At the most basic level, electricians are responsible for bringing electricity into businesses, homes, and manufacturing facilities. They maintain fuses, wiring, breakers, and any other component of an electrical system. Electricians employed by factories may also be responsible for installation and maintenance of electrical machinery.
The beginning of an electrician's work is usually reading blueprints - technical diagrams that tell us where outlets, load centers, circuits, panel boards, and other important equipment are or should be located. It's important that all electricians pay close attention to the National Electrical Code, for public safety purposes. Also important are state and local building codes, which may contain additional regulations.
All kinds of wires are joined to transformers, outlets, circuit breakers, switches, and other electrical components, using special boxes and connectors. Tools that you might use as an electrician include wire strippers, hacksaws, knives, pliers, conduit benders, and screwdrivers, as well as a variety of specialized meters and measurement equipment to ensure component safety and functionality.
Specialties For Electricians
An electrician usually chooses to specialize in either maintenance or construction, although they're not limited to their specialty. If you specialize in maintenance, you'll probably spend most of your time repairing equipment of existing electrical systems. If you specialize in construction, you'll install wiring systems in new buildings, such as homes, factories, and other business places.
In commercial settings, wiring is usually installed in a concealed conduit before it's connected to electrical boxes. Residential wiring has a plastic coating and doesn't need to be encased in a conduit. The diameter of the wires installed, as well as the number, dictates how much power can run through a given installation. Larger wires handle more electricity.
In addition to full electrical systems, some electricians also install low voltage wiring. However, this is usually installed by line installation and repair technicians. Low voltage wiring is used to accommodate computers, intercoms, telephones, and similar systems. An electrician might also be called on to install fiber optic or coaxial cable for data transmission and electronic controls in industrial situations.
A maintenance electrician will also replace or repair electronic equipment which has broken. Quick repairs are important, and items replaced might include wiring, switches, fuses, circuit breakers, electronic components and other parts. Equipment should be inspected periodically to make sure it's working correctly, and to make sure problems are fixed before a breakdown can happen.
Working Environment
Electrician work can be strenuous, and may involve lifting heavy objects, staying in the same position for long periods, and bending conduit. Since electricians work in many different types of environments, including construction sites, businesses, manufacturing facilities, and private homes. Major risks for electricians are falling, cuts, and electrical shock. However, these can be prevented by following strict safety guidelines.
It may be necessary for an electrician to travel long distances to a job site. However, a standard forty-hour work week is normal, with occasional overtime. Maintenance workers may have to be on call, or may need to work weekends and evenings. In industrial settings, an electrician might have to work overtime during scheduled maintenance. If a company operates around the clock, three separate shifts of electricians may be employed.
The majority of electricians learn their job via an apprenticeship, which combines classroom instruction with on-the-job training. Apprenticeship programs will often be sponsored by a joint training committee, formed by members of local unions. Since the training required to become an electrician is comprehensive, you'll be able to do both construction and maintenance work after completing an apprenticeship program.
Apprenticeships for electricians usually last about four years, and include about 150 hours of classroom instruction per year, plus about 2,000 hours of training on the job. Classroom topics may include blueprint reading, electrical theory, math, safety, first aid, and electrical code requirements. Specialized training may include communications systems, fire alarms, elevators, heavy equipment, and soldering.
Licensing for Electricians and Pay Rates
Most localities and states require an electrician to be properly licensed, but requirements may vary. Usually, there's an exam to test knowledge of the National Electrical Code, as well as local and state codes and electrical theory. Even experienced electricians take courses to keep up to date on code changes. To be an electrical contractor, a special license may also be required, as well as certification as a master electrician - seven years or more of experience. A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering might also be required.
On average, an electrician can expect to make around $20 per hour, with the lowest ten percent of jobs earning around $12 per hour, and the highest 10 percent earning $35 per our or more. Apprentices are usually paid 40 to50 of the rate a skilled electrician will earn.
Advancement Opportunities
It's possible for electricians to become supervisors, construction superintendents, or project managers if they're employed by someone else. With enough skill and capital, it's also possible to start your own business. Many electricians also go on to become electrical inspectors. However, all advancement opportunities are coming to require language skills - with so many workers having a limited understanding of English, facility in Spanish is often required.
Electricians, as a field, are expected to grow at an average rate, with good job prospects. Workers who have data, video, and voice wiring skills are particularly in demand. Since power plant construction is expected to increase over the next 10 years, and many homes are changing their wiring systems, other electricians will also be required. In general, however, studying the skills required to install telecommunications and computer wiring is a good choice, as the demand for these services grows. A large number of electricians are also expected to retire over the next decade, vacating a significant percentage of existing jobs.
Conclusion
Becoming an electrician is a worthwhile goal for anyone willing to undergo the training and who has interest in the field. Electricians remain in demand, have good job growth prospects, and earn reasonably high hourly wages. If you're interested in becoming an electrician, see what your apprenticeship options are today.
