How to be a Qualified Electrician

Posted On: February 20, 2025

Electricity is essential and powerful, but dangerous. Therefore, it’s best for professional electricians to have thorough training to understand its intricacies, ensure safety, and deliver reliable electrical services. This is a challenging profession, requiring work in cramped spaces with long periods of standing and kneeling in sometimes noisy, hazardous environments.

In this blog, we’ll go over how you can become a qualified electrician and what electrical safety training you need to be successful and safe in your electrician career path.

What Is an Electrician?

Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems in homes, businesses, and factories. They work in every type of facility, indoors and outdoors, and are at risk of injuries such as electrical shocks and burns, cuts, and falls.

While most electricians learn through an apprenticeship, some attend a technical school with programs related to circuitry, safety practices, and basic electrical information. Most states require electricians to be licensed.

Moreover, the median annual pay for electricians is $61,590. However, this depends on location, experience, and education. Therefore, the annual pay range can go from the lowest 10 percent earning less than $38,470 to the highest 10 percent earning more than $104,180.

ELECTRICIAN JOB DUTIES

Electrician job duties typically include:

Read blueprints or technical diagrams
Install and maintain wiring, control, and lighting systems
Inspect electrical components
Identify electrical problems
Repair or replace wiring, equipment, or fixtures
Follow state and local building regulations
Direct and train workers to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring or equipment

ESSENTIAL QUALITIES FOR ELECTRICIANS

Now that you know an electrician's job duties, here are the electrician skills you need to perform your job as an electrician successfully:

Color Vision: You need to be able to identify electrical wires by color.
Communication: Electricians work with clients and co-workers and can clearly explain problems and answer questions.
Critical Thinking: Electricians perform tests, diagnose problems, and use a variety of tools to determine the best solution.
Physical Stamina: Electricians often work on their feet and move around all day.
Physical Strength: You’ll need to be strong enough to move heavy components weighing up to 50 pounds.
Troubleshooting: A major responsibility of electricians is to find, diagnose, and repair problems.

Electrician Career Path: STEPS TO BECOMING A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

If you think you possess the abovementioned qualities or are willing to learn and are interested in becoming an electrician career path, here’s how to get a job as an electrician:

1. GET A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

Earning a high school diploma or GED is the first and most basic requirement for becoming an electrician. Interested high school students may find classes like shop and mechanical drawing helpful and should strive to excel in math and science.

2. GO TO TRADE SCHOOL OR VOCATIONAL COLLEGE

Next, learn the fundamentals of electrical work at a trade school or vocational college. Electrician programs introduce the profession, theory, processes, regulations, and safety. You may also get hands-on training.

You’ll learn about setting up, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems and specialties such as residential or commercial construction and maintenance. Graduates usually receive credit toward their apprenticeship.

For the academic year 2023-2024, the average tuition of the Electrician Vocational Program is $15,963, and the average books and supplies costs are $1,364.

3. COMPLETE AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Apprenticeship requirements vary by state and locality. Aspiring electricians learn the trade in a 4 or 5-year apprenticeship program, in which they receive thousands of hours of paid on-the-job training as well as some classroom instruction.

Apprentices learn electrical theory, blueprint reading, mathematics, electrical code requirements, and safety and first-aid practices. They may also receive specialized training related to soldering, communications, fire alarm systems, and elevators.

Several groups, including unions and contractor associations, sponsor apprenticeship programs. Also, the U.S. Department of Labor provides some resources for finding apprenticeships.

4. GET LICENSED

Most states require electricians to be licensed, though requirements vary. Some states require classroom instruction, supervised hands-on training, and an electrician certification exam.

There may be multiple levels with different requirements, such as residential wireman, journeyman electrician, and master electrician. Contact your local or state electrical licensing board or visit the National Electrical Contractors Association’s website.

Additionally, continuing education courses are required to maintain licenses and may cover safety practices, changes to the electrical code, and training from manufacturers in specific products.

Where Do Electricians Get Paid More?

Electricians tend to earn more in states like New York, Illinois, and Oregon, where the demand for skilled labor aligns with higher costs of living and specialized projects. Hawaii and the District of Columbia are also top-paying states, with wages influenced by state-specific project demands and living expenses.

Here’s a breakdown of those states:

Illinois: Electrician salary average is $81,650, benefiting from a strong economy.
New York: Electrician salary average is $81,340, with NYC providing numerous high-paying opportunities.
Hawaii: Electrician salary average is $79,280, appealing for its year-round warm climate.
District of Columbia: Electrician salary average is $79,030, ideal for proximity to northeastern cities.
Oregon: Electrician salary average is $76,040 with abundant natural beauty.

What are the Highest-Paying Electrician Jobs?

Specialty roles within the electrical field, such as industrial electricians and maintenance electricians, often offer the highest pay. For example:

Certified Electrician: Pays up to $143,500 annually, typically requiring advanced certifications.
Electrical Systems Designer: Averages $86,000–$104,500.
Electrical Superintendent: Pays around $63,000–$95,000 and involves overseeing large projects.
Maintenance Electrician: Ranges from $56,000–$72,000.

Other high-paying positions include those with utility companies or in construction management, where advanced skills and certifications increase earning potential.

Expected Job Growth of Electricians

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a much faster-than-average demand for electricians, with job growth expected to be approximately 11% from 2023 to 2033. Each year, an estimated 80,200 electrician openings are projected, largely due to workers transferring to other careers or exiting the workforce, often for retirement.

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