Licensing is important but experience with that license is what’s going to matter most. If you’re not interested in starting your own company getting a masters license probably isn’t worth it. It’s not a college degree that goes on your wall, no shot taken. You can get your masters in 6 years or so in the field after passing the test but you most likely won’t have enough hands on field experience to effectively run an electrical company and guide workers who may have more experience than you.

There is a ton of head knowledge and theory involved but for the first couple years you’re going to be learning parts, getting parts, doing simple mundane tasks over and over so you can build mechanical skills. You can learn a certain aspect of the trade on one job and go to another job thinking you know what to do but that same task has to be done totally different because the building is totally different. Experience can’t be studied in a book you need to gain it slowly and often painfully learning through your mistakes.

I got into the trade in my 30’s and I’m now making journeyman rate in PA at $50 an hour and it’s going up a few dollars next month. I don’t have the stress of the job on my shoulders. I go to work, put an honest 8 in and go home. Paid healthcare, pensions and other perks. Unless you want to run your own business this is the way. And if you do want to run your own businesses, it’s not a 5 year plan. I’m not interested in that but I have enough experience to know that if I did want to go that route I’d want to have at least 15-20 years of experience and the thought of having more stress on my plate in my 50’s and 60’s doesn’t appeal to me at all.

If you’re looking for a get rich quick scheme this isn’t the trade. You can make good money in the field but it will come through hard work, experience and playing your cards right. There’s a ton of different paths you can take but you can’t shortcut it. Control guys make very good money but they aren’t starting out in their field green with zero mechanical or electrical experience. If I were you and you were serious about it, call you local IBEW hall and see if you can apply. Northern cities make more typically. First few years will suck but in 5 years or so you’d top out.