APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Apprenticeship begins when you are either hired or promoted as an apprentice with a company that has the ability to provide an apprenticeship.

In order for a company to provide an apprenticeship they must have the following:

• A licensed master electrician on staff and licensed journeymen and/or master electricians available to supervise you at all times and teach you the trade
• A certified/registered training program that provides classroom training in addition to your On The Job (OTJ) training

The electrical apprenticeship in the state of Michigan requires a minimum of 8,000 on-the-job hours over a period of no less than 4 years. Completing these requirements, along with your classroom training, makes you eligible to take the journeyman’s exam.

Buist partners with the following educational institutions to provide classroom training. Depending on where you live will determine which institution you attend: Grand Rapids Community College, M-Tec, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, or Michigan State University.

You will earn an income while you learn the trade and you will receive company provided benefits. A typical apprentice who starts after completing high school will make approximately $45,000 plus profit sharing and benefits their first year of work. Wages increase with experience. Newer journeymen electricians typically make $65,000 per year plus profit sharing and benefits with the opportunity to earn considerably more depending on their skill level.

Be safety conscious, show up on time, have a desire to learn, and be productive. Being an apprentice takes mechanical aptitude – the natural ability to see and make things come together in physical form. You must have the desire to represent the company well to those you work with, to customers, and to the community. You must posses the ability to work in different environments – hot, cold, heights, depths, etc. and have the physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs, bend, pull, push, climb, walk, kneel, stand, and sit.