Electrician Foundation

Overview

Are you interested in learning how your community is interconnected with electricity? Become an electrician beginning with this foundations program. As a electrician, you will perform critical duties in keeping our communities interconnected through the electrical grid. This 24-week certificate program can open up opportunities in several areas.

Careers

Once you become an electrician, you will be able to work in almost every type of industry. You may be employed by electrical contractors, municipalities, institutions, industrial operations, become self-employed, manage, or own large electrical companies.

Industries in which electricians are critical include:

• Utility and Energy Companies

• Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Construction

• Manufacturing and Production

• Mining

• Oil and Gas

• Institutional and Municipal Facilities

• Building and construction

• Industry (pulp mills, mining, utility companies)

• Institutional (hospitals, schools, municipal government)

What you will learn

In the Electrical Foundation program you’ll learn the skills to assemble, install, test, troubleshoot and repair electrical wiring; control devices such as switches, relays, and circuit breaker panels; and you’ll splice, join, and connect wires to form circuits and more. Electricians use their skills in everything from lighting to climate control and communications systems.

In the Electrical Foundation program, studies are focused on direct current (DC) electricity. You will learn

• Fundamentals of electricity and how it is electromagnetically induced
• DC circuitry, resistance, and circuit analysis
• Use of meters and test equipment
• Read and interpret prints and drawings
• Basic motor control and industrial power electronics
• Interpretation and application of the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC)

The Electrical Foundation program is heavily focused on math and physics. Due to the nature of the CEC, its content will be covered daily (approximately 1 to 2 hours per day).

As well as learning the theory of electricity, the program includes many opportunities for hands on learning. This practical experience is invaluable for preparing you for the electrical trade.

Become an Apprentice

This foundation program will provide entry level practical skills and academic knowledge to prepare you to begin the apprenticeship pathway as either a Construction Electrician or an Industrial Electrician. You do not need an employer sponsor to participate. In fact, one of the main reasons to complete a foundation program is to gain experience and familiarity with the trade, giving you a competitive advantage to finding an employer to hire you as their apprentice.

The Electrical Foundation program is unique in that it provides core training for two Red Seal trades, allowing you to later specialize as either a Construction Electrician or an Industrial Electrician. There also is the opportunity to be dual Red Seal ticketed by completing the specialized 4th level training, and work based training hours, for both programs.

Upon successful completion of the foundation program, you will receive credit with the BC Industry Training Authority (ITA) for Level 1 technical training in Electrician, Common Core. Once you are officially registered as an apprentice with ITA, you will then be able to complete the work based training hours (on the job training) and higher levels of apprenticeship training for your chosen electrical trade.

Apprenticeship programs provide a unique approach to post-secondary education, combining classroom based learning (known as technical training) with on the job training. This enables you to “earn while you learn,” significantly reducing the need for student debt and building your career NOW instead of waiting until you’ve completed your education.

Governing bodies

• Industry Training Authority