Career Guide: Electrician

Without electricians, there would be no lights, telephones, computers, or televisions plugged into our walls. Electricians also repair all electric machines and work in factories fixing motors, generators, and robots. Could you imagine what life would be like without electricians insuring we have all the comforts and benefits that electricity provides? Electricians are tradesmen whose responsibilities are to design, install, maintain and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. These systems can be located in homes, commercial or industrial buildings, and even machines and large pieces of equipment. Electricians work either inside or outside to make possible the use of lights, televisions, industrial equipment, appliances and many other items essential to life. Electricians are either inside wiremen or outside linemen. These are the main concentrations of a practicing electrical professional, but there are various areas of specialization within each category. Duties also vary widely with each type of position or specialization. Electricians also periodically inspect all equipment to ensure that it is operating properly and to correct problems before breakdowns occur. Maintenance work varies greatly, depending on where an electrician works. Electricians who focus on residential work perform a wide variety of electrical work for homeowners. They may rewire a home and replace an old fuse box with a new circuit breaker box to accommodate additional appliances, or they may install new lighting and other electric household items, such as ceiling fans. These electricians also might do some construction and installation work. Electricians in large factories usually do maintenance work that is more complex. These kinds of electricians may repair motors, transformers, generators, and electronic controllers on machine tools and industrial robots. They also advise management as to whether the continued operation of certain equipment could be hazardous. When working with complex electronic devices, they may consult with engineers, engineering technicians, line installers and repairers, or industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers.

About the Guide

This Career Guide provides guidance to people facing a variety of career challenges. These challenges may include dealing with redundancy, seeking a new job, changing careers, returning to work after a career break, building new skills, personal and professional development, going for promotion, and setting up a business. The common aim of the career guide, whatever the particular situation of the individual being guided, is normally to help that individual gain control of their career and, to some extent, their life. This comprehensive resource has been developed to provide you with a road map for your particular area of interest to shape the career as Electrician. Whether you are looking for that entry-level position, growing in your respective field, or making a career transition, the means to accomplish your goals are within this resource. The Career Guide looks at what an electrician is, the roles and responsibilities they carry out and the essential qualities needed to succeed.