In Connecticut, there is a growing demand for new electricians. The Connecticut Department of Labor expects that the number of jobs for electricians in the state will increase by 12.8% in the ten-year period leading up to 2024. This means now is the time to enter this stable trade and take advantage of the new opportunities becoming available.
Electricians in Connecticut are licensed under the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP). Through the DCP and their processes, you’ll work to gain the experience you need to become a journeyperson electrician, and go on to earn an electrical contractor license if you choose.
Follow these steps to learn how to become a licensed electrician in Connecticut:
Step 1. Gain the Hands-on Experience and Classroom Hours Required to Become a Journeyperson
To qualify for an Unlimited Journeyperson (E-2) License through the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, you need to go through 8,000 hours (4 years) of on the job training and 144 hours per year of classroom instruction.
In the electrical trade, you can get the training you need through one of two methods:
- Attending a technical college and documenting proof of experience while working in an entry-level position with a state licensed contracting company
OR
- Joining a union or non-union apprenticeship program
Technical Colleges
The first option for training as an electrician is to enroll in an electrical program at a local technical or community college. These programs will give you the required training hours (144 per year) while you earn an electrical technician/mechanic certificate of competency or associate’s degree in applied electrical technology.
Additionally, your education can count towards the 8,000 hours of practical experience required before you can be licensed as a journeyperson electrician. The Occupational and Professional Licensing Division of Connecticut notes that the number of hours you can reduce the practical experience by varies greatly depending on the school you go to and how many classes you take.
The Connecticut Department of Labor recommends that electricians get instruction and training in the following subjects:
- Orientation and Safety
- Tools, Equipment, and Instruments
- Residential Wiring, Maintenance, and Repair
- Commercial Wiring, Maintenance, and Repair
- Industrial Wiring, Maintenance, and Repair
- Low Voltage Wiring, Maintenance, and Repair
- Cable Installation/Splicing Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Basic Knowledge and Associated Trades
These are general topics that cover a broad field of work; the Department of Labor simply recommends that each of these subjects are taught so that electricians applying for the E-2 license later have a working understanding of many different systems.
With the classroom portion of the requirements settled, you’ll be well qualified to find employment with a local electrical contractor. Some technical school programs include a field training component where you’ll be placed with a local contractor. In many cases, this results in full-time employment upon completing your program assuming the electrical contractor is willing to hire you on while you gain the hours required to earn your journeyperson license.
You may find yourself working with some of the more experienced contracting companies in Connecticut:
- Paquette Electric in Pomfret Center
- Electrical Contractors Incorporated in Hartford
- M. Rizzo Electrical Contractors in Danbury
Union and Non-Union Apprenticeships
Alternately, you could pursue a traditional apprenticeship through a local union branch. Local chapters of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) work together to offer apprenticeship programs through JATCs, or Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committees. These are organized under the National Training Alliance, which provides resources and helps keep training across the nation up to standard. Here are the JATCs available in Connecticut.
- Hartford Electricians JATC
- Local Union 488 IBEW-NECA JATC in Monroe
- NECA and Local Union 90 JATC in Wallingford
Admission to a JATC often requires you to:
- Be 18 years of age
- Provide a photo ID
- Be able to physically perform the requirements of the trade
- Be able to transport themselves to the classroom and job site
- Pass a general aptitude test
- Have a high school diploma/GED
- Have a high school transcript with proof of passing one full year of algebra
- Appear for an interview
- Be drug free
If you choose the non-union option, you’ll be able to apply through a non-union trade organization. This would involve finding sponsorship through a non-unionized local electrical contractor, which the Independent Electrical Contractors of New England, based in Rocky Hill can assist with.
Apprentice Registration
You would need to be registered with the state to work in a paid apprenticeship. In order to register, you need to be employed by an approved sponsor. You can find instructions for registration on the Apprenticeship Self-Registration for Approved Sponsors page.
Step 2. Take the Examination Required to Become a Journeyperson
If you hold a journeyperson license in Connecticut, known as the E-2 Unlimited Electrical Journeyperson license, you can perform almost all electrical work as long as you are employed by a properly licensed electrical contractor.
