Taking Charge - Your Career As a Construction Electrician

Thank an Electrician Today

If you fired up your computer, switched on a light, or simply got a cold drink from the refrigerator, chances are there is a construction electrician out there that you borrowed from thanks. Construction electricians are in charge of installing the conduits and wiring that bring electricity into buildings, offices, and residential structures. Construction electricians are also responsible for installing signal communication systems, alarms, along with other electrical equipment had a need to make a structure livable.

What's  Electricians Fife  Like?

Although construction electricians usually work inside on construction sites, where they are in charge of installing the electrical hardware of a building or worksite, they may occasionally have to work outside in the elements. Construction electricians usually begin work shortly after the structure is framed, as their job requires threading metal electrical conduit (a kind of pipe that protects the building wiring) through the walls and floors of the building. As the conduit goes in, in addition they link electrical plugs, switches and other electrical management hardware to it, threading wires through the conduit, and connecting it to these power points. Construction electricians use screwdrivers, pliers, and other hand tools, and also electrical test meters to check voltages and pipe benders and hacksaws to cut and bend the conduits they install.

Construction electricians tend to be more than simply pipe fitters and wire cutters. They need to also understand how to read the blueprints that describe the locations of where electrical wiring runs in a building. They need to know about all local and state building codes and the specifications for several types of residential and commercial electrical hardware. They also need to know the very best ways to prevent short circuits or other electrical dangers that may come up in the wiring of a structure.

Since construction electricians sometimes work outside, they might be subjected to wind, rain along with other bad weather. Working conditions require standing many hours on ladders, work platforms, or in cramped workspaces. Construction electricians must be careful in order to avoid dangerous shocks and injuries from the high voltage equipment they need to install. In the case of factory or commercial construction, they could have to deal with extremely powerful transformers, switch systems, and circuit breakers handling hundreds of watts of electricity.

Qualifications

While many construction electricians learn their trade as apprentices to senior electricians, others learn the ropes through formal training programs available through community colleges and vocational schools. These programs typically need a senior high school diploma or GED equivalent. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association both offer four-year programs, as well as assigning apprenticeships between locations and providing work programs that bring experienced electricians and apprentices together.

Under these formal programs, apprentices are anticipated to understand 144 class hours each year, along with four years of on-the-job training under a senior electrician. Classes include training in wiring layout, electronics, blueprint reading, mathematics and electrical theory and applications.

Salaries

The median salary for a construction electrician is $20.33 one hour, with some variation predicated on location and experience. Generally, since these positions are often union-affiliated, salaries are just about equal across a geographical area.

Employment Outlook

About two thirds of the 659,000 electricians working in the United States are employed in the construction field or related jobs. With the expansion of computers, smart houses and other sophisticated electronic systems, the projected dependence on skilled construction electricians is expected to be very good through another decade, although recent downturns in the housing construction market could have a cooling influence on this growth. Even so, job growth is likely to hold equal with the national average through 2014.

How to get Work

Although some construction electricians enter the field by working as helpers under a senior electrician at an area job site, the most effective way to start a career as an electrician is though one of the many apprenticeship programs offered by way of a union or the National Electrical Contractors Association. As most construction electricians may also be union members, they are often referred by the union for jobs in a local area.

Potential for Advancement

The prospect of skilled construction to advance is normally quite good, with experienced electricians frequently moving up to management jobs as estimators, superintendents, and job site supervisors. From this point, they may opt to start their own contracting businesses or are consultants, handling electrical bids for other contractors. Many senior electricians can parlay their experience into related fields, such as for example factory, aircraft construction, or shipbuilding electrician roles.

Conclusion

If you're looking to take charge of one's future (pun intended), you will not have to look further than a lifetime career as a construction electrician. A vital part of the construction industry in both residential and commercial areas, that is one job that'll be in demand as long as people need lights, air-con, and electrical outlets in the spaces they reside in.