| The electrician is one of the most respected of the | | | | important to have math skills and a good command of |
| tradesmen in our society. The understanding and | | | | English. Electricians often work from manuals, so |
| harnessing of electricity has changed the world like | | | | reading and comprehension skills are needed. The |
| few other things. The loss of electricity would plunge | | | | ability to solve math problems and understand |
| the world back into darkness. Most people are | | | | blueprints are essential electrician skills. These skills |
| involved with electricity to the degree that they insert a | | | | must be acquired before beginning the apprenticeship |
| plug into a wall socket or throw a switch. Making sure | | | | program. Classroom training within the apprenticeship |
| the right thing happens when they do this is the job of | | | | program shows how to apply these skills to the work |
| the trained electrician. So, how does one become an | | | | place. It also includes teaching how to use testing |
| electrician? | | | | equipment, and even includes first aid training. |
| The path to a career as an electrician usually runs | | | | Many trade unions and contractor associations |
| through an apprenticeship program of some type. The | | | | sponsor vocational schools to prepare electricians. This |
| apprenticeship program will consist of a mix of | | | | is an alternative to the apprenticeship approach. At the |
| on-the-job training and formal classroom instruction. | | | | vocational school, the aspiring electrician completes the |
| The average apprenticeship program will run about 4 | | | | classroom portion of their preparation first. Graduates |
| years. The classroom training usually amounts to | | | | are usually hired as beginning electricians, generally at a |
| roughly 144 hours of instruction. So, it is obvious that | | | | higher rate of pay. |
| the majority of learning takes place on the job. This is | | | | A person may select to go through an apprenticeship |
| not unexpected as the electrician is much more | | | | program or attend a vocational school. The electrician |
| involved in the hands on work of installing and | | | | can look forward to good financial compensation and |
| maintaining electrical systems than in understanding the | | | | quite a bit of job security. The job is demanding, |
| theory behind them. | | | | however, and is not for careless people. School |
| This is not to say that the theory part is unimportant or | | | | guidance counselors, local contractor associations, and |
| unnecessary. The aspiring electrician is going to need a | | | | even trained electricians can give advice on the best |
| minimum of a high school education or GED. It is | | | | ways to prepare yourself in your local area. |