Becoming an electrician journeyman is no easy task. It requires years of training, dedication, and hard work. But if you’re up for the challenge, read on to see how you can become an electrician journeyman!
First things first: you need a high school diploma or GED. Most employers require that you have at least a year of experience working as an apprentice before applying for this job. This means that you must complete your apprenticeship in order to be considered for the job.
After completing your apprenticeship, you’ll need to pass a state exam before being hired as an electrician journeyman. Your employer will help guide you through this process.
Once hired as an electrician journeyman, there are several ways for you to advance within your company or another company after meeting certain requirements.
How To Become Electrician Journeyman
Journeyman electricians can work in homes, factories and businesses to repair and install the vital electrical systems we use daily. Discovering paths to becoming a journey-level electrician can help you create a plan for your career.
In this article, we provide a job description and duties for a journeyman electrician, describe how to become a journeyman electrician and provide career tips for current and aspiring journey-level electricians.
Read more: How Long Does It Take To Become an Electrician?
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What is a journeyman electrician?
A journey-level electrician installs, inspects and repairs electrical systems in homes and businesses. Journeyman specialties include:
- Inside: An inside journeyman focuses on installing and repairing electrical wiring inside a home or other building.
- Outside: An outside journeyman can work on electrical lines connecting to an outdoor power meter.
- Lineworker: Journeyman line workers focus on electrical systems from the point of generation (power plants) to an electrical meter.
- Electrical specializations: These electricians can work on specialized electrical systems and equipment like biomedical imaging, wireless communications and fiber optics.
What does a journeyman electrician do?
Here is a list of common job duties for a journey-level electrician:
- Read blueprints
- Perform inspections
- Troubleshoot systems
- Repair electrical systems
- Install electrical components
- Terminate cables
- Maintain wiring
- Maintain tools
- Service power lines
- Manage records
Journeyman electrician salary
According to Indeed Salaries, a journeyman electrician’s average base salary is $28.25 per hour. They can earn about $10,500 in overtime per year. Here are some of the highest-paying sectors:
- Local governments: Journeyman electricians can work for local governments to install, maintain and repair public power structures.
- Construction: A journeyman electrician can work in construction, following blueprints to install new wiring and equipment in a new home or building.
- Energy: Journeyman electricians can also work for the energy industry to repair and maintain electrical infrastructure, such as power lines and wind turbines.
- Automobile industry: A journeyman electrician can specialize in the installation, upkeep and repair of auto electrical systems.
- Technology: Journeyman electricians can also specialize in servicing robotics, medical imaging equipment and other innovative machines.
How to become a journeyman electrician
It can take four to six years to earn the knowledge and experience to become a journeyman electrician. If you want to pursue this career, here are some steps you can take:
1. Earn a high school diploma or GED
Most training programs for journey-level electricians require a high school diploma or GED, so the first step to becoming a journeyman electrician is to complete a high school-level education.
2. Become an apprentice
An apprenticeship can give you hands-on experience for a career as a journeyman electrician. Some states require you to take an exam and earn an apprentice license to begin an apprenticeship.
An apprenticeship for a journeyman electrician is often a paid job opportunity. This can allow you to earn a living while learning a trade.
Read more: How To Find an Apprenticeship Program
3. Earn a certificate or degree
You may earn an associate degree or attend a trade school to prepare you for a career as a journeyman electrician. Many trade schools offer online classes you can take while you complete your apprenticeship. Electrician certificates or degrees can set your resume apart from those of competitors and give you a deeper knowledge of electrical processes.
4. Earn a license
An apprenticeship and classes can qualify you to take an electrician licensing exam. Exam requirements vary by state. Journeyman is often a licensing level electricians can attain through experience and studies. The next step in electrician licensing is master electrician.
Many states require you to have a certain number of hours of experience as an apprentice before you can take a journeyman licensing exam.
5. Apply to journeyman electrician jobs
Licensing can qualify you for work as a journeyman electrician. You can use online job boards, newspaper classifieds and networking to find electrician job opportunities that match your experience and licensing level.
Read more: Top Electrician Interview Questions (With Examples)
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Career development tips for journeyman electricians
Here are some tips to improve the skills needed in a journeyman electrician career:
Research available programs
You can research trade groups and programs available in your community that can allow you to find apprenticeships and job opportunities. Consider applying for scholarships and grants to reduce your journeyman education costs.
Practice basic math skills
Exams for apprenticeships and trade schools often require aspiring journeyman electricians to complete high school-level math problems. You can practice your math skills and take practice exams to help you pass this part of the exams.
Study the National Electrical Code
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is an electrical safety code used in the United States to evaluate and improve electricity standards. You can use the NEC to learn about safe installation, maintenance and repairs for electrical systems. Electrician exams can include information from the NEC, so you can study the code to ensure you have the knowledge to become a journey-level electrician.
Practice critical thinking skills
Journeyman electricians have to think critically to solve the problems they face on the job. They may have to troubleshoot the reason for a loss of power or an overheating fuse box. Here are some ways you can improve your critical thinking skills:
- Be more self-aware. Self-awareness is actively experiencing your personality and thought processes. This observational skill can help you identify and fill gaps in the way you think and practice thinking in different ways.
- Separate fact from opinion. You can also learn to separate facts from opinions to analyze issues from different perspectives and solve problems more effectively.
- Ask questions. Asking questions can help you develop your expertise and solve problems creatively.
Read more: Critical Thinking Exercises
Exercise regularly
Electricians can work long hours on their feet, lift heavy items and access crawl spaces to service electrical systems. Regular exercise can help you meet the physical demands of a career as a journeyman electrician.
Continue learning
You can grow your career by continuing to learn new things about innovative technologies and advancements in the electrical field. Journeyman electricians can earn a master electrician certification to continue their careers in this trade. You can also specialize in servicing a particular type of electrical system to grow your salary and electrician career opportunities.
