Let’s break it down.

What Is a Residential Electrician?

Think of a residential electrician as the go-to expert for anything electrical in someone’s home. These are the pros who install and maintain the wiring systems in houses, apartments, condos—pretty much any place people live.

If you’ve ever hired someone to install a ceiling fan, troubleshoot a circuit breaker that keeps flipping, or upgrade your home’s electrical panel, chances are it was a residential electrician.

Some of the common tasks residential electricians handle include:

• Installing outlets, light fixtures, ceiling fans, and appliances
• Upgrading fuse boxes to circuit breaker panels
• Wiring for new home additions or remodels
• Troubleshooting and repairing faulty wiring
• Ensuring home electrical systems are up to code

Because homes use single-phase power (120/240 volts), the systems residential electricians work on are generally simpler than what you’d find in commercial settings. That »ĺ´Ç±đ˛ő˛Ô’t mean it’s easy—but it’s definitely different.

What Is a Commercial Electrician?

Now, commercial electricians work on a larger scale. Think office buildings, retail stores, schools, hospitals, and factories. Their job is to install, maintain, and repair electrical systems in buildings where people work rather than live.

The work can be more complex because commercial buildings often require three-phase power systems, higher voltages, and more specialized equipment. That means the wiring, conduit, and panels are all designed to handle heavier electrical loads.

Tasks commercial electricians typically handle include:

• Installing transformers, generators, and large-scale lighting systems
• Running conduit through walls, ceilings, or underground
• Setting up power distribution panels for entire buildings
• Troubleshooting high-voltage equipment and systems
• Working with blueprints and building plans for large projects

Because commercial electricians often work on big job sites with construction teams, they need to understand blueprints, electrical schematics, and often follow tighter deadlines than residential electricians.

Tools & Techniques: What’s the Same, What’s Different?

Both types of electricians use many of the same tools—wire cutters, pliers, multimeters—but how they use them can vary. Residential electricians often work in tighter spaces (think attics and crawlspaces), while commercial electricians might find themselves on lifts or scaffolding, installing heavy-duty systems.

And while both follow the National Electrical Code (NEC), commercial projects might also involve extra building codes, safety protocols, and inspections based on the size and use of the building.

Work Environment: Homes vs. Job Sites

As you might expect, the work environment differs too. Residential electricians often work alone or with one other person in someone’s home. Customer service skills come in handy here—you’ll be interacting with homeowners, answering questions, and sometimes calming nerves if something goes wrong.

Commercial electricians, on the other hand, typically work on teams, alongside HVAC techs, plumbers, and general contractors. Jobs may last weeks or months, and schedules can be more structured with early morning start times and larger crews.

Training and Licensing: How Do You Get Started?

Here’s the good news: the foundation for both careers is the same. You’ll start with electrician training, like the Electrician Program at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, which covers electrical theory, safety, wiring, codes, and hands-on practice.

After nine months of training, you’ll enter an apprenticeship (typically 3–5 years), where you’ll gain experience under the supervision of a licensed electrician. Eventually, you’ll take your state licensing exam—and then you’re on your way to becoming a journeyman electrician.

Many electricians start with residential work to gain experience and confidence before moving into commercial jobs, while others stick with one type throughout their career. And once you’re licensed, the choice is yours.

So, Which One Is Right for You?

Choosing between residential and commercial work really depends on your goals and preferences. Here’s a quick comparison:

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re wiring a dream home or powering up a shopping mall, electricians play a critical role in keeping our world running. Both residential and commercial electricians enjoy solid career opportunities, good pay, and the satisfaction of working with their hands.

At ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, our electrician training program gives you the skills and foundation to pursue either path. You’ll get hands-on experience, guidance from industry professionals, and the confidence to succeed—no matter which direction you choose.

Ready to start your journey? Check out our Electrician Program today.

Assemble the required supplies

Trying to run power to a shed can be a challenge, especially if this may be your first time! First things first, you will need to gather the right tools. Some of these tools include: conduit, wiring, cords, switch boxes and other supplies. Most of these supplies can be found at a hardware store and are pretty affordable all together. If your situation involves heavy duty machinery, you can rent industrial tools from a local hardware store, this saves you time and enables you to be efficient.

Running power to a shed can be a 1-2 day job and if you haven’t done DIY work before or aren’t an experienced electrician, it is definitely recommended to do a little research on the equipment you will be using.

