NJ Licensing

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js6147

New User
Location
PA
Occupation
Master Electrician
I'm applying for my NJ license and the only outstanding form I have is the 4 year certification of apprenticeship. I did not complete a certified 4 year apprenticeship, as all my experience came from on the job training supervised by a licensed master electrician.

I currently have my masters electricians license in the city of Philadelphia. It doesn't make sense to me that I'd have to leave my current job and enter a 4 year apprenticeship to get that certification. Taking a major pay cut and becoming an "apprentice" while i'm currently already a licensed master electrician just doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyone have any advice or have dealt with this dilemma before?
 
I think that you're pretty much out of luck. The licensing requirements were changed a few years ago to require you to complete a 4 year apprenticeship before you can sit for the exam. You'll have to decide if it's worth dedicating the next 4 years to apprentice training.
 
js6147 said:
I'm applying for my NJ license and the only outstanding form I have is the 4 year certification of apprenticeship. I did not complete a certified 4 year apprenticeship, as all my experience came from on the job training supervised by a licensed master electrician.

I currently have my masters electricians license in the city of Philadelphia. It doesn't make sense to me that I'd have to leave my current job and enter a 4 year apprenticeship to get that certification. Taking a major pay cut and becoming an "apprentice" while i'm currently already a licensed master electrician just doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyone have any advice or have dealt with this dilemma before?
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Had a Philly " electrical contractors license " since mid 1970's until retiring .They never had a Master Electricians license. Philly L & I made us take an OSHA 10 class about ten years ago to renew license.to cover thier butts after druggie killed some people on a building he was knocking down on Market St. Wonder if the mandatory four year apprenticeship would hold up in court if you already are a licensed electrician in another state and did a four year apprenticeship. Local 98 Philly union guys have to go thru a five year apprenticeship. Good news Pa politicians working on a state license . Yep since 1964 when my chief electrician dad had to take the Philly exam. Great guys at Philly IAEI chapter sent several inspectors & electricians to Harrisburg to talk to politicians about getting a state license. Believe two politicians said they would look into it. That was ten years ago. Good luck.
 
I looked up the NJ Law 45.5A-9 (B). States applicants must complete a four year electrical apprenticeship program accredited by the US Department of Labor. Applicants must work as a journeyman electrician for one year. Appears that the training you received from a master electrician would not count. I attended the best Vo Tech school around where we had 7.5 hours of theory and 7.5 hours of practical every week for three years ( installing wire, connecting start stop buttons, single & three phase transformers ). I had no problem passing four hour Philly license years ago. I have came across a lot of sparkies who some did not go thru an apprenticeship and generally speaking the ones who served a four year apprenticeship were more well versed especially with troubleshooting . Back in the 1970's my company spent over $500,00 for new ammonia refrigeration units and the only way contractor would honor warranty was if his union electrician and a helper did all of the electrical work. Guy did an outstanding job running conduit. First week entire system went down and he told us he was an installer & not good at troubleshooting. Within a few minutes we found the control! fuse blown & blew when we replaced it. Here they used one 120 volt fuse to feed maybe 20 ammonia solenoid valves and one shorted out.
 
js6147 said:
I'm applying for my NJ license and the only outstanding form I have is the 4 year certification of apprenticeship. I did not complete a certified 4 year apprenticeship, as all my experience came from on the job training supervised by a licensed master electrician.

I currently have my masters electricians license in the city of Philadelphia. It doesn't make sense to me that I'd have to leave my current job and enter a 4 year apprenticeship to get that certification. Taking a major pay cut and becoming an "apprentice" while i'm currently already a licensed master electrician just doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyone have any advice or have dealt with this dilemma before?
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Hi team. I'm practically in the same situation. I applied in March of this year to take the exam.
I've been working in this industry for eight years (the three companies I've worked for gave me letters of certification of work experience).
In 2017, I completed a 576-hour course approved by the Department of Education and the Department of Labor.
Additionally, in 2023, I obtained my Class A Journeyman Electrician license from the state of NJ.
But they're still asking for certification from the apprenticeship program. I contacted the USDOL, and they told me my company must register with them to offer apprenticeship programs to its employees and become certified, but the process will take at least a year and a half (a process I'm currently undergoing, and it's a terrible process).
Just like you, I don't think this process is fair; it's not my fault if most companies don't register or don't offer this program.
On the other hand, to obtain a Class A journeyman electrician license in NJ, the requirements are the same as those required for the USDOL certification (8,000 hours of experience, 576 hours of classes). As I said, I already have that license. Why would I need another new certification?
Please let me know if you find any new information. Thank you.
 
I believe if you're able to get your employer to register you, they can sign off for previous work experience as an apprentice, not the entire time but a good part of it.

This thread is why I've been on my kids case to get his employer to register him.
 
Ken_S said:
I believe if you're able to get your employer to register you, they can sign off for previous work experience as an apprentice, not the entire time but a good part of it.

This thread is why I've been on my kids case to get his employer to register him.
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I'm actually the one doing the whole process so that my employer first registers himself and then me. I don't have a problem with that part, but I worked with that employer from 2018 to 2022. I'm not currently working with them, and that's what I don't understand. How can they certify that time if they register now? I already spent a year and a half studying to apply this year; I had that as a goal. I think they screwed me. Thanks.
 
TESERVICES said:
I'm actually the one doing the whole process so that my employer first registers himself and then me. I don't have a problem with that part, but I worked with that employer from 2018 to 2022. I'm not currently working with them, and that's what I don't understand. How can they certify that time if they register now? I already spent a year and a half studying to apply this year; I had that as a goal. I think they screwed me. Thanks.
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You're not alone in this, they really screwed many people over, I personally know someone who is in the boat.
 
Ken_S said:
You're not alone in this, they really screwed many people over, I personally know someone who is in the boat.
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Well, we'll have to wait and see if something happens that benefits us.
I could apply for a Philadelphia license. Like I said before, I don't want to waste all this time. Thanks.
 
TESERVICES said:
Well, we'll have to wait and see if something happens that benefits us.
I could apply for a Philadelphia license. Like I said before, I don't want to waste all this time. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Hope Philly got their act together. Before the pandemic we had a talented electrician that had a NJ electrical license and had to secure a Philly Electrical license for the large hospital that we worked at. He even spent $850 to take classes for the Philly license. He passed test first attempt but took him at least 6 trips to Municipal Services Building and 11 months to finally get a license They had the balls to tell him if he did not get the license within 12 months of passing the test he would have to retest. Sad part when before Philly started making people have 4 years experience & take a test anybody could lie saying they had 4 years experience and for $25 got a license beforec1964. I did work for a old plumber & a carpenter who both had a Philly electrical license. Both had trouble just replacing a three way switch. Years ago was told the city thought only 4 to 500 people would jump on the no test license but number was over 1,200 .Have to.love that Philly also requires you to take a OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 class if a boss for electrical, plumbing, & a few other trades to get a license.
 
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