How To Become An Electrician
A career in electrical engineering is varied and interesting, offering good prospects and the opportunity to shape your future career.
For a career that is varied and interesting with good future prospects, you might want to consider becoming an electrician. If you dislike being stuck in the office and would like to learn new skills and enjoy the freedom to shape your own career, it could be the perfect job for you.
What does it involve?
Basically speaking, an electrician’s main role is to install, maintain and test electrical systems, appliances and fixtures. This will often include assessing wiring plans, fitting fuse boxes and circuit breakers, and laying cables and connecting telecommunications networks to power supplies.
However, qualified electricians have a wide choice of career options and there are lots of different kinds of electrical jobs out there, from bringing power to people’s homes to working on large engineering projects, or managing the street lighting for traffic management systems on our highways. The growth of renewable technology, such as solar power, wind turbines and ‘smart’ heating systems, is also bringing new opportunities to the electrical sector.
Entry routes
Electrical jobs are very technical and require specialist knowledge, so you will need to undergo recognised training in order to become a qualified electrician. The first step is to obtain an electrical or electro-technical NVQ at level 3. In order to complete this qualification you will need to be working in a related job and, for most people, the best way to do this is through an apprenticeship.
Competition for apprenticeships can be fierce, so to give you the best chance of obtaining one, it’s often a good idea to first take a level 1 or 2 qualification in electrical installation.
Skills needed
As well as obtaining the necessary qualifications, you will also need a specific set of skills in order to succeed as an electrician. You will need to have good practical skills and the ability to work methodically and carefully, as well as the ability to understand and follow technical plans and diagrams. More broadly, strong organisational and problem solving skills will stand you in good stead, as will the capacity to adapt to new situations and perform well under pressure.
As an electrician you may be required to work shifts or on call, or occasionally work away from home, so a flexible approach to work is essential. Working conditions are not always ideal and you may find yourself working at height, in cramped spaces or in inclement weather, so you need to make sure that you are comfortable with this before setting out.
Career prospects
The salary you can expect to receive as an electrician will vary depending on the level of your skills and experience and which area of the trade you work in. The average salary for the sector sits at just over £30,000 and, generally speaking, salaries for qualified electricians vary from around £20,000 to those starting out, to more than £40,000 for more experienced electricians. The sector also has good prospects, with a recent survey showing that electricians’ salaries are rising in comparison to other trades.
When it comes to career progression, there are plenty of opportunities available to you. Once you are suitably experienced, you may choose to take further qualifications and specialise in a particular area of the field, such as industrial work, maintenance or installation. You could also choose to move sideways into areas such as design engineering or project management, or move up into a supervisory role as Foreman or Electrical Supervisor, for example. If you really want to take your career to the next level, you can even apply to become a Master Electrician, which is the highest and most lucrative level of Electrical Engineer.
Of course, many qualified electricians choose to set up their own business, enjoying the freedom and flexibility that this brings.
Whatever route you choose, you can be sure that a career as an electrician will be both interesting and varied, offering good prospects and a high degree of job satisfaction.