Electrician Jobs: Put Your Math Skills to Work

Electrician Jobs

If you have strong mathematics and science skills and are excellent at problem solving, then a career in one of the fields that offers electrician jobs may be right for you. Electrical and electronic engineers work with power supplies and electrical components while electricians connect it all together in you house or business. Colleges and vocational schools offer electrician jobs training to teach you about the basics of electricity, safety, planning an electrical project and installing an electrical system.

Types of electrician jobs

Electrician jobs can include everything from designing complex electrical systems to actually installing the appropriate controls and electrical components in residential, commercial and industrial structures. Electricians must understand the principles of electricity, be able to read blueprints, and be familiar with electrical components like different types of wiring and outlets. About 80 percent of electrician jobs are in the field if construction, with many electricians doing both new construction installations and repair and maintenance of existing electrical systems. Other types of electricians include electrical and electronic engineers.

Electrical engineer

One form of electrician jobs is that of an electrical engineer. An electrical engineer studies and applies the principals of engineering to electricity, electronics and electromagnetism to power generation and transmission systems. Electrical engineers often design, develop and maintain the large scale systems, such as nuclear power, geothermal and wind energy, that generate electrical power and the systems that distribute it to the masses for consumption. They also work in fields like telecommunications and electronics.

Electronic engineer

An electronic engineer is a specific type of electrical engineer who works with the systems, applications and components that use electricity on a smaller scale to process information. These types of electrician jobs focus on the creation, testing and maintenance of circuits and other components of electronic devices. They work on analog and digital electronics, consumer products, power electronics and embedded systems. Electronics engineers work on household and office equipment, navigation systems, appliances and even vehicles.

Electrician jobs training

Colleges, universities, vocational schools and even some large electrical contracting companies offer electrician training programs. If you can’t fit attending a traditional school into your schedule you can take classes through an online electrician school. In order to work as an electrician in allU.S.states you need a certificate or degree showing that you have completed your electrician education, including an apprenticeship under a licensed electrician. To gain admittance to an electrician school and become an electrician you need to possess strong math and science skills and speak fluent English. If you want to learn electrical engineering or electronic engineering you need to continue your education and earn a bachelors degree in the field.

Where electricians work

Electricians work in fields like new building construction, renovations, maintenance and manufacturing. While many electricians, particularly those who do new construction installations, are self-employed, others work in a variety of industries. Electricians are needed in government agencies, branches of the military, power generation plants, supply companies and in industrial plants. Find a listing of positions that are available in your area at an electrician jobs hub.

Electrician Jobs

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Electrical Apprenticeships: On the Job Training to be an Electrician

Electrical Apprenticeships

In order to work as an electrician you must first complete one of the electrical apprenticeships that are offered to those seeking to join the ranks of the master electricians. Serving in electrical apprentice jobs gives you the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to be the best possible electrician from those who have already mastered the trade. While training as an electrical apprentice you will become proficient in installing electrical elements such as wiring, outlets and conduit. Electrical engineering apprenticeships are also available to those who want to work in engineering fields that work with the creation and transmission of power or with the use of electricity to process information.

Apprentice Electrician Jobs

As an apprentice electrician you will receive on the job training from someone who has already mastered the craft and will need to attend an accredited school to complete electrical apprenticeship coursework. An electrician apprentice works hand in hand with a licensed electrician to meet the minimum requirement of 2,000 hours of physical training and another 144 hours of electrical school coursework. During the hands-on portion of electrical apprenticeships you will be guided through the installation of basic wiring and configurations for installing electrical systems, type of electrical wiring, conduit and outlet installation. The coursework involves learning to read blueprints, information about the science and mathematics behind electricity and safety regulations for working with electricity. In order to receive a license to act as an electrician in your state you must pass a test at the end of your apprenticeship.

Electrical Apprenticeships

As part of electrician apprenticeships you can receive training in one of four distinct facets of electrical work. Decide what type of electrical work you want to do before you sign on as an apprenticeship electrician because you need to follow a training program that is tailored to the demands of that particular job. Electrician apprenticeship jobs include as an inside lineman, who works on electrical items inside of your house, or outside lineman, who work on electrical components outside of the home. Additionally there are electrician apprentice jobs for those who want to work as an installer or technician and a wireman installing residential conduit.

