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Not having anything to eat is worse than getting zapped. The perils of working with electricity are no laughing matter, unless you're working with low amps, in which case it is still painful and probably funny to your electrical brethren. Watching an apprentice get zapped by low amp voltage as he or she tries to find a stud is something of a pastime for journeymen and master electricians. Trust me, that hapless apprentice was me.
An apprenticeship program involves both classroom and fieldwork designed a pre-set curriculum. The most prominent apprenticeships are affiliated with such prestigious unions as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association. In addition to these apprenticeships, many independent universities and trade schools offer affiliated training courses.
All apprentices have to have a valid high school diploma or GED to begin a program. Though some programs will allow apprentices to earn a GED while they are still in training, it is essential all apprentices have a firm grasp of the English language and basic mathematics. These skills will be essential for any aspiring Master or Journeyman level electricians.
Fieldwork must be supervised by certified by Journeyman or Master level electricians. Field training includes completion of simple errands like drilling holes, setting anchors, and attaching conduit. More complex training sees the apprentice understanding how to measure, fabricate, and install conduit and install, connect, and test wiring, outlets, and switches. Eventually, apprentices will master the drawing up of electrical diagrams.
Typical apprenticeships last four years and require 144 hours of classroom hours and 2,000 hours of field work. In the classroom, apprentices are taught a curriculum that includes electrical theory, blueprint reading, mathematics, electrical code constraints, safety and first aid practices as well as specialized training in soldering, communications, and fire alarm systems. That's a great deal of learning, but essential to enjoy a lucrative future as Master electrician. You can get an accredited classroom curriculum through an online program like the ones offered by Ashworth College, PCDI and others.
