Education · 1 of 4
The path
An apprenticeship, not a degree. Roughly 80% on the job and 20% in a classroom at night.
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High school diploma
Grade 12
Algebra is the one that matters. Some districts run a pre-apprenticeship or a construction academy that gets you a head start.
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Get into an apprenticeship
Weeks to a year of applying
Two main routes: the union programs run by the electrical training Alliance, a partnership of the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) and the National Electrical Contractors Association, or non-union employer programs. Both are free and both are competitive.
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Register with your state
Days
Most states require apprentices to hold an apprentice license or registration before touching a wire. Your program handles the paperwork.
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Work and study
4 to 5 years
About 8,000 hours on the job over four to five years, plus several hundred hours of evening classes on code, theory and safety.
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Journeyman license
After your hours
Sit your state's exam, mostly on the National Electrical Code. Pass it and you can work unsupervised.