Washington 06 Specialty Electrician

[nscherneck]

Been pursuing this for this for the past year. I'm licensed in California (Fire/Life Safety) and Oregon (Limited Energy - A), NICET 4 (Fire Alarm), and NICET 2 (Special Hazards). Got my hours approved by the state of Washington after submitting payroll documentation and a notarized letter from my former employer in California (not exactly easy to obtain from a former employer). In addition, Washington is requiring me to attend 48 hours of "basic classroom instruction" from their list of approved trainers. No online options are acceptable and their list gives you no info to help with the logistics of planning these classes (location, cost, etc.). I contacted quite a few on the list and settled on one outfit that has enough options to satisfy the 48 hour requirement. It's costing me four weekends of my time, $750 for the courses, three nights in a hotel, and 950+ miles of driving. My employer does not cover any personal licensing costs (which I'm ok with, they pay well).

If they're acknowledging my hours and will test my knowledge in the exam, why require the 48 hours of classroom time? I'm just venting frustration as well as sharing my experience with you all. Once I have that license it will all have been worth it. But it sure is costing a lot to get there.

 

[istac]

WA state is pretty chill regarding licensing as compared to many other states. I don't think you have a valid complaint.

 

[pjholguin]

I have my administrator in WA and they have tighten up the requirements for licensing for the better. The reason they don't make the 48 hour class available online is because they want you to be in the state...very similar to MA 15 hour class.

PJHolguin

Been pursuing this for this for the past year. I'm licensed in California (Fire/Life Safety) and Oregon (Limited Energy - A), NICET 4 (Fire Alarm), and NICET 2 (Special Hazards). Got my hours approved by the state of Washington after submitting payroll documentation and a notarized letter from my former employer in California (not exactly easy to obtain from a former employer). In addition, Washington is requiring me to attend 48 hours of "basic classroom instruction" from their list of approved trainers. No online options are acceptable and their list gives you no info to help with the logistics of planning these classes (location, cost, etc.). I contacted quite a few on the list and settled on one outfit that has enough options to satisfy the 48 hour requirement. It's costing me four weekends of my time, $750 for the courses, three nights in a hotel, and 950+ miles of driving. My employer does not cover any personal licensing costs (which I'm ok with, they pay well).

If they're acknowledging my hours and will test my knowledge in the exam, why require the 48 hours of classroom time? I'm just venting frustration as well as sharing my experience with you all. Once I have that license it will all have been worth it. But it sure is costing a lot to get there.

 

[charlie b]

The simple answer is that a person is an "electrical trainee" until he or she completes the requirements for "journeyman." All trainees are required to receive classroom training every year. The minimum number of classroom hours required for trainees has been increased over the past 5 years or so. It takes about 4 years of full time work as a trainee to get the experience requirements for the journeyman license. You already have that experience. But you are still a trainee, in the viewpoint of the WA licensing rules. Once you get the journeyman licence, or as in my case the Electrical Administrator license, there are still requirements for continuing education. But from that point on, they can be obtained via on-line classes. The classes have to be approved by the state. That is, the person or company who wishes to offer a class for continuing education credit must first submit information about the class to the state, before the class is added to the list of approved classes.