Hello everyone, this is DIY Renova.
When you are doing self-renovation, there will come a time when you think, ``I want to do electrical work myself if I get to this point,'' or ``I want to get a qualification anyway.''
In Japan, the qualification exam for "Class 2 Electrician" is the most relevant to general residential electrical work (a national qualification based on the Electrician Law).
Among these, the one that many people tend to stumble upon is the ``skills test.''
Before you start buying a tool set, watching videos, etc., there are a few things you should know first that will definitely make things easier.
In this article, from the perspective of a self-renovator,
- General information about the exam that you should know before you start studying
- Gap between Hozan's set and actual exam
- How to use open questions
- How to choose tools (scissors, Gatchan, etc.)
- Tips for checking the size of the exam hall and desk, and materials
- An intuitive guideline: "The specified dimensions should be cut by 50%."
We will summarize these from the perspective of actual test takers.
Although the content is based on the ``Japan's Type 2 Electrician Skills Examination'', there are many points that can be helpful to people from overseas as well, regarding how to compete in qualification exams in general.
Articles regarding Type 2 electrical workHereYou can view them all at once.
So, here you go.
Know the entire process of the skill test in advance
Before you start studying, it will be easier to decide on tools and allocate study time if you have a rough idea of what you will be required to do in the skill test.
For the Class 2 Electrician Skills Test, the test center officially publishes several wiring diagrams as "candidate questions" in advance (Electrical Engineer Test Center Public Questions Page).
On the day of the actual test, one question will be selected from among the questions and asked (official explanation from the Electrician Examination Center).
In a nutshell, what we do is:
``Using the given materials, assemble the same wiring as in the public problem safely and accurately within the time limit and submit it.''
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Therefore, the main focus of my studies is to get used to public problems.
If you treat commercially available texts and videos as supporting them, the overall picture becomes clearer.
Know the difference between Hozan tool set and actual test
I believe that many candidates for the Class 2 Electrical Worker Examination will purchase the skill test set from companies such as Hozan. I bought it too!
All tools and cables are included, making this a very convenient set for starting practice.
However, Hozan's set is not the same environment as the actual production.
Understanding this gap before you start studying will prevent you from taking the wrong direction in your practice. (Or rather, I wanted to know too)
Difference between the holes in the practice box and the holes in the real box
The outlet boxes included in Hozan's practice kits often have holes pre-drilled or are designed to make it easy to practice from any position.
On the other hand, the boxes distributed in the actual exam are
- Originally supplied with holes already machined.
- Test takers are generally not required to drill new holes.
This is the specification (explanation of test materials from the Electrical Engineer Examination Center).
In other words, like Hozan's practice box, there are not always holes in the same place.
The important thing here is not to ``memorize the wiring according to the hole positions,'' but to ``look at the circuit diagram and be able to assemble flexibly even if the hole positions change.''
When practicing, try changing the way the cables are routed or changing the orientation of the box, so you won't panic if the hole positions are slightly different during the actual test.
Useful tools to have outside of Hozan
It is quite possible to pass with Hozan's set alone.
However, there are some tools that would be much easier if you had them all together before studying.
Prepare a pair of electrician scissors
Many sets include a stripper, but having ``electrician scissors'' will greatly increase work efficiency.
- Cutting VVF cable
- Make a slight cut in the coating and then remove it with a stripper.
- Align the lengths of the strands
A pair of scissors will make such detailed work much smoother.
It's difficult to judge things like the thinness of the blade, ease of grip, and resistance to rust until you actually try it, so it's a good idea to compare electrical scissors with high ratings on Amazon or Yahoo Shopping before choosing one.
Of course, you can use regular scissors, but it seems that there are electrician scissors like the one below!
(Productivity research at construction sites has also pointed out that tool selection affects work efficiency and safety. For example, there are reports that the ergonomic design of tools contributes to reducing fatigue. Papers in educational technology and occupational health, etc.)
Gatchan (crimping tool for ring sleeves) is a reliable one.
A crimping tool for ring sleeves, the so-called "Gacchan", is very useful for skill exams!
Especially if you plan to use it for work after passing the exam, it is a good idea to have a gadget that is said to be owned by all professional electricians. It is also called a stripper, but its common name is Gacchan because of the sound it makes.
Rumor has it that it can also help reduce construction time during the actual practical exam!
Poor crimping directly leads to defects, which directly affects whether you pass or fail (explanation of defect cases in the Electrical Engineer Examination Center Skills Test).
