Before anyone becomes excellent at anything, there are some steps to be taken and some guidelines to follow completely ensure its possibility.
Whether it is to become a doctor, engineer, electrician, you name it, and there are some levels of preparation that are needed. Deciding to abandon one level might mean not being able to eventually achieve that thing.
This is no different in the state of Arizona. Anyone looking to become an electrician must be ready to go through some critical steps as you do not just become an electrician overnight.
It is interesting to know that in the state of Arizona, the economy has become stable compared to what it was before, and many more people are beginning to build houses. This means that many more buildings would be in need of an electrician and this has in a way created jobs for electricians. So, if there were a great time to become an electrician in Arizona, it would be now.
Below are some of the steps to becoming an electrician in the state of Arizona:
Table of Contents
Step 1 – Start as an Apprentice Acquiring Hands-On Experience and Classroom Education.
You can start by acquiring hands-on experience through a training program that would run for some years. This training would include classroom education and on-the-job training.
In Arizona, you would have to acquire 8,000 hours of on-the-job training which is approximately five years, and about 900 hours of related classroom instruction in order to be able to work on your own and also earn a contractor’s license.
Becoming a journeyman electrician in Arizona can be achieved through two options. These are a technical school or a union or non-union apprenticeship.
Either one you decide to choose does not really matter. What matters is meeting up with the requirements of each.
In a technical school, you would have to spend at least four years receiving lab-based and classroom-based training.
One of the benefits of going through a technical school is that most offer job placement services that will connect you with local employers interested in taking on a trainee or apprentice. This way, you can acquire all the experience required to become a valuable member of an electrical team.
Some of the topics that would be taught in a technical school are overcurrent protection blueprint reading, electrical theory, welding, safety code, and motors and transformers.
If, on the other hand, you decide to go for an apprenticeship, the requirements are similar for both union and non-union apprenticeship. They are:
- You must be eighteen years at least.
- You must have completed your High school education.
- You must have obtained qualifying grades in a high school algebra class
- You must have acquired your driver’s license and also own a reliable means of transportation.
- You must have taken and passed an aptitude test on general knowledge.
- You must be able to present a copy of your high school transcript indicating you performed well in your high school algebra.
When you become enrolled in an apprenticeship program, you will get employment with a local electrical contractor. You would have to work a full-time job, get trained on the job, and at the same time, take night classes in order to meet up the classroom hour requirements.
Step 2 – Acquire some more Experience even after Your Apprenticeship
Unlike other states, Arizona does not give out journeyman licenses. However, this does not mean that you cannot further gain more experience. If you are considering becoming an independent electrical contractor in the future, then you cannot afford not to have post-apprenticeship experience.
There are still some local apprenticeship programs that are able to give journeyman certification through their national programs. This is not equivalent to the license you would get through a state or government agency and should not be confused as such. Suppose you earn your license through one of these programs. In that case, you can add up your experience and be offered opportunities to gain even more specialized expertise in areas such as industrial and commercial installation, HVAC electric, solar power, and photovoltaic.
Step 3 – Go a Step further by Becoming an Independent Electrical Contractor
You do not have to stop at your post apprentice experience. . You can go a step further and become an Independent Electrical Contractor. However, without an Independent Electrical Contractor License from the Electrical Contractors Board, running your own business would be impossible.
In Arizona, you are presented with three options if you intend to become an Independent Electrical Contractor. You can opt for between a specialty commercial license, a specialty residential license, or a dual license. With the dual license, you can work in both residential and commercial spaces.
The dual license is the broadest of the three, and it requires quite some effort.
Some of the requirements for this license are:
- You must be eighteen years of age at least
- You must have acquired four years of experience, and this must be verifiable.
- You must have written and passed a two-part exam that covers your specific trade and business management.
One of the exams you are required to pass is the Business Management Exam. The Business Management exam is an examination with 80 questions that must be finished within 3 hours.
Some Of the topics that would be covered during the examination include business management, liens, insurance and bonding, financial management, Labour laws, tax laws, contracts and agreements, environmental laws, Arizona Registrar of Contractors Rules, and Arizona Registrar of Contractors Statutes.
Another exam you will have to pass is the Commercial Electrical Contractor Exam. All the information you need can be gotten from PSI Exams.
After passing the exam, you need to confirm that you have a unique business name. You do not want to pick a name and later discover that it is being used by another. You can confirm this by checking with the Registrar of Contractors.
Once you are sure you have a unique name, you can submit your application. After your application is sent, you will be notified through email if it was approved. If it was, your journey as an independent electrical contractor begins.
License Renewal in Arizona
Independent Electrical Contractor License: This license must be renewed every two years, and it can be done online.
License Reciprocity in Arizona
Presently, Arizona is without formal reciprocity agreements with other states. However, applicants who would like to come work in the state of Arizona can request a waiver for the trade portion of the licensing exam. This would be possible only if they provide information of the company where they presently own a similar license and also prove the validity of such a license.
Final Words
Just like it is with every profession, getting to the top of your electrical career requires a lot of hard work and determination. It is not something you get on a platter of gold or get simply because you desire it. No! It requires work and even more work. If you are looking to become an electrician in Arizona, then you have to be ready to put in all the work you can.
References
ElectricianSchoolEdu.org: How to Become an Electrician in Arizona
General Contractors License Guide: How to Become an Electrical Contractor in Arizona: License Requirements and Trade Schools
