Bright Idea for Electricians

"Global warming" and going "green" are two punch words when it comes to talking about the environment. A Georgia journeyman electrician parlayed his practical knowledge of being an electrician in to a career as a specialist in green power. Earning an electrician degree can be a great start to prepare you for work in the environmental field.

The training moved the Fenton resident from the "comfort zone" of the tried and true practices of his profession and into the realms of solar power, sophisticated battery power-storage systems and other advances in the electrical field, no pun intended.

"It can be a difficult transition because of fear of the unknown," DeMoor said. "But with what is going on in the country, I had to ask myself, 'Will I have a job tomorrow?'"

With the recession stealing away work from 5,500 members of Local 1 and 725,000 union electricians nationwide, it's a good question.

Odds are that DeMoor will, for the simple reason that his personal compass pointed him in the direction that career counselors say is key to surviving in the post-recession job market.

An advanced degree isn't necessary. DeMoor doesn't have one, but, he says, he does have an open mind.

"I believe I'm going to learn until the day I die and after that comes the big understanding," he said. "We can either fear technology or, we can figure it out."

Employment opportunities in the environmental field are expected to rise by over 50% in the next 10 years. Earning your electrician degree online can get you ready to work in many different fields in both the public and private sectors. More than one hundred classroom hours and 2000 hours of on-the-job training are required for most programs. Electricians will also have to pass a licensing exam.