Electrician Trainee (Certification Program)
Submitted By: Kermit Boyd
Mt.San Antonio Regional Consortium for Adult Education
Website: https://bas.bassettusd.org/
Type of Practice: Program Development / Curriculum / Classroom
Program Area(s): CTE / Workforce Prep / Pre-apprenticeship
Region: Los Angeles Basin
Consortia Involved: Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium for Adult Education
Program Overview
Bassett Adult School opened an Electrician Trainee Program to increase the number of individuals who pass the California State Electricians Exam and are placed into jobs as Electricians.
The Program of Practice
Existing law requires that persons performing work as electricians, under a C 10 licensed electrical contractor, be certified pursuant to certification standards established by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Electricians are defined as all persons who engage in the connection of electrical devices for electrical contractors. Also, California requires students to complete 150 hours of schooling to acquire their Electrician Trainee Card (T-Card). Therefore, Bassett Adult School (BAS) opened an Electrician Trainee Program. As a result, existing electricians and new upcoming electricians poured in to take the course! Ultimately, BAS saw the exceptionally high need and demand for highly skilled blue-collar electricians. When the class first launched, it started with 69 student registrations.
The Response
BAS administration worked to have the course approved by the State of California Department of Industrial Relations to offer the Whole General Electrician Curriculum. Further, students who attend BAS may apply for an Electrician Trainee Card (T-Card) upon verification of enrollment and attendance of any module. Bassett Adult School has various modules available, each teaching a different topic essential to the Electrician profession. Students can also apply for their T-Card because the Electrician Trainee course meets the State requirement of 150 hours per year.
The Unique Features of the Program
The program features one of the premier and sought-after electrician training: Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). This module is a very comprehensive hands-on module introducing the students to industrial manufacturing, motor controls, and programmable logic controllers. Furthermore, BAS features state-of-the-art hands-on labs for Residential and Commercial Wiring, which includes extensive pipe bending and advanced usage of digital multi-meter training. Moreover, students in the near future will also train in a fully automated lighting lab. The lab will coincide with California State Title 24, a lighting efficiency law mandated for all new residential and commercial construction.
The Outcome
The California State Electricians Exam currently has a pass rate of General Electrician of 49%, and students who complete the BAS Electrician Trainee Program have a pass rate of 81%. Additionally, the pass rate of the class per year is 90 to 95%, and 74% of students are placed on jobs and start their electrician careers.