# Should I aim for a community college certificate?



## DenseAsFlux (Jun 26, 2017)

I can only speak from what I know of Virginia:
In Virginia, the Board for Contractors, through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation approves what counts as "formal vocational training." It also recognizes an "associate degree" or "certificate of completion" in at least a two year program from an accredited college, university or technical school, where the degree is related to the field. 
So if you are wanting something that can count towards your hours of classroom training I would find out if it is approved for such by your State. If you are getting a degree or certificate in the electrical field, make sure it is at least a two year degree or certificate and that the school is accredited. Otherwise your efforts will be judged by each potential employer only, and not really assist you with getting your license.

It is also good to keep in mind that some employers will send you to an approved school on their dime, after they hire you. If you are working for a smaller business you may have to fund it yourself.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Is the IBEW strong in TX? If they are, find the local and talk to the BA.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

backstay said:


> Is the IBEW strong in TX? If they are, find the local and talk to the BA.


What would you consider strong?


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Snick B. said:


> Will a certificate from community college significantly benefit me in the long run as an electrician?
> 
> I ask this because I'm currently 18 years old and very, very eager to get into this trade and learn from it as soon as possible.


It will benefit you in life and if part of your life is being an electrician, then yes.

Does it count towards licensing requirements? That's a local question.

If two applicants applied for a job and only one had post-secondary credentials, I'm picking that guy.

Good luck with your studies and your career. :thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Have you tried stopping by electrical contractors shops and asking if they are hiring helpers? 

Having some work experience is a great start in any job/career category.


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

I feel obligated to reply as i was in a similar situation recently. I am not a "journeyman" but that means different things in different areas. I do unsupervised electrical installations that are designed by engineers. A certification is a foot in the door. It shows you know basic electrical theory and nothing else. It does not mean you will be wiring things and working in panels from the start. If there is trenching you will be down there. If there are parts to carry you will carry them/unload trucks. This is a working trade. If you bust your balls and show your worth a damn you might get put with someone more experienced that will let you get your hands on things, and do some real electrical work. Theres a lot more that goes into it which is more of grunt work, in my experience. With all that being said, i am pursuing an aas which is just a glorified certificate. It shows you care and have some education. It may also open doors to other avenues of the trade down the road i.e. sales, inspections if u at leat finish your associates.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

If you want to be a good - great electrician, then a formal education of some sort is required. If you can go the union route, the education is great, just make sure you take advantage of it (I understand they offer it but won't push it on you). 

Having a good working understand of basic electrical theory allows you to more quickly understand the things we do. 

So, you need theory, code knowledge, and hands on. IMO, more school is always better.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

backstay said:


> Is the IBEW strong in TX? If they are, find the local and talk to the BA.


OP is in VA, why suggest TX?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

hardworkingstiff said:


> OP is in VA, why suggest TX?


Time for some new readers there Stiff, the OP is in Austin, Texas!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

hardworkingstiff said:


> If you want to be a good - great electrician, then a formal education of some sort is required.
> 
> *Some guys here would argue that point with you.*
> 
> ...


Agreed 100%!


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Time for some new readers there Stiff, the OP is in Austin, Texas!


Well duh on me, I must have been looking at the 2nd post as the 1st. Sorry backstay, thank Mech D. :thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

hardworkingstiff said:


> Well duh on me, I must have been looking at the 2nd post as the 1st. Sorry backstay, thank Mech D. :thumbsup:


No sweat bro we all make mistakes, especially me when I try not to use the readers.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

I need one of these guys in my area now. Swamped with my local work, and my Industrial contact is asking me for help too. Anyone in Southern California that reads this, and lives in Orange County, message me


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## Jon.N (Aug 20, 2017)

dronai said:


> I need one of these guys in my area now. Swamped with my local work, and my Industrial contact is asking me for help too. Anyone in Southern California that reads this, and lives in Orange County, message me


Hello dronai,

I just posted a message on your public profile, was not able to send you a PM.

Thank you


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Think the answer to post #3 is no the IBEW is not strong in TX.
I don't remember any formal education requirement to qualify for a master lic or contractor lic in TX. They may give you some credit for your school as hours worked.
With a certain number of hours worked in the trade to take a journeyman or master exam. Don't remember the number of hours required for TX but between 8,000-16,000 is common depending on exam level and state. All the information is online.

That said I can tell you a few things about trade school.

1. If you don't put in the effort it will be worthless except on a resume. I known some guys that after 5 years that didn't know anything from the book and couldn't pass the local journeyman exam. They were just the kind of person that goes about things with the minimal effort and thought of what they were doing as a job, not a career.

2. The more you know going into school the more you'll learn. If you're struggling to keep up, or never done what they are discussing, you probably will miss some of the non-textbook information that came from experience.

3. Don't expect anyone in the trade to give you much credit for your accomplishment. In another words out of school you may still get the lowest level work. But you need to do you time in the trade.

4. Some that never had training may down play an education. Perhaps even mock you to cover their own feeling of inadequacies. Like "look at him, years of trade school and he's running parts". "I didn't need to go to school to learn how to clean up".

5. With the education you should understand new tasks much faster, learn how to troubleshoot, be able to calculate, etc. It propels you much faster into being a better trades-person. 