The requirements for this license are:
- Completing the application
- Providing an apprenticeship completion letter OR notarized proof of 8,000 hours of electrical related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Apply for the journeyperson exam within 30 days of completing your apprenticeship
You can apply for the journeyperson exam with this application. To pass the exam, you need to score at least 70%. The exam is three and a half hours long and has 80 questions. The exam is also open book, and you can use the 2014 or 2011 National Electric Code as well as Ugly’s Electrical Reference on the exam. The exam questions cover the following topics:
- General Electrical Knowledge – 7 questions
- Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits – 7 questions
- Grounding and Bonding – 6 questions
- Conductors and Cables – 7 questions
- Raceways and Boxes – 8 questions
- Special Occupancies and Equipment – 5 questions
- Electrical Power – 4 questions
- Motors – 5 questions
- Low Voltage – 2 questions
- Lighting – 3 questions
- Illuminated Signs – 2 questions
- Fire Detection and Alarm Systems – 5 questions
- Safety Information – 5 questions
- Overcurrent Protection – 6 questions
- High Voltage – 2 questions
- Photovoltaics (solar power) – 6 questions
After you pass the exam, you need to be sure to renew your license annually. Part of renewing your license is maintaining your education of best practices and electrical code. In Connecticut, electricians are required to complete continuing education credits before they renew their license each year. You can find the list of continuing education providers at the beginning of this page from the Department of Consumer Protection.
Step 3. Consider Becoming Licensed as an Independent Electrical Contractor in Connecticut
After working as a journeyperson electrician, you can choose to get a E-1 Unlimited Electrical Contractor License in Connecticut. This license is required to conduct business as an electrical contractor, and it enables you to conduct all electrical work. You’ll need to meet certain qualifications as well as keep insurance up to date.
The requirements for this license are:
- Two years as a journeyperson electrician (E-2 license) OR six years of equivalent, documented experience
- Passing the Unlimited Electrical Contractor exam with a 70% score
- Passing the Business and Law exam with a 70% score
You can apply for the both exams with this application.
To pass the electrical contractor exam, you need to score at least 70%. The exam is four hours long and has 100 questions. The exam is open book, and you can use the 2014 or 2011 National Electric Code as well as Ugly’s Electrical Reference on the exam. The exam questions cover the following topics:
- General Electrical Knowledge – 6 questions
- Service, Feeders, and Branch Circuits – 10 questions
- Grounding and Bonding – 7 questions
- Conductors and Cables – 10 questions
- Raceways and Boxes – 8 questions
- Special Occupancies and Equipment – 9 questions
- Electrical Power – 6 questions
- Motors – 6 questions
- Low Voltage – 2 questions
- Lighting – 3 questions
- Illuminated Signs – 2 questions
- Fire Detection and Alarm Systems – 5 questions
- Safety Information – 6 questions
- Overcurrent Protection – 6 questions
- High Voltage – 4 questions
- Photovoltaics – 10 questions
To pass the business and law exam, you need to score at least 70%. The exam is two hours long and has 50 questions. The exam is also open book, and you can use the Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law, and Project Management on the exam. The exam questions cover the following topics:
- Licensing – 5 questions
- Estimating and Bidding – 7 questions
- Lien Law – 2 questions
- Financial Management – 4 questions
- Tax Laws – 5 questions
- Labor Laws – 5 questions
- Project Management – 5 questions
- Contracts – 6 questions
- Business Organization – 2 questions
- Risk Management – 4 questions
- Environmental and Safety – 5 questions
Additionally, all contractors in Connecticut must have worker’s compensation insurance, even if they are self-employed. Employees can be self insured, but you do have to offer them worker’s compensation insurance in either case.
Finally, electrical contractors have to their licenses renewed annually. Part of renewing your license is maintaining your education of best practices and electrical code. In Connecticut, electricians are required to complete continuing education credits before they renew their license each year. You can find the list of continuing education providers at the beginning of this page from the Department of Consumer Protection.