BA4 and BA5
BA4 and BA5 are competence attestations for working on or near electrical installations. BA4 (instructed person) may perform limited tasks under supervision; BA5 (skilled person) may work on electrical installations independently. The employer grants them based on training and experience.
What is the difference between BA4 and BA5?
As BA4 you are an instructed person: informed about electrical risks, allowed to work near installations or perform simple actions under the supervision of a skilled person. As BA5 you are skilled: you recognise hazards yourself, may switch, measure and work on installations independently, and may supervise BA4 colleagues. For electromechanical and maintenance profiles BA5 is the norm in vacancies.
How do you get the attestation?
Unlike VCA there is no central exam: the employer formally grants the competence, based on your degree, targeted training (typically one to two days at a recognised centre) and your experience with the installations in question. That is why the attestation must be reconfirmed at every new employer, and periodic refreshment (often recommended every five years) is part of good practice.
Why it pays
Without BA4/BA5 you are literally not allowed to touch the installation in many technical roles, which limits your deployability. In technician vacancies BA5 is a frequently requested asset that strengthens your negotiating position. Put the attestation explicitly on your CV, with the year of your latest training.
Frequently asked questions
Is BA4/BA5 a diploma that stays valid everywhere?
No: it is a competence declaration by your employer, tied to their installations and your training. When changing jobs the new employer assesses your knowledge and grants the competence anew. You do take your training certificates with you; they usually make that reconfirmation a formality.
Do I need an electrotechnical degree for BA5?
Not necessarily: skill rests on knowledge and experience. A technician without an electrical degree but with years of practice and targeted BA5 training can be declared skilled by their employer for specific installations. The reverse also holds: a degree alone is not enough without practical knowledge.
Related on this site: Electromechanic · Maintenance technician · Certificates that really pay off for technical profiles
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