Apprenticeship – Year Four

At last! Your final year of apprenticeship. Actually, you won’t believe it passed so fast. “Motor Control” is most students’ favorite semester. After you learn the theory of motor control, you’ll be reading schematics and ladder diagrams — the “blueprints” of motor control. The last half of the semester will be spent in the lab. You may not believe it now, but by the end of this class, terms like limit switch, relay, contactor and starter will be part of your everyday vocabulary. You only have one class left — “Industrial Wiring”. This class is broken into two separate sections. The first section is based on the blueprint of an Industrial building and Unit Substation. The Substation is a building that contains the necessary equipment to connect, transform and distribute power. The NEC regulations that apply to specialized systems in an industrial building are examined. The last part of this semester is actually a review of your classes from the start. This review is designed to help you prepare for successful completion of the Journeyman License Exam that you are qualified to take after your apprenticeship is complete.

On the job you will be assuming increasing responsibilities. You may be in charge of a crew in the portion of the building you are working on — reading blueprints and selecting appropriate material. You may not be a journeyman yet, but learning supervisory skills is an important lesson. The equipment and lighting fixtures you install will be larger and specialized. After 7000 OJT hours (three and one half years), if you are progressing as expected, you will be at 90% of the Journeyman rate. Not only is your percentage increasing every six months, because the Journeyman rate is evaluated yearly, the rate often increases also.

Four years, eight classes and 8000 OJT hours completed! What can you expect next? You will receive a Certificate of Completion from the State of Florida. Because the FEAT program is registered with the Department of Labor, your accomplishment will be recognized wherever you live in the US. Now, you negotiate your pay with your employer. Remember, FEAT employers operate under the open shop concept – your pay is based on your merits as an electrician.

What can you expect in your future? You may be a project superintendent, estimator or even run your own business. You might want to check FAEC’s Career Paths to explore your options. Local chapters of the Electrical Council of Florida, Florida Association of Electrical Contractors and the International Association of Electrical Inspectors offer upgrade and specialized classes. The FEAT calendar has these classes listed for your convenience.

Wherever your career path takes you, the future is up to you.