Some classes you may take to fulfill electrician degree requirements can include: 12
An associate degree in electrical technology is perhaps the most popular option for future electricians who choose to attend two-year programs. Some students specialize in certain areas of the field, like renewable energy or industrial electrical technology.
The Different Types of Working Electricians There are four specialty areas to choose from when pursuing a career as an electrician. These titles include outside linemen, inside wiremen, installer technician and residential wiremen.
High school diploma or equivalentElectrician / Entry level education
There are three levels of certification levels for electrical workers - these are Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Electrician.
four to five yearsOn average, it takes four to five years to become an electrician. Many aspiring electricians get all the training they need through an apprenticeship program.
Most states have three stages of electrician licensing: apprentice, journeyman, and master.Electrician Apprentice. Apprenticeships generally include a classroom component as well as substantial on-the-job training. ... Journeyman Electrician. ... Master Electrician. ... Specialty License Types.
You can attend TVET college and gain an electrician diploma:Majuba.South West Gauteng Technical and Vocational Education and Training College.The Johannesburg Institute of Engineering and Technology.The College of Cape Town.
Being an electrician is a good career because it offers great wages and the work is in very high demand. The constant advancements in technology and the prominence of electricity means that it is easy to keep a job. You will have a lot of career options in this trade and can easily work for yourself.
Electrical work is hard and can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. This is why it's so important to have extensive training and experience working under a licensed contractor before you can be licensed to work on your own.
While electrical technicians handle engineering systems or maintain existing systems, electricians are responsible for installing electrical systems. Their roles may vary depending on industry, qualifications, interests, and experience.
Benefits of Becoming an ElectricianPotential Great Pay. ... Job Security. ... You Get to Be Your Own Boss. ... Interesting Work & Optimal Work Environment. ... Great Physical Activity. ... It's a Well-Respected Profession. ... Meet the Basic Educational Requirements. ... Explore Training Opportunities.More items...
Electricians tend to be predominantly realistic individuals, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project. They also tend to be investigative, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts.
A master electrician is the highest level of electrician. Requirements to become a master electrician vary by state, but most states require you to have at least seven years of experience as a journeyman and worked for at least 4000 hours as a journeyman.
Electricians tend to be predominantly realistic individuals, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project. They also tend to be investigative, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts.
A Construction & Maintenance Electrician (309A) lays out, assembles, repairs, maintains, connects and tests electrical fixtures, apparatus, control equipment and wiring in just about every kind of residential and commercial building you can imagine.
While electrical technicians handle engineering systems or maintain existing systems, electricians are responsible for installing electrical systems. Their roles may vary depending on industry, qualifications, interests, and experience.
At an electrical trade school, you can expect to take classes that will give you extensive knowledge of electrical systems while pursuing your asso...
When pursuing a career as an electrician, there are different paths you can take, but the quickest way to become an electrician is a certificate co...
While there are many online programs available for various degrees, obtaining an electrician certification online is not likely. Because electrical...
Finally, in a bachelor's degree for electricians, you learn a mix of practical electrician skills and theoretical information more like what an electrical engineer might learn . Many classes also include information related to technology if it's relevant to understanding electrical devices. Some skills and courses for this type of degree include:
Electrician training consists of a wide variety of educational programs ranging from on-the-job apprenticeships to four-year bachelor's degrees. Each type of electrician school offers distinct advantages to future electricians, so choosing the right education varies for everyone.
Electrician school is generally a trade school —also known as a vocational college or technical school"—where you learn how to be an electrician. Training at a trade school for electricians might include understanding building codes, electrical safety and wiring and cabling. Programs for electricians can last from a few months up to a four-year bachelor's degree.
A certificate from a trade school is the shortest educational program for electricians and lasts anywhere from a few months to a year. One advantage of a certificate program is that your school may be able to place you in an apprenticeship program. Additionally, having some electrician education can make the apprenticeship process more efficient and productive.
However, every electrician is required to work as an apprentice, so even if you decide to go to school, you will still get the necessary on-the-job training.
Working as an electrician doesn't require a great deal of school, but the right courses can help you adapt to the workplace more quickly.
Additional costs for becoming an electrician can range from $250 to $10,000 or more, depending on your individual path. For instance, you might need to purchase certain types of equipment or tools, or you might need to pay for your accommodations as you complete your education. In other situations, you might need to pay a fee for taking a licensing exam, which usually costs under $100 but can vary depending on location.