Electrician Apprenticeships Vacancies

By receiving your training through an electrician apprenticeship you can work to enhance your abilities under the watchful eye of a licensed electrician. Because electricians are in high demand and many people are training to join the ranks, electrician apprenticeships vacancies are filled quickly. Electrical apprenticeships are offered by the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, The National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. You can also look for electrical engineering apprenticeships to be posted at an electrician jobs hub online or check with your school for a list of available electrical apprenticeships. In order to work in electrical apprenticeships you must have a high school diploma or the equivalent, have completed a basic algebra course, be at least age 18 and be drug free.

Electrical Apprenticeships

How to Become an Electrician: Classroom and Hands On Training

How to Become an Electrician

Education is the key to how to become an electrician. Whether you choose to begin your training in the classroom or to take a hands-on approach and become an electrician’s helper or acquire an apprenticeship first, you need to receive the proper training and certification in order to work as an electrician in most states. During your training you will learn exactly what electricians do as part of their job, including principles of electricity, reading blueprints, different types of wiring and how to install outlets, and what tools they use to accomplish each task.

Basic Requirements

To begin your formal education on how to become an electrician you need be at least 18 years of age in most states and have acquired either a high school diploma or met the equivalency requirements. You also need to be able to read and write in English and possess good skills in math. As part of the training, you need to complete 144 hours of classroom time and 2,000 hours working as an apprentice on the job, which can take up to four years to finish.

Training How to Become an Electrician

To learn how to become a electrician you need to become an apprentice to someone who is already a master electrician. Training programs on how to become an electrician are offered by many electrician academies and technical schools, colleges and some contractors organizations. No one knows how to be an electrician overnight. Even after you complete your classroom studies and an apprenticeship, it may take years of training and serving as an electrician in the field to be completely comfortable working with electricity. But after completing your training and receiving your license to work as an electrician you can search an electrician jobs hub to find a position as an electrician.

Electrician’s Helpers

Sometimes people learn how to become an electrician by simply working for an experienced electrician. You can start out as an electrician’s helper doing jobs that do not involve electrical applications, such as organizing job sites, collecting the appropriate permits, arranging for the pick up or delivery of materials and cleaning up after the work has been completed. After working as an electrician’s helper for awhile to gain a basic understanding of the job, you can then step up your education and learn how to become an electrician by participating in an official training program.

Joining the Workforce

Once you have learned how to become an electrician you will find a variety of job opportunities are available, including working for private companies, the military, government agencies and even nonprofit organizations. Many companies that employ electricians will go straight to schools that offering programs on how to become an electrician to fill their open positions. Often companies that hire trainees with a background in how to become an electrician from a recognized school will start them at a higher salary than those who join the workforce with no or a limited background.

How to Become an Electrician

Electrician Salary versus Electrical Engineer Salary: Who Makes the Most Money?

Electrician Salary

Although both an electrician and an electrical engineer work with electricity and electrical components, an electrician salary and electrical engineer salary can be vastly different. While an electrician generally works to install and maintain electrical systems, an electrical engineer studies and designs new applications for electricity, particularly as they relate to power generation and transmission. Even the educational requirements are different for the two positions, which you can find opening for at an electrician jobs hub, and that can affect the amount of an annual electrician salary versus that of an electrical engineer salary.

Factors Affecting an Electrician Salary

An electrician is trained in the trade of installing, maintaining and repairing the electrical wiring of both residential and commercial properties. An electrician’s salary is generally based on his or her level of certification, which is as an apprentice, journeyman or master electrician. While an electrician salary is generally based on the employee’s training and longevity with a company, having a college degree may increase your opportunities for advancement and therefore boost your salary. Many employers require their specialized electricians as well as supervisors and managers to obtain a bachelors degree; electricians serving in management level positions generally make a higher electrician salary than those they supervise. Additionally, having a college degree will help if you decide to strike out on your own as an electrical contractor. As the owner of an electrical company you can make a higher electrician salary than your employees.

Electrician Salary Ranges

As of January 2012, the average annual electrician salary was $46,000. A master electrician salary and a licensed journeyman electrician salary ranged from $47,000 to about $51,000.
An electrician apprentice salary was in the range of $38,000 per year and an electrician’s helper’s salary was about $29,000. Electricians who work within a specialized area of the craft, such as power plant or helicopter electronics, tend to make a higher salary than general electricians. They can make salaries in the range of $60,000 to $80,000.

