Electrician Responsibilties:
Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.
Electrician Benefits:
Electricians enjoy stable careers with competitive salaries, overtime, and benefits in a growing industry. The field offers clear paths for advancement, from apprentice to master electrician, with corresponding pay increases.
Yes, you must have a Montana electrical license. The Montana Department of Labor and Industry, State Electrical Board oversees the licensing process.
Montana issues five types of electrical licenses: Residential, Journeyman, Master, Limited Electrical Contractor, and Unlimited Electrical Contractor. Apprentices are not licensed, but they do have to register with the State Electrical Board.
Limited electrical contractors are either licensed journeyman electricians or employ journeymen electricians; they can only work on residential construction consisting of five or fewer units. Unlimited electrical contractors can work on all residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional structures.
On average, apprentice electricians in Montana earn $35,919 per year. An electrical journeyman makes $55,612 per year, and master electricians make $67,579 per year.
Most candidates for a Montana electrical license participate in an apprenticeship program. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers coordinate with unionized electrical contracting businesses to facilitate apprentice training programs. Non-union apprenticeships are available through the Independent Electrical Contractors Association, too. Individuals also may enroll in an electrical technology course at a Montana community college affiliated with the Montana Registered Apprenticeship program, or they can approach a non-union electrical contractor independently.
Coursework is incorporated into apprenticeship programs. You’ll learn the basics of electrical theory and how to program electrical circuits. You’ll also study the National Electrical Code and many types of wiring systems as well as how to bend conduits and read blueprints. As an electrical apprentice, you’ll be expected to own your own tools.
To attain a Montana Residential Electrician License, you must pass an examination and meet one of the following three requirements for experience:
The exam is an open-book test that consists of 50 questions on the National Electrical Code, Ohm’s Law, and the layout and installation of electrical circuits. A passing grade is 75%. You’ll have two and a half hours to take the test. The exam fee is $50. If you pass the exam, the license application fee is $240.
Once you’ve successfully registered for the exam, you can obtain a temporary residential electrician permit that will allow you to work while you wait to take your exam.
To obtain a Journeyman Electrician License, you’ll have to pass an examination based on the National Electrical Code. The State Electrical Board must approve your exam application. You must meet one of the following experience qualifications:
The fee for the 60-question exam is $60. The exam focuses on the National Electrical Code, Ohm’s Law, and the layout and installation of electrical circuits. You’ll have three hours to take the exam, and a passing score is 75%.
Applying for a temporary journeyman electrical permit will allow you to work while you wait to take the journeyman exam.
Master electricians must pass an examination. Your examination application must be approved by the State Electrical Board. In addition, you must have one of the following types of experience:
The master electrician test consists of 80 questions. It’s an open-book exam. Test topics include electrical theory, the National Electrical Code, electrical circuit layouts, cost estimates, procurement, and handling.
To be licensed as a limited electrical contractor, candidates must either be a journeyman electrician or employ a journeyman electrician in a full-time capacity. The candidate also must submit proof that he or she carries Montana Workers’ Compensation insurance and unemployment insurance.
Individuals applying for an Unlimited Electrical Contractor License must either be master electricians themselves or employ a master electrician full time. They also need to submit proof that they carry Montana Workers’ Compensation insurance and unemployment insurance.
Montana’s electricians’ union is the International Brotherhood of Electricians (IBEW.) IBEW is very proactive in the provision of apprentice training programs throughout Big Sky Country. It’s also true that on average union electricians earn higher wages and qualify for better benefits, including retirement pensions. However, joining a union means abiding by the union’s many rules, and this condition may not work well for every electrician.
IOrganizations, like the IBEW, the National Electrical Contractors Association, and the Independent Electrical Contractors Association, offer networking opportunities to help with employment. Positive referrals also can spur employment. Prospective employers are likely to ask questions about your previous work experience and how you solve work challenges.
Montana law requires individuals who hold Limited Contractor Licenses and Unlimited Contractor licenses to carry Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Insurance. Given the many types of professional risks, it’s also advisable for electrical contractors to carry general and professional liability insurance as well as commercial property insurance to protect business belongings against theft or damage. Employees will be covered by their employers’ insurance.
Electricians and other construction professionals can expect the demand for energy-efficient buildings to increase over the next decade. Understanding how to design circuits that reduce the amount of energy a structure uses will give electricians a competitive edge in the job market.
Smart grids also are becoming increasingly popular, and electricians who understand this technology should see a greater interest in their services. You can attend major trade shows outside the state to further your education.
Montana has reciprocity agreements for Journeyman Electrical Licenses with Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The State Electrical Board does not reciprocate Master Electrician Licenses. The only way to obtain this Montana electrical license is through examination.
All electricians’ licenses are good for a two-year period. The license renewal fee for Residential, Journeyman, and Master Electrician Licenses is $135; the license renewal fee for Limited and Unlimited Electrical Contractors is $275.
See all jobs, apprenticeships, and trade schools
Want to get into this trade?
Find jobs near you