Have a big problem. Have been a partner,and I use that term very loosely,with 1st. cousin in a small elec/plumbing business for about 5 yrs.The last 2 years he has participated less and less, due to back problems and disinterest.He is the licenseholder,but customers,builders etc. have been calling me 99 percent of the time for last year and a half.We do residental and very small commercial jobs only. I have been doing all the bidding customer relations,paperwork etc. for quite some time,Have also been doing all the field work, with the assistance of 1 helper,making sure all our work is code compliant.He only comes to the job just enough to make it legal.Was informed recently, that he wants out,and will not renew his license. Now, there there is no office,he has his tools/equip. I have mine.We work from our garages.I have pledges from 3 builders that if I get licensed/insured that their work is mine.These are all friends whom I have known for most of my life and have always been as good as their word. I could hit the ground running, so to speak.This is all so sudden,I'm not sure what I want to do.I have been in this trade for about 20 years and don't know any other way to make a living. Its not like I would be starting from scratch.I'm 46 years old and in good health, can still go 8/10 hrs. a day in the field.Have tried to keep currentwith the nec,keep acodebook in the truck and use it regularly.My only fear is that I haven't studied much theory in 15 years,and possibly fail the test miserably about10 times. I'm asking for advice/suggestions,any of either would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening,Russell.

Apply and take the exam. I am sure you will do fine.

If you do the work daily and are having the inspections done you must know the code.I would take the test and look for a pre-exam course only after I fail.This way you will know what to study and more importantly have the instructor teach the class.I've walked into class the first day with a list of topics directly from the exam to find they were not in the curriculum and you can bet they were added.

[This message has been edited by frank (edited 12-26-2002).]

Russell, I'm a GA EC. The test is not that bad if you take a good prep course. E-mail me(check my profile for e-mail info) and I'll tell you some specifics on the course I took and info about the test.

If you are unhappy, by all means go your own way.

Be sure to treat your partner well in the breakup.

Russell;

I might be able to help you with the theory aspect of the elect. exam. I am an EC in GA also. Send me e-mail at GEC6110373@aol.com. I will do whatever I can to help.
Paul

ga.sparky56,

If you would like to try a sample test, go to contractorcafe.com and pick a state. Doesen't have to be your state. Just to practice.

Otherwise, like the other guys say, if you do it every day, you'll probably do fine on the test. There's only one way to find out!

Thank you all for your help and words of encouragement. I feel that I need to go through with this and see where it leads. With friends like all of you I don,t se how I can lose. Russell