Factors Affecting an Electrical Engineer Salary

A variety of factors can affect an electrical engineer salary, including the field of engineering in which you work. Electrical engineering generally refers to the branch of engineering that involves the study and application of electricity to generating and transmitting power, telecommunications, signals and electronics. A sub-set of electrical engineering is electronic engineering, which deals with the engineering of smaller level electrical circuits and components, like computers and telecommunications. Senior engineers make more than those just starting out in the business. An electrical engineering technician works uses engineering principles, science and math to help provide technical solutions to problems in areas such as construction, manufacturing and inspections. An electrical engineer must have a degree and be licensed.

Electrical Engineer Salary

In general an electrical engineer salary is between $60,000 and $100,000 per year. An electrical engineering salary for those who are just entering the field will be in the range of $48,000, while for a lead or senior engineer the salary can reach $140,000 annually. An electrical engineering technology salary averages around $50,000 annually. While an electrician salary can be comparable to an electrical engineer salary based on your level of expertise, generally an engineer will make more than an electrician.

: Electrician Salary

Electrician Training: Attend a School or Online Program

Electrician Training

In order to earn a license and work as an electrician with most companies, you must attend specialized electrician training. Electrician training programs focus on making sure you have the basic understanding of electricity, the skills necessary to complete tasks like reading blueprints, installing electrical wiring and running conduit, and a firm grasp of the tools needed to accomplish each task. While training to be an electrician you will also learn about the principles of electricity and how it is generated to power the items we use every day in our homes, at work and at play.

Electrician Training Courses

If you are interested in a career as an electrician you can enroll in one of the electrician training courses that are offered by colleges, electrical academies and technical schools. Some large electrical contractors also provide in-house electrician training opportunities. Most states require you to be licensed in order to work as an electrician. Training for electrician jobs involve both classroom study and serving as an apprentice working under a licensed master electrician. About 144 hours of electrician training courses covering topics like electrical codes, principles of electricity, identifying the various types of wires and how to properly place conduit are required for licensing. A minimum of 2,000 hours of apprenticeship is also a requirement.

On the Job Electrician Training

While in training electrician employment opportunities are limited to that of an apprentice or an electrician’s helper. An apprentice works as an entry level electrician and receives hands on instruction in the field from an electrician with years of experience. Following completion of an apprenticeship, an electrician can perform both construction of new and maintenance of existing electrical systems. An electrician’s helper performs tasks, such as job site preparation and tear down and materials collection, which do not involve actual contract with electricity and electrical components. After working as an electrician’s helper to gain a general knowledge of the field, you can then begin an apprenticeship and traditional training program.

Electrician Training Online

If you don’t have the ability or time to attend a traditional electrician trainingschool there are several available that offer online courses. The training covers electrical installation in residential, commercial and industrial applications. Completing online electrician training can save you both time and money over enrollment in a traditional program at a college or technical school. Most online courses begin by teaching you about the basics of electricity, how it is created and harnessed for our use. Other courses offered through electrician training online include the basics of electrical products, circuit breakers, lighting components, transformers, motors and controls, surge protection and power monitoring. Online continuing education programs provide the opportunity for licensed electricians to easily update their skills on a regular basis.

Finding Work After Electrician Training

Jobs for electricians are available in areas such as industry, manufacturing, development and construction as well as with government agencies. Check out an online electrician jobs hub to find career opportunities once you complete your electrician training.

Electrician Training

Electrical Engineering Jobs: Add Some Spark to Your Career

Electrical Engineering Jobs

Electrical engineering jobs can be divided into two distinct categories. The term electrical engineering generally deals with the study and application of engineering to large systems that transmit power. A subcategory of electrical engineering is that of electronic engineering, which relates to smaller scale applications that use electricity for the processing of information, such as circuits. An electrical engineer is educated in and works with the application of electricity in fields like telecommunications, power supply and electronics. With an electrical component in almost everything you use today, people who have the knowledge and the skills to design and repair the systems that supply power to those components are increasingly needed to fill electrical engineering jobs.

Electrical Engineering Jobs

Employees who hold electrical engineer jobs work in a variety of career fields and at an array of locations, such as power generation plants, transmission supply companies, industrial buildings and laboratories. Electrical engineering jobs are available in traditional industries like nuclear power plants and working with emerging technology like wind generation and other environmentally friendly types of power. Electrical engineering jobs are concerned with taking basic forms of energy like gas, solar, wind or geothermal, and transforming that energy into a form that we can use in the home, office or on the road. We all rely on electrical engineers to provide the technology that helps us do things like heat our homes, illuminate our lights, drive our cars and fly airplanes.

