Construction Electrician Foundation
The demand for qualified electricians continues to grow. Vancouver Career College's Construction Electrician Foundation program prepares students to enter an electrical apprenticeship with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
This intensive 27-week program teaches students the principles of electrical work and about common topics like heating, alarms and lighting. Students learn essential math and physics, equipment testing, electrical code, interpreting sketches and power tool use. Safety practices and regulations are also covered and students learn about Workers' Compensation Board and Safe Work Practices.
Students learn in labs and shops and then put their training into practice during the course of a five-week practicum placement.
“Getting my diploma has put me on track to achieve all of my goals. I could not have done this without the support I got from friends, instructors and staff at the college.” - Margaret I., Vancouver Career College Graduate
Program Courses
The program outline below is for British Columbia.
| COURSE CODE | COURSE NAME | CREDITS |
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- This course starts with a review of the physics and math components required as a foundation to understanding the basic electrical principles. The first week of the course consists of a mathematical review of working with whole numbers, common and decimal fractions, percents, averages and estimates, powers and roots, ratios and proportions, units of measure trigonometry and formulas. In the second week, students will begin applying these mathematical concepts to working with metric and imperial units, work, power, energy torque and the use of simple machines. Following the presentation of these fundamentals of physics, students will then learn about the basic principles of electricity through classroom and laboratory activities. Students will examine the various types of meters used in the electrical trade including the voltmeter, ammeter and ohmmeter. This will lead into the study of the concepts and components of basic circuits. Students will then apply this knowledge by designing assembling and analyzing basic electrical circuits.
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- Students will examine the properties and operating characteristics of series, parallel, combination, voltage divider, bridge, and 3-wire DC circuits in the classroom and laboratory with emphasis on fault detection and troubleshooting. Basic circuit concepts such as power supplies, control devices, protection devices, and conductors will be introduced. Analysis will follow using electrical measuring instruments, Ohm's Law, Watt's Law, and Kirchhoff's voltage and current laws. Students learn the characteristics of electrical system wiring methods for a variety of applications and choose the proper wiring method for an assortment of installation requirements.
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- Students learn the concepts of magnetism and electromagnetism. Emphasis is placed on understanding the operating principles of electromagnetic devices such as motors, generators, solenoids, relays, contactors, and motor starters. Alternating current electrical generation is examined.
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- Students examine and design the internal circuitry of galvanometers, ammeters, voltmeters, watt meters, watthour meters, and ohmmeters. Throughout the course, students will be given the opportunity to practice using the meters for measuring current, voltage, resistance, power, and energy through a series of practical laboratory exercises and assignments.
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- Students engage in the practice of reading and interpreting working drawings and sketches. Electrical blueprints and plans are studied with emphasis on schematics, wiring diagrams, power risers, and block diagrams.
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- An extensive coverage of industrial motor control systems is undertaken. Students learn elementary control circuits, then design, construct, and troubleshoot elaborate circuits. This portion of the program includes extensive lab and shop components. Wiring systems unique to industrial settings are studied and installed in the shop.
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- Students study Sections 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 26, 28, 62, and 76 of the Canadian Electrical Code, as well as relevant sections of the Electrical Safety Act of British Columbia, and the ULC Standards for Fire Alarm Systems. Emphasis is placed on practical application of the code.
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- Students are introduced to solid-state components and use a variety of power supplies, transistors, and diodes to construct rectifier circuits. Lab analysis is employed to observe operating characteristics of these circuits.
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- This module is for course credits but has no grade. Students will be placed in actual workplaces related to their field of study and will be expected to act as a regular employee five weeks in order to gain the valuable “real world” experience that so many employers seek. Students are encouraged to find their own work experience placement; however, once placed, continuation in that placement is mandatory. (PR: All coursework completed with the exception of L1040)
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- Students will gain a better understanding of themselves through an exploration of their personal attributes, transferable skills and learning styles. This course will introduce techniques for time, conflict, and stressmanagement and develop interpersonal communication skills. Fundamental study and motivation skills will be covered, preparing students to excel in their program of choice. Students will also prepare a professional resume andlearn how to write effective cover letters.
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- Students will have the use of our Job Search lab which has unlimited Internet access, a job search resource library and a fax machine and phone for contacting prospective employers. Facilitators will also be made available to advise on job finding resources, interview skills and techniques, and to carry out mock interviews. Students review core program concepts and learning in order to market their skills effectively.
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- Sustainability means meeting humanity’s needs withoutharming future generations. In this course, students willexplore the pillars of sustainability, sustainability’s relation tothe environmental movement, climate change and its effects,the Canadian and other governments’ actions, and how toincorporate sustainable practices into any workplace. Acombination of instructor presentations and timely, hands-onprojects will culminate in a student portfolio touching on thecourse’s key points.
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- This course introduces WCB (WorksafeBC ) and workplace practices. Instruction includes proper use and inspection of safety equipment, access equipment safety, confined space entry, personal protective equipment and elimination of hazards in the equipment and workplace. The student becomes familiar with the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation as well as the electrical safety regulations set out by the BC Safety Authority. Confidence is gained by working with electricity as electrical safety is particularly stressed. Daily safety plans are developed. In addition the students receive Occupational First Aid Level 1 and WHMIS training. Students will receive introductory computer training in this first module. This will be expanded upon in subsequent modules as the students will use the computer in an increasing capacity throughout the program.
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- The main objective of this course is to introduce students tothe basic hand tools used in construction and maintenance.Students will learn how to use common tools safely, and howto maintain those tools.
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- Students will be introduced to basic power tools and thenimportance of their proper use and care. It provides valuablesafety information for each type of tool discussed.