Why Stronghold Engineering?
Stronghold Engineering, Inc. is a construction company based in California. The company is renowned for its great corporate culture and has been recognized as the top workplace by the Inland News Group for five years in a row. What makes Stronghold Engineering a great company are its core values of quality, safety, teamwork, integrity, and commitment. On top of that, the company pays special attention to the health and wellbeing of its employees. In 2020, it won AGC’s Construction Safety Excellence Award. Starting a career with a company that values its employees is instrumental in a long and successful career. Stronghold Engineering started as an electrical firm, and since then, has widely expanded its operations. Over the years, the company has not only retained but also built on its expertise in electrical work. In this article, we will be discussing why a career as an electrician might be good for you, how you can get certified as an electrician in the State of California, and how Stronghold can play a role in helping you accomplish this goal.
Why become a certified electrician?
This just might be the best time to become a certified electrician. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has predicted that by 2029 the employment opportunities for electricians would grow by 8%. This growth is much higher than the average for all other occupations. This increase in demand is largely attributed to the shift towards renewable sources of energy, and growth in the construction and infrastructure sector. In the future, electricians can expect a lot of work that includes installing photovoltaic cells, electronic systems repair, and connecting renewable energy power plants to power grids. Stronghold Engineering is one of the US’ top solar installation companies and working with them, you are sure to pick up skills that will benefit you in the future, as part of its team or even as an independent contractor.
Being an electrician also offers great pay and job security. This is a rare offering that most entry-level positions are unable to offer. In 2020, according to the statistics released by the BLS, the median annual wage for electricians was $56,900. In California, this is even higher at $75,900. The state also boasts the highest employment rate in the US for electricians.
Is the career as an electrician right for you?
The career has great benefits, but it can also be quite demanding. It might involve a significant amount of traveling as you might have to work in remote areas. As part of Stronghold Engineering, you would mostly be working as part of a crew. You must possess certain qualities before you can start a career as an electrician. According to BLS, the qualities are as follows:
- Color vision – it is important that you can differentiate electrical wires by their color
- Critical-thinking – the work involves a lot of critical thinking because as an electrician you would be diagnosing problems and performing tests to see what is the best course of action
- Physical strength – at times electricians have to lift heavy electrical components
- Physical stamina – the work often involves kneeling or standing for long hours
- Trouble-shooting skills – the work entails a significant amount of repair work and diagnosing problems, for example, finding out what is causing a motor to malfunction or why a battery is not taking charge from a solar panel
If you think you have what it takes to become an electrician, then continue to read and find out how Stronghold Engineering can help you become one.
Starting as an Electrician with Stronghold Engineering, Inc.
For anyone that wants to learn a trade at Stronghold Engineering, they must start working with them as a Laborer Helper first. This is a position that is held for 6 months. During this time, you will have a chance to see what working in the construction industry is like and if a career as an electrician is the right fit for you. This is an entry-level position; however, you will be given the necessary training, support and sponsorship so that you can become a journeyman electrician within 4.5 years.
To become a Laborer Helper, applicants are not expected to have any sort of previous experience, however, having some sort of skills in construction or mechanical work is a bonus. If you are the sort of person who likes to undertake DIY projects at home, electrical work just might be the thing for you.
Once on the job, you would be required to provide the following qualifications before the end of the 6 months:
- High School Diploma
- Passing Grade in Algebra
- DMV Report
A complete application would then have to be submitted to Associated Builders and Contractors. After this, you will be required to sit a test called the TABE test. TABE tests your reading and general math abilities. This test is necessary to know that you would be able to perform well in the classroom environment for the duration of the apprenticeship.
After you have cleared the TABE test, you will be interviewed by ABC. The interviewers would be current contractors whose job would be to ascertain that you understand what being an electrician entails and whether you would be a good fit for the electrical apprenticeship program. If you pass the interview, you will be able to begin working with Stronghold as an Apprentice Electrician.
Apprentice Electrician
Stronghold Engineering kicks off the apprenticeship with an orientation session. The purpose of this session is to familiarize you with the ABC program and get you up to speed with safety protocols. Soon after the orientation, you will be assigned to work. Graduating from the apprenticeship program requires you to complete two steps:
- Finish ABC’s compulsory schooling which lasts 4.5 years
- Work for 4,000 hours under an experienced electrician
The hours that you need to accumulate for graduation will start adding up from the very first day of being an apprentice.
During your training, after every 6 months, you will take two weeks off. During these weeks, you would be expected to attend 144 hours of ABC classes in person. You will not have to pay for any of these classes. Through these classes, you will learn about the theory and practical application of electrical work in construction.
Once you have completed your apprenticeship program with Stronghold, you will then have to appear for the Journeyman Test. This is a four-hour-long, 100 questions exam that will test you on what you have learned during the apprenticeship. If the State of California is satisfied that you understand the electrical code and other related aspects of the field, then you will gain your certification as a journeyman.
Journeyman Electrician
Passing the exam will get you your journeyman card. After having completed your apprenticeship with Stronghold, once you get your journeyman card, you can start working with Stronghold as a full-time employee. The journeyman card must be renewed every two years. This is achieved by continuing electrical education and requires 32 hours of classes before the card expires.
The benefits of being a Stronghold employee are not only reserved for full-time employees. Even as an apprentice, you will be eligible for family health, vision, and dental benefits. If you are convinced that a career as an electrician is the right fit for you, then you should head over to the Stronghold Engineering, Inc. website to see how you can start your career, or reach out to HR Manager Kay McCain.