Designed by BIS Safety Software, the Electrical Safety Training course contains extensive information about electrical hazards and safety practices. Some of the topics covered in this course include energy flow and barriers, induction, step and touch potential, and corded electrical equipment. To mitigate risks of injury or death, your workers can also expect to learn more about electrical hazard analysis, circuit protection devices, personal protective equipment, and special precautionary techniques. With BIS Safety Training’s learning platform, learners have up to three opportunities to get an 80% passing grade. Upon passing the assessment, they’ll be able to download and print their certificate of completion.
Basic Electricity is a comprehensive online course by 360training that focuses on the basic principles of electricity. Through this course, technicians and electricians can gain knowledge about technical topics like simplified atomic theory, EMF, current flow, and voltage sources. By the end of the course, learners can expect to describe how an electrical charge is created, differentiate between current flow and electron flow, and explain the five main ways to produce electricity. With 360training, learners can enjoy perks like updated content, 24-hour customer support, and online accessibility. Although do note that the course is only available for a duration of one year after purchase.
It covers a range of specialized topics like the types of risky environments, electrical work hazards, and lock-out tag -out procedures. The course also discusses the different types of residual current devices (RCD) including meter box mounted RCDs, combination RCDs, portable RCDs, and powerpoint RCDs. It then gives learners an insight into proper risk management through inspection and tagging of electrical equipment. This microlearning course is divided into 4 bite-sized lessons that your workers can complete at their own pace. It's also made available through desktop and mobile devices, allowing learners to access the course anytime and anywhere.
they will also need to write essays and papers during their education. Taking an English or Communications course to help fine tune their academic and business writing is a good way to prepare for their career. In a communications course they will learn how to write and respond to emails, write reports, and communicate with professionals in a business setting. This is especially important if they one day wish to start their own electrician company.
As an electrician you will need to be able to perform simple sums like addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. All of these are covered in basic high school math courses.
Math is incredibly important for Electricians and if your child become one they will find themselves using it every day. Whether they’re measuring a hole they need to cut or calculating the voltage required to power a room ’s lighting, they will need to be able to perform math quickly and accurately.
If their school offers Electronics courses or training it’s a good idea to take them in order to become familiar with working with circuits and other electrical devices. They will also likely learn some basic electrical circuity theory.
That’s why it’s important that they exercise regularly and get used to lifting and carrying large amount of weight. A Physical Education course is a great way to stay in shape so they’ll be ready for their training.
This makes taking at least one physics course during high school an excellent idea for potential electricians. they’ll still have to learn it again during their apprenticeship but they will be better prepared than their fellow students when the time comes.
While applying to become an apprentice, you may be asked to complete an aptitude test that will test reading comprehension as well as mathematics skills. Additionally, you will likely be asked to complete a job interview, take a drug test and meet specific physical requirements. 4. Register as an electrician apprentice.
Master electrician. A journeyman can apply to become a master electrician after acquiring about two years of experience. Specific requirements vary by state but licensing typically requires that candidates pass an exam. Master electricians can lead jobs, offer training to apprentices and direct electrical teams.
A journeyman is the most basic level of electrician. A journeyman electrician has completed an apprenticeship and become a licensed electrician. A journeyman can work independently but unable to offer training to apprentices, lead a job site or pull permits for electrical work.
Electrical contractors are essentially small business owners. They hire teams of electricians to complete jobs. As such, electrical contractors must have a certain level of insurance and are required to either be a master electrician or have one on staff.
An apprenticeship will cover training on topics like: Deciphering technical diagrams and construction blueprints for electrical plans. Installing, maintaining and repairing electrical wiring and electricity-distribution equipment. Ensuring that all work is done in compliance with national, state and local regulations.
Residential electricians focus on installing, repairing and maintaining the wiring and electrical systems in homes and small apartment buildings.
Some school subjects that offer valuable skills for this career are: Algebra and trigonometry: Electricians must use mathematical skills to determine wiring lengths, calculate the force of electrical currents and measure the angle of a circuit. Physics: Electricians need to understand basic scientific concepts to effectively complete their work.
Electrician courses vary by school and program, but only slightly.
This class is an introductory electrical wiring course that covers working with electrical boxes, conductors, cable raceways, and cables and wiring. The course explains basic wiring and installation procedures for cables and electrical boxes and the correct techniques for using hand benders.
