Electrician Jobs in Idaho

Getting Licensed in Idaho

Idaho's licensing isn't too painful compared to some states. You'll need to go through the Division of Building Safety. The apprenticeship route is pretty standard - 8,000 hours on the job plus classroom time. If you're coming from another state, there's reciprocity with most neighboring states, so you might not have to start over completely.

The electrical code here follows NEC pretty closely, so if you know that, you're most of the way there. Just watch out for some local amendments, especially around seismic requirements.

The Micron Effect

Everyone talks about Micron, and for good reason. They're always expanding, always upgrading, and they need electricians who can work in clean room environments. The pay is solid, but the work is precise - think pulling wire in full bunny suits and working around equipment that costs more than your house. If you can handle the detail work and don't mind the protocols, it's steady employment with good benefits.

Data Centers Are Everywhere

Idaho's become a magnet for data centers thanks to cheap power and cool weather. These jobs are different from typical commercial work - you're dealing with massive UPS systems, precision cooling, and power distribution that absolutely cannot fail. The overtime can be killer during outages, but so is the pay. Most data center electricians I know clear six figures without breaking a sweat.

Solar Is Taking Off

With power rates staying reasonable and lots of open space, solar installations are becoming big business. If you can handle DC systems and aren't afraid of heights, there's good money in both residential and utility-scale solar. Get your NABCEP certification if you're serious about it - installers with that credential can pretty much name their price.

Union vs. Non-Union

IBEW Local 291 covers most of southern Idaho, and Local 77 handles the northern part. Union scale is generally higher, especially on bigger commercial jobs, plus you get the pension and healthcare. But plenty of non-union shops pay well too, especially the smaller outfits doing residential and light commercial work. Really depends on what kind of work you want to do.

Industrial Work

Between food processing, mining, and manufacturing, Idaho's got plenty of industrial electrical work. Simplot's facilities are always needing maintenance electricians, and the mining operations up north pay well for guys who don't mind remote locations. Industrial work tends to be steady - once you're in, you're usually set as long as you show up and do the work.

Residential Boom

With everyone moving to Idaho, residential work is crazy busy. New construction, service upgrades, and remodels - there's more work than electricians to do it in some areas. The money's decent, especially if you can do service work and troubleshooting. Smart home stuff is becoming standard, so brush up on low-voltage systems if you haven't already.

What About Apprenticeships?

The IBEW training center in Boise is solid - they'll teach you right and you'll come out knowing your stuff. College of Western Idaho also has a good program if you want to go the community college route. Either way, expect four years and be ready to study. The math isn't hard if you paid attention in high school, but there's a lot to learn.

Living in Idaho as an Electrician

Here's the thing about Idaho - your dollar goes further than most places, especially if you're not right in downtown Boise. No state income tax helps too. Housing got expensive like everywhere else, but it's still reasonable compared to the coast. Plus, if you like the outdoors, you're in the right place. Skiing, fishing, hunting - it's all here.

The commutes aren't bad either. Even from the suburbs into Boise is maybe 30 minutes on a bad day. Compare that to sitting in traffic for two hours in some cities, and suddenly Idaho starts looking pretty good.