The role of electricians all over the world cannot be overlooked. In fact, they have one of the most important jobs. There is no news that many professions thrive on electricity, not to mention how important electricity is in residential buildings.
Without the services of an electrician, inhabitants of a building might not be able to utilize electricity. Indeed, there might be certain electrical fixings that can be handled without the help of an electrician, but what happens when electrical issues that require the services of a professional arise?
In New Hampshire, there is a predicted 19% increase in the number of electrician jobs in the state between 2012 and 2022.
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How to Get an Electrician License in New Hampshire?
The steps to becoming an electrician in New Hampshire are:
- Step 1: Acquire the training and experience required to become a journeyman
- Step 2: Sit for the examination that will earn you your journeyman electrician license
- Step 3: Consider earning the high/medium voltage electrician license or the master electrician license.
Step 1 – Obtain Necessary Training and Experience to Become a Journeyman
Similar to other states, to become a licensed electrician in New Hampshire, the first step is to obtain necessary training and experience.
You could decide to acquire all the required training and experience from a technical college or apprenticeship program.
If you go through technical college, some of the benefits you get to enjoy are:
- You will be able to meet up with all the journeyman licensing requirements for classroom-based training.
- You will need to obtain a thorough understanding of the National Electrical Code
- You will be considered qualified to begin an apprenticeship where you will be paid.
- You will be exposed to electrical equipment safely and competently.
- You will be qualified for entry-level jobs such as field service technicians, industrial electrical technicians, and maintenance technicians.
Required Courses Offered to Become a Licensed Electrician In New Hampshire
Some of the courses you would have to offer in the course of your program include:
- Electrical fundamentals
- Power, transformers, and rotating machinery
- Advanced control systems
- Residential/commercial/industrial wiring
- Low voltage (communications) systems
- Electrical motor controls
At the end of your program, there would be an opportunity to go for an apprenticeship program under the supervision of licensed electricians in the state of New Hampshire. There are licensed electricians with agreements throughout the state to offer students opportunities to serve as apprentices and gain the needed experience.
Your apprenticeship program could either be a unionized one or one without any union affiliations. You can get a union apprenticeship through the New Hampshire Joint Apprentice and Training Committee.
A non-union apprenticeship can be gotten through the New Hampshire Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., a trade association committed to connecting potential apprentices with non-unionized electrical contracting companies that do not mind the services of apprentices.
Requirements of Apprenticeship Program
Below are some of the requirements of the apprenticeship program:
- You must have completed your high school education or be a part of a youth apprenticeship program organized for high school students under the direct supervision of a New Hampshire licensed electrician.
- You must be registered in an electrician training program and ensuring that you meet the minimum 150 hours of electrical schooling.
Necessary Information to Apply for Apprenticeship License
You would have to apply for your apprentice license. To do this, you will need to provide the following information:
- Your present employer; is the person supervising your apprenticeship, the kind of work they do, your time of apprenticeship, and the date you got the apprenticeship.
- Names and addresses of three references that are unrelated to you and are aware of your character.
- If you already have a license in a different state and the name of the state.
- The signature of the master electrician that supervises you directly and their master electrician’s license number
Step 2 – Sit for the Examination to Earn Your Journeyman Electrician License
After you have gained all the training and experience required to become a journeyman, you can then sit for the examination to earn your license.
The examination you would take to get the journeyman electrician license in New Hampshire would cover the following topics:
- General Knowledge—19%
- Services and Service Equipment—11%
- Feeders—8%
- Branch Circuits and Conductors—5%
- Wiring Methods and Materials—13%
- Equipment and Devices—8%
- Control Devices—5%
- Motors and Generators—17%
- Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions—5%
- Administrative—9%
These questions are derived from Ugly’s Electrical Reference, the National Electric Code, the American Electrician’s Handbook, and Ugly’s Electrical Reference.
Immediately you pass the examination, you would be given your license, and you would be able to begin work as a journeyman electrician.
Step 3 – Consider Earning the High/Medium Voltage Electrician License or the Master Electrician License.
After your journeyman electrician license, you could either decide to become a high/medium voltage electrician or a master electrician. Whichever you opt for would depend on your career goals. If it is a high/medium voltage electrician license you opt for, you would have to do the following:
- Submit a completed application form.
- Pay a fee of $90.00
- Provide documents to prove that you completed an electrical education program.
On the other hand, if you decide to go for a master electrician license, you would have to do the following:
- You’ll have to fill the master electrician application form.
- Take the master electrician examination based on the National Electrical Code, American Electricians Handbook amongst others.
Electrician License Renewal in New Hampshire
- Apprentice License: This license has to be renewed every year. To do this, you will need to print out the apprentice renewal form and mail it to the New Hampshire Electrician’s Board with a fee of $30.00 for the renewal every year. There is no need for continuing education before your renewal can be granted unless your apprentice license has been renewed five times. If this is the case, you would be forced to complete30 hours of classroom instruction each year before renewing it.
- Journeyman Electrician License: This license is renewed every three years with 15 hours of continuing education.
- High/Medium Voltage Electrician: This license is renewed every three years. This could be done online or printed and mailed to the right quarters. There would also be a need to complete 15 continuing education hours and provide proof of the continuing eduction every three years as a condition of renewal.
- Master Electrician License: This license is renewed every three years while also completing 15 hours of approved continuing education. Proof of completed continuing education also has to be submitted.
Electrician License Reciprocity in New Hampshire
The state of New Hampshire has two kinds of electrical reciprocal agreements with different states.
First, Hampshire has a longstanding, independent electrical reciprocity with Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine.
Also, the state of Hampshire has electrical reciprocity through National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance (NERA) with the following states: Montana, Colorado, Iowa, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, Wisconsin, and Arkansas.
Conclusion
Deciding to go for a particular career might not come easy, especially if it is untested ground. However, as long as it is something you would love to do, please go for it with all of your heart.
References
- ElectricianSchoolEdu.org How to Become an Electrician in New Hampshire
- General Contractors License Guide How to Become an Electrician in New Hampshire: License Requirements and Trade Schools
