How to Become an Electrician

Written by: Peter Harrison

Category: General

Published: March 6, 2024

Whether you’re replacing an outlet or rewiring an entire home, electricity is essential for modern life. It powers everything from lights and appliances to computers, televisions, and mobile phones. But despite its convenience, working with electricity is still dangerous and requires skilled professionals to keep the system running safely. That’s why more people are turning to a career as an electrician than ever before. In fact, the profession is growing faster than some medical jobs.

But what exactly does it take to become an electrician? You’ll need to attend a trade school or vocational program to earn a certification. From there, you can start an apprenticeship program that combines paid on-the-job training with related classroom instruction. Most apprenticeships are union-sponsored and run for about four years.

Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you can apply for a journeyman electrician license. This will allow you to work independently and makes you eligible for higher wages. Many electricians also join a union, which can help protect your rights on the job and improve your pay. However, joining a union comes with added expenses in the form of dues.

Electricians often work in a variety of different settings and industries, but the most common place to find employment is on a construction site. This type of work is necessary for building new homes and business, as well as maintaining existing structures. Electricians can also be found in the manufacturing industry installing electrical equipment and linking it to power grid connections.

Other common jobs for electricians include installing or servicing telecommunications systems and fire alarms and security systems. And, of course, a large percentage of electricians are self-employed and work as independent contractors.

While it’s possible to get a job as an electrician without formal education, many employers require applicants to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some even prefer candidates to have completed some post-secondary education, such as a technical or vocational school program. In addition to education, you’ll need to have normal colour vision and pass a background check to be eligible to work on sites that contain live wiring.

As America continues to transition into a green economy, we will need thousands of new electricians to install charging stations and other infrastructure for clean energy. We’ll also need plenty of electricians to maintain and repair the generators, transmission lines, and electric vehicles that make our transition to a greener future feasible.

The good news is that the path to becoming an electrician is much shorter than the traditional college route. And if you can work hard and learn the trade quickly, you can earn good money while also avoiding the huge amount of student debt that many college graduates accumulate.