What High School Courses Should Your Child Take To Become an Electrician?




The electrical industry is an exciting and rapidly expanding career that offers steady employment, excellent pay, and rewarding work. Qualified and experienced electricians are highly sought after and the need will continue to increase over the next 5-10 years as more and more tradespeople retire. If your child is currently in high school and is looking to get an early start on their career as an Electrician then it’s a great idea for them to take some courses that will help when it comes time to begin their apprenticeship. There are a number of courses that will come in handy once they’ve begun working as an electrician including math courses, science courses, and actual electronics courses. So, what high school courses should your child take to become an electrician?

Math Courses

Math is incredibly important for Electricians and if your child become one they will find themselves using it every day. Whether they’re measuring a hole they need to cut or calculating the voltage required to power a room’s lighting, they will need to be able to perform math quickly and accurately.

As an electrician you will need to be able to perform simple sums like addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. All of these are covered in basic high school math courses. Algebra and, to a lesser extent, trigonometry are critical to the success of an electrician as they will be needed to ensure that each circuit and breaker is conducting correct amount of voltage. Too little and the device will not urn on, too much and the device can overload and cause damage. It’s important for potential electricians to take higher level math courses (Grade 11/12, Calculus, etc.).




Science Courses

During their electricians training they will need to become familiar with electrical circuity theory. Luckily, electrical circuity theory is a part of most high school Physics courses. This makes taking at least one physics course during high school an excellent idea for potential electricians. they’ll still have to learn it again during their apprenticeship but they will be better prepared than their fellow students when the time comes.

English Courses

Even though the majority of an electricians tasks are done in the field, they will still be required to write reports from time to time. they will also need to write essays and papers during their education. Taking an English or Communications course to help fine tune their academic and business writing is a good way to prepare for their career. In a communications course they will learn how to write and respond to emails, write reports, and communicate with professionals in a business setting. This is especially important if they one day wish to start their own electrician company.

Practical Courses

If their school offers Electronics courses or training it’s a good idea to take them in order to become familiar with working with circuits and other electrical devices. They will also likely learn some basic electrical circuity theory.

Physical Courses

Electrician duties are very physical and can be quite demanding. That’s why it’s important that they exercise regularly and get used to lifting and carrying large amount of weight. A Physical Education course is a great way to stay in shape so they’ll be ready for their training.