According to Electronics Hub, the most common causes of electrical faults include joint failures of cables and overhead lines, and failure of one or more phases of the circuit breaker, and also the melting of a fuse or conductor in one or more phases. While we can’t stop certain faults from occurring, we can prevent others. A good start will be procuring quality materials that hardly wear out. This article will basically show you how to become a journeyman electrician. However, it will also highlight key areas of this job description and the demands. The table of content below can give you more insight into what you will learn from this article.
Who Is A Journeyman Electrician?
A journeyman electrician is a professional with quality knowledge of installations and repair of electrical systems whether light bulbs, transformers, etc. As professionals, their job demands a strong level of attention to detail. You need to be meticulous so you never get two wires entangled and ultimately cause a fire. Before you can become a journeyman electrician, you must undergo a series of training. On the other hand, if you’re considering this job title, you will know why you should start your training immediately. Read more: What Does a Computer Technician Do? Job Description …
Why Become A Journeyman Electrician?
A lot of people invest time to make decisions when it comes to choosing a career. Generally, we can agree that no one wants to make a mistake in that area. As important as data is and can help you, a lot of things change with time. For example, the emergence of drones signaled the end of a cameraman and a helicopter capturing happenings/events. Truth be told; the growth of technology in the world is tied to electricity. The current range of electric cars in production will need charging at certain points. Hence, a terminal will be installed and this has to be done by a journeyman electrician. We can go on and on talking about different ways electricity will influence the world but we would only be wasting time. There’s a lot of prospects ahead when you choose to become a journeyman electrician.
How Long does it take to become a Journeyman Electrician?
Due to the nature of the job that journeymen electricians do, a lot of questions remain unanswered. Unlike other programs with a stipulated timeline, the pathway to becoming a journeyman electrician is different. Instead of attending an academic institution, you attend apprenticeship training. In this training, you get practical experience in electrical systems and their processes. Generally, it takes about 6-7 years to fully become a journeyman electrician. Read more: 13 Best Electrician Trade schools in the World
What is the Salary and Job Outlook of a Journeyman Electrician?
Journeyman electricians work hard. In fact, their work is so technical that it demands a lot of time and rapid attention. We can call them surgeons of electricity. Working so hard demands a good paycheck for these professionals. According to Indeed, the average salary for a Journeyman Electrician is $27.69 per hour in the United States. Furthermore, they get compensation of $10,500 per year. On the other hand, BLS projects employment of electricians is projected to grow 8% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Homes and businesses continue to require wiring, and electricians will be needed to install the necessary components. Are you still wondering how and why you can become a journeyman electrician?
What Are The Career Paths Of A Journeyman Electrician?
The work of a journeyman electrician is vast. Hence, there are different branches wherein you can specialize as a journeyman electrician. The two branches of the journeyman electrician career include:
Journeyman LinemanInside Journeyman Wireman
Read more: 13 Best Electrical Engineering Schools in the World | 2021 Some of their core job descriptions include: Furthermore, this professional maintain all types of electrical systems within industrial and commercial facilities that connect to lighting, receptacles, heating equipment, motors, etc. Finally, the inside journeyman wireman can install and maintain fire alarm and security systems. Some of the core duties of this professional include:
How To Become A Journeyman Electrician
Becoming a journeyman electrician demands a lot of practical skills. It isn’t something you necessarily study as you practice more. So, now we have established that you can now learn how to become a journeyman electrician. The process includes:
Start Apprenticeship
Becoming a journey electrician demands that you start and complete an apprenticeship program. This apprenticeship course is a pratical and theoretical training with about 700-1,000 hours of classroom work. Generally, you spend about 5-6 years in this supervised on-the-job training. For a lot of people, they prefer getting an electrician diploma or associate degree which can make up for the classroom work. The only thing they would have to focus on would be the on-the-job training. A lot of institutions can offer you a journeyman electrician apprenticeship program. However, we will discuss that in the later part of this content.
Get a License
After you have completed your apprenticeship program, you would have to get your license as well. Without a license, you cannot effectively practice as a journeyman electrician. The licensing for this career path differs state by state. For instance, to qualify for the competency examination, Texas demands its candidates for a journeyman lineman license to have up to 7,000 hours of training through an apprenticeship program (approved by the Department of Labor) or close to 4 years of experience working as a journeyman lineman in either an electric utility, electrical cooperative, municipally owned utility, or as an electrical contractor. In the same vein, applicants for a journeyman electrician license in Coloradohave to possess at least 8,000 hours (earned in no less than four years) of electrical construction wiring experience for lights, heat, and power. Notably over 3,000 of those hours must be in commercial and/or industrial work. So, you can see that licensing requirements differ but its still vital for effective practice.
Practice & Grow
After you have gotten your license, how far you go is wholly your choice. You have to consistently seek to be better in your profession by learning from your senior colleagues, researching and attending trainings/workshops. The more you practice, the more you learn and grow.
What Are The Journeyman Electrician Apprenticeship Programs?
A good number of institutions offer apprenticehip programs for individuals who want to learn how to become journeymen electricians. However, there are three outstanding institutes among the lot. And they include: Being an electricity is not easy at all. After close to seven years of study, you’ll need to study more as technology develops. The Electrical Training Alliance was created to blend classroom and online learning together to improve the experience for all IBEW apprenticeships. You can learn more about this program when you click the button below. If you’re not unfamiliar with the term “merit shop”, it’s the same as an “open shop” or “non-union” company. Merit Shop = Open Shop = Non-Union. This means you’re responsible for negotiating your wages based on your “worth” or “merit”. The IEC has more than 54 chapter training centers nationwide and trains approximately 10,000 apprentices each year. Their training programs combine on-the-job training and formal related technical instruction that provides knowledge, technical skills, and practical experience within the electrical trade. Click the button to find out more. ABC doesn’t only train future electricians. They have programs that teach plumbing, carpentry, HVAC, masonry, and sheet metal as well. The highest level of electrician is the Master electrician. The Master electrician is the electrician that has graduated from the journey stage while the journey electrician is the electrician who has graduated from the apprenticeship stage. There are three levels of being an electrician which are Apprentice, Journey, and Master elecrician.
Conclusion
You can’t rely on the excuse that you don’t know how to become a journeyman electrician. Neither can you say you don’t know what it takes to become one. In everything, you must understand that action is everything. So, get into an apprenticeship program today to start a great career.
