What is the Job Description for an Electrician?
Depending on where an electrician works, commercial electrician jobs may focus on different things, for example setting up all the electrical outlets and necessary hook-ups for an office building. This will include outlets for computers and any other type of business equipment that is needed. Not only might they install these hook-ups but they may be responsible for maintaining them as well.
When jobs for electricians are advertised the employer may specify that the job will be both commercial and residential. This normally means the company that is hiring does both types of work. There are many companies that specialize in one or the other, but some established companies have electricians capable of installing and maintaining either one.
Industrial electrician jobs may consist of security lighting and lights for parking lots, among other things. They may also include motor repair. Industrial electricians will sometimes work for a power company, or they may work for another type of company. They will lay electrical lines to carry power from one building to another, and they may also set up and maintain the electrical systems in facilities such as hospitals.
Electricians must first install a special type of pipe called conduit into the walls of the building they will be wiring. The conduit may also be installed in other areas, although most people prefer to have it concealed from sight. The electrician must be able to read blueprints and follow them for the proper placement of electrical wiring and outlets.
An electrician will have to be familiar with and be able to use ammeters, ohmmeters, wire strippers, drills, saws, voltmeters, and other equipment that is part of an electrician's tools. Those who specialize in certain areas, such as the maintenance arm of the electrical industry, will also be responsible for upgrading systems that they may have originally installed.
There are many electricians who work in factories. Their maintenance work will consist of repairing motors, generators, and electronic machinery. They also determine if machinery should be in use according to how safe it is and if it should be repaired or retired.
What Training is Necessary to Become an Electrician?
The majority of electricians learn how to do electrical work by working with an electrician who is certified and has been doing the work for several years. There are many programs that pay the electrician in training, and it is also possible to take classes. The typical amount of time spent training to be an electrician's apprentice is approximately four years. The everyday experience gained from an apprenticeship has to equal 2,000 hours, and the coursework requires 144 hours of classroom training.
The work that is performed as an assistant can help a young electrician to advance to training his or her own assistants in the future. When electricians are ready to take their test and become licensed they will begin to earn more money, and electricians often become supervisors, managers, and even owners of construction companies. Many apprenticeship programs can be entered into through either individual electrical companies or the Independent Electrical Contractor's Association.
There are many electricians who start by working as an assistant to a licensed electrician. The new hire will need a high school diploma and will need to be mathematically inclined. There are some vocational schools that offer classes in the electrical trade.
Practically all states require electricians to be licensed. This usually entails passing an exam that is designed to see how extensive their knowledge of electrical systems is and to cut down on the number of fly-by-night operations taking advantage of people.
Electricians must keep up to date on changes and any other differences in electrical codes and rules and regulations. In addition, there are many industries that have their own set of rules that must be followed. When these are updated or a new way of doing something is introduced, an electrician must keep up to date on these latest developments in the field.
This is especially true of those who work for industries affiliated with the government, such as those who contract jobs from the federal government and have certain criteria that must be met. Their electrical work must meet somewhat higher standards as well as follow rules and regulations that a typical electrical job would not be subject to.
The Earnings of an Electrician
The salaries for this type of work vary. In 2007, the median wage was between $16 and $28 per hour. The lowest 10% were making $13 per hour, and the highest 10% were making $36. The area of the country in which you live plays an important part in figuring out the pay rate for electricians. Some areas of the US have higher paying jobs than others due to many factors.
The states with the largest amount of US electrician jobs are West Virginia, Wyoming, Nevada, Alaska, and Maryland. The ones that tend to pay more than other states are Alaska, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii.
