For individuals who relish tinkering with electronics, gadgets, and wiring, pursuing a career as an electrician holds significant appeal. Essentially, electricians work primarily with electricity, a field that, while potentially hazardous, offers lucrative opportunities for career advancement.
Becoming an electrician requires specific training and education, necessitating a strategic approach from the outset. By taking the appropriate steps at the right junctures, you can pave the way toward a successful career in this field.
Let’s delve deeper into the responsibilities of electricians and explore the pathway to becoming one.
What Does an Electrician Do?
In simpler words, electricians are skilled professionals that deal with issues associated with electrical power. They have been trained to perform various kinds of responsibilities like installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical equipment.
There are many categories in which an electrician can be placed. These categories differ from each other in terms of training, experience, expertise, and license.
The categories are:
- Journeyman Electrician – The journeyman electricians are the basic type of electricians that have completed their apprenticeship and become a licensed electricians. These types of electricians can work independently but they would need to pull permits for work. They wouldn’t be able to offer training or apprenticeship to other aspiring electricians.
- Master Electricians – Master Electricians are one step ahead of Journeyman electricians. If you are a journeyman electrician then you can take two years of experience and training to become Master Electrician. You will get a license based on your State’s requirements and procedures. They can lead jobs, offer training, and also direct electrician teams as well.
- Independent Electrical Contractor – Being an independent electrical contractor is more like running a small business where you would hire electricians and electrical teams to complete jobs. These required me to be a master electrician and have some kind of insurance.
Electricians can further specialize in other categories like residential electricians, commercial electricians, and industrial electricians. All of them have different kinds of responsibilities and duties, so you can decide which one you are more comfortable with.
There are a few things that you would have to do to become an electrician. Let’s find out what.
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How To Become An Electrician
1. Earn a High School Diploma
One of the first things that you have to do would be to earn a high school diploma. If not a high school diploma, an equivalent would do as well. There are some subjects that might help you with your electrician career and help you to improve your skills and abilities needed to become an electrician.Some of these subjects are:Algebra and Trigonometry: it is one of the few subjects that would help you with your career as an electrician. See, an electrician needs to measure wire lengths, calculate so many things and even measure the angle of a circuit.Physics: electricians have to work with power and voltages, so it would be essential that they understand the basic physicsMechanical drawings: it would be useful if you have appeared in mechanical drawing classes or have a knowledge of it. Because you will have to make mechanical designs and might have to prepare blueprints as well.
2. Consider attending a trade or vocational-technical school.
Another one of the things that you need to do or at least you should do would be to attend a trade or vocational-technical school. It may not be mandatory but it would be useful as you would learn valuable skills and training that would help you to license as well as the job.You can also take a four-year-long educational course where you learn about mechanical or electrical technologies. You will get a lab-based experience and learn some skills that would be essential for you to become an electrician. During this time, you would also learn where to apply for an apprenticeship.The general thumb rule is, you must have 1000 hours of training that you can do in a year. It is the minimum requirement to become a journeyman electrician and you can always choose a longer program to enhance your skills.
3. Apply for an apprenticeship
The apprenticeship would be the most important step that you would need to take to become an electrician. This is required to get your license. And there are many ways through which you can get your apprenticeship and these are:Through a Trade School: trade schools would typically offer apprenticeship and job placement opportunities.Through a Union: there are several unions and committees that offer aspiring electricians apprenticeships. They would place you with a local employer. They would facilitate and host any classroom and lab-based technical training at their office.Through non-union: if you don’t want to go through the union, you can also always choose to go through the non-union programs.Keep in mind that you would be asked to take a test while you apply for an apprenticeship. The test would test your reading, comprehension as well as mathematical things.
4. Complete your apprenticeship
You have to register yourself as an electrician apprentice. Without this, you won’t be able to get any work. Apart from this, you will have to complete your apprenticeship within a specific period and learn all those valuable skills. During this time, you can also choose what kind of electrician you want to become and how would you work as well.
5. Get Licensed or Certified
To get the jobs, you will have to get a license or a certification to become an electrician. Only this would allow you to work and get jobs. Again, you have to take an exam for this and you will get your license or certificate only if you pass the exam.
Conclusion
Following these steps is all it takes to become an electrician. It’s a manageable process, and with dedication, you can achieve your goal of becoming a skilled electrician.
We trust that our article has provided you with the guidance you were seeking. If you have any further questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out.
