You've no doubt heard about trade schools and apprenticeships for electrician training, but now there are pre-apprenticeships, and they can be very helpful. They may be offered as part of a trade school or through a separate program, and they offer basic training both in the classroom and out in the field to get people started in the electrician trade. Some are offered through unions and some through private organizations. Whichever form you try, though, you should be sure that the pre-apprenticeship advances you toward your apprenticeship in more than just name.

Do the Pre-apprenticeship Hours Count Toward Your Apprenticeship?

First, ensure that the hours in your pre-apprenticeship count toward your apprenticeship hours. You need to have a certain number of hours to successfully complete an apprenticeship, and it only takes up time if your pre-apprenticeship hours don't count. While pre-apprenticeships don't always take that long, it simply helps to know that the weeks or months you spent learning will actually save you some time overall.

Who Is Sponsoring the Pre-apprenticeship?

Find out who is sponsoring or administering the pre-apprenticeship. Is it a government program? Is it a new private trade school that you don't know much about? Is it a well-established trade school that is affiliated with an electrical union? You want to know this information because sometimes, electricians prefer to hire completely new apprentices to teach them from the ground up. However, if you know that the program you were in had backing from unions and well-known schools, you can be sure you'll get thorough training that you can use in any electrician setting.

Does It Offer Apprenticeship Placement Assistance?

What happens at the end of the pre-apprenticeship? Does the school help you find an apprenticeship? Are you on your own? If you already know of electricians who will take you on as an apprentice, then you might not have to worry about whether the school offers help. But if you don't know of any electricians, then you'll want all the help offered to you. The faster you can find an apprenticeship, the sooner you'll start earning good money – and if you get help from the school with placement, you know that the electrician you're working with understands and approves of the training you received.

Your pre-apprenticeship should give you both the classroom and in-the-field knowledge that will help you become an excellent electrician. Make sure that your pre-apprenticeship allows you to transition easily into a full apprenticeship so that you can build your career as an electrician as quickly as possible.

To learn more, reach out to a local electrician trade school.

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