Page 7 - TTMNSummer2025

Construction
Teaching Today Minnesota | Summer/Back to School 2025 Page 7

Pathways to an Electrical Career

Apprenticeship is typically a combina- for the licensure test. Licensed electricians Junior year if you are interested in attending
tion of on-the-job training (often taking four often command over $50 per hour. one of these programs.
years for most trades) and related technical Electrical contractors are looking for Electricians are integral to clean and
instruction (RTI). The great part of this is the attitude and aptitude and they are willing sustainable energy providing installations
learning is being paid for the on-the-job train- to train the rest. That said, there is compe- in solar, wind, energy efficiency, building
ing the entire time! The Electrical Association tition for these apprenticeship seats and the automation, and electrical vehicle charging
The Electrical Association provides electrical apprentice training (RTI) industry is limited to two apprentices for any stations. They also work in residential, com-
Many high schools are getting smart about for electricians even if those apprentices are one licensed electrician. Electricians need mercial, highway, industrial and agricultural
not employed by one of our members. Our
strong math skills and good reading com-
settings.
preparing their students for the future and are school year starts in September and ends in prehension. They also need to follow safety The Electrical Association provides
focusing on career preparation in addition to late April, so apprentices have their summers protocol for their own and public safety. support for all stages of an electrician’s
college preparation. There are many pathways off to focus on work. While there is plenty of opportunity to career from job seeker to master electrician.
to success, and not all of them include college. Starting wage for an apprentice electri- step into an electrical career right out of high You can find information regarding careers
Enter apprenticeship, it is the model used cian is typically $18.38–$24.63 per hour. As school, graduates from 2 year construction on our website. We can also arrange for a
by the construction trades to provide skills to the electrician shows they can do the work, electrician programs are typically top of the speaker to discuss electrical pathways in your
our next generation of tradesworkers. While their wages will quickly escalate. After four list for hire. Most of these programs have classroom. www.electricalassociation.com
this model of education is centuries old, it is not years of experience, the apprentice can sit 2 year waitlists, so I recommend applying
often understood by the younger generation.