Look at all the costs

Powering a shed can be quite costly, especially if it is done by a licensed electrician. However, if you take on the task, it is important you look into how much it costs to run electricity to a shed. Usually, it is anywhere between $100-$600. The overall cost will also depend on the specifics of your situation (e.g: length of wiring, how much power needs to be supplied, type of tools used).

Typically, the cost of your tools can range. For the tools listed above, here are some of the price ranges for two of the main supplies.

1. Conduit: Depending on your situation, there are different types of conduit and pricing for each one. The most common is the rigid metal conduit which is sold in 10-foot pieces. Usually, it costs $0.77 per foot for ½ inch size, $1.16 per foot for ¾ inch size and $1.60 per foot for 1-inch size.

2. Wiring: The price of the wire depends on the length you will need to reach the shed. For residential wiring it has to be a minimum of 12-gauge thickness. Usually, the price of the wire can range anywhere between $20-$100 depending on the type of wire and how much you use.

Learn the national electric codes

Learning the national, but more specifically, your local electrical codes will help you to understand your situation better. National electrical codes, in addition to local ones, are in place for your safety and those around you. These codes govern the specifications for components for everything from circuits to external wiring. There is a basic document for electrical wiring in the United States that is called the National Electric Code (NEC) which is updated every three years. The actual rules are defined locally and specific to each state; however, the NEC is the minimal standard you must follow.

So, before you begin working on installing external wiring out to a shed or other outdoor project, be sure to familiarize yourself with the relevant codes.

Learn the basics of electrical wiring

The internet is full of DIY tutorials, including ones that will guide you on how to wire a shed. It is recommended that you watch a few videos to compare and verify all the sources. There are also step-by-step electrical wiring guides in written and video form that are quite easy to follow along if it is your first-time handling something like this.

It is also important that you follow the correct steps and in order. Usually you will need to find the right conduit, select wire to be used, dig the trench (where the wire and conduit will run through), install switch box, run the conduit, run the wire, connect the circuit and wire the shed. This may seem like a lot, but with the right instructions and supplies, it shouldn’t be too hard to accomplish.

Consult with a licensed electrician if needed

When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to consult a professional electrician. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to electrical work, as it can be dangerous—especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. Better still, you can pursue a career as an electrician to become confident in your electrical installation abilities.

If you are interested in making a living installing electrical power, ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program is the perfect place to start.

Discover the ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ Electrician Difference

ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program provides students a well-rounded education that allows them to succeed in the workforce as professional electricians. ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program is designed to prepare students for positions in the workforce. Much of the program is hands-on learning, but that is also mixed with theoretical components so students learn the reasoning behind what they are doing. In ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program, aspiring electricians learn the ins and outs of the trade. The well-rounded curriculum gives students the opportunity to see what they might want to specialize in within electrical work. At the end of the program, you will be prepared to continue on your path to becoming a journeyman electrician.

Set yourself apart from the field with a stellar electrician education. Discover the ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ Difference. Get started today at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝college.edu.

How to Become an Electrician Apprentice

How to Become an Electrician

How Long Does it Take to Become an Electrician?

Embarking on a New Career as a Professional, Trained Electrician

What Does an Electrician Do?

In general, electricians handle the electrical, lighting, and power systems in your home, offices, businesses, and more. They install wiring and equipment, inspect systems and circuit breakers, read blueprints and diagrams, and make sure everything in a building is following both the National Electric Code and any state regulations. Everything from communications to control is maintained and repaired by electricians.

What’s the Process for Becoming an Electrician?

In California, electricians have to start out with hands-on electrician training from a . How long this training takes is different from school to school, but in many instances it can take less than a year to get your electrician diploma. At ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, the Electrician program provides hands-on training in wiring, power distribution, circuits, cabling, and green electricity in just 36 weeks.

How Do You Get Licensed as an Electrician?

Once you graduate from an accredited electrician program, your next step is working as an apprentice electrician in order to get qualified to sit for your electrician certification or licensure. Depending on the kind of electrician you want to work as, you’ll need to log a certain number of hours under the supervision of a class C-10 electrical contractor. In apprentice electricians need:

• General electrician: 8,000 hours (about 200 40-hour work weeks)
• Residential electrician 4,800 hours (about 120 40-hour work weeks)
• Fire/life/safety technician: 4,000 hours (about 100 40-hour work weeks)
• Voice data video technician: 4,000 hours (about 100 40-hour work weeks)
• Non-residential lighting technician: 2,000 hours (about 50 40-hour work weeks)

So if you add it all together, you’re looking at around 9 months of school, followed by 1-4 years of paid work as an apprentice electrician.

