2 answers
Jason
Student
San Tan Valley, Arizona
2
Questions
2 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1534
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Jason, before pursuing a career as an electrician, you'll need to earn a high school diploma or the equivalent. Though a majority of the job relies on specific skills related to the industry, there are plenty of academic concepts that electricians utilize daily. Some school subjects that offer valuable skills for this career would be:
• ALGEBRA/TRIGONOMETRY: Electricians must use mathematical skills to determine wiring lengths, calculate the force of electrical currents and measure the angle of a circuit.
• MECHANICAL DRAWING: This is useful in teaching electricians to how to design electrical systems in buildings and other structures.
Though attending a trade or vocational-technical school isn't required to become an electrician, it can offer valuable training and greatly aid you in the process of obtaining certification as well as job placement. Whether you attend a four-year university where you study electrical technology or earn a career diploma through a trade school, the experience will give you comprehensive lab-based and classroom training and introductions to basic electrical principles that could give them an edge when applying for apprenticeships.
Be sure to choose a well-designed program that meets all the state requirements. Most importantly, the program must be approved by the Division of Industrial Relations of your state. This training is only a portion of what you need to become an electrician. The other part of your training, which often can be done concurrently with your electrician program, is the requirement that you accumulate at least X,XXX hours of on-the-job experience. The exact hour requirement changes for specific electrician career paths, but the basic principle remains the same. If you want to be an electrician, you’ll be spending at least a few thousand hours as a trainee. You can earn while you work, as long as you work under a licensed electrician.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ELECTRICIAN
• GENERAL ELECTRICIAN: This certification requires 8,000 hours of job experience in 2 different fields, like industrial or residential wiring. The certification lets you work all kinds of jobs. It’s the highest certification available. Once you’ve achieved the hour requirement, you’ll be eligible to take your state’s 270-minute open-book exam to earn a general election certification.
• RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICIAN: If you’re not interested in commercial jobs, a residential certification gets you more specific job knowledge with just 4,800 work hours. Your hours make you eligible for a 3-hour open-book exam leading to earn a residential election certification.
• FIRE/LIFE/SAFETY ELECTRICIAN: This certification process starts after 4,000 hours in at least 2 required fields, from nurse call systems to safety, control panels, and troubleshooting/maintenance. Earn your hours, then apply and take the 135-minute open-book exam.
• VOICE DATA VIDEO TECHNICIAN: You’ll need 4,000 hours of work in 2 applicable categories, which are similar to the Fire/Line/Safety certification. In addition to stock room, installations, control panels, and troubleshooting/maintenance, you might also have hours in trade-specific training related to voice, data, and video systems. At the end of it, you’ll apply to take a 135-minute open-book exam.
• ALGEBRA/TRIGONOMETRY: Electricians must use mathematical skills to determine wiring lengths, calculate the force of electrical currents and measure the angle of a circuit.
• MECHANICAL DRAWING: This is useful in teaching electricians to how to design electrical systems in buildings and other structures.
Though attending a trade or vocational-technical school isn't required to become an electrician, it can offer valuable training and greatly aid you in the process of obtaining certification as well as job placement. Whether you attend a four-year university where you study electrical technology or earn a career diploma through a trade school, the experience will give you comprehensive lab-based and classroom training and introductions to basic electrical principles that could give them an edge when applying for apprenticeships.
Be sure to choose a well-designed program that meets all the state requirements. Most importantly, the program must be approved by the Division of Industrial Relations of your state. This training is only a portion of what you need to become an electrician. The other part of your training, which often can be done concurrently with your electrician program, is the requirement that you accumulate at least X,XXX hours of on-the-job experience. The exact hour requirement changes for specific electrician career paths, but the basic principle remains the same. If you want to be an electrician, you’ll be spending at least a few thousand hours as a trainee. You can earn while you work, as long as you work under a licensed electrician.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ELECTRICIAN
• GENERAL ELECTRICIAN: This certification requires 8,000 hours of job experience in 2 different fields, like industrial or residential wiring. The certification lets you work all kinds of jobs. It’s the highest certification available. Once you’ve achieved the hour requirement, you’ll be eligible to take your state’s 270-minute open-book exam to earn a general election certification.
• RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICIAN: If you’re not interested in commercial jobs, a residential certification gets you more specific job knowledge with just 4,800 work hours. Your hours make you eligible for a 3-hour open-book exam leading to earn a residential election certification.
• FIRE/LIFE/SAFETY ELECTRICIAN: This certification process starts after 4,000 hours in at least 2 required fields, from nurse call systems to safety, control panels, and troubleshooting/maintenance. Earn your hours, then apply and take the 135-minute open-book exam.
• VOICE DATA VIDEO TECHNICIAN: You’ll need 4,000 hours of work in 2 applicable categories, which are similar to the Fire/Line/Safety certification. In addition to stock room, installations, control panels, and troubleshooting/maintenance, you might also have hours in trade-specific training related to voice, data, and video systems. At the end of it, you’ll apply to take a 135-minute open-book exam.
David Harris
Electrician
9
Answers
Golden Valley, Arizona
Updated
David’s Answer
Hello Jason. You will have to get a diploma or GED. Practice your Geometry, Algebra and Trigonometry. It will be used to figure electrical calculations such as electrical loads, amount of power required, volts, amps etc... Your geometry will help you if you go into the industrial side of electrical and start bending conduit. The Trigonometry will be handy when you start doing calculations on phase angles, transformer configurations and other various engineering calculations.
You can contact your local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, (IBEW) union and they can guide you through the process and requirements. It IS a physically demanding and sometimes dangerous career. I hope this was helpful.
You can contact your local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, (IBEW) union and they can guide you through the process and requirements. It IS a physically demanding and sometimes dangerous career. I hope this was helpful.