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If you think your days of reading everything "electrical" you could get your hands on ended when you passed your journeyman's exam, think again. As a working electrician pro, you need to stay informed to prep for upcoming license renewals, and also keep a close eye on the competition. Don't get left behind as industry trends and standards evolve.
To keep yourself informed, check out some of the best electrician websites for industry news, business development tips, and much more. Whether you're interested in learning how proposed legislation could affect your business, want to get certified in renewable energy installation, or just want to buy some updated code books, these sites have something for you.
National Electrical Contractors Association
Industry news, advocacy information, business development resources, nifty apps, safety reviews, fee schedules, conference dates... what more could you honestly expect from an electrician website? The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) website has all of the above and more. It's clear that one of their main objectives is to keep their readers well-educated on everything related to the electrical industry, and they take this responsibility very seriously. The quantity and quality of resources are vast. This is a particularly useful site for those who enjoy paying attention to politics and legislation, because you can read about relevant bills and easily see how politicians have voted on them.
National Electrical Installation Standards
As an electrical contractor, adhering to safe and high-quality electrical installation standards is a critical part of your job. But just because you know what a correct electrical installation looks like doesn't mean the general contractor, site owner, or project engineer is on the up-and-up. The National Electrical Installation Standards (NEIS) website, which is part of NECA, provides informative illustrations that you can pass along to other team members to keep everyone on the same page—literally! The only downside? It's a paid service. However, the site's "Code Question of the Day" and other resources can be accessed for free.
North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals
Although not implicit in its name, the North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals' mission is to make sure professional contractors get the training they need to install renewable energy technologies, such as photovoltaic cells, solar heating systems, and wind energy. Whether you share a similar passion for sustainable energy or simply recognize the importance of having a diverse and competitive range of skills, the NABCEP website provides a hub of educational materials that will help you get on the path toward a NABCEP board certification.
International Code Council
The International Code Council (ICC) website has a plethora of resources that both seasoned and beginner electricians can find beneficial. At the heart of the ICC is, of course, the code library. Use it to look up information about electrical codes or any other relevant building codes you want to double-check before a project. Whether you're gearing up to take a certification exam for the first time or you're preparing to renew your license for the umpteenth time, you can benefit from the ICC's test prep and professional development resources.
Electrical Trends
Electricity isn't changing... or is it? You'll never know if advancements are being made in the electrical industry unless you stay on top of the latest news and reports. Electrical Trends compiles the latest newsworthy reading materials for electrical enthusiasts. Stay informed on topics like efficiency, sustainable power sources, tricks of the trade, financial reports, and success stories in order to turn your own electrical business into a competitive powerhouse.
iCircuit
Technically an app and not a website, iCircuit is nonetheless a helpful resource for electricians. iCircuit allows you to design and test electrical circuits from a PC, Windows phone, Mac, iPad, or iPhone. It has intuitive drag-and-drop elements that make it easy and fun to look at the effects of different circuit designs before you transition to real wires. We think it's worth an honorable mention among this list of best electrician websites!
Licensed Electrician Store
Their web design may not look tremendously up-to-date, but Licensed Electrician's product catalog is! Plus, you'll be hard-pressed to find a website with such an extensive catalog of tools, equipment, and educational materials for contractors of all kinds, especially electricians. If you need something for an electrical job, this is the place to find it: exam prep, personal protective equipment, tool belts, calculators, price guides, code books, and all kinds of hand and power tools. They essentially sell everything but a work truck!
The Smart Service Dispatch
Another good site to bookmark? This one! The Smart Service Dispatch routinely publishes industry news and business advice. Many articles focus specifically on electricians, but even those that don't contain a lot of sound, useful advice. Make The Smart Service Dispatch a part of your daily or weekly web routine, (and consider requesting a demo of Smart Service, our award-winning electrician scheduling software, while you're here).