What Is a Journeyman Electrician?

A journeyman electrician is someone who is qualified to do many of the tasks electricians are needed for on a day-to-day basis, like installing, repairing, and inspecting wiring, circuitry, and control systems in residential, industrial, and commercial buildings.

Journeyman electricians can work independently on a job site, but they’re not licensed to handle the planning or design of entire electrical systems. They’re also not cleared to supervise other electricians or run an electrician business. To do that, you’ll need to get licensed as an electrical contractor, which you can do once you have at least a year of experience as a journeyman electrician.

If you’re ready to get started on the road to becoming an electrician, you can start today with quality, hands-on training from ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. Contact us today to talk to one of our advisors about your career goals.

What is it that makes a particular career essential?

According to the , “essential workers are those who conduct a range of operations and services that are typically essential to continue critical infrastructure operations. Critical infrastructure is a large, umbrella term encompassing sectors from energy to defense to agriculture.” If you’re thinking that covers a lot of ground, you’re right. But let’s explore a few examples of what makes an essential career essential.

Healthcare workers

This is pretty much a no-brainer, but there are few times in modern history when healthcare workers were needed more. And the healthcare industry is made up of far more than just talented doctors and surgeons. The nurses, medical assistants and administrative healthcare workers are equally important to the vitality and effectiveness of a medical team. Consider the typical duties of these healthcare heroes.

• Vocational Nurse(VN) – LVNs provide essential assistance to doctors and registered nurses and play a key role on a medical team. They routinely prepare patients for exams, perform lab tests, record vital signs, update medical records and much more.

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – CNAs work under the supervision of a registered nurse and provide personal patient care such as bathing, feeding and dressing patients, as well as recording vital signs, answering patient calls and monitoring a patient’s behavior.

• Medical Assistant Administrative & Clinical – This versatile healthcare worker fulfills an important role by performing clinical duties as well as the administrative side of the equation. Medical assistants greet patients, schedule appointments, process insurance forms, record patient medical histories and more. But they will also routinely take blood pressure readings and monitor heart rates.

People working in any of these healthcare careers are more than just critical members of a healthcare team, they are some of our most essential workers during a crisis.

Critical technical trades

Maybe less obvious as essential careers in the workforce, there are several trade and technical careers that are undoubtedly critical to keeping infrastructure intact during any local or national crisis or disaster.

• Electricians – When you ask yourself “what »ĺ´Ç±đ˛ő˛Ô’t run on electricity”, you can quickly come to the conclusion that without skilled electricians the giant machinery of not just healthcare but just about everything that moves would come to a screeching halt.

• HVAC Technicians – The world survived before central heat and air, right? Of course. But it’s safe to say a lot more people would struggle to survive a pandemic without the ability to not only manage the climate inside homes, hospitals and buildings everywhere, but also to control the indoor air quality. HVAC professionals are also the folks keeping refrigeration systems smoothly functioning to protect critical medical supplies, food and other essentials that simply wouldn’t fare well without it. There just isn’t enough ice.

• Welders – There are some essential careers that by their very nature are essential to other essential careers. Welders are integrally involved in just about every kind of infrastructure operation including HVAC, electrical and more. Without these employees working to manufacture the parts, technicians would be unable to service and repair the machinery.

Amidst a global pandemic, there are likely a lot more changes to come.  But what has become clearer than ever before is that essential workers, the men and women who get up and go to work every day – pandemic or not, are keeping the wheels on the bus in the post COVID-19 world as we know it. So, if you’re looking for what’s next for your career, why not consider a career path that makes YOU essential. If you’d like to learn more about the essential careers above, check out the programs at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝. ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ is training the next generation of indispensable heroes who keep our communities going in good times and bad. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a campus tour.

What is the NEC wiring color code?

The most widely adopted code in the world, the NEC was written with safety in mind. It’s the most complete set of electrical code requirements that govern electrical installations. All houses built since the 1940s (and older homes that have been rewired) all subscribe to this cable color coding. If you open an electrical outlet or light switch box, you’ll see multiple wires of different colors that may be grouped together. Each of them serves a different purpose, and it’s critical to know the household wire code to keep yourself safe and your house wiring in optimum working order.

