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Malik
Student
West Hempstead, New York
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What is the best post high school path to become an electrician? #Fall25
NYC and surrounding suburbs
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Steve Orton
Electrical engineering
4
Answers
Augusta, Georgia
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Steve’s Answer
As you finish high school, start looking for a technical school or vocational-technical school. These schools provide essential skills and hands-on training. Many also offer job placement with companies seeking new workers.
Dominic Wragg
Electrician
6
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Morrisville, North Carolina
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Dominic’s Answer
There are generally two paths you can take. There is the trade school/ apprenticeship route or the school - certificate/degree route. It depends on where you want to end up.
For someone that is looking to be an electrician (commercial, residential, or industrial) the most cost effective methods is to enroll in an apprenticeship. You will have structured on the job training with classroom learning included. Most electrician jobs from apprenticeship level on up will take you with this type of experience.
The other option is to go to a school for a certificate or degree. This is the preffered option only if you plan to go into business for yourself or if you plan to branch into the engineering sector.
Most employers looking for electricians will look for experience over a certificate or degree. Degrees and advanced education is really only applicable in the advanced stages of an electricians career (5+ years), if ever. I have been an electrician for 5 years at varying levels and do not have a degree or certificate but went through an apprenticeship program and i am working at a major company making 100k + a year. I am now pursuing an electrical degree but none of the employers I worked with really care about it at all. This degree will not even allow me to earn more in my current role. Ultimately I plan to transition to an engineer and it will help with that but otherwise, it is completely useless in a practical sense.
This is not to say that you should not pursue a degree if that's what you want, but understand that an electrician is a trade, and almost all trade jobs only focus on experience rather than education. Example. You get an associates in electrical systems technology (electrician degree) and go to get a job. In most cases you will still be hired on at the same entry level as the person without the degree since you both have no practical experience.
Find an apprenticeship
Apply.
Self educate through online resources including youtube
Get accepted and keep an open my to learn everything they teach you.
Continually ask questions and conduct self learning
For someone that is looking to be an electrician (commercial, residential, or industrial) the most cost effective methods is to enroll in an apprenticeship. You will have structured on the job training with classroom learning included. Most electrician jobs from apprenticeship level on up will take you with this type of experience.
The other option is to go to a school for a certificate or degree. This is the preffered option only if you plan to go into business for yourself or if you plan to branch into the engineering sector.
Most employers looking for electricians will look for experience over a certificate or degree. Degrees and advanced education is really only applicable in the advanced stages of an electricians career (5+ years), if ever. I have been an electrician for 5 years at varying levels and do not have a degree or certificate but went through an apprenticeship program and i am working at a major company making 100k + a year. I am now pursuing an electrical degree but none of the employers I worked with really care about it at all. This degree will not even allow me to earn more in my current role. Ultimately I plan to transition to an engineer and it will help with that but otherwise, it is completely useless in a practical sense.
This is not to say that you should not pursue a degree if that's what you want, but understand that an electrician is a trade, and almost all trade jobs only focus on experience rather than education. Example. You get an associates in electrical systems technology (electrician degree) and go to get a job. In most cases you will still be hired on at the same entry level as the person without the degree since you both have no practical experience.
Dominic recommends the following next steps: