Year One

In your first year of apprenticeship, you will attend 2 semesters of related training, each 4 months long, 2 nights a week. During the same period you will work a typical 40 hour work week for your employer. Apprentices start their training earning at least 50% of the average Journeyman wage in Central Florida. The Journeyman rate is adjusted annually and is derived from a survey of FEAT Participating Employers. The FEAT program is known as an open shop or merit shop program. This simply means that you will be paid based on your ability.

Your first semester of school is "Construction Basics". This class has 4 main goals:

• Refresh your math skills
  
• Teach you basic electrical skills
  
• Lay the foundation for succeeding classes
  
• Safety, safety and more safety

Your second semester will be "Direct Current Fundamentals". In "Direct Current Fundamentals", you'll start by learning atomic theory as it relates to electrical energy. You'll work with Ohm's Law and Watt's Law and learn how voltage and resistance affect current and power. We'll show the different sources of power, including the chemical source of batteries and electro-magnetic production by generators. Sequence of your classes may vary depending on your class locations.

Your first year of OJT will also be focused on the basics. Depending on the jobsite you are assigned to, you may be working on the underslab of a new building, installing conduit (pipe for electrical wires) in commercial buildings or installing boxes and wire in a residential building.

Provided you are progressing as expected, after approximately 6 months (1000 hours) of OJT you will advance to 55% of the Journeyman wage. At the end of your first year (2000 OJT hours) you will be at 60% of the Journeyman wage.