How to become an electrician besides going through an UNION apprenticeship program?

[JEDI]

To qualify for a journeyman exam, you must have one of the following:

- four years of practical trade experience and 240 hours of vocational training. You can substitute each year of experience (after the four years) for 80 hours of training, up to 200 hours. ==> Apprenticeship

- an associate degree from a Department-approved program and two years of practical experience

- a bachelor's degree from a Department-approved program and one year of practical experience

- ten years of documented Department-approved practical experience


Anyone know which bachelor degrees can substitute for the 4 years of Apprenticeship?

Any other way to become a licensed electrician?

THX

 

[FoBoT]

why buck the system? if you want to be in the trades, just go union , apprentices still get paid well

 

[nweaver]

yeah, apprentice (about 5 years ago) started low ($12 an hour or so) but quickly climbed, something like 2-4 dollars a year, and in 4 years, they made journeyman, and union got them paid (iirc) $24 an hour.

 

[jackace]

I would bet a BSEE would substitute.

 

[Greenman]

The union rules don't apply to being a licensed electrician. Licensing is controlled by the state, not the union, the state will decide what the requirements are.

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: jackace
I would bet a BSEE would substitute.

we didn't learn jackshit about practical electricity. i bought a book on home wiring though, pretty easy to pick up.

they never explained fuses or circuit breakers or anything remotely close to that. hell i just learned yesterday that fuses and circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring, not a load connected to that wiring.

 

[darthsidious]

Well, then you need to take some lab classes, esp in power electronics.

Originally posted by: JohnCU

Originally posted by: jackace
I would bet a BSEE would substitute.

we didn't learn jackshit about practical electricity. i bought a book on home wiring though, pretty easy to pick up.

they never explained fuses or circuit breakers or anything remotely close to that. hell i just learned yesterday that fuses and circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring, not a load connected to that wiring.

 

[KarmaPolice]

why not just go through the union...experience PLUS money = win?

 

[Gneisenau]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
....
they never explained fuses or circuit breakers or anything remotely close to that. hell i just learned yesterday that fuses and circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring, not a load connected to that wiring.

Suprise!!!. It does seem strange at first, but when you think about it, it does make sense. The breaker usually trips because the load already went bad.

 

[tw1164]

The department will have a list of the approved programs. Just ask someone there, that's why they're there.

 

[KarmaPolice]

if i was good with my hands I would do something like being an electrician in a second..they can make a lot of money. Everytime we have to call someone to do work on the house, a roofer, electrician, plumber, or general fix/construction they are always late, don't come on days they say they will, and so on and so on. If just one of them would actually run their business a little better and kept to times and schedules while being friendly they would make a killing...or at least I know i would call them everytime.

 

[BoomerD]

I don't think a college degree will qualify you to work as an electrician, unless it's a vocational class. Granted, the theory will serve you well once you gain practical experience, but it's the "hands-on" stuff that you learn in an apprenticeship that employers need. AFAIK, not many BA/BS programs teach you to run conduit, ground grids, wire panels, etc. THAT stuff takes hands-on experience and training.
I'm NOT dismissing the value of the college degree, but working in the field requires a different kind of training...and most employers hiring a journeyman electrician expect that journeyman to be FULLY trained.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I don't think a college degree will qualify you to work as an electrician, unless it's a vocational class. Granted, the theory will serve you well once you gain practical experience, but it's the "hands-on" stuff that you learn in an apprenticeship that employers need. AFAIK, not many BA/BS programs teach you to run conduit, ground grids, wire panels, etc. THAT stuff takes hands-on experience and training.
I'm NOT dismissing the value of the college degree, but working in the field requires a different kind of training...and most employers hiring a journeyman electrician expect that journeyman to be FULLY trained.

My brother is an electrician and he didn't have to join a union or do anything with unions to take the exam. He had the books and studied them like crazy until he felt ready to take the exam and then went and took it. I am guessing that maybe you live in a non right to work state?

 

[BoomerD]

My comments had nothing to do with unions, merely addressing experience.
And yes, I DO live in a non-right-to-work (for less) state.

Where did your brother gain the experience to become an electrician? There's a LOT more to it than just studying books.

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I don't think a college degree will qualify you to work as an electrician, unless it's a vocational class. Granted, the theory will serve you well once you gain practical experience, but it's the "hands-on" stuff that you learn in an apprenticeship that employers need. AFAIK, not many BA/BS programs teach you to run conduit, ground grids, wire panels, etc. THAT stuff takes hands-on experience and training.
I'm NOT dismissing the value of the college degree, but working in the field requires a different kind of training...and most employers hiring a journeyman electrician expect that journeyman to be FULLY trained.

that's what i was saying. I have a BS in EE but there is no way I could go wire up a house without some some serious training and knowledge outside of the realm of theory where everything works out smoothly.

i even asked my professor if we could have a "practical" class on electricity and he said you go to a different school for that so yeah it's completely different.

 

[Wapp]

Navy Reserve ftw! Construction Electrician nets a $20k enlistment bonus.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Wapp
Navy Reserve ftw! Construction Electrician nets a $20k enlistment bonus.

Dude, I dunno about that...here in northern Kahleeforneeya, a journeyman sparky makes over $40/hour, and a brand-new apprentice starts at close to $20/hour...

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: jackace
I would bet a BSEE would substitute.

Are you kidding me? no electrical engineering program gives you the knowledge on how to become an electrician.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: Gneisenau

Originally posted by: JohnCU
....
they never explained fuses or circuit breakers or anything remotely close to that. hell i just learned yesterday that fuses and circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring, not a load connected to that wiring.

Suprise!!!. It does seem strange at first, but when you think about it, it does make sense. The breaker usually trips because the load already went bad.

It's because in EE, you learn that you have to protect the load (you can make current detetcion switched, volatge detection, etc or you simply use ohms law). However, as an electrician, the only thing you have to worry about is hoping to god people are not dumb enough to over load the line by plugging a fridge, and an air conditioner into one socket. In other words houses and buildings deal with fixed voltages and different loads, where as EE's usually have a various loads and mixed voltages.


The city designed electrical codes to prevent homes from buring down....EE's don't care about their workplace burning down as long as they complete their work and get a raise.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: darthsidious
Well, then you need to take some lab classes, esp in power electronics.

Originally posted by: JohnCU

Originally posted by: jackace
I would bet a BSEE would substitute.

we didn't learn jackshit about practical electricity. i bought a book on home wiring though, pretty easy to pick up.

they never explained fuses or circuit breakers or anything remotely close to that. hell i just learned yesterday that fuses and circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring, not a load connected to that wiring.

You need to learn to quote properly.

Anyway tons of college degrees are like that. They show you have the aptitude, but you really learn how to do it in the real world.