Electronic Engineer Jobs

One specific type of electrical engineer job is that of an electronic engineer, which can include those in the information technology field. An electronic engineer works hands on with the design, testing and repair of circuits and other portions of electronic devices. These electrical engineering jobs include working on vehicles, computers, navigation systems, office equipment and appliances. Electronic engineers work on analog and digital electronics. Computer engineering jobs are sometimes considered as part of an electrician jobs hub to be a sub-set of electronic engineering. In addition to private corporations, the U.S.military and government employ electronic engineers to work in areas like defense technology and telecommunications.

Electrical Engineering Salary

As of 2008 the average electrical engineer salary in the U.S. was about $85,350 with electronic engineers making slightly more at an average of $88,670. There were 301,500 electrical engineering jobs in place at that time, the second largest number of engineers behind only software engineers. To garner a job and earn a top electrical engineering salary, you need a college degree or special certification in engineering, which requires strong science and math skills. In most jurisdictions, to do electrical work you must furnish proof that you have the appropriate education in the field. How much you can make as a salary when working in the field depends factors your level of experience, any special areas of knowledge that you possess and the geographic location of the electrical engineering jobs. Electrical engineering jobs that are located on the east and west coasts typically come with higher salaries than those offered in interior US states.

Electrical Engineering Jobs

Electrician School: Earn the Education Necessary to Advance in the Trade

Electrician School

Depending on the type of electrical work that interests you as a career, you can choose from many an electrician school to attend. Electrician schools are available nationwide and can be either standalone educational facilities, part of a college curriculum or affiliated with an electrical contracting company. In additional to those programs that are offered to students in a traditional school setting, you have the option of attending an online electrician school.

Electrician School Overview

A certificate or degree from an official school for electrician education is required in all U.S. states for you to be able to work as an electrician. Schools for electrician training will teach you everything from the basics about electricity and safety precautions to how to design and install a complete electrical system. To be admitted to an electrician school, you need to show that you have strong math abilities, must be fluent in the English language and should be a high school graduate or have acquired an equivalency degree. As part of your electrician school training you will need to complete both an apprenticeship working under a master of the trade and classroom studies.

Types of Electrician Schools

The types of electrician schools available are as varied as the types of electrician jobs that are available today. While you can receive training at many colleges, technical schools and even private electrical contractors, electrician trade schools offer programs specifically tailored to becoming an electrician with knowledge in a smaller sub-field of the trade. As an electrician you can specialize in new construction, maintenance, auto electronics, mining, electrical fittings, working on the power lines or continue your education along a different route and become an electrical engineer.

Online Electrician School

Attend an electrician school online to complete the classroom study portion of your training. Completing your training through an online electrician school gives you the chance to study when you want — at night, on weekends or whenever you have free time. You will still need to complete hands on training through an apprenticeship but your online electrician trade school can help connect you with a master electrician to serve as your mentor.

After Electrician School

Because of their complexity some kinds of electrical work must be completed by a journeyman or master electrician. While all types of electricians begin their education with the basics of the trade, in order to attain the status of journeyman or master you must further your education and prove that you are among the best in the field. A journeyman is an electrician who has finished an apprenticeship and is able to work in the field without the direct supervision of a master electrician. While licensed as an electrician a journeyman must still ultimately report to a supervisor or master electrician. A master electrician has achieved the top status in the field and has acquired the licenses necessary to work independently as an installer and to design and administer contracts for electrical work. An electrician jobs hub can help you find employment once you earn your certification from an electrician school. Many journeyman and master electrician’s opt to open their own electrical contracting business in order to maximize their salary after electrician school.

Electrician School

Auto Electrician: Train to Repair the Electronics that Drive the World

Auto Electrician

Automobiles have become so sophisticated that only someone with special training as an auto electrician can make most repairs when something goes awry with their electrical system. No longer can you simply be a “gear head” and expect to be able to make intricate repairs to vehicles. While the basic electrical systems of automobiles are all still the same, installing and repairing the individual wiring and components of an automobile is often a delicate process that requires in depth knowledge of electronics by someone who has taken the appropriate coursework.

