When my team trains employees on the fundamentals of working on UPS', inverters, DC plant and things like that at some point we'll always end up telling them that a general rule to keep them safe is that " Most mistakes working with AC will hurt you however most mistakes with DC will kill you"

I spent a few decades as an Electrician, started fresh out of High School as a helper/apprentice and worked my way up to Master Electrician, Foreman, Superintendent, Inspector etc. This is what I did when I was coming up as an apprentice in the 90's, and what I told my oldest Son who is currently an apprentice paying his dues. Buy yourself an Ugly's Book (Electrical) and study it every day (just a little, every chance you get). Start with definitions and memorize them. Then start memorizing your conduit bending formulas (multipliers). Laminate a little cheat sheet and keep it on you, test yourself (your memory) regularly. Then start memorizing how many/what size & type conductors can legally fit in what size conduit. Memorize all of the different conduit fittings, the different types of cable & wiring, and memorize as many abbreviations as you can. There's a TON more to learn, but that's a good start. You will be ahead of the others if you dedicate yourself to studying/memorizing the above mentioned.

The most important advice I can give you is this. Never, under any circumstances, take anyone's word that a circuit you are about to work on is locked out. If you are going to put your hands on anything, ALWAYS verify that 1) you are working on the correct circuit and 2) verify YOURSELF that the circuit is de-energized and locked out/tagged out properly. Invest in a meter and learn how to use it. I was 18 when I first learned this lesson. My Foreman almost killed me. I cut into 277V on a lighting circuit that my Foreman had locked out for me. Blew up, knocked me off of a 12' ladder and I landed on a steel deck. Yes it hurt. Later in life I watched one of my best friends die of electrocution (480V) because he took our Supervisor's word on an energy isolation. I have many more stories, but I'm not telling you all of this to scare you. Electricity is nothing to be afraid of, but it demands respect. If you don't know something, ask. If you're working with an old crotchety Journeyman (I worked under a few) that doesn't like you asking 50 questions during the day every day while he's trying to focus on what he's doing, then save your questions. Write them down in a tally book/notepad and ask questions when it's a better time.

Holler at me if you ever need anything.

Remember this:

There’s old electricians and there’s bold electricians, but there’s no old, bold electricians.

And what the Navy taught me:

When you’re working a hot circuit, put one hand in your back pocket.

Electrician by trade. Good field. I made it through the dot-com bust then 9-11 never a short check.

Cast hot work is rare as a leprechaun riding unicorn.

Don't quit IEC.
Who you going to work for?

If your on a big job it can get monotonous. Same thing over and over and over. I've seen guys 4byears in that had never done anything but underground, or roughing in walls. Try real hard not to end up like that. Service department is better for learning as a green hand I think.

When there is idle time pick up trash, organize your material etc don't get caught with your hands in your pocket it staring at your phone.

Pm me who you go to work for. Chances are I may know someone. Small industry really.

Start buying electrical tools.
Get all the basics first, Kleins, sidecutters, good screwdrivers, and a leather tool bag and leather belt.
Buy quality tools !!! Pay attention to your JM !

All I can offer you is a congratulations. Good on you - have fun and make the most of it!

A faulty neutral line can zap you just as good as a live line - don't ask me how I know - test everything (including grounds) before grabbing hold!

Oh! Never wear jewelry. No rings, watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings or anything else metallic.

The first sounds like it could be my new motto.

But I don't get the one hand in your back pocket...

Interesting, is that because of the amperage involved in DC vs AC, or is it the form of the current that actually makes it more deadly?

Good advice, or pick up a broom. Be self motivated, do things without having to be told first. You’d be surprised
who is watching when you think no one is. Like I told my Son, when on a job site...walk with a purpose, no lolly gagging or f’n around. In my crew running days, one of my biggest peevs was helpers with lead in their [censored]. Walk with a purpose and stay focused on what you’re doing.

#1. As Cast said never trust anyone that something is turned off. Always start from the furthest incoming source of power and work your way to where you are supposed to be. Have know people killed from jack wagons bypassing disconnects or adding jumpers to thing to “make things run until you get there.”
-Wear the equipment you are supposed to PPE./ Use the correct tools. Things can blow up for no rhyme or reason.
-Use your references, ugly book, electric books, maybee a course books and apply it to what you are learning hands on. It will help you learn by reading and seeing at the same time. Also get to know others in the industry. And use them to lean on as well. Your teacher could be a freelancer that could take shortcuts. Personal experience here with that one. That’s the way we have always done it.
-Don’t be scared, have a healthy respect and if you don’t feel comfortable don’t do it. Stop regroup and figure the finer details of the job out.
*Aways approach everything as hot*

One guy working for me would not remove the chain bracelet someone "special" to him gave him to wear. 12 volts DC and 14 amps of UPS power grounding thru his arm and some charring on his special bracelet changed his work habits.
Know the weight limits for lifting cable and equipment. You have only one back, use it wisely.

Some excellent advice above.

I will reiterate what Cast and others said. NEVER, EVER take anyone’s word regarding your safety. That is your responsibility, take it seriously.

Buy quality tools. Not only does it make the job easier, but eventually you will buy them anyway when the cheap stuff lets you down.

Learn from the old guys. They have done it long enough to know the tricks that make it easier.

Good luck! I kinda wish I would have stayed in that field.

