Are you looking for a career in the field of electrician? If yes, then you are in the right place. Here we are going to discuss different aspects about the job of an electrician.
1. What is an electrician? – A definition
An electrician is a professional who is responsible for the installation, repair, and maintenance of electrical systems in commercial and residential buildings. The responsibilities of an electrician can vary from installing, repairing and maintaining various types of electrical systems such as lighting fixtures, switches, outlets, and circuits. An electrician has to be very well aware of safety standards while working on any electrical installation. The role of an electrician can vary from that of a line worker to a supervisor or manager.
2. Types of electricians
There are two types of electricians. One is the licensed electrician and the other is the unlicensed electrician. The licensed electrician has to have a license from the state or provincial governing body that is responsible for licensing and regulating the profession of electrical engineering. The unlicensed person has no such certification. Both these types of electricians can be either part-time or full-time depending on their job requirements. There are also certain classes within these categories that will help you understand more about different types of electricians.
2.1. Licensed Electricians
Licensed electricians usually work in commercial buildings such as office buildings, hotels, hospitals, shopping malls, etc. These professionals are responsible for maintaining various types of electrical installations in these places such as lighting fixtures, outlets, switches, and circuits. Some may also be involved in designing and installing electrical systems which may include data centers or computer networks in commercial buildings. It is essential to have a license from the governing body to practice this profession as it is highly dangerous without any regulation at all.
2.2. Unlicensed Electricians
Unlicensed persons do not have any training or certification to perform any kind of work related to electrical installation and maintenance in a building because they don’t have any formal education or training in this field which makes them unsafe for this type of work at all times even though they claim so by themselves when they offer their services at lower rates.
3. Electricians in the Private Sector
There are a lot of electricians working in the private sector. Some work for small businesses and some work for large corporations. The job responsibilities of these electricians vary from one another depending on the job requirement. These persons usually work on a day-to-day basis to maintain various types of electrical installations in commercial and residential buildings such as lighting fixtures, switches, outlets, and circuits. They may also be involved in designing and installing electrical systems that may include data centers or computer networks in commercial buildings as well.
4. Career paths
An electrician has a lot of career paths depending on the type of job that they want to get into. The following are some of the common careers that an electrician can pursue:
- Electrical Engineering Technician – A technician has to work in the electrical engineering field and he or she is responsible for testing, repairing, and maintaining all types of electrical installations in a building. They may also be involved in designing and installing electrical systems which may include data centers or computer networks in commercial buildings.
- Electrical Installer – An installer is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems which may include lighting fixtures, switches, outlets, circuits, etc. They have to work in large commercial buildings as well as small residential buildings.
- Safety Engineer – Safety engineers are responsible for planning and designing safety systems within various industries such as construction sites or manufacturing plants. These people are very important because they help prevent injuries and accidents from happening to employees at any time by taking preventive measures against hazards that might be present on a site where work is being performed.
- Line Worker – Line workers are generally responsible for working on different types of electrical installations such as lighting fixtures or wiring within a building without having any specialized training or certification related to this job.
5. Work environment
Electricians work in a wide range of environments. Some of these environments include:
- Home – Electricians working at home usually have to do their own electrical work which is very dangerous and can be fatal for them.
- Industrial – Industrial electricians usually work at an industrial building where there are a lot of hazardous materials such as chemicals and solvents that may cause severe health problems or even death.
- Commercial – Commercial electricians usually work in large commercial buildings where they have to do their job safely and efficiently. They may also be involved in designing and installing electrical systems which may include data centers or computer networks in commercial buildings.
6. How long does it take to become an electrician?
It takes a lot of training and experience to become an electrician. To become an electrician, a candidate must have at least 3 years of experience in this field and must have completed a four-year program in order to get the required certification. The most common program is the National Electrical Code (NEC) which is taught through a classroom setting. There are also online programs available for those who want to get their license faster.
7. What skills do you need to become an electrician?
To be able to become an electrician, you need certain skills which include:
- Basic math – This includes addition and subtraction as well as multiplication and division . In order for someone to be successful in this job he or she has to know these basic math concepts very well .
- Safety – Safety is very important when working in this field . This is why electricians are required to have a valid driver’s license. They also have to be trained and certified in order to work on different types of electrical systems which can be dangerous for them if they aren’t properly trained.
- Mechanical – To become an electrician, one must have a basic understanding of how different types of machines work . For example, they need to know how engines work, how machines operate, and how machines such as drills and saws work.
- Electrical knowledge – Electricians must be well-versed with the different types of electrical devices and systems that are used in the industry. They also need to know what electrical codes are there in the country that they live in so that they can follow them properly.
8. Is being an electrician hard?
Being an electrician is not hard, but it is very challenging. This is because there are a lot of people who want to become an electrician and only a few will actually get the chance to do so. The main reason why there are so many people who want to become an electrician is because it is one of the best paying jobs that you can have in the United States .
9. Electrical engineer vs electrician?
An electrical engineer is someone who has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. In contrast, an electrician is someone who has a high school diploma or some college education. They both work on the same type of systems but an engineer is more involved in the design and planning of these systems while an electrician does the actual installation and maintenance of these systems .
10. Is electrician a good career?
Yes, electrician is a good career for those who want to have a stable job. It is also very well-paying and can be very rewarding if you are able to do the work.
