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May 31, 2016

Four Benefits of Your Electrician Apprenticeship

Electrician training costs

Electricians make upwards of $50,000 a year. They have excellent job security with reliable income. They get to work with their hands, and they rarely have to sit down in an office. All in all, being an electrician is an incredible job with big payoffs.

As you would with any great career, you have to work your way up the ladder when you decide to become an electrician. In this industry, you start on the bottom rung with an apprenticeship.

Your apprenticeship will be hard work, but every minute of it will be invaluable. To help you understand what you might be getting into, we’ve laid out four of the most important benefits of your electrician apprenticeship.

1. You Obtain Necessary Skills for Multiple Applications

When you first decide you’re going to be an electrician, you might not be sure which kind of electrician you’d like to become. Your apprenticeship program will teach you a broad base of skills, starting with basic electrical work and eventually addressing the essential skills of your chosen specialty.

In addition to learning all the tricks of the electrical trade, you’ll also learn how electrical repairs and installations vary between industrial, commercial, residential, and institutional applications. As you build skills in each of these venues, you become a more versatile electrician.

2. You Get Paid While You Learn New Skills

Being an apprentice in the electrical industry is unlike most hands-on learning experiences because as you gain valuable skills, you also earn a living wage.

Compare this to a traditional internship. Most interns don’t get paid, or they get paid very little. They certainly learn valuable skills, but they also have to make coffee, run errands, and perform administrative tasks.

Next, compare an electrician apprenticeship to on-the-job training outside of an apprenticeship program. A lot of skilled tradespeople argue it’s better just to jump right into your field and start working. They might say that an apprenticeship is too long of a commitment or that it requires you to take too many classes.

In reality, it can take much longer to learn on the job what you would learn quickly during an apprenticeship. You’ll also make very little income if you jump right into your field without any experience. With an apprenticeship program, you get the best of both worlds-making money and learning skills.

3. You Can Earn College Credits

You don’t need to have a college degree to become an electrician. However, as you pursue an electrician apprenticeship program, you can earn college credits towards an associate’s degree.

This education will benefit you in the long term. The more high-level, continuing education you pursue, the greater your earning potential will be. Large corporations seek out electricians who not only have on-the-job skills but a strong educational background as well.

4. You Learn From Experienced Electricians

There’s so much to learn when you’re becoming an electrician. It helps to have a mentor, guiding you through your professional development and giving you tips about your new field.

Like experts in any field, experienced electricians possess a wealth of knowledge. As an apprentice, you’ll get to tap into that vast knowledge. You can pick their brains about commercial, industrial, and residential applications. You can ask advice about how to start your small business as an independent electrician. You can network with experienced electricians and help yourself find a position within an established company.

If you’re interested in becoming a certified electrician, apply for the apprenticeship program at the Independent Electrical Contractors of Greater Cincinnati. Our one-of-a-kind program was designed by experienced electricians for the next generation of electricians. You’ll gain the necessary skills and business contacts you need to become a successful electrician.