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Electrician

The Work
Electricians inspect, test and install wiring systems and equipment which has to be checked on a regular basis for safety reasons. The type of electrical work they do depends on their specialist training and experience.

Installation electricians install, inspect and test wiring systems in buildings. This may involve stripping out old systems and replacing them with new wiring or may mean installing a new system. In new buildings they follow architects' drawings showing where the electrical equipment has to be installed. They may also have to lift floorboards, bend and cut conduit (metal and PVC piping) and fix equipment to walls.

Maintenance electricians maintain and repair electrical equipment used in factories or large manufacturing or engineering companies.

Production electricians put together complex electrical and electronic appliances such as control panels or electric motors. They work from wiring diagrams, which show how to build the products.

Hours and Conditions
Most electricians work a 37- to 40-hour week, Monday to Friday. Some work overtime, weekends and shifts to fit in with the customer.

They can work indoors in a customer's house, in a factory, office or workshop, or outdoors on a building site. The work can involve heights or working underground. Conditions may be cramped, cold, dirty or dusty.

Skills and Interests
To be an electrician, you should:

be competent with a range of tools
be good at maths and science, especially physics, in order to follow technical drawings and instructions
be able to keep up to date with technological developments
be methodical and pay attention to detail
be safety-conscious
be physically fit and able to work at heights
have normal colour vision
be able to work on your own, be responsible for your own work and be able to make decisions
be tactful and polite when dealing with customers.

Training
England and Wales
Under the Foundation Modern Apprenticeship scheme, trainees study for NVQ Level 2 in either Installing Electrotechnical Systems or Installing Highway Electrical Systems. At present, this is coupled with the technical certificate C&G 236 Part 1: Electrical Installation, although this additional qualification is under review.

Progression to the Advanced Modern Apprenticeship allows work towards one of several Level 3 NVQs:

Electrotechnical Panel Building;
Electrical Machine Rewind and Repair;
Electrotechnical Services (Electrical Installation - Buildings and Structures);
Electrotechnical Services (Electrical Maintenance);
Electrotechnical Services (Installing Instrumentation);
Electrotechnical Services (Installing Highway Electrical Systems).

These are coupled with one of the following technical certificates:

C&G 232 Electrical/Electronic Engineering;
C&G 235 Electrical Installation Engineering;
C&G 236 Part2: Electrical Installation Theory and Practice.

Northern Ireland and Scotland
There are no Foundation Modern Apprenticeships. Trainees are offered the same level 3 qualification options as those available on Advanced Modern Apprenticeships in England and Wales, except there are no technical certificates offered alongside. It should be noted that Scottish qualifications are SVQs rather than NVQs.

Opportunities
Electricians are employed by a wide range of employers including electrical and building firms, electrical manufacturers, general manufacturing and engineering companies, local government, hospitals, and power generating and supply companies. Installation electricians may be self-employed or may work on a contract basis.

There is a shortage of trained electricians at present, so there are very good prospects for experienced electricians.

Promotion may be possible to supervisory and management positions in all areas of electrical work.

Salary
The annual income section is intended as a guideline only.

Pay rates recommended by the Joint Industry Training Board for the Electrical Contracting Industry are as follows:

Salaries for new entrants start at around £9,700.

An average basic salary is around £13,500.

Experienced electricians with approved status can earn £14,700 or more a year.

Further Information
Modern Apprenticeships: England
Tel: 0870 900 6800
www.lsc.gov.uk

Modern Apprenticeships: Wales
Tel: 08456 088066
www.elwa.org.uk

Modern Apprenticeships: Scotland
Tel: 0131 445 5659
www.sectt.org.uk

Modern Apprenticeships: Northern Ireland
Tel: 028 2565 0750
www.ett-ni.org

Summit Skills
Tel: 08000 688 336
www.summitskills.org.uk

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