stupid school question

[electricalperson]

do you guys think classes for the journeyman licenses apprentices take should contain more theory than code?

i think the classes should teach more about ac/dc theory. code is important but i think what seperates electricians from installers is the knowledge of electrical theory.

i admit im not as good at theory that i thought i was. i am using mike holts theory book to help me. i have a tom henry ohms law book as well.

a lot of the more advanced things we didnt go over in school.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I would say electrical code is based on the electrical predictions based on theory.

Oh, and I'm told the only stupid question is one that is not asked.

 

[cadpoint]

do you guys think classes for the journeyman licenses apprentices take should contain more theory than code?

I think that the class has got your thinking about the bigger picture!

i think the classes should teach more about ac/dc theory. code is important but i think what seperates electricians from installers is the knowledge of electrical theory.

A well rounded education is always better than a single direction!

i admit im not as good at theory that i thought i was. i am using mike holts theory book to help me. i have a tom henry ohms law book as well.

a lot of the more advanced things we didnt go over in school.

Hopefully, it's a through well rounded exposure for ones self, the learning , the comprehension, drive, moxie, should be a comprehensive and hopefully a pitch as to entice!

 

[iwire]

stupid school question

There is a school for stupid?

 

[roger]

do you guys think classes for the journeyman licenses apprentices take should contain more theory than code?

I do, code questions can come later as in Masters exams.

Roger

 

[bphgravity]

Apprentices positively need a solid year of theory. Overall though, students can't get enough code study and practice. In all truth, most electricians don't spend enough time studying the code over their career. I feel most electricians can be very sucessfull and good at what they do only knowing the code.

The code tells you what, where, when, and how to make an electrical installation.

Theory only tells you why the code requires the what, where, when, and how.

All that being said, I too wish I had a better theoretical bakground in the more advanced concepts...

 

[raider1]

There is a school for stupid?

I graduated with honors from that school.

Chris

 

[Cow]

I graduated with honors from that school.

You should be proud then. You went from dummy to genius, I salute you!

On a more serious note, our apprenticeship did very very little theory and concentrated solely on code. They were mostly looking for a high pass rate on the j-test.

 

[raider1]

On a serious note, I teach 3rd and 4th year apprentice courses at my local tech college. Utah requires a 4 year apprenticeship program in conjunction with 4 years of on the job training.

The program we use combines both theory and code throughout the 4 years. 1st year apprentices get an introduction to the code as well as Ohm's law training. As the apprentices progress we get more in depth with code and get in to motor and transformer theory. We also go through plan reading and solid state electronics theory.

Chris

 

[cadpoint]

Some one hit me with this thought today, Frankly I'm floored by it and thought it's worthy and fitting!

"Until you step out of the shadows of others and be who God MADE you to be, you can never find your destiny. God made you different for a reason."

- Unknown (well ok the poster can't find the author and I asked!)

 

[Cow]

The program we use combines both theory and code throughout the 4 years. 1st year apprentices get an introduction to the code as well as Ohm's law training. As the apprentices progress we get more in depth with code and get in to motor and transformer theory. We also go through plan reading and solid state electronics theory.

I wish ours would of been like that. Now that I'm turned out I'm learning everything on the fly. I try and do a bit of reading and catching up in my spare time, hence, this site.:smile:

 

[peter d]

I believe that basic theory is the foundation to code understanding. For instance, why do we need to derate? Why do we need to limit the impedance of the EGC? What are the rules for grounding and bonding? Understanding electrical theory will make all of these code issues so much easier to apply and understand.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Apprentices positively need a solid year of theory. Overall though, students can't get enough code study and practice. In all truth, most electricians don't spend enough time studying the code over their career. I feel most electricians can be very sucessfull and good at what they do only knowing the code.

The code tells you what, where, when, and how to make an electrical installation.

Theory only tells you why the code requires the what, where, when, and how.

All that being said, I too wish I had a better theoretical bakground in the more advanced concepts...

I could not have said it better myself.:grin:

With a number of years of training electricians in my belt, I have a pretty good idea what the guys in my area do and do not understand. I am quite aware of what they are capable of learning, and what they will spend the time and effort learning.

I have been teaching theory to journeyman who have not had or have forgotten theory and I can tell you I can see the torture it causes most of them. They cannot wait for the 8 hours of class over 3 nights to be over. I used Mike's PPT and book, but they loose interest very quickly.

The OP's question is about journeymen licensing test, not apprentiship classes.
By the time one is ready to take a journeymans license test, the theory should have been taken.
Most people will forget a large percentage of what they learn after a few years if they do not constantly use it.
Such as, who really uses parallel/parallel-series calculations in the field? Who remembers the color of the bands for resistors?

Having a minimum understanding of theory is very important.

Having a stronger knowledge of the NEC and local codes will keep the average electrician working and be more valuable to his employer.