Electrician

5 stops · self-paced · a common path, not the only one

1. 📍

   You are here

   Today — wherever you're starting from

2. 🤝
   Get experienceNext stop →

   Apply for an electrician apprenticeship through IBEW or an independent electrical contractor

   The apprenticeship IS the school — you don't pay tuition, you get hired. IBEW (union) and open-shop contractors both take applicants; apply to several, it's competitive.

   ⏱ 4–5 years (paid) · 💵 you earn while you learn

3. 🤝
   Get experience

   Apprenticeships are paid — you earn while you learn over 4–5 years

   You earn a real wage from day one with raises as you advance. By the end you're making solid money with zero student debt — a rare deal.

   ⏱ 4–5 years (paid) · 💵 you earn while you learn

4. 📍
   Milestone

   Complete required classroom hours alongside on-the-job training

   Alongside job-site work you'll do required classroom hours (code, safety, math). It's part of the apprenticeship, not extra school you pay for.

5. 📜
   Get certified

   Pass your state's journeyman electrician exam

   Passing your state's journeyman exam lets you work unsupervised and brings a big pay bump. It tests the code and practical knowledge you've been building all along.

   ⏱ weeks–months of prep · 💵 exam & license fees

6. 🎓
   Education

   After more experience, you can become a master electrician or start your own business

   More hours plus a master's license lets you pull permits, run jobs, and start your own shop — where the real money is if you want to run a business.

   ⏱ ~2–4 years · 💵 tuition varies — aid often available

7. 🏁

   Electrician

   Your destination