The expectations of a journeyman electrician are much higher than that of an apprentice but both positions are quite demanding on their own. Dealing with electrical systems and a deadly amount of voltage on a daily basis is nothing to mess around with as an individual making one simple mistake could lead to them to their death if they are not careful and get caught with extremely poor luck. In terms of the journeyman position, the number one expectation or rather requirement is that an apprentice program is started and completed and that the skills that are asked of to perform future jobs are top notch. To keep it very simple, someone who is not adaptable or able to learn and retain information at a fairly decent pace will not be able to keep up with the job or deliver on the level of efficiency and safety that many employers demand and ask for.
Making mistakes on large jobs can lead to blackouts that cover blocks thus making it crucial that each and every employee from journeyman electrician to apprentice electrician perform their jobs correctly the first time around. In the case of an emergency like a natural disaster causing millions of dollars in damage, it is not uncommon for employees to be booked up with twelve to sixteen hour shifts every single day depending on the severity of the event. Essentially, while journeyman electrician jobs themselves may not be too strenuous as long as the person has the ability to perform their normal duties without much trouble or hesitation, this can change very quickly and everything can go from simple and routine to hectic and very demanding.
As all current, former or want to be journeyman electricians should know, the apprenticeship program is not a cake walk and that is exactly why people that end up making it all the way through are often very capable of performing their duties at the demand in which employers want. Those that are not cut out for the job simply drop out of the class or program and begin their search for another possible career. There really is nothing wrong with not being able to meet all of the expectations that a journeyman electrician must meet because they are already quite steep. Most of the common duties for this job position generally involve installing fixtures, electrical outlets, breaker boxes, panels, other electrical equipment along with reading and interpreting wiring diagrams, floor plan details or blueprints and much more. Overall, the expectations for this career in journeyman electricians are only for those that are dedicated and really want to do an excellent job at performing their duties with one hundred percent accuracy and time management thus making it not for everyone and a very difficult job to excel in.