I interviewed William Dean who is an 06 electrician in Washington State. He works for valley electrical and has plenty of experience. In this interview I asked him about the steps it takes to become an electrician and if he enjoys it. 

What steps does someone need to take to become an electrician?

 “In order to become an electrician, you have to apply to the apprenticeship and meet the criteria. The most important criteria is to have a C or better in algebra. Once accepted in the apprenticeship you will conduct electrical repairs and faults under supervision of a licensed journeyman. After going through the apprenticeship and submitting the working hours needed for the state you’re going to take a state test to be a certified electrician.” 

How much education after high school do you need? 

“After high school, you have the option of going into multiple programs, but the two most popular programs are the 06 program which is limited energy for 3 years, or the 01 program which is line voltage for 5 years. The difference between the two is that 01 electricians work with a higher voltage than 06. 06 constantly work 40 hours and go to

class 2 nights a week for 4 hours. 01 go to class every other quarter for 1 day a week for 8 hours. 01 make more money so they can afford to miss a workday unlike the 06 who make less money, therefore, can’t miss a day. I took the 06 which was a bunch of schooling teaching me how to install low energy systems like security systems, fire alarms, HVAC controls, and a few more. It wasn’t very difficult, most of the work was on the job which gave me lots of experience. This is a great alternative to college.” 

How much labor is there? Is it manageable? 

“There’s a lot of walking throughout the day, going to your work location and going back and forth to get materials. Going up and down ladders is something you have to do often. You would be carrying things around 50 pounds. That being said, it’s best if you’re in good physical condition.” 

Would you recommend this job to other people? 

“Definitely, I’ve worked as an electrician for 9 years and I gained a lot of knowledge that is useful at home. I also got to meet people from other trades that also grew my knowledge and helped with things I didn’t know much about. While attaining this job I was able to work on really cool landmarks such as amazon spheres. This job pays well and is enough to provide for me and my family.” 

Throughout this interview, Will identified the steps it takes to become an electrician. He shared the perks of being an electrician such as the knowledge he gains and the “really cool” projects he gets to work on. All in all the trades provide you with a good-paying job without having to go to college. College is not for everybody and others may not be able to afford it. Being in debt from college takes a percentage out of your good paycheck. Being an electrician could be for you gaining knowledge to use at home, no overpowering labor, no college, but instead gives hands-on experience.