An electrician is someone who is responsible for installing, repairing, as well as maintaining electrical systems. You can find work in residential settings, commercial settings, and even industrial settings. However, before you can start working as an electrician, you’ll need to complete an apprenticeship.
Through the course of your apprenticeship, you’ll learn important skills that can help you in your career going ahead. An apprenticeship typically lasts around four years. During this time, you’ll be working under the supervision of a senior electrician, who will teach you the tricks of the trade.
Who Is An Apprentice Electrician?
An apprentice electrician can also be considered a trainee electrician. Before you can apply for your electrician license and start working as a professional electrician, you’ll need to complete your apprenticeship first. There’s no maximum age limit to who can become an electrician’s apprentice. However, you should be at least 18 years old to start working as an apprentice.
You should also have completed your high school education. During high school, if you already know that you want to become an electrician, then there are certain courses you can opt to take. These courses can make it easier for you to learn important information related to the electrical trade later on. Maths and physics are two of the subjects that you should consider studying in high school.
Why Become An Apprentice?
It’s possible for you to go to vocational school straight after finishing high school, to take a course in the electrical trade. However, you could also choose to complete an apprenticeship, to learn valuable skills that you won’t be taught in the classroom.
While you’re completing your electrician course, consider doing your apprenticeship as well. This helps you ensure that by the time you finish your course, you also obtain practical experience in the field. When you’re an apprentice, you’ll be working under a journeyman or a master electrician. During your apprenticeship, you’ll be able to earn money as well.
Apprentice electricians in Australia make an average annual salary of around $54,174. How much you actually earn will depend on several factors, such as the state you do your apprenticeship in. Once you obtain your electrician license, you’ll be able to earn even more. An apprentice electrician is someone who is taught the skills of trade practically, by someone more experienced than them in the field, as well as licensed.
How Can You Find An Electrical Apprenticeship?
In order to become an electrical apprentice, you’ll need to search for an apprenticeship first. You can ask your instructors at your electrician course to help you find an apprenticeship. There are other ways of looking for electrician apprenticeships as well.
You can approach your local electrical trade union, and ask them about apprenticeships that might be available. You can also call up electrical businesses in your area that you might be interested in working with. Let them know that you’re interested in being an electrician, and that you’re looking for an apprenticeship.
While you’re in high school, you can start looking for electrician apprenticeships. That way, as soon as you graduate, you’ll have an apprenticeship lined up. Note that separate electrician apprenticeships could have separate requirements. In order to become an apprentice, you’ll need to meet the program requirements of the apprenticeship program you’re applying to.
For many electrical apprenticeship programs, you’ll need to have a foundational knowledge of the field, in order to work as an apprentice. Some programs will teach you everything from the basics, while others are more advanced.
Also consider investing in trade insurance. This is as working as an electrician leaves you exposed to certain risk factors, such as getting sued by unhappy clients. When you have trade insurance, you build the coverage needed to protect your career as well as your finances. If you would like to learn more about trade insurance, then click here.
What Happens When You Complete Your Apprenticeship Program?
Within four years, you should be able to complete your electrical apprenticeship program. You won’t be able to work as a journeyman right after you complete your apprenticeship. You will need to apply for your electrician license before you can start working professionally.
Once you get your electrician license however, you’ll be able to earn much more than what you were earning as an apprentice. You’ll be earning an average annual salary of $86,936.
Conclusion
Becoming an electrician’s apprentice can equip you with essential skills and knowledge that can help you in your career as an electrician. Often, electrical apprentices go on to work for the electrical business they did their apprenticeship under. Use this guide to learn all about electrical apprentices.
