Electrical Foundation Program
Electricians are in high demand in BC and beyond. With this foundation program you take the first steps toward a high-paying, stable career.
What does an electrician do?
An electrician plans, assembles, installs, tests, repairs and maintains electrical equipment and systems. They work in commercial, industrial and marine facilities.
Curious?
Want to see what electrician training is all about? You can shadow a class and see for yourself. Email Shane.Dalager@viu.ca to schedule a class shadow time.
What to expect
This is a 24-week full-time program. You spend a lot of time in the residential, commercial and industrial labs preparing for work on the jobsite. Small class size means you get personal attention from your instructors. So you get more from your learning experience.
This program focuses on sustainable practices. You learn about energy-efficient technologies and environmentally friendly solutions.
What you learn
The program covers many aspects of the electrical trade, including:
- safe work practices
- introduction to the workplace
- electrical math
- shop, hand and power tool use
- fundamentals of electricity
- DC circuits
- electromagnetism and applications
- meters and test equipment
- electrical prints and drawings
- AC motor controls
- electrical code & wiring
- low voltage distribution systems
When you graduate you receive a VIU certificate and ITA Electrician Level I certification. You also get credit toward the technical portion of the first year of the Electrical Apprenticeship program.
Continue on to an electrical apprenticeship
You graduate prepared to start an electrical apprenticeship with a business. To complete the apprenticeship and become a journeyperson, you must find an employer in the industry to give you the on–the–job training. You also need to do ten weeks of in–school training in each of the next three years. Learn more about VIU Apprenticeships.
Program details
For Program Costs and a complete list of Admission Requirements, see the electrician certificate program details page
Apply
To become a student in the Electrical Foundation Program, apply to VIU.
Jesse Livingston, Electrician
“I had been working as an Electrician for 8 years without having done any schooling. This was mainly due to the limited options available for training. At the time, I lived in Parksville, so I was faced with either travelling 2 hours North to Campbell River or South to Victoria...”
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