General Electrician Certificate of Achievement

Program Description

This certificate will allow an "Electrician Trainee" to sit for the California State General Electrician Certification examination.  These courses also satisfy the continuing education requirement every three years for certified electricians.

The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program.  Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway.  It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.

Division

Applied Technology, Transportation & Culinary Arts

Department

Electricity/Electronics

Career and Academic Pathway (CAP)

Manufacturing, Industry, Transportation

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Be eligible to sit for California State General Electrician Certification examination on the theory and procedures of electrical technology.

  2. Select and operate electronic test equipment during troubleshooting and repair operations, with an emphasis on safety in use and accuracy in results.

  3. Select the proper section of the National Electrical Code and electrical blueprints, to properly inspect, and estimate the costs associated with for residential and commercial wiring.

  4. Analyze, interpret, and trace digital logic diagrams used in signal tracing of complex digital circuits.

  5. Effectively communicate with and advise customers and co-workers, both written and orally, regarding the progress of and decisions made concerning test and repair procedures.

Program Map

GE General Education
O Available Online
Program Requirement
P Program Prerequisites

1st Semester

12 units
ELECTR 110
Direct Current Circuit Analysis
This is a comprehensive course in direct current circuit analysis including Ohm's law, series and parallel circuit analysis, voltage and current dividers, DC meters, Kirchhoff's laws, magnetic circuits, and network theorems.

Course Details:

  1. Corequisite: ELECTR 111
ELECTR 111
Direct Current Circuit Laboratory
This course is the laboratory complement to ELECTR 110 including experiments reinforcing the theory of electricity and the necessary technical skills.

Course Details:

  1. Corequisite: ELECTR 110
TECALC 087
Technical Calculations

This course covers practical use and applications of technical calculations most commonly utilized in the trades and industry. Topics include electrical measurements, temperature, volume, weight, and positioning including the number line, working with dedicated formula, applied problems, geometric principles, graphs, right triangles, coordinate systems, and scientific and engineering notation. Concepts, techniques and applications of arithmetic and elementary algebra emphasizing applications to practical problems. Interactive and traditional problem solving methods. Class interactive group exercises applying mathematical techniques to various applications and real world problems. A course in mathematical problems is frequently used by students enrolled in the trades and industrial and engineering programs. Problems are drawn from the industrial field.

Course Details:

ELECTR 265
Digital Logic Design
This course covers combinational logic utilizing Boolean algebra and the binary numbering system.  Topics include Karnaugh maps, truth tables, coding, switching circuits, converters, logic circuit elements, timers, digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversions, decoders, multiplexers, demultiplexers, and displays.

Course Details:

2nd Semester

13 units
ELECTR 115
Alternating Current Circuit Analysis
This course is an in depth analysis of alternating current circuits to include AC generation and transformation, inductance and inductive circuits, capacitance and capacitive circuits, time constants, rectangular and polar notation, AC circuit analysis, resonance, and filters.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 110
    2. and
  2. Prerequisite: ELECTR 111
  3. Corequisite: ELECTR 116
ELECTR 116
Alternating Current Circuit Laboratory
This course is the laboratory complement to ELECTR 115 including skill training in reading and interpreting measurements on an oscilloscope, using QT boards, function generators, and other test equipment.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 110
    2. and
  2. Prerequisite: ELECTR 111
  3. Corequisite: ELECTR 115
ELECTR 230
Semiconductor Devices
This course is a study of semiconductor devices including the chemistry and physics of the structure of the atom and the operation of semiconductor devices based on energy level analysis.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 110
ELEC 216C
Introduction to Industrial Electricity
This course covers the study of electrical power transmission, the National Electrical Code, electrical blueprints, residential and commercial wiring.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 110
    2. and
  2. Prerequisite: ELECTR 111
OSHA 030
Federal OSHA Outreach: Construction Industry Safety
This course provides training required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for the Federal Outreach Construction Industry, minimum 30-Hour training card. Lessons emphasize hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention of illness, injury, or death.

Course Details:

  1. Departmental Advisory: Federal OSHA requires each student be 18 years of age in order to qualify for an OSHA card.

3rd Semester

11 units
ELECTR 235
Solid State Circuit Analysis
This course covers an analysis of discrete solid state circuits and their design including diodes, circuit configurations, amplifiers and amplification, biasing techniques, feedback principles, FETs, photo devices, and evaluation of designed circuits.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 230
ELEC 217C
Industrial Electricity
This course covers the study of DC motors, single and polyphase AC motors, and the necessary controls and measuring equipment used for industrial circuit protection and switching equipment.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 115
    2. and
  2. Prerequisite: ELECTR 116
INSPEC 014
Advanced Construction Inspection: National Electrical Code (NEC)
This course provides an understanding of the National Electrical Code and a study of its  applications (formerly INSPEC 014D).

Course Details:

4th Semester

10 units
INSPEC 029
Community Relations for Building Personnel
This course covers the development of oral and written communication skills for code enforcement personnel and an introduction to community relations for civil service employees. Topics include the proper methods of dealing with different types of encounters that an inspector may have with do-it-yourself homeowners, contractors, developers, etc. and the legal aspects of code administration and enforcement.

Course Details:

ELEC 218C
Controlling Industrial Electricity
This course covers the study of DC, AC, and polyphase motor operation, mechanical and programmable machine controls, relays and programmable logic controllers (PLCs), ladder logic diagrams and the communication network linking the programmer, the controller, the laptop computer and the machine.

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ELECTR 115
    2. and
  2. Prerequisite: ELECTR 116
KIN 231
First Aid and CPR
This course provides instruction on emergency care and treatment of illnesses and injuries including training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillation (AED).  Students who successfully pass all CPR/AED and First Aid requirements will receive a CPR/AED and First Aid card.

Course Details:

  • Transfers to CSU