Apprentice path · Stage 5: Getting to journeyman · Lesson 19

What the journeyman exam looks like

It is an open-book exam, which does not make it easy -- it makes it a speed test on finding things.

Why this matters on the job

People hear "open book" and stop studying. Then they sit down, know roughly where the answer is, and run out of time proving it.

How to think about it

  1. Expect knowledge questions and calculation questions.
  2. Practise navigating, not just reading -- open book still requires finding the rule fast and accurately.
  3. Get the current candidate bulletin for the time allowed, the number of questions and the materials you may bring.

Worked through

Drill the same four moves on every practice question: identify the topic, find the rule, calculate carefully, check your units. Done enough times, finding the rule stops costing you thinking and starts costing you seconds, which is the only thing that actually converts an open book into an advantage.

Check yourself: Do you have to pass an exam to become an apprentice in Texas?

Answer: No. There is no Texas apprentice licensing exam.

The apprentice licence is obtained by application, not by examination. The exam comes later, at journeyman.

Watch out for: Do not take exam length, question count or allowed materials from a forum post or an old course. Use the current candidate bulletin -- it is the only source that is right today.
Take the free 15-question readiness check

No card. No account needed to start. Score by topic against the 70% mark.

Written from the owner's poster for this lesson. Nothing added beyond what the poster states.

Written for Texas apprentices as free study material. The Texas apprentice licence is an application, not an exam (Occupations Code 1305.161), and nothing here counts as apprenticeship hours or continuing-education credit. VoltMark is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NFPA, PSI, TDLR, or any state or local licensing authority. Always follow your employer's safety programme and your supervising electrician.