Training to become an electrician is quite intensive due to the nature of the work. An on the job, apprentice program is available through industry associations and unions that lasts three to five years. Informal on the job training is also available. Official training through trade schools, community colleges or career colleges is also an option. Those programs typically last three years.
Regardless of the training, most electricians also need to be licensed and successfully pass a test on the National Electrical Code as well as local electric and building codes.
Education focuses during training or class time include electrical theory, electronics, math, blueprint reading, local codes and electrical safety and first aid. Students seeking a career as an electrician should have full physical mobility and good manual dexterity for soldering and connecting wires. Being in good physical shape is an advantage for long hours of physical work and the strength needed to bend conduit and other construction aspects.
Electrician Career Summary
For a great career with high employment prospects all over the country, becoming an electrician is a solid choice for those who like physical labor with a technical flair.
