(1)    An applicant for licensure as a journeyman electrician shall have at least one of the following qualifications:

      (a)    Completion of a construction electrician apprenticeship program in installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical wiring that has a duration of at least 3 years and that is approved by the U.S. department of labor or by the department of workforce development, followed by passage of an examination required by the department.

      (b)    Experience in installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical wiring during a period of not less than 48 months, with at least 8,000 hours of experience over that period, followed by passage of an examination required by the department.

   (2m)   For purposes of meeting the requirement relating to experience under sub. (1) (b), a degree or diploma from a 2-year program in a school of electrical engineering or from a 2-year program in an accredited technical or vocational school in an electrical-related program shall be accepted by the department as being equivalent to 12 months and 2,000 hours of experience.

   (3m)   Subsection (1) does not apply to any residential or industrial journeyman electricians or to any other type of journeyman electrician that may be recognized under s. 101.84 (5). The qualifying criteria required for licensing residential and industrial journeyman electricians and any other such type of journeyman electrician shall be established by the department by rule.