The steps to becoming a part-time electrician

The potentially lucrative opportunities that come with being an electrician are causing more and more individuals to take up electrical work as a second job.

Electricians are responsible for one of the most important aspects of modern society: they literally make sure the lights stay on.

However, for those who have not already established themselves as an electrician, it can be difficult to get a job as one, or to perform electrical work as a contractor.

There are many reasons for getting a second job as an electrician.

• First and foremost is the income potential. Electricians can easily earn upwards of $50 per hour, which can add up quickly even from a few jobs per month.
• Electricians can have a very flexible schedule, which makes it the perfect type of job for evenings or the weekend.
• Most electrical jobs can be done in one day, and larger projects can typically be broken up into smaller sections.
• The other great benefit of becoming a certified electrician is that you'll never have to pay for an electrician again.
• Not only can this add up to thousands of dollars in savings over time, but it also means that you can quickly identify and repair any electrical problems in your house right away, instead of waiting days or weeks for an electrician to come to your house.

The hardest part of becoming an electrician is getting licensed. However, the process is more time-consuming than difficult, and the payoff can easily be worth it.

The first step to become licensed is to apply for an electrical apprenticeship.

This requires a high school diploma (or GED certificate), a resume and a letter that describes why you want to become an electrician.

Once accepted into an apprenticeship program, you will need to take four courses: Safety and Orientation, Workplace Hazardous Material Information System, Fall Protection and Materials and Tools Identification.

Once these courses have been passed, you will enter a 900 hour pre-apprenticeship program, followed by a 9,000 hour apprenticeship program.

After your coursework and apprenticeship have been completed, you must take and pass a written examination, at which point you will be a fully licensed electrician.

While the steps to become an electrician can seem intimidating, remember that you can take as many years as necessary to complete them. At the end of the program, you will be able to make more than $50 per hour whenever you choose!

*Not only is it dangerous, it may even be illegal in some provinces, such as Québec, to do your own electrical wiring. The solution: consider hiring a master electrician.