Your courses will prepare you to do well in your electrical apprenticeship and will give you the knowledge you need to become licensed. Use your instruction time wisely and put it to work for your future as an electrician. Find an electrical trade school near you.
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If your degree program happens to be a computer and electrical engineering program, you should also expect to take classes in discrete mathematics. Your science studies in an electrical engineering program might include laboratory science classes in physics, chemistry or biology. ABET-accredited engineering programs require students to spend ...
The engineering courses required in an electrical engineering degree program might include circuit analysis, electro fields and materials, electric power engineering, signals and systems, control systems, integrated circuits, automation and digital communication systems. Often, students complete introductory courses in topics such as power engineering, control systems and communications systems before diving into more complex studies in these subject areas. Hands-on engineering work that takes place in laboratory and design courses is an important part of the curriculum.
Because the focus of engineering is design and problem-solving, rather than purely theoretical knowledge , it’s essential that graduates of an electrical engineering degree program have real-world experience apply the concepts they have learned. Many electrical engineering students gain this experience through an internship or cooperative program in which they work for a real employer of engineers, learning on the job, according to the BLS.
Electrical engineering is a growing and profitable career path, with a median salary of $95,060 per year, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Electrical engineering programs may be distinct majors, or they may be part of computer and electrical engineering or electrical and electronics engineering programs.
The goal of a student’s core engineering coursework is to act as a bridge from the theory of science and advanced mathematics to the application of those theories in creative design work.
ABET-accredited engineering programs require students to spend at least one year – 32 semester hours or one-quarter of their total credits for graduation – on math and science courses.
The most common way to do this is to become an apprentice. Apprentices take 500 to 1,000 hours of classes, often at night and on weekends, while also working and learning on the job. Electrical apprentices work directly with master electricians to both work and learn and also earn a living. Apprenticeship programs take four to five years to complete.
A master electrician is specially licensed and has at least a few years of experience beyond the journeyman level. Master electricians can do work unsupervised, pull permits, and supervise and guide other electricians. They can also take on and train apprentices. Master electricians generally earn more than journeymen.
Outside linemen are the electrical workers responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing electrical lines that you see outdoors. These are the lines that carry electricity from power plants to neighborhoods, communities, and both residential and commercial buildings. Outside linemen work outdoors in all kinds of weather and often at significant heights. This can be a dangerous job with the risk of falls and electrocution by high voltage lines. But, these workers earn more than most electricians working indoors.
The distinction is simple, which is that commercial electricians work on commercial buildings and residential electricians work in homes and sometimes small apartment buildings. Systems in commercial buildings are usually larger and more complex, but otherwise the jobs are similar.
Once you have successfully completed an apprenticeship you can take the necessary steps to gain the licensing or certification that is required in your state, county and city. Most states and areas require that you work as a journeyman next, which means you have to be supervised by a master electrician.
Journeyman License: Must have at least 4 years (8,000 hours) of work experience as an apprentice electrician and at least 576 hours of classroom instruction; specialty electrician licenses granted to electricians who can show proof of at least 2 years of work experience within their specialty. Master (Journeyman) Electrician License: Must have ...
Master Electrician (General) License: Must have at least 6 years of practical experience or 4 years of schooling and 2 years of practical experience; (limited) must have at least 3 years of practical experience or two years of schooling and one year of practical experience; both must pass a written examination.
Apprentice (Beginning Electrician) License: Granted to electricians with some experience installing and repairing wiring work; must work under the direct supervision of a master or journeyman electrician
Journeyman License: Must have at least 4 years (8,000 hours) of work experience as an apprentice electrician and at least 576 hours of classroom instruction; specialty electrician licenses granted to electricians who can show proof of at least 2 years of work experience within their specialty
Master Electrician License: Must pass a written examination. Electrical Contractor License: Issued to master electricians and companies that have a master electrician as a full-time employee; must pass an examination; specialty contractor licenses include: Fire alarm contractor. Sign specialty contractor.
Electrical Contractor License: The electrical contractor license is an optional business license reserved for master electricians that operate an electrical contracting business, or companies that employ at least one master electrician.
Licenses Issued Through: No state licensing of contractors or journeyman; New York City requires licensing through the Department of Buildings; NYC license holders can work in all 5 boroughs: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island