6. Over time you'll see the people that never took the time to go to classes are in a career rut where they can never move past what they are doing, most likely installing. The same type that were mocking you in #4. You'll wonder how they can be in the trade for so many years but can't wire a 4 way, understand a start / stop motor control, diagnose a lost neutral, know bending calculations, or figure the right conduit size.

7. Later in your career you'll find that some of the corporate / management jobs have a prerequisite for trade school, or degrees. 


There are many options:
Some trade schools go 40 hrs / week and are done under a year, but can be pricey plus you have living expenses. 

Community college could be more economical, may let you get an accredited associate or transfer to another school for a bachelors degree now or years later.

IBEW Apprenticeship. 5 years. Earn money while you learn, iif they have the work. Night classes on top of a construction job is not easy. But it's a good way to get some big job site experience quickly. You need to apply and be accepted. Many times only a limited number get in. No cost for the school to you.

Nonunion apprenticeship like ABC. You need to get your own job.

Military. Require years of commitment. Any electrical training helps, but you may still need to learn a lot getting out. Lot of people I know were Navy electricians. But ships don't use the NEC.

You can also learn on your own as your working as a helper. Plenty of books, DVD videos, internet videos, manufacture training online, and internet discussion out there on every topic. Also could go to some trade seminars. Outdated electrical books cost only pennies on the dollar. They're the same books many of the seasoned people learned on years ago.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

active1 said:


> Think the answer to post #3 is no the IBEW is not strong in TX.
> I don't remember any formal education requirement to qualify for a master lic or contractor lic in TX. They may give you some credit for your school as hours worked.
> With a certain number of hours worked in the trade to take a journeyman or master exam. Don't remember the number of hours required for TX but between 8,000-16,000 is common depending on exam level and state. All the information is online.
> 
> ...



There he is again  Stop with the long winded expert posts


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Dronai
"There he is again  Stop with the long winded expert posts"
You don't like, use the block function.
Report the post as I'm offending you. 
Was it the part about school?
But but your crying.
What you going to do, protest?
You and Cali going to exit?


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## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

I served my ABC apprenticeship in Texas in the 80's. The classroom part was done at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson TX. I worked for various contractors in the Freeport area. I completed my apprenticeship in 89 and got my department of labor and ABC papers. I also have a electrical certificate from the college.

A certificate says that all of the main classes of a degree but you have not completed the all of the academic classes for your degree.
I do not know how it is in Austin but when I was at Brazosport the academic side of the college was not exactly construction worker friendly in their class time schedule so I just dropped the academic classes.

As I have said many times on this site that apprenticeship is the best way to learn a trade. Trade school says that you know the theory and that is a good thing but apprenticeship says that you have actual hands on and on the job experience at the trade.

LC


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## 136322 (Jan 4, 2017)

*stfu*



dronai said:


> There he is again  Stop with the long winded expert posts


Don't discourage him, he's massively helpful to those new to the field like myself


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

active1 said:


> Dronai
> "There he is again  Stop with the long winded expert posts"
> You don't like, use the block function.
> Report the post as I'm offending you.
> ...





SMoDFly said:


> Don't discourage him, he's massively helpful to those new to the field like myself



Wrong guy :laughing: Thought it was the multi name troll.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

dronai said:


> Wrong guy :laughing: Thought it was the multi name troll.


While he may not always be spot on he is far less a PIA than some of the libturd members.

Just put him on ignore if you can't pass over his posts.

He has as much right to be here as anybody!


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Who are you two talking about?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> Who are you two talking about?


He takes issue with Telsa's lengthy posts.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

MechanicalDVR said:


> While he may not always be spot on he is far less a PIA than some of the libturd members.
> 
> Just put him on ignore if you can't pass over his posts.
> 
> He has as much right to be here as anybody!


It was the wrong guy !!! Active is a knowledgable Electrician, I've been ready his posts. When I first the read the post in question, I thought it was that poser troll



HackWork said:


> Who are you two talking about?


You know


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

dronai said:


> It was the wrong guy !!! Active is a knowledgable Electrician, I've been ready his posts. When I first the read the post in question, I thought it was that poser troll
> 
> 
> 
> You know


I wasn't referring to active, I knew who you meant.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

MechanicalDVR said:


> He takes issue with Telsa's lengthy posts.


It's not the length, it's the content :laughing: He seems pretty green, but likes to give advice


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

You know you can call me out by name. Sorry i don't have 30 years experience but i still feel like giving advice to someone with no experience, is that ok? The longer i do this **** the more i realize you find the 55 year old miserable f*** at your company that hates his life, figure out what he did, and do the exact opposite (but learn his electrical knowledge). If thats you, i feel sorry for you. I wasn't trying to sound like a know it all. Sorry for giving advice to a high schooler.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

AmishCountrySparky said:


> You know you can call me out by name. Sorry i don't have 30 years experience but i still feel like giving advice to someone with no experience, is that ok? The longer i do this **** the more i realize you find the 55 year old miserable f*** at your company that hates his life, figure out what he did, and do the exact opposite (but learn his electrical knowledge). If thats you, i feel sorry for you. I wasn't trying to sound like a know it all. Sorry for giving advice to a high schooler.



Who's this ? you are not even the one guy we were talking about, are you ? :laughing: If you are a only a two year guy, and are giving accurite advice, no one would have a problem with that. And yes, old age tends to make some people grumpy. :icon_wink:


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## AmishCountrySparky (Mar 25, 2016)

So i will consider this a learning experience. What did i say that was inaccurate or incorrect?


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