Apprenticeship - Inside Wireman (formerly General Electrician)
Program Description
The Inside Wireman program consists of a comprehensive course of study necessary for career success as an Inside Wireman. This program is intended to meet the "whole program status" as required by the Department of Apprenticeship Standards. Graduates will have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to function as an Inside Wireman, including foundation sciences, mathematics, safety, plan and code reading, as well as necessary job based skills. Upon completion of required work experience and hours, graduates will be qualified to take the State certification examination and work as an Inside Wireman. Career opportunities for a qualified Inside Wireman in the constructions trades are very diverse. Depending on the student's career interest and courses taken, graduates find employment as an Inside Wireman in commercial, industrial, and residential areas, voice data video technicians, fire/life safety technicians, or non-residential lighting technicians.
The Residential Wireman program is offered in partnership with Santa Clara County Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. This 3-year apprenticeship program provides students with paid on-the-job training and in-class instruction with no tuition fee. The students will learn how to install and connect electrical systems in homes, condos, and apartments, and how to maintain basic electrical and power distribution systems within a residential environment.
Learn more about the program on the Apprenticeship website.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students gain hands-on experience as they work on electrical systems and component wiring to include: power distribution systems, electrical panels, wiring, conduit, piping, test equipment, transformers, motors, grounding, over-current protection, security, solar, and home automation systems. These specialized skills are acquired through on-the-job training and classroom instruction and lead to employment in the construction and service industry. After five years of classroom and work experience, students who pass the state license exam are recognized as journeypersons in the electrical trades industry.
Residential Wireman students will be able to identify the tools and the materials used in residential wiring, to calculate values using Ohm's Law in D/C series, parallel, and combination circuits, to identify architectural and mechanical symbols on residential drawings, and to read and analyze blueprints, diagram structured wiring systems.
Career Opportunities
Upon completion of all course requirements and 8,000 hours of related work experience for Inside Wireman, graduates will be eligible for the State certified Electrician Examination. Depending on the student's career interest and courses taken, graduates find employment as an Inside Wireman in commercial, industrial, and residential areas, voice data video technicians, fire/life safety technicians, solar and photovoltaic installers, and non-residential lighting technicians.
Upon completion of all course requirements and 4000 hours for Residential Wireman, graduates will be eligible for the State Electrician certification and will be eligible to receive a Certificate of Achievement in Residential Wireman from Foothill College and an Apprenticeship Completion Certificate from the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS). Depending on the student's career interest, graduates find employment as residential electrician, foreman, contractor, and educator.
Award Type(s)
- AS = Associate in Science Degree
- CA = Certificate of Achievement
Units Required
- Major: 40-46
- Certificate(s): 18-46
Associate Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| English Proficiency | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| ENGL 1A | COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ENGL 1AH | HONORS COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ESLL 26 | ADVANCED COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| or equivalent | ||
| Ethnic Studies | ||
| Any course in the ETHN (Ethnic Studies) subject code, currently approved for Area F of CSU GE and Area 7 of IGETC | ||
| Mathematics Proficiency | ||
| College-level math course at or above the level of Intermediate Algebra | ||
A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:
- Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
- Core courses (40-46 units)
- 1
Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree.
Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core courses used for the degree or certificates.
Core and Support Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway 1: | 40-46 | |
| ORIENTATION TO THE ELECTRICAL TRADE | ||
or APEL 120A | ORIENTATION TO THE ELECTRICAL TRADE, CPR & FIRST AID | |
| ELECTRON THEORY; BASIC BLUEPRINT READING; DC THEORY; NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE INTRODUCTION | ||
or APEL 121A | ELECTRON THEORY; AC & DC ELECTRICAL THEORY; NEC INTRODUCTION; PARALLEL & COMBINATION CIRCUITS | |
| CODEOLOGY; TEST EQUIPMENT; PIPE BENDING; BLUEPRINTS | ||
or APEL 122A | CODEOLOGY; NEC CODE; TEST EQUIPMENT; PIPE BENDING; BLUEPRINTS | |
| AC THEORY; TRANSFORMERS; INTERMEDIATE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE | ||
or APEL 123A | GROUNDING & BONDING, OVERCURRENT PROTECTION, CODE & PRACTICES, BLUEPRINTS, CODEOLOGY SKILLS | |
| DC/AC THEORY REVIEW; ELECTRONICS; INDUSTRIAL BLUEPRINTS | ||
or APEL 124A | DC/AC THEORY REVIEW; ELECTRONICS; INDUSTRIAL BLUEPRINTS; TRANSFORMERS, GROUNDING; ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS | |
| NEC GROUNDING; OVERCURRENT PROTECTION; TRANSFORMER CONNECTIONS | ||
or APEL 125A | FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, PUBLIC EMERGENCY SYSTEMS | |
| MOTORS; MOTOR CONTROL; LIGHTING PROTECTION | ||
| DIGITAL ELECTRONICS; MOTOR SPEED CONTROL; ADVANCED NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE | ||
| PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS; LOW-VOLTAGE SYSTEMS & HIGH-VOLTAGE SYSTEMS | ||
| NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE REVIEW | ||
| Pathway 2: | 42 | |
| RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION; TELEPHONE SYSTEMS | ||
| RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS: BASIC SECURITY, SOLAR POWER, HOME AUTOMATION & LIFE SAFETY | ||
| DC/AC THEORY REVIEW; ELECTRONICS; INDUSTRIAL BLUEPRINTS | ||
| NEC GROUNDING; OVERCURRENT PROTECTION; TRANSFORMER CONNECTIONS | ||
| MOTORS; MOTOR CONTROL; LIGHTING PROTECTION | ||
| DIGITAL ELECTRONICS; MOTOR SPEED CONTROL; ADVANCED NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE | ||
| PROGRAMMABLE LOGIC CONTROLLERS; LOW-VOLTAGE SYSTEMS & HIGH-VOLTAGE SYSTEMS | ||
| NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE REVIEW | ||
| RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL ORIENTATION; SAFETY & CODE INTRODUCTION | ||
| RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL D/C THEORY; BLUEPRINT READING | ||
| RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL A/C THEORY & CIRCUITRY | ||
| RESIDENTIAL WIRING LAYOUT & INSTALLATION | ||
| Total Units | 40-46 | |
Certificate Requirements
Certificate of Achievement in Inside Wireman
- Units: 40-46
The certificate of achievement is awarded upon completion of the core courses. General education courses are not required.
Currently offered at: San Francisco and San Jose.
Certificate of Achievement in Residential Wireman
- Units: 18
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| APEL 112 | RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION; TELEPHONE SYSTEMS | 3 |
| APEL 113 | RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS: BASIC SECURITY, SOLAR POWER, HOME AUTOMATION & LIFE SAFETY | 3 |
| APEL 135 | RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL ORIENTATION; SAFETY & CODE INTRODUCTION | 3 |
| APEL 136 | RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL D/C THEORY; BLUEPRINT READING | 3 |
| APEL 137 | RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICAL A/C THEORY & CIRCUITRY | 3 |
| APEL 138 | RESIDENTIAL WIRING LAYOUT & INSTALLATION | 3 |
| Total Units | 18 | |
Currently offered at: San Jose.