Electricians, by in large, learn their trade through various apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeships blend field work and manual training with extensive classroom instruction. Unions, including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association, along with independent electrical contracting corporations, support apprenticeship programs. In addition to these sponsored training courses, many professional and industrial schools offer preparation courses. Former students are often employed at higher wages than novices who haven’t had this kind of training. A minority of electricians begin their path to mastery by beginning as helpers-aiding electricians by breaking down job sites, gathering materials, and doing other nonelectrical work. Regardless of the selected training path, all apprentices need a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.). In some instances, an electrician may be required to pass some complex mathematics classes for specific wiring specializations.