Behind every light switch or electrical outlet, there is an electrician who made it work. Almost every building has an electrical power, communications, lighting, or control system that electricians and helpers installed when the building was constructed… and maintained afterwards. For new construction, electricians read diagrams that show the planned location of circuits, outlets, and other equipment to guide their work. They use hand and power tools to run wiring through walls and protect it. They also test equipment and materials to find problems and ensure components work properly. Maintenance means first finding the problem then accessing it for repairs. Electricians must carefully follow building regulations to ensure safety, especially when directing or training other workers. Electrician helpers carry materials and tools, cut and bend wire and conduit, use tools to repair and maintain wiring, and clean work areas and equipment. These workers keep full-time hours, sometimes evenings and weekends, working indoors and outdoors in homes, businesses, and construction sites. Most work for electrical and other wiring contractors. Work can require long periods of standing and kneeling, sometimes in cramped spaces. Most electricians learn their trade in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship program that combines technical training and paid on-the-job training. Most states require a license. Electrician helpers usually need a high school diploma or equivalent and are trained on the job. Electricians and electrician helpers literally help the United States “keep the lights on.”
What they do:
Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. May install or service street lights, intercom systems, or electrical control systems.
On the job, you would:
Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
Engineering and Technology
building and construction
mechanical
Business
management
customer service
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
talking to others
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Hand and Finger Use
put together small parts with your fingers
keep your arm or hand steady
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Attention
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Self Control
Dependability
Adaptability/Flexibility
Integrity
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Word processing software
Microsoft Word
Socrates Contractor's Library
Analytical or scientific software
Construction Master Pro
SoftEmpire Electrical Calculations
Data base user interface and query software
Database software
Shafer Service Systems
certificate after high school or high school diploma/GED usually needed
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force
, Army
, Coast Guard
, Marine Corps
, or Navy
.
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