How to Become a Commercial Electrician Journeyman
A commercial electrician journeyman is highly skilled in his trade and must have completed at least four years of supervision under a master electrician. The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that as of October 2009, job prospects are very good for those electricians with a wide range of skills including voice, data and video wiring.
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Instructions
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Invest a lot of time. A commercial electrician journeyman must undergo four years of supervised on-the-job training before he is eligible to take an exam for licensure. You will be working for someone else for a long period of time before you can be self-employed.
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Get formal training. Most electricians learn their trade through apprenticeship programs. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers offers apprenticeship programs through its union. The programs combine classroom instruction with supervised on-the-job training. A electrician journeyman must have 8,000 hours of apprenticeship training. All apprentices must have a high school diploma or GED.
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Pass a state licensure exam for electricians. States and localities have varying requirements for electrician certification. Contact your state's Department of Labor for licensure information. Generally, the exam tests your knowledge of electrical theory, local electric and building codes, and the National Electric Code.
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Practice your manual dexterity. Electricians need manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination to work with wires in small spaces. You also need good color vision in order to identify color-coded wires. Electricians should have math skills and problem-solving skills.
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Tips & Warnings
To advance to a supervisor position or master electrician, you must undergo an additional 4,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training as well as pass the certified master electrician exam.