What is the color code for electrical wiring?

There are two parts to non-metallic electrical cable: the outer sheathing, or jacket, and the inner wires. The colored sheathing covers the inner wires (copper wires). The markings on the outside sheathing indicate the number and gauge of wires inside; the color of the sheathing indicates the purpose.

• Black wires carry power from the electrical service panel to an outlet, light or other destination. A black wire is considered a hot wire because it carries a live electrical load.
• Red wires are also hot wires and in a 240-volt installation, are sometimes used as secondary hot wires. These are used to interconnect smoke detectors, so that if one alarm goes off, all the others do as well.
• White and gray wires are neutral wires, which connect to the neutral bus bar (a conductive piece of metal in an electrical panel that attracts current and carries it throughout the house). Even though they’re neutral, white and gray wires still can carry a current—especially if the current load is unbalanced.
• White wires wrapped in black or red electrical tape are hot wires. The tape just serves as an alert that the normally neutral wire is being used as a hot wire rather than a neutral one. As a precaution, loop the tape around it several times to make sure you know it’s not neutral.
• Green wires ground an electrical circuit. A ground wire connects the grounding terminal in an outlet box and runs it to a ground bus bar in the electrical panel. As a failsafe, the green ground wire gives electric current a place to escape to the ground in the event of a live wire touching metal or something else that is conductive. Green wires can only connect to other green wires and may still be live if there’s a problem or fault in the electrical system.
• Bare copper wires are the most common type of grounding wires.
• Blue and yellow wires, although not usually found in non-metallic (NM) cable, are sometimes used as hot wires in an electrical conduit. Blue wires are travelers, commonly used in three- and four-way switch operations, which might be the switches at the top or bottom of a staircase that control the same light.

How can I learn more and become an electrician?

ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ offers electrical training programs in San Bernardino, El Cajon and Santa Ana. According to O*NETOnLine, job growth for electricians between 2018-2028 is growing 10 percent in the U.S.—higher than average for other professions; in California the rate is 13 percent. That’s great news! After just nine months of ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ training, you’ll be prepared for an entry-level position as an electrician. You’ll learn to repair and maintain electrical systems, examine electrical units, provide customer service and communicate with clients. Other benefits of a ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ education are flexible day and evening class schedules, free tutoring and career services.

For more information about ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s electrician program, call today.

ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician Program will provide you with a quality education that prepare you for work in the field. ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ is accredited by the (DIR). Our instructors have valuable knowledge of the trade, attained through many years of real-world work experience.

After completing our program, you will be one step closer to joining the ranks of more than 628,000 professional electricians. You will join an industry that is thriving like never before as more and more people need electricity. The Edison Electric Institute refers to electricity as the “lifeblood” of the United States because so much of our commerce depends on it.

Given the importance of electricity, it goes without saying that electricians and their trade are just as vital. As an electrician, you can enjoy a career of supplying electricity to individuals, families and businesses that need it. You will be eligible for a wide variety of jobs and specializations, not to mention work in a multitude of different settings.

This post will discuss how to get started in ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician Program and hopefully address many of the questions you have about beginning your journey toward your certificate.

What do I need to enroll to ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝?

To enroll at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, you need either a high school diploma or a GED. The high school or GED program must be accredited by the United States Department of Education. ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ does not require prospective students to take the SAT or other college entrance exams.

I have my high school diploma/GED. What’s next?

With your high school or GED diploma in hand, the next step toward enrolling at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ is to contact an admissions advisor. You can do this by either filling out the contact form on the ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ website or calling 1-888-497-3382. Calling the phone number will put you in direct contact with an admissions advisor. If you opt to fill out the contact form, an advisor will contact you via email shortly after your submission.

The admissions advisor will provide you with additional information about ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ and schedule an interview. The interview will give you the chance to learn more about the program and help the advisor understand your career goals.

After your interview, the next step on your enrollment quest is to schedule a tour of one of ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s campuses. Your visit to the Colton, El Cajon, or Santa Ana campus will award you a chance to see everything ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ has to offer.

You will have the opportunity to experience ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s facilities and labs, which feature state-of-the art equipment. Prospective students also get to see what the relationship between teachers and students is like, as this is a vital part of an education.

I’m blown away by the tour of campus. Can I just enroll already?

