How many apprentices can an electrician employ in QLD? – Electrical Apprentice to Supervisor ratio explainer

How many apprentices can an electrician employ in QLD? – Electrical Apprentice to Supervisor ratio explainer

In Queensland, Electricians, often acting as Persons Conducting Business or Undertaking (PCBU), play a pivotal role in training apprentices while ensuring safety and compliance with the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013. An electrician supervises and trains apprentices, ensuring they develop the necessary skills in a safe working environment. But how many apprentices can an electrician reasonably employ and manage at once?

While Queensland does not require specific apprentice-to-electrician ratios, electricians must adapt supervision to the nature of the work, the apprentice’s experience, and possible dangers. Below, we explore the factors influencing how many apprentices an electrician can employ, including real-world scenarios based on typical tasks and supervision requirements derived from the Worksafe QLD guidelines.

Factors Influencing Electrical Apprentice Supervision

Based on the analysis of typical tasks and the level of supervision required, the number of apprentices an electrician can safely supervise depends on several factors:

1. Type of Electrical Work: Different electrical jobs come with varying levels of risk. High-risk environments such as industrial sites or those involving high-voltage work demand more attention, meaning an electrician may only be able to supervise a limited number of apprentices at a time.

2. Electrical Apprentice Skill Level and Experience: First-year electrical apprentices, particularly those in their first six months, require constant direct supervision. As they progress through their training and gain more competence, the level of supervision may shift from direct to general or broad, allowing electricians to supervise more apprentices at later stages of their training.

3. Safety Norms: Section 279 of the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 restricts the type of work that electrical apprentices can do. This is particularly important for apprentices with less than six months of experience, who are not allowed to work near live high-voltage parts or any environment where they may come into contact with live low-voltage parts( including testing). 

4. Supervisory Capacity: Supervision requires more than just technical knowledge. A good supervisor must be able to mentor apprentices, guide them on proper safety procedures, and correct any unsafe practices immediately. Not all licensed electricians are suited to oversee multiple apprentices, as supervision is an acquired skill. Those with more significant experience and a proven ability to manage risk can likely handle more apprentices.

The Electrician’s Role in Electrical Apprentice Supervision

An electrician, in this context, is responsible for:

• Ensuring adequate supervision: Electricians must be experienced and licensed, capable of managing the apprentice’s tasks, ensuring technical compliance, and prioritising safety.
• Assessing risk levels: Electricians must determine appropriate supervision levels based on the apprentice’s competence, work type, and risk level.
• Maintaining safety standards: The electrician creates and enforces a safe working environment. This includes restricting specific tasks for apprentices within their first six months of training.

Levels of supervision

Considering apprentice knowledge, capability, working conditions, and tasks, supervision has been classified under three levels: direct, general, and broad. 

Direct supervision necessitates continuous monitoring. For this sort of supervision, the supervisor must be present nearby. Usually, it is for an apprentice new to tasks who is untrained and cannot be left unattended near live electrical parts.

General supervision is where an apprentice has some knowledge and has shown a satisfactory level of ability to perform tasks, comprehend risks, and consult the supervisor accordingly.

Broad supervision is required when the apprentice has shown acceptable standards while doing tasks, managing risks, and completing both on-the-job and off-the-job training.

Typical Electrical Apprentice Supervision Scenarios based on Task Type

The table below, taken from the WorkSafe QLD website, provides suggestions for typical amounts of time spent under specific levels of supervision for that work. It is based on E-Oz Energy Skills’ National Supervision Guidelines for Electrotechnology Apprentices.

Type of work	Typical time served (in months)
	0 – 6	6 – 12	12 – 24	24 – 36	36 – 48
Installation of cable support and mechanical protection.	Direct	Direct / General	General	Broad	Broad
Installation of low-voltage cabling and terminating accessories.	Direct	Direct / General	General	General	Broad
Installation of low-voltage electrical equipment.	Direct	Direct	Direct / General	General	Broad
Fault finding, repair and maintenance of de-energised low-voltage electrical installations and equipment.	Direct	Direct	Direct	Direct / General	Broad
Isolation and lockout. Proving de-energisation of low-voltage electrical installations and equipment (No access to exposed low-voltage within the first 6 months).	Direct supervision. The supervisor is ultimately responsible for proving the isolation before work commences.			Direct	Direct / General1
De-energised verification (visual inspection and testing) of low-voltage electrical installations and equipment.	Direct	Direct	Direct	Direct / General	General2 / Broad3
Energised verification (visual inspection and testing) of low-voltage electrical installations and equipment.	RTO Simulated only.	RTO Simulated only	RTO Simulated only	RTO Simulated only	Direct
Commissioning (testing for correct operation/function) low -voltage electrical installations and equipment (No access to exposed low-voltage within the first 6 months).	Direct	Direct	Direct	Direct / General	General4

