NICEIC Case Study

About NICEIC

NICEIC is the UK electrical contracting industry’s largest independent voluntary body which has been assessing the electrical competence of electricians for over fifty years.

Working with over 26,000 electrical contractors nationwide, NICEIC’s aim is to drive up the standards of compliance, electrical safety and training in the industry.

NICEIC began working with Virtual College in the summer of 2009 in order to provide those working in the construction industry with an alternative method of training; e-learning. By December 2009, NICEIC and Virtual College had launched the first e-learning course in the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations – a course still popular today.

The Challenge

As a high risk industry, it is essential that those working in construction have the necessary qualifications and knowledge required to work safely. Being a very project driven industry with strict deadlines, it can be hard for employees to attend training sessions during working hours.

NICEIC recognised that they did not have the internal skills and knowledge to develop a full e-learning solution.

They had the internal expertise in terms of delivering the technical course content, but the knowledge of e-learning platforms was lacking. They realised that, in order to develop a product of value to their customers, they had to draw on external expertise.

/n/n#### The Solution

NICEIC and Virtual College met in the summer of 2009 to discuss the development of electrical e-learning courses Rod Knox, former CEO at Virtual College explained how we wanted to provide individuals with a way to gain qualifications and additional knowledge in their chosen specialism without having to take time off work to accommodate study.

As a respected body with a reputable face to face training programme already in place, we recognised that the NICEIC would be able to bring the technical expertise we required.

As an established e-learning provider, Virtual College was an obvious choice for NICEIC. The LMS allows them to store, track and monitor training and is branded in line with their partnership.

The relationship between NICEIC and Virtual College rapidly evolved and by December that year the Construction Services e-Academy was set up to manage the sale of courses.

NICEIC provide the sector expertise and content for the courses and Virtual College provide the e-learning expertise; developing the product and providing the help and support to learners.

The Results

Since launching in December 2009, over 2,000 individuals have completed the 17th Edition online training course. The success of this course led to the development of seven additional e-learning programs, covering topics from inspection and testing to environmental technologies. These courses are regularly updated to reflect legislative changes, such as the amendment introduced in July 2011.

For qualifications requiring hands-on training and assessment, NICEIC has implemented blended learning solutions, combining online and classroom-based training. This approach reduces the time learners need to spend away from work while ensuring they meet all practical requirements.

Online training has delivered significant benefits for both individuals and organisations. It provides a flexible alternative for career development while also offering cost savings by reducing travel, accommodation, and time away from work. Before the NICEIC and Virtual College partnership, e-learning was relatively new to the construction industry. Today, it has become a respected and widely used method of training, demonstrating a major cultural shift in professional development.