The role of installer as the next step in his career
Increased regulatory complexity, stricter documentation requirements and higher requirements for professional responsibility have changed the role of installers. For many engineers and technologists, this opens up new career opportunities.
- The role of an installer is not primarily about carrying out the work, but about ensuring that the work is planned, carried out and documented correctly. It is a decision-making role, points out electrical and instrument engineer, Håvard Løining.
Løining also shares this understanding of the role as a course instructor in NITO's preparatory course for the installer test. The course is based on practical issues and helps participants develop the right mindset for the role of academic manager – not only with the goal of passing an exam, but understanding the responsibilities that come with the role.
Read more and sign up for the course
A role with greater responsibility than before
Today, the installer is expected to make holistic assessments that affect safety, quality and compliance throughout the facility's lifetime. The role is not just about knowing how the work is carried out, but about ensuring that it is planned, executed and documented correctly. The decisions that are made have consequences for personal safety, fire safety, operations and documentation, among other things, and place high demands on judgement.
This development is also reflected in the installer test, which is conducted digitally, without aids, and largely tests the candidate's ability to make administrative and professional assessments – not practical execution. For many, this means a clear shift in perspective: from the installer's assessments to the role of professional responsible.
Competence and professional support in practice
The installer's decision-making quality is not shaped alone, but in interaction with the expertise of the entire business. When installers, bases, case officers and project managers have a good understanding of the regulations, the assessments become safer. Much of the learning takes place in short moments – in professional discussions before work starts, in clarifications about documentation or after deviations that need to be handled. This is often where quality and safety are established in practice.
Professional responsibility cannot be digitized away. The role requires presence, guidance and professional judgement. At the same time, low-threshold digital professional tools can be a useful supplement to competence work. One example is the Installer app, developed by Håvard Løining, which is designed to support reflection and professional discussions about regulations and responsibilities in everyday work. The app is available on both the App Store and Google Play.
More than a sample
For many NITO members, the role of installer represents an important development step. The role requires a complex competence profile that combines technical experience, regulatory understanding, risk expertise and decision-making ability. This makes the installer a key person in the business and a key player for electrical safety in society.
For many engineers and technologists, the role of an installer is therefore not just about passing a test, but about taking a clear step forward in professional life.
Read more and sign up for preparation for the installer test
Forfatter av artikkelen og kursholder, Håvard Løining
Håvard Løining er elektro‑ og instrumentingeniør med installatørpapirer etter FEK § 7. Han har erfaring fra bygg‑ og energisektoren og arbeider med elsikkerhet, regelverksetterlevelse og kvalitet i tekniske prosjekter. Løining bestod installatørprøven i 2018 og jobber i dag med kompetanseutvikling i elektrofaget. Engasjementet for installatørrollen har blant annet resultert i utviklingen av Installatør appen og utgivelsen av Installatørguiden.
