Most cities around the nation have trade schools and colleges.  Schools like the University Of Phoenix, Steven Henneger College, and other colleges offer apprenticeship programs for potential electricians.  The nice thing is these schools will connect you with an electrician firm looking for some extra help and turn you into an apprentice.  The nice thing is that you get paid while attending some apprenticeship classes as well as getting paid for the work you do.  Most apprenticeships last 3-5 years and once you are finished with school, you can then be promoted to a journeyman electrician as also promotes you to the next pay grade. 

Most apprentice electricians get paid from $10 -$15 dollars an hour and usually work part time because they are also in school which does not permit them to keep a full time schedule.  Once you become a journeyman and finish apprentice school you can plan on making $49,000 to start. 

Being an electrician is an excellent career choice as electrical needs are changing rapidly.  As an “inside” lineman you will primarily be working on construction projects such as commercial and residential buildings and homes.  You will follow the lead of the journeyman electrician to wire walls, connect wiring, and set up electrical terminals.  If you apprentice as an “outside” lineman you will be servicing the ever growing need of this nations electrical needs.  The population is always growing and so the electrical  needs for cities are always increasing.  As an outside lineman you will be installing and hooking up power line systems and towers.  These jobs are in high demand as there is an ever increasing amount of work.

Many people wonder why an apprentice is necessary.  The answer is simple, electricity is very dangerous.  By becoming an apprentice and taking classes, you will learn the theories and workings of electricity to ensure that you are safe around it.  Electricity can kill someone in an instant, especially if you are an outside lineman working with thousands and thousands of volts.  Most state legislation requires an electrician to gain an electrician license which is attained by finishing the apprentice process.

A  journeyman electrician is an electrician which has just finished being an apprentice.  As a journeyman electrician it is your job to specialize in wiring buildings, stationary machines, and other related equipment.  With the population constantly growing, electrician are employed to install new electrical components such as power stations and towers.  Journeyman electricians are also employed to repair current electrical infrastructure that is damaged by weather.  The aviation industry also has a great need for people to wire planes and there is also a strong need for electricians on the seas wiring ships and maintaining and repairing their electrical infrastructure. 

There are a few requirements that must be met to become a journeyman electrician and be available to hire;

• An apprenticeship is required which lasts from 3-5 years under the general supervision of a Master Electrician.
• As a Journeyman Electrician you are to supervise directly the electricians which are apprentices.
• School in electrical theory and electrical building codes is required to complete the apprentice program.
• As a journeyman you should be well rounded and trained in all phases of electrical construction in many different types of buildings. 
• Journeyman electricians can perform all electrical work except for the design of electrical systems which is the Master Electricians job.

If you are looking for a electrician job, it is important for you to have your own set of electrical tools.  This will not only look good to your employer, but most people like using their own tools anyway.  Some of the tools you should have include;

• Lineman’s pliers – general use pliers
• Diagonal pliers – pliers without teeth to cut
• Needle-nose pliers – long tapered gripping nose pliers
• Wire strippers – cut wire insulation
• Cable cutters – high leveraged pliers for cutting large cable
• Rotosplit – breaks the spiral jacket of metallic-jacketed cable
• Multimeter – reads voltage, resistance, and current for troubleshooting
• Step bit – metal cutting drill bit
• Fish tape – good for getting cables out of tight spots
• Power tools such as reciprocating saws, drywall saws, metal punches, adjustable slip-joing pliers
• Crimping tools – applies terminals or splices
• Megger – insulation tester
• Solonoid voltmeter – simple test of voltage

Now for the question that everyone wants answered, how much does a journeyman electrician make per year?  The answer is that a journeyman starts at about $49,000 per year and can make as much as $75,000 per year based on experience and the company your work for.  Government contractors usually are some of the highest paying employers and are the ones that reach the peak salary cap.