How to become an emergency electrician or locksmith with no experience
Breaking into specialized trades like emergency electrical work or locksmithing requires knowing the exact courses, books, and starting steps to take right out of high school. Without a clear starting point, beginners struggle to find entry-level apprentice jobs or figure out how to learn the trade quickly.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Taking language lessons or reading books independentlyDid this help you?
- 2Pursuing an apprenticeshipDid this help you?
- 3Calling local unions to ask about pre-apprenticeship programs that provide basic hours and a foot in the door.Did this help you?
- 4Asking online on forums like Reddit to connect directly with master plumbersDid this help you?
- 5Applying to local union chaptersDid this help you?
- 6keep cold calling for lube tech jobsDid this help you?
- 7attend community college for connections and shop experienceDid this help you?
- 8apply to small shops over dealershipsDid this help you?
- 9apply to tire shops to learn basics like tires, brakes, alignment, and oil changesDid this help you?
- 10show up in person with a resume to demonstrate initiativeDid this help you?
- 11Getting certifications like OSHA 10 and first aid CPR/AEDDid this help you?
- 12Enrolling in apprenticeship program schooling to show motivationDid this help you?
- 13Visiting local union halls (IBEW)Did this help you?
- 14Looking up licensed electrical contractors and calling them or dropping off resumes in personDid this help you?
- 15Taking an interim job in a retail hardware store like Lowe's to learn terminology and network with contractorsDid this help you?
- 16Buying a pair of water pump pliers, a level, and a crescent wrench and trying to get a job directlyDid this help you?
- 17Watching educational content and tutorials on YouTubeDid this help you?
- 18Reading industry-recommended books and resourcesDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“hello, so i am wanting to get into the trade of plumbing and need some help on how to start, are there books or videos I should watch? what tools do I need? and how do I start doing the work?.”source ↗
“I’m 27, I live in Sw Washington. I have a small family and need a career change.”source ↗
“Was wondering if anyone can refer me to a plumbing apprentice job in Georgia near Atlanta?”source ↗
“I don't have experience but I can learn quickly.”source ↗
“I was applying for local 68 but I don’t know when applications are going to open, are there any master plumbers looking for a apprentice?”source ↗
“I would definitely do the first one but I am in my graduating year of high school so im wanting to learn as much as I can before I graduate so I can go get a job as soon as im out”source ↗
“For the past years and a half, I have been trying to find an apprenticeship to be an electrician in the state of colorado.”source ↗
“With over 50 applications and resumes sent, I had not one company reach out to me or set an interview.”source ↗
“I am now losing faith of being an electrician, I'm not to sure if a.i. is filtering out my applications and resume or not to sure what more else I can do to land an apprenticeship or just an interview.”source ↗
“I just went out of high school, and I really wanted to pick up a blue collar job, especially something in an “emergency cycle, an emergency locksmith, an emergency electrician/installer, stuff like that.”source ↗
“what is the best starting point for an “emergency” master like this?”source ↗
Where this came up
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