For context, I've spent a good chunk of my 20s in a "survive now, art later" and currently work in tech - it has allowed me to afford classes and practice  bending when I can. The downside: high stress, no time for much else. I haven't been able to practice bends since November and I'm trying to find the time to wiggle my way back in.

I know that being an electrician is super beneficial for neon signs in general. For anyone that is an electrician or an apprentice - how do you intertwine it with neon work? Is it a part of your day-to-day in a shop? Or do you pursue it outside of your current job? 

I have always possessed a strong electrical/electronics background even before getting into neon when I was 19.  I've intertwined both in multiple careers over the intervening 30+ years and I presently do work as an industrial electrician/electronics tech in addition to my neon and other consulting work.  Pursuing a career as an electrician will definitely insure that you always have work--the demand will only increase as more EV charging infrastructure is put in place along with new demands for PLC controls and alternative energy projects are built.  If you pursue this, you will also find that there is almost zero education about neon or neon shops.  If you have ever consulted an electrician about installing a bombarder, you will undoubtly be aware of this fact and often the neon shop owner is in the position of having to educate the electrician on why and how a 20kv transformer is ok to have inside the shop!  As a bender, if you go this route, you will be one of the minority of electricians with a neon knowledge base.  How much intertwinning of the fields you end up with will of course depend upon where you are working and what types of clients you serve.