Many people in today’s job market are debating whether to go back to school to gain new skills or to find a job. As an electrical apprentice, you could do both.
The Atlanta chapter of the Independent Electrical Contractors is taking applications for a new class of apprentices to start in January. Applicants must be 18 and have a high school diploma or GED.
“You don’t have to have any electrical experience, but it will help if you do,” said Lana Frye, workforce developer with IEC Atlanta. “If you’re not already working for a contractor, we’ll try to find you a job with one of our IEC employers.”
Students may also start the training by paying the $975 per-semester tuition until they find a job with a contractor. The center has about 300 apprentices in the program.
Employers pay the tuition of apprentices, as well as an hourly wage of $9 to $12 an hour to start. “As their skills increase, apprentice pay goes up until they are making about $17 to $20 an hour when they graduate,” Frye said.
It takes 8,000 hours of on-the-job-training and 576 hours of classroom instruction to complete the program. Apprentices work during the day and go to class one night a week.
Electricians install and maintain electrical power systems in homes, businesses and factories. Although construction has been one of the hardest-hit industries during the recession, the demand for electricians is up.
“So many contractors laid off workers when the economy went down, but they’re starting to train and hire again. They know that when building picks up, they will need electricians,” Frye said. “We will always need these skilled workers.”
The impending retirement of older workers is creating a shortage of people working in the skilled trades. Because of the complexity of the work, electricians are among the highest-paid construction workers.
The mean wage of electricians was $22.32 an hour in 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
It takes good math skills, determination and a strong work ethic to work in the field.
“Electricians need to be good with their hands. They can’t be afraid of the elements, because they’ll work indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather,” Frye said. “They also need to like solving problems.”
Electricians can move up the career ladder as foremen, supervisors and estimators. Many go on to start their own businesses.
During the four-year program, apprentices learn job safety, mechanical skills, electrical theory, construction math, electrical codes and residential, commercial and industrial wiring. They work with blueprints, transformers, generators, starters and motor controls, and learn the basics of electronics.
The IEC certificate is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor, so graduates can take their skills nationwide.
“It’s a good career. Workers say they like driving by a building and knowing that they wired it. It’s a tangible accomplishment that they take pride in,” Frye said.
To learn more, call 770-242-9277 or go to www.iecatlanta.org.
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