Outline of the electricity sector

Where would we be without electricians? They keep us safe and sound and stop us from electrocuting ourselves on plug sockets or Scalextric sets.

Of course, they also provide us with expertly wired housing and office blocks too, but there’s so much more to it than that, as you may already be aware!

When we flick on a light switch, light comes on as if charged by some sort of enchanted genie. Of course, that’s not actually the case. Well, unless electricians live inside lamps.

Every building you could possibly imagine uses electricity: houses, museums, stadiums, office buildings, petrol stations, nightclubs, post-offices, coffee shops, schools, hospitals, hotels and so much more. We could obviously go on forever with this one but you get the idea! Builders build them, while electricians give them light and power.

What is the path towards becoming a successful electrician?

The most popular way of entering the electrician profession is to get yourself onto an apprentice scheme. It can take up to four years to gain all the appropriate knowledge, but you’ll be paid to do the training. This usually involves a mixture of on-the-job and classroom training. If you complete an apprenticeship, you’ll be qualified to do any sort of electrical construction and maintenance work.

You’ll need to be good at communicating with various different characters, including customers, colleagues and your boss (unless you choose to work solo).

You’ll also need to be aware of your working environments. You won’t always be working in nice, warm houses. At times, you’ll be required to work in cramped spaces, dusty new buildings, dirty old homes and you could also be required to travel around the country for different projects.

What tasks are electricians in charge of?

Most electricians work in the construction industry and will work alongside builders to ensure that the structure they’re working on is perfectly safe and in full working order. Builders provide electricians with blueprints, which indicate where the wires and power sockets need to go.

Electricians not only install electronics, but also repair and maintain them. If you have a problem with some wiring in your home, you need to call out an electrician to come over and sort it out. Sometimes electricians will even be asked to rewire entire buildings.

As an electrician, you might also be responsible for installing electrical equipment and machinery in factories and other industrial settings. It’s pretty heavy-duty work, but if you know your stuff, you can get a kick from seeing something go from absolutely nothing to being in perfect working order.

As you’ve probably guessed by now, your working environment can be as varied as the work you do. Your career can take you absolutely anywhere. You might be working in businesses, in homes, or even outdoors on construction sites.

Have you got AMPle interest in all things electrical? Has this article got you wired up? OHMygod! You should definitely check out the occupational profile of an electrician to find out more!