Electricians

Career Overview

Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems.

Education

Generally, people learn to do this work through an apprenticeship program. Having a high school diploma or equivalent may be necessary.

Future Outlook

Employment of electricians is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Increases in construction spending and demand for alternative energy sources will drive demand for electricians.

Work Environment

Electricians work indoors and outdoors in nearly every type of facility. Almost all electricians work full time, which may include evenings and weekends. Although the work is not as dangerous as other construction occupations, potential injuries include electrical shocks and burns, cuts, and falls.

Recommended High School Courses

Math
Electronics
Physics
Communication

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Gross Body Equilibrium - The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Plan layout of construction, installation, or repairs.
Install electrical components, equipment, or systems.
Test electrical equipment or systems to ensure proper functioning.
Inspect electrical or electronic systems for defects.
Create construction or installation diagrams.
Repair electrical equipment.
Communicate with other construction or extraction personnel to discuss project details.
Thread wire or cable through ducts or conduits.
Update job related knowledge or skills.
Direct construction or extraction personnel.
Train construction or extraction personnel.
Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
Order construction or extraction materials or equipment.
Prepare operational reports.
Estimate construction project costs.
Fabricate parts or components.
Dig holes or trenches.

Schools

Alfred State College

American River College

Atlanta Technical College

Central New Mexico Commun...

College Of Business And T...

College Of Lake County

Columbus State Community...

Emily Griffith Technical...

Gateway Community College...

Iḷisaġvik College

Ivy Tech Community Colleg...

Northeast Wisconsin Techn...

Northwest Iowa Community...

Northwest Louisiana Techn...

Pearl River Community Col...

Pittsburg State Universit...

Polk State College- Winte...

Rosedale Technical Colleg...

St. Philip’s College- Mar...

Suny At Canton

Suny At Delhi

Suny Onondaga Community C...

Utah State University

Washburn University- Inst...

Yuut Elitnaurviat

Academy Canada- Corner... ●

Academy Canada- St. Jo...

Aurora College

Aviron Technical Insti...

Boreal College- Sudbur...

Carlton Trail Regional...

Coast Mountain College...

College Of New Caledon...

College Of The North A...

Conestoga College- Bra...

Conestoga College- Ing...

Conestoga College- Wat...

École Des Metiers Et O...

Fanshawe College- Lond...

Fleming College- Suthe...

Grand Prairie Regional...

Great Plains College-...

Keyano College- Suncor...

Kwantlen Polytechnic U...

Lakeland College- Verm...

Mohawk College- Stoney...

Montreal School Of Con...

New Brunswick Communit...

North American Trade S...

North American Trades...

North Island College-...

North West College- Me...

Northern Alberta Insti...

Northern Lakes College

Northern Lights Colleg...

Nova Scotia Community...

Okanagan Valley Colleg...

Portage College- Cold...

Professional Career De...

Red Deer College- Main...

Sait - Southern Albert...

Saskatchewan Polytechn...

Southeast Regional Col...

St. Claire College- Ch...

Stratford Career Insti...

Thompson Rivers Univer...

Vancouver Career Colle...

Yukon University

Potential Scholarships

5 Strong Scholarship

Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...

Curt Pozan Trades Scholar...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:

Low End:

$33,410.00 /yr

Avg/Med:

$56,180.00 /yr

High End:

$96,580.00 /yr

Related Careers

HVAC Technician

Sheet Metal Workers

Roofer

Dental Assistant

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.