Short answer: Name the gap as one task, then pick the fix that matches it. If you understand the task but have not done it, ask your journeyman for supervised practice. If you do it but do not know why it is done that way, study the theory in class or on your own. If the work never comes up on your jobs, ask your program coordinator how the work process schedule covers it. Set one goal at a time and check it off in your skill record.
Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR or any apprenticeship program.
Pick your next step
Skill gap picker
Think of one task you feel weak at, then answer. The result is a suggestion; your supervisor and program decide your training.
- Have you done this task yourself on the job?
- Can you explain why it is done the way it is?
- Does this kind of work come up on your current jobs?
Turn the gap into a goal
| Gap | Goal | How you know it is done |
|---|---|---|
| Never bent conduit without help | Bend a 90 and a back-to-back with supervision this month | Your journeyman checks it and you write “did it without help, under supervision” |
| Unsure why a circuit is sized a certain way | Study the topic in your class material and ask your instructor | You can explain it in your own words |
| No commercial work on your jobs | Ask your coordinator about the work process schedule | You have a written answer and a plan |
Keep one goal open at a time. When it is done, write it down and pick the next one.
Starting your first year as a Texas apprentice? The US$19 Texas First-Year Electrical Apprentice Kit gives you printable pages for the first months on the job: a tool-check card, a who-to-ask list with a short stop-and-ask script, emergency-contact and heat-and-rest cards, plus a Tool budget sheet and a Tool inventory sheet (CSV).
Log your Texas Journeyman hours free. A free Tsai Electro account keeps your supervised hours, your online practice scores and your exam date in one place. Start with a five-question check to see which topic to practice next.
The free hours ledger in your Tsai Electro account lets you record each employer, supervisor, work period and hours, shows how far you are from 7,000, 8,000 and 12,000 hours, and exports a CSV or a printable summary. It is your own record, not an official TDLR record, and it does not replace the Experience Verification Form your supervising Master signs.
For what to record after each task, see your apprentice skill progress record.
Getting close to 7,000 hours? Your hours stay in the free ledger. When you start studying for the Journeyman exam, the Texas Journeyman Electrician Exam Practice Pack has 1,000 original practice questions in the PSI two-part format, 10 full timed two-part mocks and step-by-step solutions for every calculation question, built on the 2026 NEC. It is exam prep only; it does not track hours, verifications or renewals. One payment of US$39, no subscription, and you can try 70 questions free with no sign-up.
How do I find my skill gaps as an apprentice electrician?
Look at your skill record for tasks you have only watched, tasks you need help with and work that never comes up on your jobs.
Who should I ask for help with a skill gap?
Your journeyman for supervised practice, your instructor for theory and your program coordinator for work you are not getting on your jobs.
Should I practice electrical work on my own to close a gap?
Practice hands-on work only under the supervision your license and program require. Study theory on your own as much as you like.
