Utilities

The Utility Sector at Smart Awards

The utility sector is essential to everyday life, delivering vital services such as gas, electricity, water, and communications to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure across the UK. At Smart Awards, we are proud to support this critical industry by providing specialist qualifications and End-Point Assessment (EPA) services that ensure a safe, skilled, and compliant workforce.

Our Work in the Utility Sector

Smart Awards works with employers, training providers, and industry bodies across the full range of utility services. We support those working in:

• Gas network installation and maintenance
• Water supply and wastewater management
• Power distribution
• Telecommunications and digital infrastructure
• Multi-utility environments

Our qualifications and assessments are designed to meet the needs of operatives, supervisors, and technicians working on the front line of utility networks — from excavation and reinstatement to asset maintenance and system upgrades.

Utility Sector Qualifications

Our portfolio includes a wide range of qualifications that focus on the technical, safety, and operational skills required in the utility industry. These qualifications are developed in consultation with employers to reflect current legislation, industry standards, and real-world practices.

Key qualification areas include:

• Utility network construction (gas, water, power, telecoms)
• Safe working in confined spaces and hazardous environments
• Street works for operatives and supervisors (NRSWA)
• Risk assessment and health and safety procedures
• Installation, testing, and maintenance of utility systems

Our qualifications support workforce compliance, skills development, and progression from entry-level roles to more advanced responsibilities.

End-Point Assessment (EPA) for Utilities Apprenticeships

Smart Awards is an approved End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) for several utility-related apprenticeship standards. Our assessments are designed to fairly and rigorously evaluate an apprentice’s readiness for their role, using methods that reflect real-world tasks and conditions.

Each assessment is tailored to the specific apprenticeship and typically includes knowledge tests, practical demonstrations, and professional discussions, all delivered by sector-experienced assessors.

Why Choose Smart Awards for Utilities?

• Deep Sector Expertise: Our team understands the challenges and requirements of utility work across multiple disciplines.
• Employer-Led Development: Our qualifications and assessments are shaped by input from major utility providers and contractors.
• Compliance and Safety Focus: We ensure our training and assessment solutions support legal compliance and promote safe working.
• Responsive, High-Quality Delivery: We work closely with providers and employers to deliver efficient, flexible services that meet operational needs.

At Smart Awards, we’re committed to helping the UK’s utility sector build and maintain a competent, qualified workforce. Our qualifications and End-Point Assessment services are trusted by industry to deliver the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to keep essential services running smoothly and safely.