Being an Electrician:
Pros and Cons | ZenElectrical

What Is An Electrician?

Electricians are professionals who install, repair, and maintain electrical systems. They are responsible for keeping systems under control and ensuring safety and compliance with electrical codes for all electrical components, equipment, and systems.

The role of an electrician in our society is imperative. Without them, handling electrical systems would be a grave task. Expecting all individuals to have extensive expertise in electrical systems can be a tad bit unrealistic, and trying to take the place of electricians by doing it DIY is like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

As understandable, it’s pretty evident that the role of electricians is irreplaceable, and the demand will only get higher by the end of this decade.

Electrician Job Role and Responsibilities

The electrical industry can be very demanding, requiring technicians to work long hours and keep a continuous learning cycle while ongoing training and working at a job. Electricians undergo thorough on-the-job electrical training to be at par with licensure standards and requirements. Without a valid license, it’s difficult for electricians to find work and showcase credibility in their expertise. Furthermore, career advancement becomes challenging as the job role demands taking exams to level up your career path.

When we talk about the roles and responsibilities of electricians, for instance, any worker with specialized knowledge, such as a residential or commercial electrician, can differ in the nitty-gritty. However, overall, they remain the same—which means they are performing the same actions on a ground level.

Some common roles and responsibilities of an electrician:

• Installing, repairing, and maintaining any electrical system

• Extensive expertise and technical knowledge in assessing and working on complex electrical issues

• Supervise apprentice electricians during construction projects and any kind of hands-on electrical jobs

• Stay up to date with industry standards and trends in the electrical world

• Comply with safety protocols to avoid inherent safety risks that come with the job

• Interpret and draft blueprints to execute electrical projects safely and effectively

• Replace electrical wires, components, or fixtures using power tools or hand tools

Risks And Rewards Of Being An Electrician

As rewarding a career as the path of an electrician is, it comes with inherent risks that can be quite strenuous and tiring. The job role comes with its pros and cons, which is imperative to understand so that it does not become inconvenient in the long run. Before deciding to go ahead with this specific career, it is beneficial to understand the benefits and the detrimental factors associated with it.

Let’s start with understanding the risks of the job.

Risks In The Electrician Career

1. No Instant Satisfaction

The apprenticeship program for aspiring electricians can stretch up to 5 years, with almost 500 to 800 hours of classroom instruction combined with 8000 hours of on-field training. Surprisingly, that’s not the end. After completing their apprenticeship, electricians must take their licensure exam to work as journeyman electricians in the electrical field. Subsequent to this, they need to complete an additional 4000 hours of electrical work to advance to the level of a master electrician. Only then electricians can think about moving forward with their plan to start their own businesses.

Hence, being trained as an electrician does not mean that all you need to do is finish your apprenticeship program. As you move up the ladder, you must gain valuable industry experience working with senior electricians and handling independent projects, and with electrical project management tools, this has become easier..

2. No Specific Work Timings

Unless and until it’s a service agreement for electrical equipment, most electrical issues come announced at odd hours. So you never really know when it might be required to wear your uniform, gather your tools, and get going to the service location. Basically, you don’t have any fixed work timings, which can hamper your work-life balance. In the initial phase of working as an electrician, there is an incessant need to get your hands on as many projects as possible, be it for the money or your portfolio. In that scenario, you will need to take on jobs when they come your way. This might get a little exhausting as you never know when you need to be on the field.

3. Physically Demanding

The job role of an electrical is conspicuously physical, with tiring and strenuous duties combined with erratic work timings. All electrical work requires intense hand movements, which can feel super tiring at the end of the day. And keeping up with that cycle for the rest of your life is not everybody’s cup of tea. Moreover, in the long term, this could be a contributing factor to a plethora of health issues such as stress, burns, electrocution effects, shocks, lower back pain, muscle contractions, physical strain, etc., to name a few.

4. Hazardous Situations

Working in the electrical field comes with extreme challenges, one prominent being working in hazardous situations. Electricians are exposed to a plethora of dangerous circumstances, such as faulty wirings and equipment, overloaded systems, voltage issues, electrical shocks, climbing ladders, etc. Not just these, but they also need to carry on with their duties even during various weather conditions. The situation is worsened if the mentioned situations occur in confined spaces, making it difficult for them to move out of the area swiftly. This can hamper their overall health and physical conditions, which can be quite stressful.

5. Economic Dependency

Electricians indeed earn competitive salaries with a high median annual wage. However, this only applies to electricians who have worked considerable time in the field and are now over the apprentice level. In addition to that, electrician wages are heavily dependent on the economy. In circumstances of economic downturns, electricians face huge setbacks as their earnings take a dip and they suffer from significant losses.

However, since mending electrical systems is an ongoing requirement, electricians enjoy enough job security to prevent their careers from suffering.

6. Ongoing Education

Being an electrician is a continuous learning process that requires you to stay up to date with codes, techniques, strategies, methods, and knowledge regarding new electrical equipment in the market.

7. Licensing Procedure

Obtaining an electrician’s licensure is considerably lengthy and time-consuming. Additionally, the examination and interview procedures can be advanced, making it challenging for them to qualify on the first attempt.

Key Takeaways

Every year, the number of electricians and electrician jobs significantly rises, signifying the conspicuous booming industry where aspiring electrical workers see growth and benefits. Undoubtedly, skilled electricians in this field enjoy many benefits but are also exposed to dangerous situations and adverse effects that can bring down the luxury the career path has to provide.

Even with the downfalls of being an electrician, the advantages are too good to be missed. Trainees are exposed to the industry, where they get plenty of networking opportunities with like-minded people and workers who have been in the field for a long time. This helps them get motivated and apply their lessons to their own lives, which helps them avoid repeating the same mistakes.

If you’re an electrician, taking proper care of yourself is a smart way to help yourself not get winded up in the adverse effects of the physical strain you might encounter while doing your job. Even though earning money and work experience is crucial in the initial phases, it is advisable to have a set routine not to get yourself overworked. Best practices such as these can help you listen to your body and mind to make better decisions for your personal life as well as your career.