice electrician" or "artisan aide". On your CV, say how far you are in your apprenticeship, which trade test centre you are booked at and your expected test date, so the employer can see when you will qualify.