ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Six more months for California to become certified.

As far as the three licenses thing, as far as I know, unless it has changed... there can only be a single DBA/bussiness name, otherwise its a corrective/revokable offense. And according to the newsletters from the CSLB, all of which are filled with 50% of content of revoked and suspended licenses. (All of them are really funny... One page, so-and-so got this award, and next, our sting operation caught these guys, then 3 pages in smaller font of revoked licenses.)Check a few out, (I'm not trying to get your goat, these are funny, they gloat about thier enforcemnt in every one.)http://www.cslb.ca.gov/news/newsletters.asp

But as far as the continuing edjucation situation with the Electrical Certification Program, as it stands now, on-line types of courses, and even Community Colleges, Universities, and Trade School organizations are still confused about if they can offer these required courses. http://www2.abc.org/documents//ElecTest082704.pdf
Or for that matter, only one element of the approved curriculum has been in draft proposal.

We'll have to step back a bit, for some history on this law... In '99/2000 when the original law was signed, the ONLY "Approved" Apprenticeship, and continuing edjucation was through the JATC. Then the Fed's said, 'No money for any of your state apprenticeship programs until you fix that.' Since then they have re-written this thing several times. So now, appreticeship can be through only two or three Trade Organizations, (Like ABC, and Western) and can only be supplimented by a Community College if you can prove that the applicant is "isolated". Then for the 'Continuing Edjucation' part, the wording for the regulation, and law are so ambiguous that no one knows what to make of it.

Long story short, nobody knows if the school on the link you posted will be acceptable as "Appoved Class-room Instruction".

Anyway, not trying to get your goat... This law as an "idea" is good, but not playing out well. Has a lot of people in the trade divided. And, truthfully, may not be enforceable until well after our cards have expired.

Frank, I stand corrected.... There is another approved apprenticship program out there. (For the FLS guys out there.) http://www.wbfaa.net/

e57,

Thanks again for your positive feed back. Trust me, a single person can be the "responsible person" on 3 CSLB license's. I owned 2 seperate business's with 2 different license's.

My reference to N.I.C.E.T. was not a school but an example to a program that has re-certification requirements.

I really believe if electricians would take this more seriously and just become certified, they would have more bargaining power, union/non union included.

Why fight it?

frankg

Exactly! If the people that fought so long and hard against this thing had the foresight to educate their electricians, maybe just in case, there wouldn't be this dilemna of dummies that there is now.

These people are not taking this certification not because of the principle of the thing, but because they are afraid they won't pass, and I believe that wholeheartedly.
The ones that can't pass are the exact reason that this went into effect. They aren't Journeyman electricians, no matter what title they or their boss have "bestowed" on them.
They should be enrolled in apprenticeship programs, where they can learn something, not promoted to Foreman with 2yrs experience, like so many newspaper ads say :

"Wanted, Journeyman Electrician. Min 2yrs experience" (Taken right out of the OC Register's ads).
Would you hire them and turn them loose on their own?

Yeah, I'll probably be retired before they work out the bugs.


[This message has been edited by electure (edited 12-02-2004).]

I agree! You can say that again!

never mind..............

[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 12-03-2004).]

electure & Joe Tedesco,

Thanks for your comments, it appears e57 likes to put info out but doesn't want to hear about the downside of the CSLB overseeing this program and making electricians accountable.

Just a Bio on me, I have been in the fire/life safety field for 25 years. I have seen fire alarm systems progress from old relay logic to new micro-processor based systems. I support this certification program for many reasons. For qualified installers/service tech's to fight it, I agree they just don't have confidence they can pass it.

While taking my Fire/Life Safety exam, I thought of many electricians that I've worked with that don't have the knowledge of NFPA 72 the "National Fire Alarm Code".

In a previous post I indicated I contacted the DAS regarding the classifications. I will post any future responses I receive.

Frank (I believe),

E57 here, I do like to put info out about certification for several reasons.

1. Most electricians don’t know this law exists.
2. Of the ones who do know, are not educated in the details of it that would affect their livelihoods.

That is my ignoble cause….. (oh well.)

As ECN doesn't like to get too polical, something I really like about the site, I'm going to e-mail you direct. Not trying to pick a bone with you about it, but we can only go so far in discussing the politics of this issue on this forum.

[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 12-05-2004).]