Hello everyone.

I (23F) have been exploring the idea of becoming an electrician. I understand the process and have done a lot of research and spoken to electricians in my area to get a better grasp on if it would be a good fit for me.

I’ve run into a big discrepancy in my research. When I called the local IBEW I’d like to apply to, they told me pre-apprenticeship or previous electrical experience is what they look for most beyond a good score on the aptitude test and a good letter of recommendation. The local electricians I’ve spoken to have said the same thing. However, when I do broader research online no one really mentions doing a pre-apprenticeship or needing any previous experience in order to get hired. In fact a lot of people list not needing previous experience as a perk of the job. Most of the online info I’ve been looking at comes from people older than me.

So I’m curious if this is a newer thing or maybe it’s just more common for my area. I don’t know much about this sub and I’m sure some of my info is incorrect too as I’m still trying to understand this whole electrician thing so please correct me if I’m wrong about something.

Additionally, if anyone has experience with a pre-apprenticeship and has additional info on that I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks.