I Want to Be an Electrician When I Grow Up

The job of an electrician is an incredibly expanded career today. Thinking about being an electrician can involve a broad range of occupations within one field. Electricians can be found working in workshops, in private homes, or in factories. Many electricians have their own businesses and schedule their own time. People who are really committed to the field might find that they would like to go to college and study electrical engineering. It's a field that can start with a blue–collar job and can go all the way to professional engineering.

What kind of skills does it take to become an electrician? In school, did you enjoy mathematics; did you have technical interests? If you said yes to those questions here are some other skills to consider:

• Do you have good hand-eye coordination?
• Is your eyesight good, with normal color vision?
• Do you have diagnostic abilities?
• Do you have the ability to do detailed work?
• Are you able to work as part of a team and independently?
• Are you physically fit?
  

A blue-collar job as an electrician might be for you if your answers were yes to the questions above.



Here are some facts about electricians that you may like to know. Electricians have contact with the public quite often in their work. At times their work keeps them in confined spaces and standing for long periods. Outdoor work and work at heights on towers or roofs are situations in which electricians might find themselves in a normal workday. These kinds of working conditions require electricians to always be conscious of safety regulations. Safety includes wearing protective equipment like hard hats or goggles to minimize the risks.

Some electricians specialize with business training and become electrical contractors. Electrical contractors bid on jobs and are responsible for winning the jobs, ordering materials, and organizing the workers to meet the customers’ needs. The electrician as a businessperson has all the tasks associated with carrying on a business.

Other specializations for electricians are electrical mechanic, electronic sales, or a service person. Some possible occupations for electricians include automotive, cable jointer, electrical engineering, electrical lines worker, electro-technology assembler or fitter, and a lift electrician.

An electrician is a tradesman who can wear many different hats. It is a big world and there is plenty of room in blue-collar jobs for electricians. The job outlook is very favorable in many countries. The salary in any of the blue-collar jobs with a license brings about $30,000 to $40,000 a year to begin with, and an increase in experience brings a higher salary. Salaries with an electrical engineering degree can bring $70,000+. This can vary with company and location.

It is a great field to look forward to and make preparations to study from youth. There are shop classes in school that begin teaching electrical basics. Post secondary schools offer short programs in electronics, heating, and air-conditioning control systems. Internships are often available with companies that employ trade electricians. The military trains and produces electricians for work in the field both home and abroad. Electricians light the way! Job opportunities are available.