- Be able to correctly mark "small", "medium" and "large"
- The handle should have just the right amount of rebound, so your hands won't get extremely tired.
- Grip is non-slip
If you choose based on these criteria, you can reduce mistakes during the actual exam.
A tool set such as Hozan includes a stripper like the one below. Of course, if you are used to this, you can use this.
Reasons for using open questions as the core of your study
Before you start studying, the first thing you should do is print out the official exam questions from the exam center and have them handy.
Public questions are a collection of candidate questions for the skill exam that are released every year by the Electrical Engineer Examination Center (Electrical Engineer Examination Center Public Questions).
In the actual exam, only one question will be asked from these questions.
Commercially available texts and videos are nothing more than detailed explanations of this public issue.
By reading the original public problem first,
- "What don't you know?"
- “Which equipment or wiring pattern is my weakness?”
It becomes easier to understand by yourself.
Notes such as those listed in the actual exam are not included in practice tool sets such as Hozan, so if you read them at least once, I think you won't panic on the day!
Example of study steps using public questions
Before you start studying, it will be easier to get lost if you visualize the flow as follows.
- Take a quick look at all the wiring diagrams in the public issue
- At first, choose just one question and try to solve it together while watching the video explanation.
- Create the same problem on your own this time without the video.
- Gradually increase your speed while measuring your time.
- Once you get used to it, expand to other candidate problems.
It is known that ``repetition of the same problem'' and ``review at intervals'' are important for learning effects (research on spaced repetition in educational psychology).
Rather than trying to solve a different problem every day, it's easier to stick to the idea of ``doing one question thoroughly → taking a break for a while and then doing it again.''
Make video learning your daily pacemaker
Before you start studying, you should decide on your own pace.
In particular, busy working adults are more likely to pass the exam if they continue a little at a time each day than by spending hours at a time before a holiday (results from educational research showing that distributing study time improves knowledge retention).
We recommend:
“I watch only one instructional video every day.”
It's a simple habit.
- Hozan official skill test explanation video (YouTube)
- Videos for each candidate question on other commentary channels
Just by looking at them one by one before going to bed or during breaks, the wiring patterns will accumulate in your mind.
It's okay if some days you just watch a video and that's it.
“Not having zero days” is mentally easier and will make a big difference in the long run!
Notification of exam venue and sense of time until the day of the exam
Notification of the venue for the technical exam will be sent by mail approximately two weeks before the exam date (Electrical Engineer Examination Center Examination Information).
Before you start studying,
- Calculating backwards from the exam date, how long will it take to study?
- What to do during the two-week “finishing period” after receiving the venue notice
If you decide roughly, you won't be swayed by the schedule.
for example,
- One month left until the exam: Going through the candidate questions
- Two weeks after receiving the venue notification: Review only the questions you got wrong and the wiring patterns you are weak at.
It's safe to imagine a "two-step plan" from the beginning.
actually! The test schedule has already been decided from the beginning, including which prefecture will be the venue for the practical test.This exam guideLet's take a look.
Some venues may be far from the station, so we recommend checking the route on Google Maps once you receive the notification.
Recreate the exam desk and work space for practice at home
The desk for the skill test is said to have a space of approximately 80 cm wide x 35 cm deep (according to a test taker's report).
Please measure this size with a tape measure when you start studying.
After that, place it on your desk at home.
- Make a frame of 80cm x 35cm with masking tape
- Practice assembly using only the inside
If you impose this rule on yourself, you will be able to get much closer to the feeling of the actual performance.
If you have a spacious workbench, you can easily line up as many cables and equipment as you like, which can lead to the phenomenon of feeling cramped and cluttered on the day you work.
Getting used to the actual size from the beginning will help reduce stress.
Among those who have already taken the exam and passed, I have seen some people online who brought their own waist bags and used more space on their desks, as shown below.
You might be surprised that you can use a waist bag!
Wiring dimensions and the feeling that “it’s okay as long as you don’t cut 50%”
There is one point that will make your mind a lot easier if you know it before you start studying.
The scoring standard is that even if the length of the cable is slightly shorter than the specified length, it will not be immediately rejected unless it is less than 50% of the specified length.Scoring criteria explanation for Electrical Engineer Examination Center）。
For example, even if a cable specified as 50 cm is accidentally cut to 40 cm, it will not be a defect as long as the extra length is extremely short and does not cause any functional problems.
