Am I Too Old to Become an Electrician?

A common question that people have when they’re considering joining the electrical trade is whether or not they’re too old to become an electrician. This is a valid questions as most electrician apprenticeships take between 4-5 years to complete. Not to mention the physically demanding aspect of the electrical trade which can pose a challenge for those who are more advanced in age.

According to Data USA, the average age of a journeyman electrician in the USA (someone who has completed their apprenticeship and has their license) is 41. Further, the average age of a first year apprentice electrician is 29 years old.
To state the obvious, this means that there are plenty of journeyman electricians who are both younger and older than 41, and plenty of apprentice electricians who are both younger and older than 29.

Given the fact that electrician apprenticeships typically take 4-5 years to complete, if you start your apprenticeship by age 36, you’ll be a licensed journeyman by age 41 (the average age of a journeyman electrician). So if you’re somebody who is wondering if becoming an electrician in your 30’s is too old, it’s not.

Maybe you’re a little bit later in the game of life and thinking to yourself, “Man, I wish I could have started an electrician apprenticeship in my 30’s. I’m in my 40’s, 50’s or even 60’s. Is it too late for me?” It’s may sound surprising, but it’s not uncommon to see apprentices in their 40’s who turn out to become fantastic journeymen. It’s not unheard of to see apprentices in their 50’s or 60’s either.

If you’re wondering whether or not you’re too old to become an electrician, here are some questions that you should ask yourself:

• Are you physically capable of doing the work?

• Are you willing to be humble and teachable (even if that means being taught by someone who’s half your age)?

• How long do you plan on working?

Are you physically capable?

While construction workers in other trades might think that being an electrician is a walk in the park compared to the hard manual labor required of them by their trade, being an electrician can be very physically demanding. Whether it’s the repetitive movements that can lead to things like carpal tunnel, working in tight spaces that can put strain on your body, or whether it’s the more physically demanding aspects of the trade like installing large pipe or doing wire pulls, being an electrician can definitely take a toll on your body over time.

Are you willing to humble youself?

Wisdom comes with age and experience, and it can often times be difficult to subject yourself to teachings and the authority of those who are much younger than you.

How long do you plan on working?

Are you planning on working for 20+ more years or are you hoping to retire in the the next few years? This is an important question to ask yourself because if you’re hoping to hang up your hat and retire in the next few years, it wouldn’t make sense to pursue became an electrician given that apprenticeships take 4-5 years just to complete. Further, you need to keep in mind that anyone, whether it be an individual company or the IBEW, will be investing a lot of time and energy into showing you the ropes. If you’re not planning on working very long, then your potential employer might not see you as a worthwhile investment. The average age for someone to retire in the USA is 64.

The bottom line is that if you’re physically capable, you’re willing to be humble and teachable, and if you’re at least willing to work long enough to complete you’re apprenticeship, then your age is irrelevant and you’re still young enough to become an electrician.

The younger you get into the electrical trade, the larger your pension is going to be by the time you retire. If becoming an electrician is something that you’re genuinely interested in pursing, and you believe that you are willing and capable of being successful in it, then you should make the jump and start your journey to becoming an apprentice electrician today.

For a more detailed answer to this question, see Mad Electrician’s video “Are You Too Old to Become an Apprentice Electrician?”