Why you can't find an electrician

There aren't enough of us. Bluntly put, that's all there is to it. Of course there's more to the story. When I was a homeowner first trying to get an electrician to come to my house it felt like I was going crazy: No one was returning my calls. I'm used to a world where, if you want to buy something people are happy to take your money. Now I'm on the other side and find myself explaining to (just about) everybody why I can't replace the knob and tube in their house or run wires for their sister's car charger. There's just not enough of me to go around. It's taken me a couple of years going through the licensing process to find the bottleneck. It seemed weird: There were plenty of my classmates who wanted to be electricians, and they were having trouble getting hired. And there was obviously more than enough work. So what's the hold up? It's the ratio. In California each certified electrician can only supervise one electrical trainee for the five-year period it takes to accumulate the necessary on-the-job hours. The ratio of apprentices to journeymen is different in other states. If you're in one of the states that doesn't have this restriction - or a more reasonable ratio - you probably disagree with the entire premise of this post because it's actually no problem for you to get a sparky on the phone. Is this really the issue? It seems like it -- if someone out there has better info let me know. There are other factors: People in the trades tend to like dealing with the problem at hand -- living in the moment and not constantly picking up the phone. Communication can be tough in any blue-collar business where you don't have someone sitting around an office waiting for the phone to ring. A lot of people do this work for the lifestyle, not because they are eager businesspeople. But when I call HVAC companies or plumbers, I get a response. It's a lot tougher with electricians. I think this ratio is ridiculous. Sure, it's important to make sure electricians know what they are doing, but 1:1 is just silly. The ratio has created a shortage which has pushed a lot of people into hiring unlicensed workers. The end result is that a lot of electrical work is getting done by laborers and handymen who have never cracked the National Electrical Code. That is to say: the policy is doing precisely the opposite of what it is meant to do. On the other hand, it's good for electricians. If you can find an electrical contractor who will train you for your 8,000 hours (or 4,800 for the residential license) you are in clover.

So, no: It's not because your job is too small. It's not because you are too far away, or called at the wrong time. It's not that a black hole is sucking up your messages. It's just the simple laws of supply and demand.