Flipping the Switch

Students in the newly revamped Journeyman Electrician program are experiencing more lightbulb moments in the classroom. The 18-month program meets the 600-hour educational requirements for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Journeyman Electrician License–preparing students to succeed in a role that has steadily grown in popularity and demand year after year. 

Wentworth’s Journeyman Electrician program is an Initial Education Provider licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Electricians. Last year, the school quietly piloted this re-designed, accelerated four-course sequence under the umbrella of the University’s long-established and highly effective Workforce Development & Professional Education program. 

Faculty and administration updated the syllabi for every course to embrace recent developments in the electrical field, adding shop class, heavy electrical theory, and practical technology. Finally, the program launched additional sections of each course to ensure that students can begin the sequence without a long wait time. 

The Journeyman Electrician program at Wentworth offers the same value and quality training as other board-certified schools but at a lower tuition cost.

All of the program's instructors are licensed electricians. Adjunct Instructor Dovi Ajavon, a three-time Wentworth graduate and master electrician at Union I.B.E.W. #103, works full-time at Boston's Logan Airport as electrical supervisor and teaches at night. 

Ajovan said, "Before I went to school, electrical was just lights on, lights off to me, but when I entered the trade, I saw every aspect from a prod to a 15,000-volt switchgear. I realized that electrical engineering has a lot to offer professionally and became totally hooked." 

He still remembers firsthand how challenging it was to log a 40-hour workweek in the field before coming to study for his own journeyman's license at night. "People helped me to become an electrician, and now it's my duty to pay that back to the next generation.”

Journeyman Electrician program classes meet on campus after students' working hours, two nights per week. Each class session shifts between concentrated time for theoretical and interactive learning modules. Wentworth provides dedicated lab space for each section with access to equipment needed to bring concepts to life. For example, recent labs have allowed students to master electrical measurements, D.C. models, split poles, single-phase, Three-phase motors, and transformers. 

"Journeyman Electrician students are offered the same access to Wentworth's facilities and support services as other part-time students," said Valerie Paquette, Executive Director of Workforce Development & Professional Education. That includes access to discounted MBTA passes, parking, the fitness center, library, wellness services, tutoring, and local student discounts.

Ajovan hands out his personal phone number on the first day of class. Students are invited to call him anytime they need help or hit traffic on their way to class. If they can't attend class, he and the other instructors find a way for the time to be made up in person so the student can fulfill the state requirements and graduate on time and on budget. 

The steps towards becoming a Journeyman Electrician in Massachusetts 

The Journeyman Electrician Program at Wentworth provides the education portion of Massachusetts’ licensure requirement. A four-course sequence with 600 hours of learning teaches code and safety and prepares students for the licensing exam. Every student is also a working electrical apprentice outside of school, responsible for logging 8,000 hours of on-the-job training with an employer of their choice. 

While some employers pay for apprentices to enroll in the program, many students pay tuition themselves. "Either way, you are getting paid to learn while you are a student," said Lorraine Lopez Rivera, Director of Workforce Development & Professional Education. 

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Preparing for and passing the Journeyman Electrician Exam

Ajavon and his colleagues focus on preparing students to pass the Board of State Examiners of Electricians' Journeyman Electrician Exam. Students complete the program with 100% confidence in their individual ability to pass the exam and a solid strategy for doing so. 

"Being in the field for at least four years and in class before you take the exam, you'll become so familiar with many of the questions that you won't even have to think before answering," Ajavon  explained. "Before you graduate, we will have shown you exactly how to navigate the code book and where to go to answer each question correctly." 

The career outlook for a Journeyman Electrician in Massachusetts 

In 2024, journeyman electricians are more in demand in Massachusetts than ever before. In fact, the number of jobs available is projected to rise by 6% by 2032, making the trade a smart choice with built-in job security.

According to a 2024 survey of 1300 journeyman electricians,  average starting salary for a journeyman electrician is $75,000 per year , with numerous professional paths available to choose from—whether it’s working for the state or as a commercial, residential, or industrial electrician. Enrolling in Wentworth's Journeyman Electrician program is bound to pay off professionally.

Click here for more information about Wentworth's Journeyman Electrician program. You can also reach out to workforce@wit.edu or call 617-989-4300 with any questions.