California Journeyman Certification

[sdbob]

Re: California Journeyman Certification

I took the test Wednesday.

You bring a non-programmable calculator, that's it. Not even extra pencils are allowed.

In my opinion this was more of a word search test than a Journeyman's test. A very green apprentice with a good understanding of where to find what information in the book will do just fine.

There were at least two mistakes on my test questions, were there more mistakes in the answers?? I only scored 88%; walking out of there with over 30 minutes left I estimated my score to be around 93-95 counting the built in mistakes.

If you're studying, here's my advice.

Concentrate on the layout of the 1999 NEC, the bigger, thinner version. Read the index a few times, get an idea of the key-words listed there. Practice looking up code secions from the index. That's 90% of the test.

Understand watts / amps = volts, and its 2 other variations.

Understand that resistor values add normally when connected in series, but add in reciprocal when connected in parallel. (I missed one of these.)

Learn how to calc a residential range. (I know I missed that one, lol.)

Do this and 80+% will be a walk in the park.

 

[tryinghard]

Re: California Journeyman Certification

I am also curious how the certification will be managed. As a licensed contractor in California I am managed by the CSLB and if I have infractions or license problems my clients (GC's/public) do not know unless they check. It is often the same with bonds & insurances. Sting operations are one way the CSLB catches non-licensed or problem licensed contractors.
I suppose a list of workers could be submitted on each project, ugh.
What about facilities maintenance workers? These workers might be unplugging a toilet one moment and calculating/guessing a circuit size the next.

 

[sandsnow]

Re: California Journeyman Certification

Just in, un-official though I have an inside track
Deadline wiill be postponed for everyone (not just spanish) until Jan. 1, 2006

No word as to when they will switch to the 2002 NEC

 

[inspector23]

Re: California Journeyman Certification

Has there been an OFFICIAL announcement for the postponement? I went to the DAS web site and found nothing.

This was originally enacted in 1999 and was to become law in 2001. I personally do not believe it will ever become law in California. For all the high-tech talk California spews, they are so far behind in building/construction codes it is criminal. They still use - AND ENFORCE - the 1997 Uniform Building Code!! They enforce the 1999 NEC ! Incredible what hack lawyers can get away with in government. A lot of talk about California being "Northern Mexico" as far as the open and brazen corruption that is going on.

 

[sandsnow]

Re: California Journeyman Certification

Here's the official announcement

DIR website

From what I understand it's the different agencies such as DSA and OSHPD who can't agree on which code to be on. The Building Standards Commission coordinates the whole mess. I don't think it's a corruption problem here, just plain old incompetence and stupidity.

 

[MICHAEL JANKOWSKI]

ACCORDING TO WHAT THE UNIONS SAY, IT IS THE 1999 NEC CODE BOOK

could someone please tell me which yr of the code they are using for the test.

in comparing this test with the ca contractors test that i took, i see the following:

contractors test 4 hours closed book
100 questions business
125 questions trade

journeymans test 4 hours open book
100 questions

 

[chateau mike]

continuing education req

continuing education req

i took the test and agree, it was simple. where did you hear about the continuing ed requirements? i have not recieved any information in the mail about it.

 

[sparky_magoo]

I took the test two years ago. I got an 89 out of 100. Some of the questions, about five, were wriiten so badley, that there was no correct answers. I thought the test was stupid. The other quetions, I didn'y know.

How do I get my continuing credits? I don't know of any California approved classes to get my continuing credits.

I had to drive over 120 miles to take the test. I went to Fresno. I paid for the test myself and I took a day off work to take it.

Now, how do I keep up the certification?

 

[Sierrasparky]

I'll confess! I knew that a lot of people didn't know about this, and the reason I brought it up....

I've been following this for some time... and it seems, from the street level that word has not gotten out.

No letter from anyone, or other announcement... Like the CSLB!

Now, Larry... I have only come across two Inspectors, including you, who know of this law.

My question to all whom I've talked about it with is:

How do you think this will this be enforced?

Just looking for your opinion on that...

I too have taken the test, but felt it might be a little much for some of the four year guys.

Some of the people who took this in the first round, (Before May 2002) may have taken a different set. The one I took was not a no brainer, and I don't consider myself a code guru, or void of code savy. But my Contractor License test was a breeze in comparison.

I had recieved several letters and notices from CSLB , DAS , and from lobbyist group..

The letter from CSLB was sent to all C-10 contractors