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San Jose is the central financial, cultural, and political hub of silicon valley and northern California.
It is also the largest city in the northern part of the state, with a population that exceeds 1 million.
San Jose is known for its unique innovation and cultural diversity, supporting a booming tech industry.
In the greater metropolitan San Jose area, there are many innovative and prestigious institutions of higher education in the world – from Stanford to UC Berkeley and Santa Cruz.
Do Electricians Need A License in California?
Electricians working anywhere in California are required to hold a license issued by the California Department of Industrial Regulation (DIR), which is the state agency responsible for issuing and administering the regulations regarding professional licenses.
This state agency requires electricians to complete on-the-job training, although the exact requirement depends on which electrician license level one seeks.
Additionally, each license candidate must pass the relevant exam after they have completed one of the following:
- Classroom instruction from a state-approved college/university/trade school.
- An apprenticeship working under a certified California electrician’s supervision for a defined set of hours.
According to the BLS, the number of electricians working in California during May of 2021 exceeded 52,000, and their average annual salary for that time was $53,080. Additionally, there were more than 4,300 electricians working in and around the greater San Jose metro area.
These electrician professionals had a yearly average wage of $91,090 in 2021, which is above the state average.
1 The Electrical Training Alliance of Silicon Valley
The Electrical Training Alliance of Silicon Valley is recognized to be among the largest electrician training/apprenticeship programs in and around Northern California.
The ETA offers training programs for apprentice-level (residential wireman) electricians or journeyman-level professionals.
Sample classes for journeymen include OSHA30, Motor Controls, Instrumentation, and photovoltaic systems.
The school offers certification for those interested in California Solar Training (CALSTaC).
Address: 1873 Barber Ln, Milpitas, CA 95035
2 The Center for Employment Training - CET San Jose
The Center for Employment Training – CET San Jose, a state-approved trade training school, offers a 900-hour electrician training program typically completed in eight to nine months and includes job placement services.
The San Jose CET offers both day and night classes and provides open enrollment to new students.
Graduates of this CET program receive an Electrical Trainee Card and are qualified for entry-level positions as an electrician or electricians assistants.
Address: 701 Vine St, San Jose, CA 95110
3 Silicon Valley Career Technical Education
Silicon Valley Career Technical Education offers an electrician training program that is available for students who wish to earn high school credits while learning a trade.
Graduates of this Career Technical Education program complete coursework that includes AC/DC theory classes, commercial/residential wiring, troubleshooting, pipe bending, the electrical code, safe practice, blueprint reading, and more.
Graduates also receive a state-approved Electrical Trainee Card upon course completion.
Potential job options for graduates of this program include assembler, electrician, material handler, alarm installer, or maintenance technician.
Address: 760 Hillsdale Ave, San Jose, CA 95136
4 San Jose City College
San Jose City College offers one of the more affordable electrician training programs in the San Jose vicinity.
This SJCC trade training program for electricians includes classes in OSHA Safety Standards, electrical concepts for facilities maintenance technicians, programmable logic controllers, and industrial electronics/controls, to name a few.
Address: 2100 Moorpark Ave, San Jose, CA 95128
Schools Summary Table
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
|
#1 | The Electrical Training Alliance of Silicon Valley |
|
#2 | The Center for Employment Training - CET San Jose |
|
#3 | Silicon Valley Career Technical Education |
|
#4 | San Jose City College |
Read the full guide: How to Become an Electrician
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Electrician Schools by State