Ouch, glad I'm not a jewelry guy. Thanks!

I have put a few guys through IEC. Crazy that some of them will do three years and then drop it, and never get a license. Stick it out.
I have only known one that dropped it because he went ahead and got his license.
Learn how electricity works (IEC will help with this). I know journeyman that are clueless and could get themselves killed.
When someone shows you something, look it up and learn why.

Looking ahead...
When it comes time for the journeyman test, take it as soon as you can. You need to live the test. What I mean is every hour in the truck on the road (if not driving), sitting at home on days off, break time, etc, study. And study as if you were trying for 100%. I have heard too many guys say, "I only need a 70 percent" and they get a 60. When I did my journeyman test, I could have easily passed the masters test, I just had to wait four years (now only two years) to do that.

skinnerback nailed it, memorize everything. When I was studying I had 100 index cards that I did everyday with NEC tables, sections, chapters, definitions, etc. I would go through them, then flip them over and do them again. Take bunches of practice test. Do not just blow through them on guesses, sit and take it as if it were the real thing, look up the answers.

Thanks. So the guy who dropped early and got his license. Would you recommend that if possible?

That is a personal call on where you stand. The guy I referenced had plenty of previous hours and was an amazing outgoing person, he quit the school after the first year. He was thoroughly bored to tears as he was learning on his own at a much faster pace. He went on to get three master licenses, this was back in the day before the state license, when you had to get a license in every major city. Clearly this worked for him.
Completing the program can be a feather in your cap, we encourage our guys to. If you start the schooling when you start as an electrician, the four year schooling fits the mold as it matches the 4 years the state requires for testing. Stopping a semester short just seems like a waste.
That being said, get that license ASAP. Finishing the school afterwards can be decided later.

I spent a few decades as an Electrician, started fresh out of High School as a helper/apprentice and worked my way up to Master Electrician, Foreman, Superintendent, Inspector etc. This is what I did when I was coming up as an apprentice in the 90's, and what I told my oldest Son who is currently an apprentice paying his dues. Buy yourself an Ugly's Book (Electrical) and study it every day (just a little, every chance you get). Start with definitions and memorize them. Then start memorizing your conduit bending formulas (multipliers). Laminate a little cheat sheet and keep it on you, test yourself (your memory) regularly. Then start memorizing how many/what size & type conductors can legally fit in what size conduit. Memorize all of the different conduit fittings, the different types of cable & wiring, and memorize as many abbreviations as you can. There's a TON more to learn, but that's a good start. You will be ahead of the others if you dedicate yourself to studying/memorizing the above mentioned.

The most important advice I can give you is this. Never, under any circumstances, take anyone's word that a circuit you are about to work on is locked out. If you are going to put your hands on anything, ALWAYS verify that 1) you are working on the correct circuit and 2) verify YOURSELF that the circuit is de-energized and locked out/tagged out properly. Invest in a meter and learn how to use it. I was 18 when I first learned this lesson. My Foreman almost killed me. I cut into 277V on a lighting circuit that my Foreman had locked out for me. Blew up, knocked me off of a 12' ladder and I landed on a steel deck. Yes it hurt. Later in life I watched one of my best friends die of electrocution (480V) because he took our Supervisor's word on an energy isolation. I have many more stories, but I'm not telling you all of this to scare you. Electricity is nothing to be afraid of, but it demands respect. If you don't know something, ask. If you're working with an old crotchety Journeyman (I worked under a few) that doesn't like you asking 50 questions during the day every day while he's trying to focus on what he's doing, then save your questions. Write them down in a tally book/notepad and ask questions when it's a better time.

Holler at me if you ever need anything.

Electrician by trade. Good field. I made it through the dot-com bust then 9-11 never a short check.

Cast hot work is rare as a leprechaun riding unicorn.

Don't quit IEC.
Who you going to work for?

If your on a big job it can get monotonous. Same thing over and over and over. I've seen guys 4byears in that had never done anything but underground, or roughing in walls. Try real hard not to end up like that. Service department is better for learning as a green hand I think.

When there is idle time pick up trash, organize your material etc don't get caught with your hands in your pocket it staring at your phone.

Pm me who you go to work for. Chances are I may know someone. Small industry really.

#1. As Cast said never trust anyone that something is turned off. Always start from the furthest incoming source of power and work your way to where you are supposed to be. Have know people killed from jack wagons bypassing disconnects or adding jumpers to thing to “make things run until you get there.”
-Wear the equipment you are supposed to PPE./ Use the correct tools. Things can blow up for no rhyme or reason.
-Use your references, ugly book, electric books, maybee a course books and apply it to what you are learning hands on. It will help you learn by reading and seeing at the same time. Also get to know others in the industry. And use them to lean on as well. Your teacher could be a freelancer that could take shortcuts. Personal experience here with that one. That’s the way we have always done it.
-Don’t be scared, have a healthy respect and if you don’t feel comfortable don’t do it. Stop regroup and figure the finer details of the job out.
*Aways approach everything as hot*

I am a bit of an anomaly as an electrician apprentice, I have an engineering degree, so I think I could study and pass the test on my own if needed. But unless I start getting a lot of overtime at work, I won't have the hours to even sit for the test until close to the end of IEC. Thanks for all the info!

I see business ownership in your future once you get the licensing.