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Trade Test Preparation & Testing

by All CoursesElectrical EngineeringTrade Test

Course Overview
The Trade Test Preparation & Testing course at NewTech Academy is an intensive, exam-focused boot-camp that readies practising electricians for the National Trade Test (Red Seal / ARPL) and other provincial journeyman exams. Delivered over two weeks of full-day sessions, the programme distils the entire occupational standard into daily micro-reviews, timed mock exams and live-skills assessments in our dedicated trade-test bays. Candidates leave confident in code navigation, fault diagnosis under pressure and the paperwork required to pass first time.

What you’ll learn

  • Red Seal occupational standard mapping & “common-core” weightings
  • 18th Edition / NEC code-book rapid look-up drills
  • Safe-isolation, lock-out & permit-to-work per trade-test checklist
  • Cable calculation, voltage-drop & fault-current quick-fire formulas
  • Motor control & starter circuits – build, test and troubleshoot in 45 min window
  • Single-phase & three-phase energy-meter installations to SANS / CSA spec
  • Live/dead testing sequence & completing the Schedule of Test Results
  • Mock trade-test day: full 6-hr practical + 2-hr theory under exam conditions
  • Results feedback, appeals process and re-test strategy
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Trade Test

by All CoursesElectrical EngineeringTrade Test

A trade test is a practical and theoretical exam used to assess your skills in a specific trade, such as electrical, plumbing, fitting, welding, or motor mechanics. It determines whether you are competent to work as a qualified artisan.

Here’s a breakdown:

Purpose:

  • Certifies your technical competence.
  • Allows you to register as an artisan with the Department of Employment and Labour.
  • Improves your employability and pay grade.

Requirements:

  • Completed accredited training or recognition of prior learning (RPL).
  • Workplace experience (usually 3–4 years).
  • Certified copies of your ID and qualifications.

Process:

  1. Apply through an accredited trade test center (such as Newtech Training Academy).
  2. Undergo pre-assessment to check readiness.
  3. Take the test, which includes practical and theory components.
  4. Receive results (Competent or Not Yet Competent).
  5. Successful candidates get a Trade Test Certificate issued by NAMB.

Common Trade Test Areas in South Africa:

Bricklaying

Electrical Engineering

Plumbing

Welding

Diesel and Motor Mechanics

Fitting and Turning