Purpose of ebook pages?

Thread Starter

electroboy2

Joined Mar 12, 2011
3
Hello all, I am currently going through all six volumes of the ebook available here on allaboutcircuits.com. It is very challenging since I am going through it alone via self-study. I prefer it this way though on my first time through the material. I plan on posting here to the forums heavily on my second time through it to make sure I understand everything 100%. But I do have a question though. I would like to know what very specific benefits can I immediately reap upon reading all six volumes, posting here in the forums, and understanding all of it's contents well? Namely, I am referring to jobs and certification tests. As I mentioned before going through the material is very challenging and I don't understand all of it but I am sticking with it in hopes of being able to find a job(s) where I can immediately benefit from studying everything in the six volumes. Or maybe I can take a certification test that I can put on my resume that studying this material precisely assists me on.

I was thinking getting my electrician's license. Am I correct in what I'm doing here or am I totally off regarding my expectations regarding the texts? My wife just continues to inquire about why I spend some much time lately reading the material in the ebook on this site. She wants to definitely know if studying this material like I have been will lead to me getting a job or is there some pathway/possibility etc. Thank you!
 

t_n_k

Joined Mar 6, 2009
5,455
Have fun in the forum. But keep your wife happy.

There's obviously a strong link between gaining employment and understanding the theory of the specific technology area.

There's also a significant requirement from prospective employers that the new employee will have a strong practical knowledge and a good understanding of how to apply theory to practice.

An electrician's job is highly practically focused and assumes a level of expertise sufficient to carry out tasks in a safe and competent manner subject to those statutory regulations set down by authorizing bodies. Hence the need for state or national accreditation or licensing in such occupations - at least in my country.
 

Thread Starter

electroboy2

Joined Mar 12, 2011
3
Basically, I think I am looking for a very detailed skills checklist for becoming an electrician and I would like to go the ebook here and learn what I need to know to be able to satisfy the skills checklist sheet for becoming an electrician.

Something like this but far more detailed and definitive:
http://www.raque.com/technical-training-prerequisite-check-list.pdf

Can someone recommend a checklist like what I'm looking for that I can go through the ebook with ensuring that I know specific skills instead of me simply going through the ebook?

Also, if my goal is to become an electrician and I do not need to read every chapter of every volume, is there a list of what exactly I would need to read from the ebook to get licensed as quickly as possible and get to work? I just want to make sure that I know how to use every single thing that I'm reading in the ebook and I'm not wasting any time at all. If I don't need to read a section then I'll skip it. :)
http://www.mt-online.com/component/...hoosing-the-skills-to-train.html?directory=90
 
Last edited:

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
Well, the E-books are quite helpful, but they're really more on a hobbyist level, as they don't go into great depth on quite a few things.

The US Navy NEETS training series of modules are designed to give student electrical/electronic technicians well-trained in a reasonably short period of time. A somewhat dated version of the series is available for download here:
http://www.phy.davidson.edu/instrumentation/NEETS.htm

You can't just learn it all by reading books though; you have to have hands-on experience with the circuits.

If you're considering getting an electricans' license, you'll really need to go to a technical school to get the training, and it'll take you a number of years as an electricians' apprentice before you can get a journeymans' license. If you're in the States, you'll have to know the NEC electrical code, and state and local codes, inside and out.

If you're not currently employed, then seek employment immediately in a field that you can already do.

Electronics can be a lot of fun, but electronics jobs seem to be getting fewer and further between, as a lot of manufacturing has moved offshore, and components (IC's) have become more highly integrated, and many functions that used to be performed by discrete components or many ICs are replaced by microcontrollers, FPGA's and other very large scale integrated circuits.
 

Thread Starter

electroboy2

Joined Mar 12, 2011
3
Ok, thank you Wookie! I will stop studying the books here. I will focus solely on progressive hands-on experience with a definitive skills checklist as my guide.

I do have one more question though. Can someone list a definitive exhaustive electrician skills checklist that covers beginners - master electricians skills to be mastered so I have something to specifically work towards. I am employed as a part-time translator but I'm considering joining the reserves here in Hawai'i since tuition is free for the national guard.
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/guardandreserve/l/bltuition.htm

I think the free tuition applies to reserves members of all the other branches of the military as well but I'm not sure. Anyway, with free tuition, I can take electrician classes and learn all the skills on the checklist that someone posts here. Thank you!
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
I doubt that anyone will take the time to generate an exhaustive list for you, as you'd really need to obtain that kind of information locally, most likely by enrolling in a trade school or via military service. You'll need to follow the course as it's presented.

Here's a Wikipedia entry for some general information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrician
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
One of the reasons I think school helps is when you self study there are gaps. My experience with college is a lot of those gaps were filled. A lot of the labs also give you needed hands on training.

Good luck with your learning, electricians never go out of style, and unlike other tech jobs, it doesn't move overseas either.
 

GetDeviceInfo

Joined Jun 7, 2009
2,192
once you enroll and are accepted as an apprentice electrician, you will be required to complete a combination of classroom study and hands on work experience. Your state training centers will have course overviews for each period of study.

Your main objective should be finding a sponsor/employer (a journeyman electrician to work under) so that you can enroll into the program. That way you start logging mandatory hours as work experience. Your schooling comes in due time, but most of your intitial learning comes from hands on.

First year Electricians do a lot of wire pulling, bending and installing conduit, and lots of labour type work. Workplace safety, tool usage, practical hands on type stuff. The big theory stuff comes in the later years. As mentioned previously, code is a major component throughout the apprenticeship. As code is tightely interconnected, it requires instruction from one who knows how to interpret it's meaning.
 
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