Once you decide that the electrician program and ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ are right for you, there are still a few more hurdles to clear. One such hurdle is an entrance exam assessing your math and English skills. Though ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ doesn’t require students to take the SAT, the school still needs to see what you know and what you don’t.

Once you complete the aptitude test, the only obstacle standing between you and your electrician aspirations is financing your education. Most people likely do not have a spare $30,000 lying around, but fear not because ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ offers a variety of financing and payment options. These include a number of federal and state financial aid programs. You can also meet with a staff member of ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Financial Aid Department to explore your options.

Financial Aid

The easiest way to find out what kind of federal financial aid you qualify for is to file a FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps college students get their share of more than $150 billion of financial aid awarded annually. These funds are provided by Federal Student Aid, which is part of the United States Department of Education.

The FAFSA takes your personal financial into account when determining how much aid you will be awarded. Factors such as your or your parents’ incoming, expected financial contribution and other assets are among those that may influence your award.

Federal student aid is parsed out in a few different ways:

• Grants
• Loans
• Work-study funds

Grants are allotments of money given to you by the government. You do not need to pay back these sums after you graduate. Grants are typically need-based awards.

Loans are sums of money that you borrow from the government to finance your education. These come in both subsidized and unsubsidized varieties. Subsidized are loans that the government pays the interest on while you are enrolled in school. Unsubsidized loans accrue interest as soon as you take them out.

Following graduation, you are required pay back the loans in full with interest.

Work-study jobs are part-time jobs awarded to students while they are in school. These jobs allow students to work to earn some of the money they need for their education. Work-study jobs are available to both full-time and part-time students.

Many states and colleges also use the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for .

Electrician Program

After you have figured out how you are going to fund your education, you can enroll in ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician Program.

The program takes nine months to complete and is offered at ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Colton, El Cajon and Santa Ana campuses. The course is offered both during the day and at night to provide students with flexibility around their busy lives. It also allows students to enter the field in a short amount of time, providing valuable experience they need to begin their apprenticeships.

In ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program, aspiring electricians will learn the ins and outs of the trade. The well-rounded curriculum gives students the opportunity to see what they might want to specialize in within the electrician industry.

The Electrician Program consists of both lecture and laboratory components. As a student, you will complete 260 lecture hours, in addition to 460 lab hours. In ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program, students will take courses to learn about subjects such as:

• Electrical theory
• Green electricity
• National Electrical Code Application
• Residential Installation
• AC and DC Motors and Machines

ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician Program is designed to prepare students for positions in the workforce. Much of the program is hands-on learning, but that is also mixed with theoretical components so students learn the reasoning behind what they are doing.

The instructors who teach in ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician Program are professional electricians with years of experience. They have handled a multitude of different situations over the course of their careers and have the knowledge that comes from working in many different settings. The electrician wisdom of the faculty is a pride point of ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s program.

At the end of the program, students will be ready to enter apprenticeships and continue on their quests toward becoming electricians.

After the program

After you complete ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician Program, you will be equipped with the skills needed to work as an apprentice. Apprenticeship is the next step on your journey to becoming a professional electrician.

In your apprenticeship, you will work “under the supervision of a qualified journeyman electrician” to learn and hone the skills needed to be an electrician. During your apprenticeship, you will be required to fulfill a specific number of on-the-job working hours, as well as technical training hours. Apprentices typically receive increases in pay as they continue to master new skills.

Once your apprenticeship hours have been completed, you will most likely be required to pass a licensure exam. The licensure and educational requirements vary from state to state. Information regarding such requirements can be found by contacting the (NECA).

California, for example, requires that apprentice electricians receive certification from the state’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The exams differ depending on the specialization the candidate has chosen. Passing this exam is required to work as a professional electrician for a contractor.

Will ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ help me find an apprenticeship placement?

ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ offers electrician students career assistance, including resume help, mock interviews and externships. These resources help electrician students capitalize on lucrative entry-level jobs. At ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝, we pride ourselves on the level of support we give our students.

A quality trade school education is important for aspiring electricians. It helps them stand out over other candidates during their quest for employment. Students who enroll in ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝â€™s Electrician program receive a well-rounded education that allows them to succeed in the workforce as professional electricians.

What are you waiting for? Your career as an electrician begins as soon as you want it to. Discover the ĐÇżŐ´«Ă˝ Difference. Get started today at summitcollege.edu.