Electrician Schools in Delaware (Top Programs)

Those who want to enter the electrical field in Delaware have the chance to build a career or even run their own business in time.

Before all that, they’ll need to obtain a license from the State of Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners.

The career path looks like the following:

• Apprentice
• Journeyman
• Master electrician
• Electrical contractor

It’s important to know that those who want to become an electrical contractor, and thus run their own business, need a license from the Delaware Division of Revenue.

Apprenticeship Period

The Board requires that people who are interested in becoming an electrician would first enroll in an apprenticeship program where they’ll accumulate a job experience of at least 8,000 hours (4 years) under a licensed master electrician.

There are 2 ways to meet this requirement:

• Graduate from a technical college and work as a trainee/apprentice for an electrical contractor.
• Join a union or a non-union apprenticeship program

The Board doesn’t require electricians to receive classroom education, however, it is a real job setting, this is aspect is very important.

Technical Schools

Technical schools award electrical technician certificates or Associate degrees which are acceptable for entry-level positions.

Apprentices who choose this path, get both the classroom education and hands-on experience they need to become licensed journeymen.

Some of the schools help their students find employment with a licensed electrical contractor, to accumulate the 8,000 hours needed for the license.

In some situations, this results in full-time employment after graduation.

The Associates’s degree is very helpful when trying to become a master electrician.

Apprenticeship Programs

The apprenticeship programs in Delaware are available through both unions and non-unions, just like everywhere else in the US.

The unionized apprenticeship programs are made available through local JATCs (Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committees), though union membership is mandatory.

Most JATC programs will require the candidates to:

• Be 18 years old
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Have passed Algebra 1 in high school
• Pass a general aptitude test
• Be able to transport themselves to the classroom and job site
• Be able to physically perform the requirements of the trade

Non-unionized training programs are very similar to their unionized counterparts, though the applications are done through the Independent Electrical Contractors, Chesapeake Area Chapter.

Membership is not required for this option.

Apprentice Application

In Delaware, apprentices need to register with the Board which will issue them an apprenticeship license.

This permit costs $59, and the fee must be submitted with:

• An application
• A confirmation letter from the program’s director or supervisor

Become a Journeyman

Once the apprenticeship is completed, one can become a journeyman by completing the following:

• Fill out the application
• Score over 75% on the journeyman electrician exam
• Be 20 years old

In Delaware, the journeyman exam is organized through Prometric, and only those whose applications are approved can schedule it.

This electrical exam is 3 hours long, has 80 choice questions with multiple options, and is open book.

The National Electric Code is the book allowed during the exam.

The topics on the exam cover:

• Wiring and Protection
• Wiring Methods and Materials
• Equipment for General Use
• Special Occupancies
• General Electrical Knowledge
• Special Equipment
• Special Conditions
• Communication Systems
• Safety

Master Electrician

A master electrician can supervise any electrical project, as they have more experience than a journeyman.

The requirements are:

• Complete the application
• Pass the master electrician exam with a 75% score
• 6 years of full-time experience under a master electrician

The last requirement can be replaced by 4 years of full-time experience if the candidate earned an Associate degree in the field.

Those accepted can schedule their 4 hours long exam with Prometric.

The master electrical exam has 100 multiple choice questions, and candidates can refer to the National Electric Code and the  OSHA Construction Industry Regulations.

The topics cover:

• Wiring and Protection
• Wiring Methods and Materials
• Equipment for General Use
• General Electrical Knowledge
• Special Occupancies, Equipment, and Conditions
• Communication Systems
• Safety

Independent Electrical Contractor

Those who want to run their own business and sell their electrical services to the public in Delaware will need to register as a residential or non-residential contractor with the State.

This is a license allowing holders to hire master electricians.

This license is issued by the Delaware Division of Revenue, and there are 2 types of licenses:

• Residential – working within the state
• Non-residential – working outside the state

There are specific instructions on the Division’s website for how each license can be obtained.

Those who are interested in getting the residential license need to:

• Fill out the application form
• Show proper insurance compliance, which includes:
  • Unemployment
  • Worker’s compensation

Salary Info

While apprentices can also get paid, they’ll earn much less than journeymen and masters.

Journeymen will also earn less than masters, though whether they have a degree or not will also influence their salary.

Regional Salary in Delaware

Renewing the License

Every 2 years, apprentices need to renew their licenses as well.

Journeymen need to renew their license every 2 years after completing 5 education hours.

The number of hours varies for the first renewal, as they’re based on when the license was issued.

The Board has more information related to how many hours need to be completed, and which are the approved providers.

The master license also gets renewed every 2 years, after completing 10 education hours per cycle.

Just like with the journeyman license, depending on when you obtained the certification, for the first renewal the number of hours will differ.

The Board’s website has a list of approved providers and information related to the number of hours needed for the first renewal.

The contractor license needs to renewed every year.

For the first renewal, the fee will be prorated, but it will cost $75 a year after that.

Electrician Schools by City

Electrician Schools by State