I believe within next 10 years, electricians as a "trade" will no longer be around. Think about this...Yellowpage book comes out, under "Electric Contractor", homebuilders now have ads, offering electrical services, mechanical contractors as well, and we can't leave out those handymen ads that pop up everywhere. Don't forget about that Big Box store that will sell you a book on "how-to-be-electrician", book too confusing, just ask the lady who works in that dept, she can explain it all to you. We've all come across this problem, and we all need to come together and do something about it! Form a national organization, or committee, strongly pushing for TOUGHER laws and TOUGHER fees for working without license & permit. Push for a national or state-wide licensing program, instead of city to city, where in some, you pay a small fee, and your an electrician. I love my career as electrician, but before long, I'm gonna have to become a plumber just so I can do electrical work. Let me hear your thoughts, good or bad.