Electrician
An electrician is a skilled tradesperson who specializes in installing, repairing, maintaining, and modifying electrical systems in various settings, including homes, offices, and industrial environments. This occupation falls under career clusters such as Architecture & Construction and Manufacturing. Electricians typically earn a median annual salary of around $61,590, and job growth in this field is projected to be much faster than average, with an 11% increase in employment opportunities.
To become an electrician, individuals usually need a high school diploma or equivalent, and they must complete an apprenticeship program that combines classroom instruction with hands-on training. Electricians often work in diverse environments, requiring physical stamina and an ability to work in various conditions, including potentially hazardous situations associated with high-voltage systems.
Electricians must adhere to strict regulatory guidelines and often collaborate with other contractors on construction or remodeling projects. Their work involves important tasks such as diagnosing electrical issues, installing wiring, and ensuring systems comply with safety standards. Overall, the profession demands a detail-oriented approach and a commitment to ongoing learning in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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Subject Terms
Electrician
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Architecture & Construction, Manufacturing, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Interests: Construction, working with one's hands, solving problems
Earnings (Yearly Median): $61,590 per year $29.61 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 11% (Much faster than average)
Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent; state licensing requirements
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Apprenticeship
Overview
Sphere of Work. Electricians install, repair, maintain, and modify electrical systems in homes and businesses. Some electricians work as general contractors in the home repair and improvement fields. Others specialize in specific types of electrical systems for industrial or corporate applications. Electricians must work within a variety of state, local, and national guidelines that regulate the use of electricity.
Work Environment. Electricians work both indoors and outdoors on internal and external systems for homes and businesses. To ensure safe working conditions, they tend to avoid working outdoors during inclement weather. Most electricians work full-time during regular business hours, though evening, late-night, and weekend hours are common during emergency situations or when essential electrical systems require overnight maintenance. An electrician’s work environment will vary from job to job or even during a single job; it is common to spend time working in a basement or utility room, move through a variety of other rooms, and then complete outside installations on external walls and the roof.
Occupation Interest. Those seeking to pursue a career in electrical work should be detail-oriented and comfortable with physically demanding work. Since many electrical projects require working with other subcontractors, electricians also benefit from an interest in home or business remodeling and construction. Electrical work is a hands-on field that requires individuals to be on their feet or in a crouched position most of the day, so individuals with muscular, joint, or other physical problems may have difficulty.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. In a typical day, an electrician may spend time planning for a future project, installing wiring or specialized equipment to draw or distribute electricity, or examining wiring or equipment to detect and fix problems in an electrical system. While many homes and businesses often hire local electricians, in some cases, electricians may have to commute to remote areas to work on projects.
Before an electrical installation, diagrams of the electrical system are prepared by either an electrician or another home construction specialist. The diagrams include the integration of the electrical systems with the other components of the building.
Installing electrical systems generally requires two components: the equipment used to harness and distribute electricity, which may include transformers, generators, fuse or power boxes, and the electrical wiring that will be used to provide access to the building’s electrical supply. In some cases, electricians complete different aspects of a job on different days, while other projects are small enough in scope to be completed in a single workday.
Many electricians, especially independent contractors, spend time trying to find faults in preexisting electrical systems. The ability to detect problems and repair electrical systems is one of the most important skills for any electrician. In many cases, electricians are called in to diagnose problems in systems they did not install, which may require a painstaking examination of wires and other equipment. Once the fault in the system has been located, however, repairs can be completed quickly and efficiently.
Wirer Cablers (729.381-022). Wirer cablers work with diagrams and blueprints when installing cables and solder wires to connect electrical instruments mounted on control equipment.
Protective-Signal Installers (822.361-018). Protective-signal installers inspect, repair, and replace electrical protective-signaling systems, such as burglar alarms.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Electricians work in a wide variety of environments, including homes, offices, factories, plants, and isolated or rural locations. They may be required to work in any and all parts of a building, including rooftops and outdoor areas. Electricians sometimes specialize in one or more subsets of the electrical industry, which may determine the type of daily environment they encounter in the course of their work.
Electricians suffer from a higher rate of on-the-job injuries than many other occupations, largely because of the danger posed by working with high-voltage electrical systems. In addition, electricians regularly exert themselves during the course of their work, and injuries caused by repetitive stress and strain are common.
Plant Environment. Electrical plants hire electrical engineers and electricians to maintain the equipment and wiring used to transmit electricity from the generator facility to customers. Electricians working in these plants use a specialized set of skills and often work with equipment that is vastly different from equipment used in consumer electrical systems.
Human Environment. Electricians work either independently, handling all aspects of a job on their own or as part of a team. They may work as general contractors, installing wiring and equipment as part of a larger home repair or construction project, or they may work closely with other home repair or improvement specialists to integrate electrical design and installation into an overall structural design. Electricians also interact directly with clients, such as homeowners and building managers.
Technological Environment. Electricians use various hand and power tools, such as pliers, wire strippers, saws, and drills. They also use testing equipment, such as voltage or current meters, and basic electrical equipment, including circuits, electrical panels, and other peripheral equipment. In addition, electricians may use analytical and computer-aided design (CAD) software. If electricians are self-employed, a firm grasp of accounting and scheduling software, as well as an advertising presence on social media and the Internet, may be helpful to the business.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. Many electricians begin work in their field out of high school, and most electrical education or apprenticeship programs require that applicants have a high school diploma or the equivalent. In addition, apprenticeship programs often require that applicants have completed at least one year of high school algebra. To prepare for a career as an electrician, high school students should study basic mathematics, engineering, and physics. Computer literacy is also important since technical diagrams and electrical wiring specifications are typically computer-generated.
Postsecondary. The traditional route to becoming an electrician is to complete an apprenticeship course offered through a state-licensed program. Local and state unions regularly offer apprenticeship programs. Utility companies and private companies that regularly employ electricians will sometimes offer apprenticeship training.
In general, an apprentice must complete a minimum of 144 hours of classroom training and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training before he or she is qualified to take tests for certification. In the classroom, students learn the details of reading and creating electrical blueprints, the basics of electrical theory, and the physics of electrical systems, as well as specific skills such as soldering, wiring, and safety procedures that will be used on the job.
Some electricians begin by attending technical or trade schools, which provide certificate programs and two-year degree programs that can help students satisfy some of the requirements for completing an apprenticeship. In many cases, technical institutes work directly with apprenticeship programs, helping students get into the appropriate programs and obtain the education needed to pass licensing tests.
Related Occupations
− Electrical & Electronics Engineer
− Electrical Line Installer & Repairer
− General Maintenance Mechanic
− Telecommunications Equipment Repairer
Bibliography
"Electrician: Overview." US News, money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/electrician. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"Electricians." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 29 Aug. 2024, www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/electricians.htm. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
"What Does an Electrician Do?" Career Explorer, www.careerexplorer.com/careers/electrician/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.