Journeyman Status

How to complete Journeyman Status

Finishing an apprenticeship and earning journeyman papers means you've logged the required supervised hours and passed the trade exam, so you can now work and bill independently. It's the line between learning the craft and being trusted to run a job unsupervised.

1. Confirm the exact hour and classroom requirements with your state board or union local
2. Log every hour with sign-offs as you go, rather than reconstructing them at the end
3. Rotate through the range of work your trade requires, not just the tasks you're already good at
4. Study the code book and prior exams in the months before you sit the test
5. Apply for the journeyman exam early and book your slot once hours are verified

Tips

• Keep your own duplicate of hour records employers and shops lose paperwork
• Code questions trip up skilled workers know the book, not just the practice
• Some states have reciprocity check before you assume your card travels

What counts as done

You hold the issued journeyman card or certificate and can take work without a supervising journeyman present.