1. General supervision should be restricted to apprentices who have completed training in isolation and lockout procedures and the supervisor has performed a risk assessment and ensured the apprentice is competent to undertake the task. ↩︎
2. General supervision is only appropriate after the apprentice has completed the relevant units of competency in installation verification. ↩︎
3. Broad supervision should only be considered after the apprentice has successfully completed their Capstone assessment. ↩︎
4. General supervision is only appropriate after the apprentice has completed the relevant units of competency in installation verification. ↩︎

We have derived some scenarios from the above table, as follows: 

Scenario 1: Cable Installation (0-12 Months)

Type of work	Installation of cable support and mechanical protection
Supervision	Direct supervision	Direct/General Supervision
Typical time served	0–6 months	6–12 months

The apprentice will require close monitoring in the first year, especially during the first six months when they will need direct supervision. Handling one to two apprentices during this period is ideal for electricians, as constant supervision demands significant time and attention.

Scenario 2: Installation of Low-Voltage Cabling (12-36 Months)

Type of work	Installation of low-voltage cabling and terminating accessories
Supervision	General supervision	Broad supervision
Typical time served	12–24 months	24–36 months

By this stage, the apprentice has more experience and should be able to perform tasks with less oversight. An electrician can manage two to three apprentices at this level, as the reduced supervision allows the electrician to focus on safety and skill development. General supervision involves the supervisor being physically present to assist or instruct the apprentice when needed. On the other hand, broad supervision requires occasional face-to-face contact with the supervisor, allowing for more independent work from the apprentice.

Scenario 3: Fault Finding and Maintenance (0-24 Months)

Type of work	Fault finding, repair, and maintenance of de-energised low-voltage electrical installations.
Supervision	Direct supervision	Direct supervision	Direct / General supervision
Typical time served	0–6 months	6–12 months	12–24 months

Given the complexity and safety risks involved in fault finding, apprentices need direct supervision for the first two years. Due to the high risks and hands-on involvement, one apprentice per supervisor is recommended during these tasks.

Scenario 4: Isolation and Lockout (First 12 Months)

Type of work	Isolation and lockout procedures, proving de-energisation of low-voltage installations
Supervision	Direct supervision	Direct supervision
Typical time served	0–6 months	6–12 months

This high-risk task requires constant supervision, particularly in the apprentice’s first year. To ensure safety and compliance, an electrician should ideally manage only one apprentice performing such tasks.

To summarise:

An electrician should limit supervision to one apprentice per task for complex tasks requiring direct supervision, such as isolation, lockout, and fault finding.

More experienced electrical apprentices, particularly those in their third or fourth year, require less direct supervision and more broad supervision. In these cases, an electrician can manage up to three apprentices.

Higher-risk tasks, such as working with live electrical equipment or conducting fault repairs, require general supervision, limiting the electrician to supervising one or two apprentices at most.

Since there are no prescribed apprentice-to-supervisor ratios, the electrician’s ability to supervise safely and effectively determines the number of apprentices an electrician can employ.

Please refer to the full ‘Supervision types and times by type of work guide’ provided by Energy Skills Australia for details as of 19/09/2024.

Conclusion

So, there is no fixed limit on how many apprentices an electrician can employ in Queensland. However, electricians must always prioritise adequate supervision, safety, and training. A general guideline for an electrician would be supervising two to three electrical apprentices for standard tasks. Still, the electrician should employ fewer apprentices for more complex, high-risk tasks requiring direct supervision.

Ultimately, the electrician can determine how many apprentices to employ at once safely and must assess each apprentice’s competence, the nature of the work, and the risks involved.

We hope you liked this explanation from AUSINET. If you are an electrician trying to upskill or a novice looking for an electrical apprenticeship, do not hesitate to contact us for training-related guidance. 

If you have already hired apprentices, please equip them with the right Apprentice Electrician’s Tools.

Last updated: 11/07/2025