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You’ve always wanted to become an electrician. You love the problem-solving aspect of the job, the way it allows you to connect with people.
Now, you feel like you’re at a place in your life where you’re ready to pursue electrician training more actively.
Before enrolling in a course to get your certification, you want to be sure you understand what to expect from the process. This post is here to help.
We’ll tell you the most important things you need to know about how to become an electrician that makes a serious difference in the lives of their clients — and one with a strong skill set, too.
Why Electrician Training Matters
Maybe you’re still on the fence about enrolling in an accredited electrician training and certification program.
After all, you might think, isn’t it just better to learn on the job as you go?
While that might seem the right idea at first, the truth is that people simply aren’t want to work with an untrained electrician.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, you don’t just risk further damaging a client’s wiring or failing to get the job done correctly. You also put your safety and the safety of others at risk.
You’ll also be able to familiarize yourself with electrical code requirements in your service area. This way, you can avoid heavy fines and potential loss of your license or business.
You’ll also learn about OSHA standards, commercial, industrial, residential wiring, and even trade mathematics.
These are skills that you need if you want to set yourself apart from other electricians.
In some cases, you may even be able to find a school that will help to connect you with an employment opportunity as soon as you finish your program. Now, let’s talk more about the skills you need to become an electrician.
What to Expect out of Electrician Training
When you want to become an electrician, we understand that the prospect of enrolling in school again might be a bit intimidating at first.
Remember that, in order to enroll in trade school, you’ll likely need to have completed your high school or a GED program.
The goal of your electrician training is to prepare to qualify to pass the Journeyman examination. The exam will test how well you understand the National Electrical Code in most cases. Depending on the state where you want to work, you’ll also need to show that you understand local building code laws.
Of course, you’ll also learn how to fix common electrical problems in commercial and residential buildings. This can include faulty circuit breakers and overloads, sudden power losses, electrical testing, and the installation of light fixtures.
You may even learn how to read blueprints to properly follow electrical plans during construction. You should expect a combination of hybrid classroom learning and on-the-job experience. You may also be required to complete a certain number of training hours in addition to passing your exam.
What to Do After You’ve Completed Your Program
After completing your training course and obtaining your Trainee Card, you are ready to work in the field. You can receive valuable experience by working alongside a licensed electrician. To become licensed, you must complete approximately 8,000 hours of work in California (depending on specialty) and pass the Journeyman examination.
Students who complete the InterCoast Electrical Training Program are qualified to sit for the Journeyman examination. After passing the exam and completing your required hours (around 8,000 depending on your specialty), you qualify to submit for your electrical license.
What should your next steps after graduation be?
Remember that completing your electrical training also provides you with excellent networking opportunities in addition to a competitive skill set. Mine your contacts list and think about shadowing or working under a more experienced electrician.
Even if you had on-the-job training as a part of your certificate program, it helps to have someone working with you who can help guide you through tricky situations as you build your career.
You’ll also learn more about how to build and grow a client list and brand yourself as an electrician. Remember that learning the best ways to market yourself is essential, especially if you know you have lots of competition.
It’s a good idea to look for any sites specific to your field for salary data. These sites may have information on industry average wages, particularly if your field’s rarer.
You can also decide on the areas of specialization you’d like to focus on as an electrician. You may find that you want to take continuing education courses to strengthen your skill set as you continue your career. This certainly pads your resume and sets you apart from the competition in your area.
Are You Ready to Become an Electrician?
We hope this post has given you a better understanding of what it takes to become an electrician.
Enrolling in a trade school may be the best way to make sure you truly possess the skill set to fix almost any problem that comes your way.
So, are you ready to enroll in electrician school?
If so, we invite you to learn more about our programs. You could be on the job in as few as 50 weeks. Now is the time to go after the future you deserve.