Electrical Apprentice Certification

Electrical apprentices work with licensed electricians to learn the requirements to become an electrician. Apprentices complete routine electrical tasks with little supervision, while completing more complex electrical tasks under careful supervision. Apprentice electricians must receive a license in most states and may complete formal education programs to learn basic electrical skills.

State License

Most states require electrical apprentices to obtain a license to work in the state, while all states require electricians to have a license. Though requirements will vary from state to state, most states have similar requirements. An apprentice must register with the state before beginning work; a licensed electrician must supervise all work and the apprentice must complete some amount of formal training each year. Some states require apprentices to enroll in an approved education program or pass an apprentice examination. To become a licensed electrician, a person must have documented work experience or formal training and pass an examination.

Educational Certificate Programs

Electrical apprentice certificate programs provide students with the basic electrical skills to work as an apprentice. Common course requirements include electrical wiring, ac/dc circuits, fire alarm systems and electrical building code. These programs often take about one year to complete. Though electrical apprentice skill requirements are similar from state to state, a student should complete a certificate programs in the state where she wants to work as the programs generally prepare students to pass any required license examinations in that state. Labor unions may also offer formal education programs for electrical apprentices.

Certificate Program Advantages

Regardless of state requirements, educational certificate programs for apprentice electricians provide a person interested in becoming an electrician the ability to gain basic electrical skills useful to employers. While an employer may hire an applicant for an apprentice position without any electrical education, employers will prefer applicants with an educational background as these employees will require less on-the-job training to complete basic electrical tasks. Especially in those states requiring formal training, simply being a student in a certificate program will make a person more attractive to employers.

Degree Programs

Some community colleges, as well as technical and vocational schools, offer students the opportunity to earn an applied associate's degree in electronics and related fields. These programs offer students the ability to learn a wider variety of skills useful to an apprentice or electrician than do shorter certificate programs. In addition to courses related directly to electronics, these two-year-degree programs will also require students to complete general education courses such as math and English. Degree programs may focus on specific areas of electronics such as communication systems or industrial wiring.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics; Electrician; March 2010
• Blue Mountain Community College: Electrician Apprenticeship Technologies Certificate
• Mott Community College: Electrical Technology for Apprentice Electricians
• New Hampshire Department of Education: Electrical Apprenticeship
• California Department of Industrial Relations: What Is an Electrician Trainee?