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About Becoming an Electrical Trainee

To learn to be an electrician, you need to begin as a trainee. An electrical trainee must have a trainee certificate and work under the supervision of a certified electrician.

An Electrical Trainee must renew their certificate every two (2) years until they pass the exam to become a journeyman or master or specialty electrician. 

Here's the process:

1. Make sure you meet the basic age and other requirements.
2. Apply to become an Electrical Trainee.
3. Work as an Electrical Trainee under the supervision of a journeyman or master or specialty electrician while you are gaining the required hours of experience to become certified as a journeyman or specialty electrician.
4. While you're working, you must take eight (8) hours of approved basic classroom instruction per year to renew — that's a total of at least 16 hours completed by the time your certificate expires.

For more information:

• Find out more about the Electrical Program.
• Read the Electrical law Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.28.
• Read the Electrical rules Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 296-46B. See Electrician certificate and examination (WAC 296-46B-910).
• Join the Electrical Listserv to receive e-mails with the Electrical Currents Newsletter and other important information.