# Just starting out with and confused about apprenticeships



## greg728 (Oct 4, 2020)

I started with this company four months ago and decided that this is what I want to do. Got all the tools and I've been training under some guys that have been in the field for decades and they say I'm doing well. The only thing is that this isn't an official apprenticeship program, although I'm referred to as an apprentice. There's no classroom training and nothing from the state that allows me to record my time as an apprentice so I can eventually go for a Journeyman's. The way this company operates (and apparently a lot of companies in Philadelphia) is they will put me in a truck once I've proven myself and worked my way up. This is appealing to me in some ways but it also freaks me out because if I want to eventually move to another state the fear is I won't have anything to show for what I've learned and won't be able to run jobs on my own as a mechanic or tech. Is this common for a lot of companies? Is there a way I can register with Pennsylvania to start recording my hours as an apprentice so I can eventually get my journeyman's? Any advice or info on this would be appreciated. It seems like a lot of companies, states and regions operate differently from each other. I just don't want to invest time and energy in a company where I won't have value if I were to test the job market down the road.


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## ohm it hertz (Dec 2, 2020)

Technically your hours can be verified by w2 and a signature from your master electrician for an affidavit of experience. Every state is different, though.


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## greg728 (Oct 4, 2020)

ohm it hertz said:


> Technically your hours can be verified by w2 and a signature from your master electrician for an affidavit of experience. Every state is different, though.


Thank you!


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## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

Sounds typical of the NY, NJ, PA area. NJ just started requiring a year or two of trade school to be eligible to take the state electrical contractors license.
I’m sure someone from PA will be along soon to explain. I didn’t think PA had a state EC license. They have city or county licenses with Philly being a big one. I think the internet has made the world a smaller place. It’s led helpers and mechanics into using the terms apprentice and journeymen.


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Pretty typical of how I learned so long ago. Arizona is a right to work state and does not require licensing of journeymen, just contractors. There are federally approved apprenticeship programs through either the IBEW, Independent Electrical Contractors Association or your local electric league. Might be others just the two I am familiar with. Arizona's electric league is partnered with community college in Maricopa County.

The moving around is the rub, as you will have to meet what ever state your going to. I have been out of the training part of the industry and do not even know if the training in X is transferable to Y.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

SWDweller said:


> Pretty typical of how I learned so long ago. *Arizona is a right to work state and does not require licensing of journeymen, just contractors*. There are federally approved apprenticeship programs through either the IBEW, Independent Electrical Contractors Association or your local electric league. Might be others just the two I am familiar with. Arizona's electric league is partnered with community college in Maricopa County.


Being a RTW State has nothing that I know of to do with requiring JW licenses, local counties are just missing out on income. Virginia is a RTW state and they require licenses, Masters, and JW.


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