Electrical Trade Program — Foundations Through Journey-Level Preparation
A four-level, apprenticeship-style electrical training program that takes a student with no prior experience to entry-level employability and journey-level exam readiness. Every level layers safety, theory, code navigation, installation practice, and systematic troubleshooting, taught through plain-English explanation, verified technical definition, worked math, labeled diagrams, hands-on laboratories, and realistic field scenarios.
Christopher Scott Sneed — Founder and Instructor
Classroom 568 hrs · Laboratory 418 hrs · approximately 31 weeks full-time.
This is Phase 1 of the course-building process: the complete curriculum architecture that every module is written against. No module content is published until this architecture is approved. Phase 2 builds one full module at a time — textbook chapter, workbook section, instructor lesson plan, illustrations, labs, troubleshooting scenarios, knowledge checks, examination, answer key, performance evaluation and skills sign-off.
On completion of all four levels, the graduate will be able to:
Trade orientation, construction and electrical safety, tools and test instruments, trade math, DC and AC theory, materials and wiring methods, drawings, first contact with the NEC, basic residential circuits and the troubleshooting process.
Services and panels, load calculations, ampacity and derating, overcurrent and personnel protection, grounding electrode systems, complete residential circuit installation, cable and raceway methods, conduit bending, commercial branch circuits and lighting, and residential/commercial troubleshooting.
Advanced AC theory, power factor, three-phase systems, transformers, motor theory and protection, contactors, relays, pilot devices, ladder logic, two- and three-wire control, forward-reverse, sequencing and interlocking, timing circuits, VFD and PLC fundamentals, industrial wiring methods and industrial troubleshooting.
Advanced load, feeder and voltage-drop calculations, parallel conductors, advanced grounding, fault current and interrupting ratings, arc-flash awareness, distribution equipment, generators and transfer switches, emergency and standby systems, solar/storage/EVSE, fire alarm, low-voltage and building systems, advanced motor control and PLC troubleshooting, estimating, job planning, leadership, licensing exam preparation and the capstone.
50 modules · 230 chapters · 986 hours. Click a module to expand its chapters, prerequisites, laboratories and assessments.
All labs are performed on approved training equipment or properly de-energized systems. Energization is instructor-controlled.
| Instrument | Items | Weight | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placement assessment | 40 items | 0% (placement only) | Reading and arithmetic |
| Lesson knowledge checks | 5–10 per lesson (~1,200 total) | 10% | Multiple choice, true/false, fill-in, diagram ID, calculation, code lookup, sequencing |
| Module examinations (50) | 25–40 items each | 25% | Mixed with separate answer key and rationale |
| Laboratory assignments (60+) | Report + checklist per lab | 25% | Instructor-observed with acceptance criteria |
| Performance examinations (18) | Skills rubric each | 20% | Timed, with safety-critical automatic-failure conditions |
| Calculation tests (7) | 20–25 problems each | included in module exams | Worked solution required |
| Code-navigation tests (3) | 20–30 timed lookups | included in module exams | Open code book |
| Troubleshooting case submissions (24) | 1 per case | included in lab score | Diagnosis before answer reveal, rubric scored |
| Level comprehensive examinations (3) | 75 items each | included in module exams | Level gate |
| Final written examination | 150 items + alternate version | 10% | Comprehensive, 80% to pass |
| Capstone project | 100-point rubric | 10% | Installation, testing, troubleshooting, documentation, oral defense |
Blue Collar Empire is not accredited, approved, endorsed or certified by the NFPA, OSHA, NCCER, the U.S. Department of Labor, any state or local licensing board, any electrical utility, or any manufacturer. This curriculum is aligned to publicly available standards for instructional purposes only.
Completion of this program awards a Certificate of Completion — Blue Collar Empire Electrical Training Center. It confirms that the student completed the Blue Collar Empire instructional program and passed its internal assessments. Nothing more.
Completion does NOT make a graduate a licensed electrician, journeyman electrician, master electrician, electrical contractor, registered apprentice, OSHA-authorized trainer, or qualified person as defined by an employer's electrical safety program.
Licensing, registration, apprenticeship and continuing-education requirements vary by state, county and municipality. Students must complete any supervised on-the-job work hours, apprenticeship training, examinations, licenses, registrations, background checks or certifications required in their jurisdiction.
This program may supplement apprenticeship-related instruction. It does not replace legally required supervised on-the-job training, and no claim is made that it does.
Code requirements are explained in original language. This program does not reproduce the National Electrical Code or any copyrighted commercial curriculum. Students must consult an authorized copy of the code edition adopted in their jurisdiction, along with local amendments and the authority having jurisdiction.
Where a value depends on equipment or jurisdiction, students are taught to consult the equipment label, manufacturer documentation, engineered drawings, adopted code and the AHJ — never to rely on a remembered number.
All laboratory work is performed on approved training equipment or properly de-energized systems. Energized work is never taught for convenience. Tasks flagged "Practical training required" need supervised hands-on instruction and employer authorization before being performed in the field.