How Long Does It Take To Become An Electrician?

Let’s jump right into the steps immediately:

Step 1: Get A High School Diploma Or Equivalent

You unquestionably require a high school diploma or a GED to qualify for the profession. You also need to focus adequately on essential subjects like math, science, and English to help you prepare for and advance in this field. You need to build strong mathematics basics, as you will need to determine wire length and voltage requirements, for instance. Special emphasis on physics and electronics will help you become familiar with topics such as electric circuit theory, electrical systems, wirings, building circuit boards, etc.

Step 2: Get Into An Electrician Trade School Or Apprenticeship Program

After you have completed and received your basic high school degree, it’s time to get some hands-on experience as an apprentice. You can either choose an apprenticeship program or get into an electrician trade school. There are significant differences between both of these institutions concerning their timeframe, cost of training, learning style, and skillset. Some apprenticeship programs are paid, allowing you to earn an income while learning on the job.

Apprenticeships are generally 4 to 5 years long, with 800 classroom training hours and 2000 hours of on-the-job training each year. These programs are a great way to enhance your skillset, expose yourself to real-life electrical problems, and connect with mentors and fellow professionals in the same industry.

Step 3: Get Your Electrician License

Once you have completed your training and have completed the minimum requirements to advance to the next level of becoming a journeyman electrician, it’s time to get your licensure.

A licensed and certified electrician is qualified to work as a commercial electrician, making him more reliable. Furthermore, one striking advantage of hiring licensed electricians over unlicensed ones is that they are insured under liability insurance. This means that if they incur any damage to your system or property, you are subjected to compensation for repairs and damages, adding an extra layer of protection and peace of mind.

Preparing for the journeyman electrician exam can help you get your licensure. At first, you must have your high school diploma certificate and then complete your electrician apprenticeship. Moreover, the topics covered in your electrician school or electrician program, like electrical theory, will help you in the exam. Not to mention, the on-the-job experience will help you answer practical questions in the exam. Once you have done this, you are eligible to take the examination and get your license as a journeyman electrician.

Step 4: Advancing Further

Once you obtain the license to work as a journeyman electrician, you would then need to get your licensure as a master electrician. Master electricians enjoy a plethora of benefits, including a higher pay range, independent projects, more expertise and experience in dealing with complex electrical systems, and, most importantly, starting your own electrical contractor business.

Being a master electrician is not easy. You need an additional 4000 hours of hands-on experience as a journeyman electrician. You will also need to take your master electrician exam, which can be significantly tougher than your journeyman test. You need to pass written and practical assessments of your electrical competency exams. Master electricians are expected to be adept at creating blueprints, which is something expected at this seniority level. Apart from blueprints, they need to have a robust understanding of complex electrical systems and understanding of electrical equipment and their functionality.