Auto Electrician Training

Many colleges and automobile academies offer auto electrician training courses, including as continuing education programs that you can take in the evening or on weekends. For those who want to take their career as in auto electronics all the way to the top, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence provides certification of their credentials. Before you can train in auto electronics you must possess an understanding of automobiles and what makes them run. After learning the basics of automobile engineering, diagram reading and non-electrical component repair, you can move on and take the more specialized courses. Individual automobile manufacturers also provide training in the intricacies of the electrical components of each their vehicles. Because automotive technology changes rapidly, you will need to continue learning about the latest in auto electronics throughout your career.

Auto Electrician Apprentice

To work as an automotive electrician you need to develop a very specific set of skills that includes both knowledge of mechanics and electronics. Before you can acquire a job in the field, you need to complete an auto electrician apprenticeship, working under a trained and licensed expert who has years of experience and knowledge to pass along. During an apprenticeship you will work hands-on with automotive electrical systems and components with the guidance of your mentor. You will learn about automotive design, mechanics, engineering and computer systems.

Auto Electrician Jobs

The basic auto electrician job description relates to installing, testing, maintaining and repairing a vehicle’s wiring, circuits and electronic features such as navigation systems, communication devices, sound systems, security systems. Auto electricians can work specialize in working on either personal or commercial vehicles. You can work for an independently owned automobile repair facility, an auto dealership for a specific manufacturer or for the manufacturer itself. Another job opportunity is as a mobile auto electrician who travels to the vehicle in need of repair instead of that vehicle being taken to an auto repair shop. You can find auto electrician job opportunities through an online electrician jobs hub.

Auto Electrician Salaries

A median auto electrician salary in the U.S. was about $30,470 annually or $14.65 per hour as of 2010. At that time there were more than 15,000 people employed as auto electricians nationwide. Auto electrician salaries will vary across the nation based factors like on your training, the type of company for which you work and geographic location.

Auto Electrician

Electrical Companies: Put Your Skills to Work at a New Job

Electrical Companies

As a properly trained and experienced electrician or electrical engineer, you can choose from job opportunities with a variety of electrical companies. A myriad of employment options are available in both the private and public sectors, including working for electrical contractors, power companies and government agencies. You can also choose whether you want to work for electrical companies that specialize in residential jobs, commercial projects or industrial complexes.

Types of electrical companies

Some electrical companies provide general contractor’s services like wiring and outlet installation while others offer expertise in specific areas of electrical work. Electrician companies provide those general contractor’s services and are the most well known. But other types of electrical companies are contractors who work with low voltage systems, such as security alarms and telephones, and high voltage transmission systems or the outside lines that connect to power plants. Contractors that install and repair heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as those that work with irrigation, fire protection systems, elevators and even home theater components are sometimes considered electrical companies and can be required to have a license.

Electrical engineering companies

The role of electrical engineering companies is different from that of most general electrical companies because they usually deal with generation and transmission of electricity to create power and its use in electronic applications. Some electrical engineering companies design ways for that power to reach our homes and businesses. They can specialize in different types of power generation such as gas, geothermal, hydro, wind or solar. Electronic engineering companies are a special division of electrical engineering that focuses on the design and installation of technologies such as compute circuits and telecommunications.

Licenses for electrical companies

The licensing requirements for an electrical company will depend on the type of work it does, such as residential, commercial or industrial and the jurisdiction in which the company operates. The licensing requirements for an electrician company will be vastly different from those of electrical engineering companies because they perform very different tasks. While electricians do not necessarily need to have a college degree, they must have completed an apprenticeship and classroom work in their field in order to obtain a license. Some of the types of licenses that jurisdictions require include residential, residential maintenance and nonresidential maintenance. Other applicable licenses may include pump and irrigation, domestic well, signs, limited energy systems, HVAC and refrigeration, appliance repair and equipment repair. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and at least four years of on the job training is required for electrical engineers. All U.S. states also require them to take engineering specific licensing exams.

Working for electrical companies

Once you receive the proper training and acquire all necessary licenses, working as an electrician or electrical engineer can be a rewarding and financially lucrative career. The salaries for positions in both fields generally start around $40,000 and increase significantly based on your experience, specialization and location. Perusing an electrician jobs hub will give you an idea of the number and types of positions that are currently open to licensed tradesmen through electrical companies and electrical engineering companies.

Electrical Companies