When looking at electrician qualifications they can include formal certification in different types of repair work, having a strong personal work ethics, and completing high school. The electrician certifications are usually received through regional training agencies but not all local areas will require this form of qualification. In this field of work post secondary school is not usually required but there are some employers that may look favorably on those applying for a job that has completed secondary school or they may even require it.
Most local regions will require that those working as an electrician must be certified by an exam that is region specific. The certification courses and written final exam that they must pass are often specific to the types of electrical repair work that they will be doing. All repair work is usually subdivided into categories. These can include:
• Commercial electrical repair
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning HVAC related repairs
• Residential electrical repair
When there are job postings they will usually include specific electrician qualifications that specify which type of certification the electrician has to have before they can apply for the job. If they are certified in residential repair they may not be qualified to do commercial electrical work. An electrician can be certified to work in any or all of the subcategories. This will increase their chances of obtaining work in one of three areas. There are some regions that do offer a general electrical repair license but it would require a bigger number of coursework hours along with a different final exam. This license would qualify an electrician to work in all available forms of electrical servicing. With this form of license you will only need to hold one license instead of multiple ones.
An electrician can also become certified in a certain area of expertise. This can be done by becoming affiliated with a trade organization that is local. You will also have to have on-the-job supervised training. The employers that work with individuals involved with this type of program may require that the electrician have received formal apprenticeship status in order to satisfy their electrician qualifications. You may also be required to complete all of the repair work under the licensed electricians supervision until the electrician has met the specified number of training hours are completed. How many apprenticeship hours that are needed to satisfy regional standards depends on what type of electrical repair work you are doing. You will also be required to take a written exam in order to receive their certifications. Personal qualifications can include legible handwriting and ability to get along with others.