Electrician Schools in Colorado (Top Programs)

The Colorado State Electrical Board is the body issuing licenses to individuals interested in becoming electricians.

These individuals enter a trade that has big chances of turning into a career that in Colorado looks more or less like this:

• Apprentice
• Journeyman
• Master electrician
• Electrical contractor

Technical Training

Apprentices are electricians in training and they need to accumulate a set number of on-the-job hours as experience while also attending classroom education.

There are 2 ways of meeting this basic requirement:

• Direct apprenticeship
• Technical college

Technical College

If you want to enroll in a technical program at a college, you’ll have to earn an Associates’s degree in electrical technology and then accumulate 6,000 hours of paid, on-site experience supervised by a licensed electrician.

Classroom education will cover topics such as:

• Grounding and bonding
• National Electric Code and changes made
• Wiring methods
• Theory and calculations
• Between 10 and 40 hours of OSHA based safety training

Most technical schools will help their students find licensed electricians willing to take on apprentices, and thus securing a long-term position.

Some schools have training programs that are specifically designed to help students become journeymen so apprenticeship placement is actually guaranteed.

These schools will work with companies such as:

• Sturgeon Electric Company in Henderson
• Encore Electric in Englewood
• Dynalectric Colorado in Lakewood

Apprenticeship Programs

If you’re interested in this career path and you want to sign up for a direct apprenticeship you’ll need to accumulate:

• At least 8,000 hours of paid, on-site experience supervised by a licensed electrician,
• At least 288 hours of classroom education.

Direct apprenticeships are available through both unions, where membership is mandatory, and non-union agencies, where there is no need for a membership.

Contacting a JATC (Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee) is the easiest way of finding unionized apprenticeship opportunities.

The following requirements need to be met by those who want to enroll in a direct apprenticeship program:

• 18 years old
• A photo ID
• Pass a general aptitude test
• Have a high school diploma/GED
• Able to physically perform the requirements of the trade
• Have reliable transportation to the classroom and job site

The largest non-union electrician training programs in Colorado are found through:

• The Independent Electrical Contractors, Rocky Mountain Chapter
• The Construction Industry Training Council of Colorado

Apprentice Registration

In Colorado, apprentices need to register themselves as such with the Board.

The Board’s website has more information on the process.

Becoming a Journeyman

A journeyman electrician is allowed to wire, install, and repair electrical equipment according to code without being directly supervised.

These professionals have a license which they earn after:

• Filling in the application
• Completing their apprenticeship as described above
• Accumulating at least 2 years of experience doing electrical work in industrial, commercial, or similar settings
• Scoring at least 70% on the exam

The exam vendor is PSI who will contact those whose applications are approved.

The exam costs $75.

The CO Journeyman Wireman Exam that candidates have to pass lasts for 4 hours and a half and has 90 questions.

Candidates can consult the National Electric Code during the exam that will cover topics such as:

• Grounding and bonding
• General electrical knowledge
• Services, feeders, and branch circuits
• Electrical calculations
• Overcurrent protection
• Conductors and cables
• Raceways and boxes
• Special occupancies
• Special equipment
• Electrical devices
• Motors
• Transformers
• Photovoltaics

Master Electrician License

Journeyman electricians have the option to become master electricians once they earn enough experience on their current license.

These professionals can get permits to work on residential properties, though they’ll also need a special master electrician license.

The requirements to earn this license are:

• Filling out the application
• Four years as a registered apprentice OR four years gaining practical experience in electrical work
• At least 2 years of experience doing electrical work in industrial, commercial, or similar environments
• 2,000 hours in a year planning, laying-out, and supervising the installation of electrical equipment
• Passing the exam with a score of 70%

PSI is also the vendor for the CO Master Electrician candidates need to take, and which costs $75.

The exam has the same length and topics as the journeyman exam and allows candidates to consult their National Electrical Code.

Independent Electrical Contractor

Those who want to sell their electrical services in Colorado need to register as a commercial or residential contractor with the State.

This means they need a license that allows them to hire a master electrician and run a business as a local contractor.

To obtain this license, you have to:

• Fill out the appropriate application
• Have a current worker’s compensation insurance
• Hire a licensed master electrician
• File an Acknowledgment of Responsibility from the qualifying individual

The business owner can also be the licensed master electrician, and this person is usually the qualifying individual.

Those interested in becoming a contractor will also have to check out the regulations and requirements of their county.

Salary

Electricians start earning money as soon as they enter an apprenticeship, though their income will be lower than that of a journeyman.

Regional Salary in Colorado

License Renewal

All licenses need to be renewed every 3 years after completing 24 Professional Development Units, or PDUs.

This continued education must cover 4 different topics:

• Grounding and bonding
• National Electrical Code changes
• Wiring methods
• Theory and calculations

The Department of Regulatory Agencies website has more details regarding the license renewal process.

Electrician Schools by City

Electrician Schools by State