As a guideline, one line is whether "more than half of the specified dimensions" remain (Explanation of the manual for examinees）.
Of course, you don't always have to aim for the last minute, just keep in mind that you want to cut it a little longer.
However, in order to avoid panicking and thinking, ``If it's just a little bit shorter, it's over...'', knowing this ``50% rule'' before studying will make you feel much better.
However, other details can easily result in a penalty, so be sure to check the official information on the defect judgment criteria for your year! I think just having it in the back of your mind makes all the difference.
Material confirmation immediately after the test starts is “already part of the test”
What you should keep in mind from the study stage is that checking the materials is also part of the exam.
At the actual event, a set of materials will be distributed in bags at the beginning.
- Insufficient number of cables
- Misplaced equipment
- Insufficient ring sleeve size
etc. occur very rarely.
The Electrical Engineer Examination Center advises that you should report any material deficiencies before the start of the test, but they generally do not take action after the start of the test (notes in the test guide).
Before you start studying, print out the following ``Material Confirmation Checklist'' and get into the habit of saying it out loud during practice, so you can do the same things naturally during the actual performance.
- Type and number of cables (VVF1.6, VVF2.0, etc.)
- Appliances (switches, outlets, lamp receptacles, etc.)
- Number of mounting frames
- Ring sleeve quantity and size (small, medium, large)
- Number of plug connectors (2-pole/3-pole)
- Color and number of IV wires
If you keep in mind that the exam begins with checking the materials, you will naturally develop a checking eye from the time you study.
The flow of the day is also available from Hozan below, so it might be a good idea to take a look.
Learning style you should decide on before you start studying
Based on the discussion so far, I would like to summarize the things you should decide on before you start studying.
- How many days per week should be designated as "skill test days"?
- Do you watch one video every day (and if so, when?)
- Which public issue should I tackle first?
- Should you practice on the same desk size as the actual session?
- Do you want to make a list of additional tools to purchase, such as electrician scissors and gadgets?
By simply writing this down on paper first, you will spend less time wondering, "What should I do today?"
Research on qualification exams in general has also pointed out that planning your studies increases your pass rate (research on self-regulated learning in exam study).
Summary of important points to remember before studying
Finally, I will summarize the contents of this article as ``Things you should know before you start studying.''
- The core of the exam is ``open questions,'' so first, print out the official page and look at it (Electrical Engineer Examination Center Open Questions).
- Practice kits such as Hozan are convenient, but they do not perfectly match the hole positions in the actual box. It is important to have the ability to read circuit diagrams without being tied to holes.
- Having electrician scissors and a reliable gachan will greatly contribute to work efficiency and error prevention.
- It is realistic to continue studying at a pace that is as easy as ``watching one explanatory video every day,'' and it is also effective from an educational and psychological point of view.
- The exam venue notification will arrive two weeks in advance, so consider those two weeks as a "finishing period."
- The work space is approximately 80 cm wide x 35 cm deep. Recreate the same size from the home practice stage.
- It will be easier mentally if you understand that the specified dimensions of the wiring are basically not a fatal defect unless they are cut by 50%.
- Material confirmation immediately after the test begins is already part of the test. Create a checklist from the practice stage and get into the habit of checking it out loud.
If you keep these things in mind, gather your tools, and start facing public issues, you will be much less anxious about not knowing where to start.
Articles regarding Type 2 electrical workHereYou can view them all at once.
Reference information/respect
In compiling the content of this article, we referred to the knowledge of the following information sources and creators.
(We mainly refer to official institutions, highly reliable publishers, and educational research, not predatory journals.)
- Electrical Engineer Examination Center “Class 2 Electrician Examination Guide/Skills Test Open Questions/Scoring Standards”
- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry “Electrical Equipment Technical Standards and Interpretation”
- Ohmsha and others, second class electrician skill test preparation text (explanation of wiring dimensions and defect cases)
- HOZAN official second class electrician skill test preparation video (YouTube)
- Educational psychology research on learning effects (group of papers on spaced repetition and self-regulated learning)
Based on this information, I have organized ``things I want to know before I start studying'' from the perspective of someone who is doing self-renovation.
I hope that this article will help lower the hurdles for taking the technical exam.
If you're wondering "How much renovation or remodeling can I actually do on my own home?" or "Where should I even start?", please visit this page. If you're looking to learn more about specific renovation processes or construction details, don't miss this page as well!
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