How to become an electrician?

An electrician poses a crucial skill set that is necessary for a modern, digital, and fast-paced world to function efficiently. To become an electrician, technical knowledge is required, and as it is a high-risk profession, hence it requires strict qualifications and extensive training.

How to Become an Electrician and Why

The electrical contracting industry is one of the leading and largest industries in the USA. There are currently more than 80,000 electrician contractor companies and over 700,000 electrical workers who work very hard to provide public services, businesses, and homes with the electrical power they need.

Five Simple Steps to Take to Become an Electrician

More and more people are choosing to go to apprenticeship programs and trade schools as it is a great alternative to a traditional four-year college. This way, students are immediately employment-ready right after the program and training.

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step 1: Are you qualified?

If you want to start working as an electrician, you need to be sure that you have the necessary qualifications for this job.

You must:

Be older than 18
Have a GED or a high school diploma
Have reliable transportation
Be in good shape
Able to work in a group or independently
Able to follow precise classroom instruction

Step 2: Make Sure it is What You Truly Want

In order to even begin with becoming an electrician, it is wise to thoroughly research what it even means to be a professional electrician before you dive into this journey.

Step 3: Apprenticeship Training or Trade School Applying

One of the most important steps in becoming an electrician is to apply for training. There are two options: apprenticeship and trade school (Technical school).

Trade school is an ideal option for all those people who learn best in a classroom setting from experienced teachers who guide and instruct them.

On the other hand, if you opt to be an apprentice, you are also going to need to attend classes for three to four years. However, this way is more difficult to get accepted because it includes a combination of work experience and training, and what’s most important, it takes years to complete.

Even the basic electrical contractor license (journeyman license) requires acquiring between 500 hours and 2,000 hours – 4,000 hours and more than 8,000 hours for an apprenticeship.

What is a Journeyman Electrician?

A journeyman is the first, most basic electrician level. A journeyman electrician is an electrician who has undergone thorough and completed an apprenticeship and became a licensed electrician. Although journeyman electricians can work independently, they cannot pull necessary permits for electrical work, offer training to other apprentices, or even lead a job site.

How to Become an Electrician or Master Electrician?

Those who completed a basic level of an electrician – journeyman electrician – can apply to become a master electrician, but only after getting around two years of experience. Other more specific requirements vary from state to state and depend on state and local laws, but in general, licensing usually demands that candidates for master electricians pass an exam. Master electricians have licenses to direct electrical teams, lead jobs, and offer training to other apprentices.

Independent Electrical Contractor

Electrical contractors are usually SME owners. They hire professional teams of electricians to do the job. Therefore, electrical contractors need some insurance level and to be either master electrician or to have staff.